Max and the Reindeer

I cannot believe I have let all these months go by without posting on the blog.  Bad!!!  I have a whole folder on my laptop dedicated to photos I need to post and write about from the summer and start of the new school year; I have just been too busy (lazy?) to make it happen.  I will… eventually.  For now though I wanted to share these photos…

This fall I set up "Reindeer Mini Sessions" for my clients and had an overwhelming response to them.  I had no clue they'd be so popular!  I definitely didn't plan for that, nor for the amount of editing it would take to make them look as realistic as possible.  *Disclaimer: These reindeer are photoshopped into the image.  While I LOVE the fact that people really believed a reindeer was in the scene, can you imagine the liability of having a huge, live animal with little kids?*  Just before the weather turned super cold I was able to get a few with Max as well.  He was such a good sport, posing at my command as I pictured how I would place each reindeer in the image with him.  It was so fun!  I wanted to share…

Last Day of 5th Grade… Goodbye, Elementary School!

Max has loved his time at Five Points.  He has pretty much had the same classmates the last three years and that leads to confidence and comfortability in school.  Next year will be much different when the ten 5th grade classes from Five Points and the ten 5th grade classes from Dennis come together in one building for 6th grade.  There will be a lot of new faces… and some familiar ones too, and besides that the whole year will be a transition.  Max will have lockers and change classes more than the two times he has been used to in elementary school.  He will start school an hour earlier as well, which I'm really not looking forward to.  He will get to be more independent.  Something he loves!  Also, no more recess… which is good because he won't get another hand ligament injury (see cast in the photos below) but bad because who wants to sit in class all day with no real break?

Elementary school was a great place to ready Max for the changes next year.  He never ever wanted to miss school.  He has loved all of his teachers (and ranks them, of course, according to favorite) and we have never had to worry about what he is doing at school or how well.  He comes home and does his homework right away without anyone asking.  He works independently at home, to the point we are really clueless about what he's even learning at school… mostly I'm ok with that though!  ;)  Less work for me.

Fifth grade also gave Max the opportunity to shine musically.  Max tried out for, and got a role as a soloist in his 5th grade class play, "A Kid's Life".  He had practices during and after school and was really, really excited to play the part of Jimmy.  We couldn't believe this kid, who never likes to be the center of attention, would actually want all eyes on him while he sang, but he did.  And he did great.  He hit notes we didn't even know he could hit.  I'm thankful for video!  We will have it saved forever and ever.  And near the last day of school Max also participated in the 5th Grade Talent Show. Again, trying out and making it with about 12 other classmates.  Those kids were amazing!  So much talent… and bravery!!!  I was so impressed.  Max sang "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars.  Up on that stage.  All alone.  All eyes on him.  Seriously!  What a kid.

Playing "Jimmy", singing his solo

5th Grade Play

 Max, and his friend Brynn, who starred with each other in the play

Max and Brynn sing in a round.

Bruno Mars at the Talent Show.

The talented 5th graders who performed. (yes, that one boy is very tall)

5th Grade Carnival Shirts.  Class of 2023.

While we were sad to say goodbye to Five Points, Max is eager to start 6th grade later this summer.  Yea, I wanna say "this fall" but school starts SO early here that it's still mid-summer!  Makes me crazy. Hope the air-conditioning works!  :)

Cheers to another great year, Max!

First day vs. Last day

 

First day vs. Last day

First day with Flip vs. Last day with Flip

 Walking in the last day...

Spring Break 2016- Santa Rosa Beach, FL

Our favorite time of year… spring break!  It always seems like once we get to this point in the school year and then it's just smoooooth sailing until summer break.  Plus after winter in Ohio we are always ready for a week in the sun.

This year we took up our usual residence in the Destin-area only this time we got a condo in the Blue Mountain Beach portion of Santa Rosa Beach, FL AND we went with our BFFs, the Susecs, plus one friend.  Our condo was a gorgeous two-story, four bedroom apartment on an inlet of the ocean.  In fact to get to the beach we could either walk down the pier or take a private pontoon boat across the inlet and be dropped off right on the sand.  It was so unique and fun!

We spent the week riding bikes, swimming, playing games, visiting local attractions, eating, making coffee runs, shopping, eating more- which always included breakfast at the M&L (Max and Lydia) cafe each morning, relaxing on the white sand beach, and more.  We even stayed out way too late one night, keeping the airbrush store open after hours, to make sure we all got our "retro" air brushed spring break gear.  We also celebrated Tom's birthday (and life… he was hit by a truck while cycling there and had to be taken to the ER!) each night at dinner by ordering and sharing a huge dessert.  Destin is one of our favorite places because there is always so much to do, especially for kids!

Of course I had to carve out time one evening for photos on the beach!  It's tradition.  :)  It's my favorite to edit beach sessions.  If only I lived near a beach year 'round….

We are already looking forward to planning our next spring break together for 2017.  Could not have asked for better people to travel with than our friends.  It was a perfect get away.

Junior Olympics- Ohio State University, March 11-13, 2016

Short course season ended on a high note for Max.  He qualified for the Junior Olympics in 5 events in the 11/12 age group:  400 IM, 200 Fly, 200 Back, 100 Back, and 50 Back, and also swam on three relays with his teammates.  In every single one of his events over the long weekend he swam personal bests.  As always, it was so fun to be there for the excitement and to see the best of the best in the state compete.  It was a wonderful first year with the Mason Manta Rays!  We are now looking forward to the first meet of long course season which starts in just a few days at the University of Kentucky.  Go Max!

 Heading into McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion at Ohio State University

 Max and Lydia after day 1

 Max leading the heat in the 200 fly!  (his coach texted me with "WOW" afterward)

 Came in first in his heat!

 Backstroke start in the medley relay (Max in the white cap, right side of the photo)

 After day 3.  All smiles.

Springboro Swimmers from different teams gathered for this shot.

Short Course Regionals- February 2016

Short course season is winding down and it's time for championships.  The first of which is the Southwest Ohio Regional Championships that took place at our home pool in Mason.  The goal for Max was to swim hard and fast (and of course have fun) over the full three day competition, and to get more Junior Olympic cuts as an 11 year old.  He went into regionals with two cuts, the 50 back and the 200 fly, and by the time all was said and done he walked out with 5 total!  He also nabbed the 200 back, 100 back, and 400 IM all while having some of his biggest fans there to cheer him on… both sets of grandparents AND a great-grandma!  :)

It was a long-weekend that began with a missed day of school, early mornings, late nights, eating out, bleacher butt (for the spectators anyway), screaming voices, high fives, hugs, and LOTS of swimming. It's not easy being a swimming fan.  It's not the same as watching a soccer match or baseball game.  It's a lot of waiting around until the one you came to watch races an event with all his heart.  Then waiting again until his next one.  Once he does race it's the most exciting thing ever though!  I know Max was very thankful to his grandparents who would take time to come watch.  It was a weekend full of amazing swims and now… on to the the BIG championship meet; the Junior Olympics at Ohio State!

 Max, Nick, Sam, and Bret before the 100 backstroke

 Words of wisdom from Coach Katie

Christmas 2015

We love Christmas.  We always look forward to Christmas break; being home from school, hanging out with friends, sleeping a little later, the always beautiful Christmas Eve service at church, wondering if we we get snow, making plans for NYE… and of course holiday training at swim, but Max welcomes that challenge.   And even though all those things are wonderful, there's nothing better than being home in your jammies on a lazy Christmas morning.  It's my favorite thing in the world to wake up super early with Max whispering in our ears "get up!", opening gifts and taking our time, then just sitting back and watching Max play with things he received, or helping him put something together to use.

This year was no different!  :)  We did all of the above on Christmas morning and still had time to make a new breakfast to try before my parents came over later that morning.  It was unusually warm this year during the holidays; Max got an "EZ Rider" that is so cool and was able to take it outside and ride it down the street in shorts!  Felt more like spring than winter, but I was cool with that.

We also had Christmas-themed pictures done this year for the first time, and included Flip!  It's always fun for me to actually pay someone else to do all the work rather than running from setting the timer then editing the photos myself.  I loved the results.  And of course we used some of the photos for our card this year.  Perfect.  :)

These were taken just a few days after our car accident in late October.  It was pretty painful with fractured ribs but we couldn't reschedule, and thankfully you can't tell I was wincing in the images.  :)  Thankful to be able to have these memories!