Memorial Day Weekend

This is a super long post…be prepared…

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What Memorial Day Weekend has looked like for the past 6 years…

The past 6 years, we have taken a group of teens to SNU in Oklahoma for Extravaganza. 

And just for fun, this is what Jaxen was doing this time last year...

 So here is what we did this Memorial Day Weekend -

Our Saturday started out foggy and cold! But Nik signed up to play on the church’s softball team, so we headed out at 8:30 for the first game of the season!

Nik, getting ready to warm up.

Jaxen loved running around on the field playing.

He was ready to help out!

The team.

Once the game got started, he had to play on the sidelines.

Nik, in the middle, sitting on the bench.

Nik played really well this game. I think he was a bit nervous because it had been years since he played last! But he caught the softball, hit the ball, and even got on base, and ran home! I saw about 2 plays that he made….I was busy keeping Jaxen entertained! That is why there is no pictures of Nik actually playing. Thankfully, there were 2 other little boys who came (they brought toys with them…now I know for next time!) and Jaxen had fun playing with them.

After the game (and cleanup) we grabbed some lunch and hit the road to check out Sackets Harbor. It is a small town, about 20 minutes away that sits on Lake Ontario. This was the day that everyone had garage sales, so the town was packed with people. Because Jaxen was passed out, we only stopped at 2 garage sales. But we still had a great time seeing the town.

Jaxen passed out on the way.

We drove around the docks to check out all the boats. Very cool.

Lake Ontario!

After awhile, we stopped for some ice cream (the best we have found yet) and parked at the lake. 

We enjoyed the quiet and had a really good time talking and 

hanging out while we ate and Jaxen slept! 

As we were headed back to the house we stopped so Nik could buy some cleats (maybe should have done that before the first game…!) and I stayed in the car with Jaxen since he was still napping. I was checking out our cute boy and noticed the socks he was wearing….

They are his warm, fuzzy, winter socks (his feet were wet and cold after the softball game, so I put his winter socks on, to keep his feet warm) but they were a bit too small I guess…see his leg puffing out of them?! It is pretty cute and pretty sad all at the same time!

I learned of a gas station that was giving away free sodas through the month of May!

It was a soda-kind-of-day!

Nik wanted to head to the driving range (he is playing in a golf tournament soon, and decided it would be a good idea to practice!) and Jaxen was still sleeping, so I just went with him. Once Jaxen woke up, we met up with Nik and Jaxen had a few golf lessons!

Watching a pro daddy!

Taking a swing himself!

And then, of course, smiling for the camera!

As you can see, the weather turned around, and it became a beautiful day! That evening we went to a friends house that has some kids around Jaxens age, for dinner. We grilled out, played with all their fun toys (playground, power wheels, trampoline…), sat around a fire and had a wonderful time getting to know more people in the area!

On Sunday, Jaxen was looking like a stud, in his red-white-and-blue! But the only picture I snapped was of him crying. So don’t look at his pitiful face…just his cute outfit! 

Another note from our Sunday…Nik got to preach in big church (for both services)! It was his first time, preaching on a Sunday morning here. The pastor was here, but he was working with Children’s Church that morning. He did a great job, and I know of at least a few people who were encouraged from his message!

After church we joined a Sunday School class for a BBQ and then I brought Jaxen home for a nap while Nik stayed and hung out. Then he came home and stayed with Jaxen while I went and watched an indoor soccer game. Indoor soccer is pretty big here and a few of the ladies from my Bible Study group were playing. I had fun watching them! 

That evening, we went out to the Chandlers for dinner and a bonfire. Jaxen was entertained the entire evening between 4 boys, 6 adults, 2 dogs, basketball, campfire, bonfire, fireworks, 4-wheelers, trucks, a lawnmower and a field to run and play in!

Jaxen running around, playing with the helmets.

The boys took turns driving him around on the 4-wheeler.

He loved playing in the fire and “roasting” like the rest of us. 

I had to take the food off his stick though, because he was just pushing the wood around.

But he kept the fire going!

This is my yummy s’more that I made!

And here is the bonfire!

They were trying to burn a bunch of old wood and trees and brush, 

so why not have a bonfire! I’m thankful for the smaller fire, though, that we could sit around!

Sunday was a late night for us…because no one wanted to leave the good company, food and fire! So we slept in a little bit on Monday and then headed to one other house for a BBQ. We did not know very many people at this gathering - so that was nice to meet new people.

That afternoon I helped a friend paint part of her house and then we had dinner and ice cream and came home and crashed! We were all pretty tired after our busy (very social) weekend.

But what a fun weekend it was! This weekend helped made Watertown feel even more like “home”. The fact that we got to spend so much time with people, and the fact that people were kind enough to include us in their plans and invite us over - was just so nice.

I know it is probably a little different here - the fact that it is a large military area, many people do not have family close around to spend holidays with…so they seem to be more open to including and inviting people to make the holidays even more fun. And we are so glad they did!