Summer's Start

The McCullers and Ernest

Nonna and Pop wanted to try something new this year and opted for a getaway in Pigeon Forge. We stayed at the Wilderness in the Smokies which has indoor and outdoor water parks. Compared to this, the rest of the summer may be a little mundane. Both Cam and Maeve loved the waterslides!

Maeve coming down "The Toilet Bowl"

Playing together

Posing after her favorite slide

Chilling in the tunnel

Maeve found one that she titled "The Toilet Bowl." Once she did it the first time, she was hooked and couldn't stop. I bet she did it 30 times in a row. She didn't like the water to splash in her face, so she went down feet first on her stomach!

Even Cam, our more apprehensive child, tried all of the slides. He did the Storm Chaser two times although it scared him the first time. It was, by far, the biggest and most intimidating of all their slides. I believe my favorite was the lazy river- the perfect metaphor for summer!

Go-Carts
Not sure who had more fun - the little ones or the big ones!

Kind of like the Tea Cups, but a little more spin!

Besides the entertainment, we spotted an Indian named Ernest, climbed Clingman's Dome, rode go-carts and fun rides, and competed in a game of putt putt. Pop was the overall champion, but Cam had a whopping 4 hole-in-ones! We ate enough to last the whole summer, that's for sure!

Thanks, Nonna and Pop, for starting our summer off right! We love y'all and love the memories we made in the mountains!

Maeve finds fun even in the tiny details of packing up and going home

"You're looking at a first grader!"

How can it be that Cam's inaugural year of "Big" school has come and gone.  Kindergarten is now just a thing of his past.  He had a great year with Ms. Amy and Ms. Barbara.  They took great care of my little guy and stretched him to do things I never imagined he could do at six years old!

Showing off his Kindergarten portfolio

Cam's Ice Cream Classmates

When I chose teaching as a career, being able to work where my children went to school was very much a part of the reason I thought this would be a good fit for me.   My morning companion made the way to work each day much different that it had ever been.  Before this year, I always slipped away before everyone arose.  This year, the mornings were not all about me.  Gone were the days of getting to work super early.  Gone were the days of the concerts in the car.  Gone were the days of running an errand before work.  To allow him to sleep later, our routine was to wake him at 6:30 and be able to leave the house by 7:00.    He always woke up fine, but there was typically a grumble over the outfit or breakfast choice.  And I always had to answer a tleast 20 random questions about life before most people even stumbled out of bed!  A couple I remember were:  "Why does the fog settle onto the ground?  How old will I be when Maeve is 18?   When is my next flu shot?"

Reading to us

I loved being able to walk by his classroom and see him busily working.  I loved checking in on him everyday at lunch when I picked my class up from the cafeteria.  I loved the random times he would pop into our class for this or that.  All in all, the tuition money that we gripe about and don't agree with, is worth every penny.  I am so glad he is able to be in my school.  In my Mother's Day letter, he was thankful that I worked at MBES and that I cooked good spaghetti!  What more could a mother ask for?

Excited about the last day of Kindergarten

He did this same pose on the first day of school -
the shirt still kind of fit him - the shorts were way too short so we had to opt for others

In my ten years as a classroom teacher, this was quite possibly the best year yet!  Could this have been because half of my heart was under the same roof as me for the entire school day?  I think him being with me had a whole lot to do with the sweetness of the year.

After his last day of kindergarten, he came home and said with boldness and excitement:  "You're looking at a first grader!"

The Ending of an Era

For seven years, Tony has been part of Titan Baseball.  He started the year Cam was born. (I am pretty sure he was missing practice while we were at the hospital).  He has been a dedicated part of the program from January through June each year.  He has given up so much of his time to help to shape the baseball experience for the guys on his team.  He started off as with the JV and moved up to Assistant Varsity Head Coach.

Never in the spotlight but a vital part to this team and program

For those who have never been part of a high school sporting program, it takes major dedication.  Pretty much it is a second job on top of the one of teaching, which can be all consuming in itself.  There is so much more than just the games.  Whenever you are working with teens, you are working with them in all of their ups and downs as well as the parents and all of theirs.  Between the team, his responsibilities in the classroom, and his role as the leader of our household, baseball season became a huge juggling act.

Coming to catch a glimpse of Daddy - their favorite Titan

I do know at times (he would likely say many times), I huffed and puffed about something I had to do alone because of baseball.  I jokingly referred to myself as a single mom on many occasions, but in reality the three of us (Cam, Maeve, and me) settled into our own little routine during baseball season.  Supper was very low-key and our beloved ritual of bedtime books was established out of necessity during this season.  We knew that if we were going to catch a glimpse of Daddy, we would need to go to the baseball field.  I hope when Tony looks back onto this season of his life, he remembers me as a supportive coach's wife instead of a grumbling one.

Hanging out by the dugout

This was a popular spot for them -
their daddy would come talk to them at the edge of the dugout right  here

Next season, the Titans will start anew without Coach McCullers.  As he takes on a new job responsibility and moves out of the classroom and into the board office to try out his technology wings, his dream pulls him away from one of his loves. But, we hope, that this move is in the best interest of his career and in the best interest of what is right for our family.  And, I'm sure, we'll find ourselves right on the sidelines rooting on the new team.  The only difference will be that Daddy will be in the stands with us instead of in the dugout.  We will always remember the Titans.

Yankees (Minor League + Major League)

Cam started his third year in baseball.  He did a year of t-ball and then a year of coach pitch.  Since his age was technically still coach pitch this year, we decided to let him do another year of that.  We thought it could build his confidence.  (Remember he was the t-baller who sat outside the fence during practice because he was so nervous about going in).  As soon as the first game started, we knew that we had probably made the wrong decision.  Compared to many of the younger ones, he was ready for a little more baseball action - he needed to keep score and learn more about the real rules.  We feared he was going to be very bored this season in this league.

Coach Pitch

First Game of Machine Pitch - our second baseman

I am so glad all the details seem to work out in our favor...every little one.  It just so happened that Cam's coach, Coach Q., also coached the Yankees in the league above this one - machine pitch.  So, after a few games, Coach Q. approached us about letting Cam play with his machine pitch team.  It was the call from the major leagues.  And, of course, we thought it was a great opportunity for him.

Cam with his new team

Serious ball player

Yankees Machine Pitch was similar to the Bad News Bears and they really did need another strong all-around player to fill some gaps for the team.  Cam turned out to be just the guy to help out the team.  He was a strong batter and got on base most times.  He played second base mostly and got a lot of ground balls coming his way.

And he makes contact

Another at-bat.  Look at that form!

His sister fan.  She was always there.  Never really paying attention,
but she would cheer for her baseball brother.  

His first "real" game was a success!  He wasn't too nervous.  He was able to hit off the pitching machine. And the Yankees won!  (This turned out to be their first and only win of the season!)  He was pumped because there was a scoreboard and umpires.  It was real baseball and he found a new spark for the game.  And, in true fashion, he always had the most fans in the stands cheering him and his teammates on!

Made it on-base and standing like Coach Q.

Sliding into home

Strawberry Pickin' Tradition

The strawberries were ready early this year, and so were we!  We even roped Daddy into going with us, which made it so much easier.  We met our favorite B and her family too.  Then headed to root on the Yankees.  Sweet, sweet Saturday!

My favorite pickers

They are getting so good at it
(Check out "behind" them!)

All the berries were small.  Maeve thought she found a BIG one!

Cam wasn't so worried about the bigness - just the sweetness!

Brenna 2, Maeve 3, Cam 6

Got a full bucket of berries

When we got home, I made a fresh strawberry cobbler and a yummy strawberry, grape, watermelon, and blueberry salad.  Shocker what a little berry picking can bring out of me!