Baseball Concludes

Last night was our last baseball game.  The season ended much like it started - a last minute field closure because of the crazy weather.  We decided to hold our pizza party anyway and had all the kids meet us at the clubhouse. It was one of the best turnouts this year - amazing what the promise of pizza will do!   We gathered for a final team picture and bid farewell to our new friends.  Don and I reflected on our coaching experience and decided that even though there were many frustrating moments, it was definitely worth our time and effort.  Given the option of leading or following - we'd choose leading everytime. 

NBBA Junior Rookie Giants 2012

Martha Stewart eat your heart out...  ok, not my best work, but they looked better in person and definitely impressed the children AND the parents!

Weekend amongst friends

We attended the nuptials of our friend Christa and her new husband Brad in Simcoe.  It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful wedding.  We travelled to and from and stayed with our friends Keith and April in Newmarket (aunt and uncle to the bride).  When we arrived at the wedding Summer was in an interesting mood and spent the first hour hiding behind me.  This is odd behaviour for my outgoing, life-of-the-party daughter.  But she soon warmed up to her surroundings, gave up a few hugs, and made some new friends.

Story Time

Practicing for a future role as a bridesmaid!

Making new friends

A Caricaturist entertained guests.  Summer was quite 'drawn' to his talent!

Self portrait

Beating the heat after the wedding. Summer is a future Olympic diver!

Pooped!

Poster Kid!

Summer has volunteered a lot of her time and energy in many ways.  She's been a spokes kid for the YMCA, a patient testimonial for Sunnybook's NICU Follow-up Clinic, and made an appearance in their annual report too.  Her latest public relations activity is for our Children's Treatment Centre, One Kids Place, promoting their volunteer program.  Summer will also be on the cover of their annual report.

She is pictured with her physio Krista (left) and a volunteer Mrs. Vickers. 

This week Summer has spent some extra time with an OKP volunteer, Rhiannon, who is taking her to the swim program.  

Summer Golf

Summer received a set of golf clubs handed down from our friend's girls.  They are even the right (left) hand - perfect for Summer.  Our neighbour has a 'driving platform' rigged up so we took advantage and had a little golf practice. 

A Little Culture and Appointments

We always try to mix a little bit of fun into our otherwise gruelling trips to Toronto for Summer's appointments.  This time was a little extra special.

My uncle John is an accomplished artist.  He and his friend Bill drove across the country from Nelson with his sculpture strapped to a rack on his jeep.  They spent Friday night with us and we had a really nice catch-up.  Summer remembered meeting John last summer and she really took to Bill, a former grade three teacher - they know how to talk to a six year old!

Sculpture strapped to the top of the jeep.

This piece is called a Conspiracy of Ravens and he installed it in the Sculpture Forest located adjacent to Fleming School of Art in Haliburton.

John's was one of fifty concept submissions that won the commission sponsored by a donor.  

Since we were heading to Toronto on Monday for Summer's eye appointment, we decided to take the 2 hour detour to Haliburton to see the sculpture fully installed.  It was great fun having an 'artist guided tour of the park and Summer loved posing with all of the pieces to give them scale. 

We bid John and Bill farewell and headed to Bolton to join Barb and Laurie for dinner and over night. It was great as always, and Barb and I cleaned up at the card table that evening.

Monday's appointments went well.  Summer's eyes are progressing and she was very cooperative.   Eye appointments always an exercise in patience.  Our 10:00am appointment was on time, and our 10:30 appointment with the Ophthalmologist was an hour late.

We had a quick lunch in Vaughan and sped up the highway to our next appointment - Botox follow up - in Orillia.  Dr. J was very apologetic for the last Botox 'spillover' and finally heeded our request to not inject Summer's arm for the foreseeable future.  That said, she recommended that we do another round of serial casting on Summer's leg this fall.  Don and I will aggressively stretch and use Summer's night strap, in the hopes that we can avoid serial casting.

Here are some pictures at the Sculpture Forest.

Summer helping Auntie Barb with supper.

Water Bomber!

Summer provided this exciting commentary while we watched the amazing Bombardier Water Bomber scoop water from our lake to douse a fire a few miles away.