8th grade graduation, blueberry picking, camp update

I already posted about the 8th grade dance but I don't think I posted about Harry's middle school promotion.  Dave and I don't make a big deal out of this milestone as they only went to middle school for 3 years.  If it was a 1-8th grade school (like Catholic school) I think it is a bigger deal.

Anyway, we had some MAJOR flooding in Houston in May.  Our neighborhood flooded (not our house) and many of our neighbors and some of my friends had serious flood damage.  A few people I know lost everything. It was horrific. You simply would not believe the devastation unless you saw it. As president of my Mom's group at church, I organized help for these families in looking for places for them to stay, collecting gift cards for them, delivering meals, doing laundry and lots of other stuff.  I never posted about the floods here because I was really busy at the time trying to coordinate help for the families in our church group who lost so much.  But I did mention it on FB and IG and people from all over sent me gift cards to help these families.  It was so generous and kind.  Thank you.  The families were SO grateful.

So, Harry's graduation was actually the week of the flood. The award ceremony was cancelled the day before due to flooding. Harry did get the History award which surprised us all because he is not a History buff (Will is) but apparently he knows his History.  Good job Harry! He also graduated with all A's  for the year.  I think he actually had all A's all three years.  He is a good student.

It was raining the morning of the ceremony and the graduation was very delayed.

Kate was in school and Will had final exams so just the 3 of us went to the graduation ceremony.

Without getting too specific, these types of transitions are a struggle for Harry.  We could barely get him in the car for his 5th grade graduation.  He was a little better this time but afterwards I saw it coming out.  

We wanted to take him out to lunch but he was not in a good mood.  We did end up convincing him to go for seafood  (his favorite) at Pappadeux.  We had a nice lunch.  It is hard for me to watch him go though these times. And I feel so helpless. Adjusting to middle school was extremely tough and I am praying every single day that his adjustment to high school is better.

He has attended three camps this summer (basketball, lacrosse and study skills) at his new high school.  So, hopefully he is feeling comfortable there already.

The weekend before the flood, we went blueberry picking. Let me just say that Harry is 14 y'all.  he DOES NOT want me taking his photo.  So, most of these are not of him.  I love him dearly.  He is a great kid.  But he is a teenage boy and I have to respect that.  I was just glad he came with us!

So someone on IG commented how I dressed her to match the blueberries. Ironically, we drove to the farm to go STRAWBERRY picking but we got there too late so they diverted us to the blueberries.  So, it was not planned at all (I am 99% sure she picked this out) but it worked beautifully.

There were beautiful wild flowers in the blueberry patches.

Blueberry picking was fun but (for me and Harry) the hilight of the day was on the drive home. We saw a farmer's market and this was in the parking lot....

We LOVE lobster rolls.  And they are not super common here in Texas.  So, Harry and I had to have one.  Kate opted for an all natural local made popsicle.

These were so good.

The following week, we got together with our friends to bake a berry tart...

And at the risk of this post being the LONGEST ever, I wanted to give a quick camp update too.

Kate and Harry are only at camp for one week this year because we are taking a longer vacation this summer.  It is quiet without them for sure but I am enjoying the quiet.  I have taken a few naps, done some deep cleaning and enjoyed the time with Dave.  It's been good.

I do check the camp website a few times a day to see what they are up to.

At first I though Kate was spending all her time in the gym...

But then luckily I saw these photos...




Cheering on her teammates in morning competitions.



Making a cross in the craft center at free time.



Cooking oatmeal cookies.
I am surprised she is in the cooking class again this year.
 She loved it last year but I did not think she picked it this year.



All the girls were eating milk and cookies (the ones they made).  And they tried to make milk mustaches.  I think we need to work on this:)



At the Christmas is July party.



And this last one is from this morning's competition.

Ever time I see one of these photos, I want to tell her to brush her hair and put it in a pony tail!

I was not seeing any pictures of Harry at all.  That bummed me out. But then I finally saw two.



This is one of Harry's favorite things to do at camp.  It's called gaga ball or smash ball.



This is a giant funnel that dumps into a lake.

So clearly Harry avoids the camera at camp too-- not just at home:)

Winding down and moving up!

This time of year is so busy with end of year activities and it is even busier when people are graduating or getting ready to change schools (dances, parties, field days, awards and promotion ceremonies). So, this post is all over the place but  it's a re-cap of some of our end of year activities so far.

Well, here we are and Harry will be finished middle school next week.  I am SO GLAD!  I don't usually wish away years or phases. Typically,  I try to enjoy each stage of parenting as it comes my way.  But I will say that having gone through it twice, I think middle school can be really rough.  Harry was plagued with stress and migraines in 6th grade and it was such a hard year for us.  He even transferred schools in October of 6th grade.  There were days that I was not sure we would make it.

But he did.  He managed to get through with straight A's even though he missed a ton of school due to illness in 6th and 7th grades.  He also took the most advanced classes available.  He played three years of lacrosse and was a real leader on and off the field.  And he was a good friend to others. He was also in the National Junior Honor Society. And finally,  I have loved working in the school store with him every Wednesday morning for the past 3 years.

This past weekend was the 8th grade dance.  Harry is not one who usually likes things like this but he had fun with his friends.  They are all going to different high schools so this was bittersweet.

And I took these pictures before the dance....

I am really thrilled that all three of our kids are well rounded and involved kids.  But, it makes it extra hard this time of year to get to all of their events/recitals/games.  Dave and I often have to divide and conquer (as most parents do). And sometimes we don't make it to everything.

Will just finished up water polo season and I am very proud of him.  He was really a leader on his team this year and one of the captains.  He has made so much progress in the last few years.  Often his games are at the time of day when I am picking up Kate from school or driving gymnastics carpool.  Often they are very far away too.  So between gymnastics, violin and lacrosse, I did not make as many of Will's water polo games this season as I would have liked to.  I am going to work really hard next year to get to more of them.  I really like watching him play.

Love this shot of Will about to score.  

He played really well this weekend and was happy to see us all there cheering him on.

I  think their teams took 2nd and 3rd in the championship tournament.

Kate had her violin recital a few weeks ago and it was awesome.  I cannot believe how far she has come. She trains 16 hours a week in the gym every single week for her gymnastics team now. So with homework, there is not a lot of time left for violin.  Her teacher schedules her group lesson for Kate's day off from the gym and Kate has the drive and determination to stick with it.  I am not sure how much longer she will be able to do that.

I did not video the recital because I just wanted to watch and for her to see my smiling face NOT the back of a phone.  But I did ask her to play a little Ode to Joy before the concert.  I posted it here on Instagram.

And Harry had his last regular season lacrosse game. It rained so I did not get a chance to take many photos.

That is Harry front and center #18.


Finally, Will had his Junior Ring and Cross Mass.

Kate could not go because it was her last CCE class before First Holy Communion.

We love Father Bravo.  He has been an awesome mentor to Will the past few years.  We are sad he is leaving Jesuit this year for an assignment in Puerto Rico.

Will has an awesome group of friends at his high school.

They are all really fabulous. accomplished, good guys.  I feel blessed that they are his friends.

Although his friends all ordered a high school ring, Will decided not to get one.  He LOVES his school but he did not think he'd ever wear the ring.  And he is probably right.  I am glad he was practical about it because none of his friends have worn their rings since they got them.

But they all got a beautiful handmade wood cross that they hang from their car mirror (his friend is holding the cross two photos up).  And they officially became seniors along with the privileges (going off campus for lunch).  It was a beautiful Mass and I teared up quite a few times thinking about his senior year and graduation.

I think I need a nap now;)  This week, we have Harry's powder puff lax game and field day, a field trip for Kate, her end of year gymnastics party and some award ceremonies.  I am looking forward to summer!