Mid-way through the week. . .mid-way through summer

Frederick (on left) and his best friend Scott (on right) with Scott's little brother, Bean (in the middle), have been attending soccer camp every morning this week.  They go from 9-12. . .the first day it was a little much for Bean. . .he was sick and head-achy afterwards but Tuesday morning ready to be up-and-at-em again!  Each year our families talk about letting Frederick and Scott play in the same league but then every year we return the Y and they to their city league. . .at least they get to play in this camp together this summer.  Since we are neighbors it has worked out that one of us drops off and the other picks up.  Even with that, I have put 200+ miles on my vehicle in the last two days!
 
Yesterday and today I dropped the boys at camp about 8:30 and then took Margaret to her cheer/choreography camp. 
 It is only three days this week but it's a long day -- from 9 until 3.  I got to watch some of it on Monday and hope to run up there a little bit today too and see how she's doing. 
















Thomas is GONE!  He went to Centrifuge camp with the 7-12th graders at our church this week.  It's the first time he's ever been to a camp like this. . .the camp he goes to every year is very rustic and a throw-back to another era. . .this is at a college campus and I'm assuming loud and more contemporary.  He took his phone and texts very, very, brief notes to us. . .what I know:  he's chosen soccer and tennis as his tracks (activities for the week), the food isn't great, and worship is his favorite part.  Oh, and he texted me this one and only picture:

Funny.  He's a 13-yr-old boy whose parents don't allow this in their home -- ha!  He left Monday morning and will be home Saturday afternoon.  We miss him but know it's great to be away from home and all it's constraints and chores and siblings and rules. . .and parents. . .

Marie is doing soccer camp too but her session is at night from 5-8.  She hasn't allowed me a picture yet but I'll sneak one in today or tomorrow :)  Yesterday I had an inservice so she spent the day with her friend, Grace, who has to be home by herself on Tuesdays and Thursdays when her mom works -- that was nice for them to be together.  She was also able to have a friend over Monday while her siblings were at camp. . .today I plan to use her to further my dining room agenda!

In addition to all this Margaret's friend invited her to VBS at their church from 6-830 Monday night and we signed Frederick up too.  They are loving it!  This church does VBS like our old church in our hometown did it -- they don't use a "program" but rather write and use something they come up with.  The kids always have such a fun time there and last night made this artwork:

These are great!  I have a vision of a gallery wall in my new dining room. . .I may have to use Kara's expertise and build some frames.  Don't go crazy now, Family, I don't intend to start one single more project until everything is put back in the dining room.

Speaking of. . .this is what I had last week:

I snapped this picture this morning. . .















Those leaves were tough to do.  The center part still needs some work before I can think about staining it. . .I'm still set on painting the bottom. . .thinking black then possibly a white to distress over it?  I read a ton of spray-painting tutorials last night and think I'll do that for the chairs but will probably brush the bottom.  The more I work on this table the more I appreciate the job my dad did refinishing it from it's original black finish 20+ years ago.  I probably won't be doing the undersides and mechanisms. . .I'm wondering if he took it apart?  I really am enjoying this project.

And the dining room is set for Marie and I to prime this morning:

I spent 2-3 hours last night reading blogs, tutorials, watching some videos, taking notes. . .I think I know what I'm in for with the wall treatment. . .stay tuned. . .