The Settlemoir Family Blog: July 2016

Cole has reached double digits!!! Like every year before this one, it is hard to believe!

Cole celebrated his birthday by having a few friends spend the night. His party requests included swimming, playing kickball, playing video games, eating ice cream at Scoop du Jour, and watching a movie. We were successful in meeting all of his party requests.

Swimming at Piper Glen's pool

Ryan, Drake, Cole, and Ethan with Kieran in the background

Backyard kickball

Two more joined us after swimming--Drake, Ethan, Gavin, Ryan, Cole, and Carter

Ice cream at Scoop du Jour

Presents followed by video games and a movie

A morning game of baseball

After the extra boys left, we celebrated Cole with Grammy, Nana, Papa, and Aunt Mariah.

Rey and Jovie like birthdays too because of all the wrapping material.

Jovie giving Rey the stare-down

Jovie was correct that there was enough room for both of them.

Cole with his cool Cardinals jersey cake from Grammy

After presents and cake, the boys tried out the water balloon catapult.

Opening presents from us on his actual birthday

Checking out Dad's version of a Sonic comic book cover

It is not a birthday here without at least one new Lego set.

On the day after his birthday, Cole received his gift from Aunt Shannon and Uncle Josh. He was completely surprised by the guitar. You can tell by his smile how excited he is to have his own guitar. He started lessons at the end of June.

Cole is always so full of love and energy. We love him so!

It was so nice to finish the school year before June! This June was full of very summery weather, a nice change from last year's rainy/cool weather. We enjoyed the weather when we could be in the pool and sweated it out at many sporting events.

Caden is playing for Panther Creek Country Club's Junior PGA team. This photo was taken before a match at Illini Country Club.

Caden playing first base

Rey and Jovie watching a bird video...Rey especially loves watching bird videos. She will even check to see if we are watching one if we are looking at our phones or iPads. Jovie watches sometimes, but she is not as into them as Rey.

Rey in her cubby

Caden teeing off at one of his golf matches at Panther Creek

Kieran started swim lessons with Bre at Island Bay Yacht Club. He made amazing progress within the first week.

Some more tball for our tball star, Kieran

We took the boat out for the first time this summer. We enjoy peaceful summer mornings on the lake.

Caden and Cole

Kieran could hardly wait for his turn.

Kieran excited to tube with Cole

Kieran's turn with Caden

Good buddy, Kody came to watch Kieran and Levi play tball.

Rey claimed Cole's Jumprope for Heart stuffed pug. One night, I heard something thumping down the stairs. Turns out it was Rey dragging the pug behind her.

Jess took Caden and Brady out to golf nine holes at Panther Creek. It was HOT, but the boys had a great time together.

By the end of week one of swim lessons, Kieran was swimming pretty well and diving for rings in the shallow end.

Cupcake Friday!

The boys spent an afternoon on the diving boards at Panther Creek's pool, while I "watched this" and took videos upon their request.

Cole

Caden

Kieran

Another golf match at Panther Creek for Caden and Brady

Caden is in the red hat.

Kieran loves tball so much that he wanted to go to tball camp again this summer. The camp is well organized, and the coaches are great with the little kids. It was a HOT week (well, four mornings), but Kieran loved every minute of it.

Enjoying a quiet moment with my Rey

Papa surprised Kieran by coming to his last tball game. I didn't get a photo, but Kieran was very happy to have a special fan cheering him on. We celebrated the end of a fun season with ice cream at Scoop du Jour.

Lots of Superman scoops for these silly kiddos!

Levi and Kieran--always nice to be on a team with a friend

Second week of swim lessons--Kieran can go down the slide and swim (freestyle or backstroke) to the edge of the pool.

Last day of tball camp--Cardinals fans vs. Cubs fans

Kieran as pitcher

Kieran up to bat

Cole participated in a Black Rocket Lego Video Games camp at Lincoln Land Community College. He LOVED it! During the four-afternoon program, the participants paired up to program a computer video game. At the end of the camp, we were given a link to his game, so he can play it at home.

After picking up Cole from his last afternoon of camp, we went swimming at Island Bay. Kieran can be in the shallow end without his floaty, so he spent a lot of time retrieving diving sticks.

The boys crafted a raft with pool noodles.

Kieran is such a little fish. He loves to be without his floaty.

Kieran's handstand

Surprisingly, the raft survived with all three boys on it for a little while.

Rey relaxing on Caden's bed

Caught sucking on her paw

"What?! I'm not doing anything!"

We spent Father's Day at the Cardinals game--another HOT ballgame, but it was fun. We were thankful for some clouds and a breeze.

A game of bags after we got home from the baseball game

Photo courtesy of Cole

Kieran was part of a very fun tball team. His coach was great with the kids. It was a fun season! We celebrated with a team party, including yummy food and games and water activities for the kids.

Getting their medals

2016 Astros tball stars

After the tball party, Kieran and I joined everyone else at Cole's baseball game. I arrived just in time to see a great hit by Cole. Nana and Papa surprised Cole at this game. Cole's and Kieran's games were on weekdays, so Nana and Papa were only able to attend one game for each of them. Caden's games were on weekends, so they were able to go to a few of Caden's games.

Cole as catcher

This is what happens when one color-deficient kid helps another color-deficient kid pick out clothes...

For the first time, we took the boat out on Lake Springfield to watch Rock the Dock fireworks. We enjoyed the company of Aunt Mariah and most of the Wynn family. (Ali was at camp.) The fireworks were beautiful over the water. Photos courtesy of Aunt Mariah because mine did not turn out as well.

Caden played his last baseball game of the season. It was blazing HOT (as was most of the season)! He had a great game! We really enjoyed watching Caden play. He has always shown potential, but he really proved himself this season. Hitting doubles became much more typical than striking out. He had great plays in the field too.

After hitting a double, Caden stole his way home to score the first run of the game.

Proud of Caden and his team!

Jovie is a cuddlebug first thing in the morning.

While Caden was at Camp Ondessonk, the rest of us played an intense game of yard Jenga. We were certain the tower would topple during several turns. It ended up being 34 rows tall.

Kieran waiting his turn at swim lessons

We met Eli at Knights Action Park. Eli's babysitter was kind enough to take the boys out on a paddle boat.

We watched Cole's last baseball game of the season.

Playing shortstop

Right before he had a great hit

Shortstop again

Super interested fans, Kieran and Chase

Making a run for 3rd

Post-game chat

Receiving medals

2016 CBSI Rangers--Fun team, great coach

During the last week of June, Cole attended a track and field camp ran by one of the middle school track coaches. They ran varying distances and learned how to do a few field events (high jump, long jump, and shot put). His favorite events were the field events.

Warming up (Cole is in a blue shirt and gray shorts.)

Long jump

On the last day of camp, they participated in a track meet. Cole brought home 1st place in shot put and 2nd place in long jump, 50m run, and 100m run for his age group.

The life of cats...