Santee Lakes

Within the last few years, Santee Lakes was one of Ye-Ye's favorite place to go and chill. He enjoyed watching the ducks, feeding the ducks and watching Da Boys play on the playground. So, when our friends Daryl and Andy suggested a camping trip to Santee Lakes, we jumped on it. We rented all three 'floating cabins'; air conditioned cabins with kitchens and bathrooms that floated on the dock of the lake. All six boys, from all three families went. We all had an absolute blast. Daryl and Shirley showed Casey how to fish. Bright and early Saturday morning, the first words out of Casey's mouth were, 'I want to go fishing'! We took the paddle boats out on the lake, fed ducks, fished off the docks, made smores in the firepit, played in the pool and rode bikes. Nai-Nai got to join us for dinner on Saturday night.

When you are at the cabins, overlooking the lake, it is very relaxing, it feels like you are far away from civilization. Funny thing is, once you drive out the front gate, you are smack in the middle of Santee, 5 minutes from multiple grocery stores, or about ten minutes from Nai-Nai's house. Best of both worlds indeed.

Shirley Showing Da Boys How To Fish

Casey and Sydney on the Dock

Mommy and Sydney

Casey's First Fishing License

Nai-Nai and Sydney

Casey Fishing

Sydney Fishing

Da Boys Just Chillin

Dinner Time!

Stylin'

Snuggling

On the Paddleboat, Feeding Ducks

Group Pic

Another Goodbye

Its been a rough year for Da Boys. Good buddies Paolo and Gian moved to Seattle; cousins Jonathan and Samantha moved to Oklahoma, and now... Allison and Conner moved to Florida. Allison and Casey go WAAAAY back... well about as WAAAAY back as 7 yr olds can. Conner and Sydney were babysat together in their early days. Da Boys will miss their good buddies...

Casey and Allison Circa 2012

Then and Now

Goodbye Dinner

Seattle, 2016

For our summer trip, we decided to surprise Da Boys. Their buddies, Gian and Paolo moved to Seattle, Wash in the spring. There were times, that Casey would really miss his friend Paolo. In fact, the day after we booked the tickets to Seattle, Casey had a school assignment in which he wrote what he wanted to do during summer break. He wrote, "goto Seattle to visit Paolo, goto pool, beach and play video games" Just so you know, if you rank up there with video games, you are an important part of his life!! We kept the destination secret, only telling Da Boys that we were going on an adventure. It wasn't until we were in the boarding area at the airport and the airlines announced the flight departure information did Casey learn we were going to Seattle.

When we arrived in Seattle, we were greeted with one typical wet, dreary day... followed up absolutely gorgeous, sunny days! Our hosts showed us around the area; we hit the tourist highlights, such as the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Alki Beach and Snoqualmie Falls. And of course, Da Boys had plenty of time to catch up with their buddies, Gian and Paolo.

Da Fam by a pretty Seattle lake

Sydney all smiles trying the big boy slide

Sydney and Gian by the Space Needle

Da Boys by the Space Needle

Family picture atop the Space Needle

The whole gang stop the Space Needle

Bubble Gum Alley... NASTY

Snoqualmie Falls

Buddies

School Award

We recently got an email from Casey's school. In my experience, any contact from a kids school is rarely good. Anyone who has fielded a telephone call from the school nurse can remember that knot in your stomach and your heart skipping a beat while you wait for the nurse to tell you what happened to your child. Similarly, it's pretty rare a teacher will call or email just to say , " Just wanted to tell you little Jonny is such a treat to have in class". Face it, more often than not, contact from the school means bad news.. Or maybe that's just my childhood experiences scaring me.. Anyhow, back to the recent email from Casey's 1st grade teacher. It informed us that Casey won an award, and was being honored at the school assembly the next day. We quickly shuffled our schedules so we could attend.

Enjoying the School Assembly

Beaming with Pride

Award Winner Group Shot

Award Details

Award Details

He won an award for his outstanding effort and research on his animal habitat report. And an award for excellent work on his King Cobra report- including awesome details and outstanding illustrations and handwriting.

Congrats to Casey, we are very proud of you!!

Slumber Party

Recently, Da Boys have been organizing their own slumber parties. After we tuck them in their respective beds, kiss them goodnight, turn out the light and shut the door... The party begins. The venue rotates; sometimes they convene in Sydney's bed, sometimes they convene in Casey's bed. But more often than not, they bed hop and fall asleep in the same bed.

At Nai-Nai and Ye-Ye's House

In Sydney's Bed

In Casey's Bed

Priceless

Window Into His Soul

The other night, Sydney and I decided to play Sorry. (The Board Game) There are four colors of playing pieces; Green, yellow, red and blue. As we were setting up, Sydney asked me what color I wanted to be. Knowing his ABSOLUTE FAVORITE color is green, and wanting to see his reaction, I told him I wanted to be green. Without missing a beat, he responded, saying he was going to be blue. I watched his facial expression, and his reaction... He didn't pout, he didn't whine, he didn't cry, he didn't throw a tandrum. He took it all in stride. If he was disappointed, he didn't let it affect him. After a minute or so, I asked him if he wanted to be green instead. Boy, did he ever jump at that chance! His reaction time was so fast. He took me up on my offer in a heartbeat. I settled on the color blue. But, my ultimate color is irrelevant. I intended to give him green the whole time. But what I saw warmed my heart. I looked through a window, directly into Sydney's soul. He has such a gentle, caring, giving and selfless soul. I'll take the ugly-ist color in the world, everytime, if it means I get to see such wonderful traits in my son.

Track and Field, 2016

Towards the end of track season last year, we asked Casey if he wanted to continue with track and field. He said, "No, its too much running". You got me there kid, track DOES involve running, after all... Fast forward to Spring, 2016. We asked him if he wanted to do track this year, and his answer was a resounding "YES". Recently, he had his first track meet of 2016.

His first event was the 50 M dash. He ran a P.R. (personal record) of 9.82 sec, placing 3rd in his heat. This effort earned him a medal!

His next event was the 100 M dasgh. He ran 18.17 sec (another P.R.), again placing 3rd in his heat, earning another medal!

The next event he entered was the Long Jump. He jumped 7'7" (another P.R.). This effort won him 1st place, and his 3rd medal of the day...

Then came the surprise of the day. Apparently, Casey wanted to channel his inner Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis and earn a fourth medal. He wanted to participate in the softball toss. In all his meets last year, Casey opted out of the softball toss. This time, he brought it up, and wanted to do it. His first toss traveled 48', good enough for 1st place and his 4th medal of the day.

A big thanks goes out to little bro Sydney who patiently supported Casey all afternoon long!

Staring Down His Rival

On The Medal Stand

The 100 Meter Race

Long Jump Action Shots

Celebrating His FOUR Medals

Little Bro Sydney Counting Medals