Art Show

Last night was Tyler's debut at the Mayor's Art Show at the Frist Center.  He was so proud, and we were all proud of him!  He told Lance on the way home that he was so happy that "he is famous now."  Katie started to get a little jealous at that point, and sweet boy could tell so he started asking us "do you know who is really famous?"  The answer was always Katie! 

A less busy weekend than usual is upon us.  My tennis season (has been horrible performance-wise, but it is good to play) is ending and I am trying to get my last bit of tennis in for this round of USTA, so I will play Saturday and Sunday, but no soccer games!  We have two weeks left of soccer after this, and gymnastics is ending, too, so we will only have the kid's tennis lessons on the schedule, soon.  Things won't slow down much, though.  There seem to be a ton of things going on in this last month of school, and before we know it summer will be here.  I have been trying to secure camps for the kids (they are no longer eligible for the ones we registered for because they won't be six soon enough - it was originally entering 1st grade, but now it is 6 AND entering 1st).  We can get into camps at a Y that is farther away, and will probably do that.  The thing that sucks, though, is that since we were already registered at a different Y and weren't on the ball at this one - the best camps are full (wet and wild camp at the "waterpark" they have on site).  I just know that the kids will be sitting in their art camp or dance camp, and be very envious of the kids in the waterpark camp who get to swim and play all day.  They should get to swim, too, though - or at least they did during the Spring Break camp at the same place. 

I have been trying, though, to talk Lance into letting them go to a day camp that is nearby instead.  The pluses are that the bus picks them up at 7:45 and drops them off at 5:00 (so a full work day for a change), and of course, the big positive is that I think they would really enjoy a true camp experience (I loved camp and they seem to have my penchant for nature and outdoor fun).  The only real con is that it is more expensive than the Y camps (it is a Y day camp, too - just a real camp instead of themed camp weeks like dance, art, science, etc.).  They even have a week long session at the day camp that includes two overnights.  I think that is a great way to get kids used to camp!  It always amazed me that the five and six year-olds at the camp I used to work at would stay overnight for two or three weeks as required.  I am sure my kids would love to be overnight for that long and wouldn't miss us a bit, but I am not sure I am ready for them to be in a cabin with teenage chaperones and sporadic showers for that long.  The first camp experience is even more expensive, though!  Lance is hyper-aware of the expense because the Y is also who we have our aftercare booked through next year and it already shows all weeks for both kids on our account and when you add in camp for two kids for 8 weeks the total number is pretty scary!  We looked into sports camps at some of the private schools, and there are some really good ones, but the only full-day ones are booked.  Those will be great when the kids are older, and probably what we will do in the years to come. 

The funny thing is that things will probably seem easier in the summer once we get it squared away.  We have only had one week of not having the sitter and already the 3:00 pick-up is proving to be very difficult.  When you add in soccer, gymnastics, tennis (all things I know that are not mandatory and that we brought on ourselves), homework, and school stuff - things have been crazy busy!  In the summer we should have full-day care and not have as many outside obligations, other than making time for pool time - woohoo!  The thing I am most excited about with school almost being out, though, is that it is almost Beach Trip, time - can't wait!!!