Weekend Whirl!

We celebrated Drew's 15th birthday with a house full of teenage boys and little sisters.

They played games, ate food, and watched the Disney movie about the cross country team from CA.  

Look at that cute little boy who is all grown up.

Honestly, I feel SO grateful for the friends my kids have.  Drew's friends are the most adorable boys.  They are great kids from great families.  These kids have kind hearts and glowing eyes.

I'm on a mother mission to encourage my children to interact with people not just video games.  This is particularly hard in this day and age.  My boys insist that kids in Tully do not get together, unless they have girl friends.  

I arranged a few games-- finding gummy bears in whipped cream pies, a tournament where two people each had a ball on a serving spoon and they had to try and knock each other's ball off the spoon, they played with a giant paper airplane made out of a poster board, filled punching balloons with water, and they played with a plastic ball and bat.  In the basement they played some kind of dodge ball/ping pong.  

They really had fun together.

King Triton's daughters made an appearance.

And, Drew got a remote control helicopter that takes video imaging.  We call it his drone.  I love that it keeps him busy outside!  The drone supervised our garden planting and even made a fly by as we washed Sunday dishes.

On Saturday we volunteered at the Syracuse Duck Race to end Racism.

It is never convenient to volunteer or reach out of your comfort zone.

But afterwards we are always so grateful we did.

Anna got a henna tattoo which leaves an orange stain on her skin for a week.  It was a mess.

I should have taken more pictures, but I was busy chasing Ben around and making sure Eve didn't go swim with the ducks.

We set up a table and advertised for our upcoming blood drive.  We met so many good people.

I really love people.  I love that my kids are exposed to different cultures and experiences.  Ben bopped around and clapped his hands to the tribal drumming and dancing.  I was so grateful that my little ones know a life of diversity.  They are comfortable in a group and find friends quickly.  This was a Saturday well spent.

We got home in the late afternoon and planted some of our garden.  We still have some to go (maybe tonight for Family Night).  

Summer speeds up my life.  

I am tired but happy.

Life is good.