It already feels like forever since the kids have gone to school. Monday was an exciting day for our girl. Amaya officially completed the beginner level of gymnastics and moved up to intermediate. She was, rightfully, so proud of herself.

Getting her due congrats and arranging her class switch.

This was the week between the end of school and start of camp so the kids had some break week adventures with Sophia including a first visit to the Northville Swim Club. It’s a swim club about 8 minutes from our house and this is our first year as members after joining the waitlist back in the Spring of 2020. I absolutely love the JCC pool but NSC is meaningfully closer and, since it’s in Northville, they’re much more likely to have friends there. The kids also like the pool itself and there’s a high dive! The only comparative downside, so far, is that the JCC pool has a full concession stand.

Steven doesn’t want to go down the slide (yet) because you can’t wear goggles and he prefers to have googles on when he’s under water. No pictures from day 1, but Amaya jumped off the high dive!

Always making friends… especially Steven. He’ll truly talk to anyone.

Back to the pool on Wednesday!

Our new Purple adjustable bed arrived!

While the kids enjoyed the pool, I headed off to Vegas for a quick 2 night trip to visit schools and meet with a vendor. We had an evening event at Top Golf – lots of fun!

On Thursday morning, the kids had a “stay in the closet” contest. I first heard about it when I got a text from Sammy asking me to text Sophia and ask her to bring him water lol.

There’s a Ninja gym in Plymouth, about 20 min from us, and I tried to get the boys in class all year but it was always full. All three kids decided to try it out over the summer which (hopefully) works out well because summer students have the first shot at fall classes. Amaya liked it so much I think she might even consider trading one day/week of gymnastics for this.

Here are some video clips of the kids working on the different activities.

Good times for me in Vegas.

Sara – this is for you! I wanted to get you a pressed penny but it was $5 (!!) so I took a photo instead. 🙂

Steven, Sammy and Amaya helped out with the grocery shopping on Friday. I think that’s why we have so much great fruit in the house.

I’ve been loving my new bike and, on Saturday morning, Amaya and I went for a half hour ride together. We ventured into neighborhoods across Beck road. It was a perfect morning for a ride and I think Amaya really liked the time together. I know I did.

Saturday the family ventured to Ann Arbor where we had a great lunch and shopped for some books for the kids – graphic novels for all.

We wrapped up our day with an evening trip to the pool – my first! Amaya jumped off the high dive and showed me how it’s done before I took my own turn. I had to close my eyes. It’s high when you’re up there!

We had a busy, but somewhat quiet, Sunday. The Cline men spent a good portion of the day working on some dead spots in our lawn. I spent a good portion of the day prepping the kids for the first day of camp tomorrow.

Amaya had her first friend pool party to celebrate her friend Rosely’s birthday. Beautiful weather and good friends!

That’s it for us! Camp starts tomorrow at the JCC!

This blog post feels like a doozy. School’s out for summer (!!!) and it kicked off with a bang!

The kids had a short week with school just through a half day on Thursday and their was big end-of-the-year energy. This was their first time ending a school year at Thornton Creek with Kindergarten interruped by COVID and virutal first grade!

Both boys went to school in the “Trouble” shirts I got them from The Music Man.

The second graders had popsicles on the playground on Monday afternoon and parents were invited so I worked my schedule to be able to pop by for 20 minutes.

On Tuesday, I had an early work meeting (and a late work dinner) so Jason saw these cuties off.

I wasn’t at the game (work dinner) but I got these great pictures of the boys at bat from another mom on the team. This was Sammy’s last game of the season.

Deer on the playground!

Sophia was sick on Monday and we weren’t sure she’d be back on Tuesday. Both Jason and I had work commitments that were preventing us from being home when the kids got off the bus so, as a precaution, we hired a new high school age sitter (who sits for a friend’s kids) to come on Tuesday afternoon. Sophia did make it to work that day but Lily was able to come anyway to get to know Steven, Sammy and Amaya. The kids loved her – especially Amaya – so hopefully she’ll be able to sit on her own in the future.

Wednesday!! Second to last day and last full day of 2nd grade.

Through June Amaya is still doing gymnastics twice a week. She’ll transition to one day in July. She has just two skills to learn to make it to the intermediate level.

Thursday was Steven, Sammy and Amaya’s LAST DAY of second grade! They had such a great year. They learned a ton, made great friends, had fabulous teachers and all agree that school is better in person.

Here they were on their first day of 2nd grade.

Off they go!

To kick off summer, the plan was a trip with all of the kids to Lakeside, OH to visit my friend Hannah and her family. It’s a wonderful gated vacation community right on Lake Erie that has a very small town feel to it with narrow streets and tons of golf carts and bikes. There are activities – organized and freeform – all day every day. It turned out, though, that the boys’ baseball tournament conflicted with the trip so Jason and I gave the boys the choice to stay or go. Sammy opted to take the trip and Steven opted to stay home to play ball. He was really excited about a 1:1 weekend with his daddy.

Air hugs from Steven as we were getting ready to leave. <3

“Meet the Counselor” event at camp. I can’t believe the kids are finally back at camp! They haven’t been since the summer before Kindergarten and will be returning to the JCC this summer. They picked a variety of theme camps – Minecraft, Baking, Ninja Warrior, Around the Town… hopefully it’s as awesome as it sounds!

Last game of the season before the tournament and Steven got stung! 🙁 He was a trooper though and still played the game after a little ice.

Meanwhile, after a two hour drive, Sammy, Amaya and I arrived at Lakeside. We were staying at an old hotel – Hotel Lakeside – right on the water. The building must be at least 100 years old.

Real keys!

View of the lake from the front of our hotel.

Golf carts were fun and helpful. I ended up renting my own so we could get wher we needed to go easily.

The highlight of Thursday night was jumping into the lake fully clothed. Amaya and Sammy were thrilled that I said yes.

In she goes! And that’s Sammy on the left.

Our hotel in the background on the right. (Changed into new dry clothes.)

There’s a beach volleyball court where kids meet up for spontaneous games of newcomb / Nuke ‘Em. Amaya joined in right away.

Basketball with Bubs while Amaya played with the other kids. (He joined in before the visit was through.)

Gotta have ice cream. (Glad I only asked for one scoop! These cones were huuuuuuuge.)

We stayed out until the sun set over the lake. The pictures don’t do it justice.

Before we left for OH, Steven gave us all blank journals with “Lakeside Ohio” written on the covers. He asked us to write about our trip so he could learn about what it’s like at Lakeside. Amaya understood the assignment.

Steven had his own journal so we could learn about his weekend, too. He got busy writing in it on Friday morning.

Grocery shopping with Sophia in footwear he calls “Slide Shoe 3000,)

We all had a fabulous Friday morning in Lakeside. After breakfast we headed to Hannah’s house, Sammy on his scooter. Amaya had to meet up with Hannah’s daughter Lucy for a 9am friendship bracelet making class. While they did that, Sammy had his eyes set on playing chess with me. He met another boy who was better than both of us. Levi both helped Sammy beat me and then beat Sammy himself. It was fun watching them conspire against me.

Amaya’s bracelet class

We spent the entire afternoon at the Lakeside pool. It was hot out, sunny and the water was perfect. Big bonus were two waterslides that both Sammy and Amaya loved. (Amaya also passed the deep end test which was pretty difficult! Tread water for 30 sec, swim on her front one Olympic length and then return on her back. The kids aren’t used to swimming that far on their backs.) Even applying suncreen three times, Amaya’s shoulders got burned. Need to be even more careful with our fairskinned girl.

While we were at the pool, back in Michigan Sophia and Steven did a nature walk in Maybury Park with Sophia. Sophia brought her camera so Steven could get great photos along the way. He was in heaven.

Steven had his turn for an oversize cone – one that ended up half on his pants. 🙂

Steven working hard on his journal and accompanying photo album. (I don’t know what “friltru” is supposed to say.)

Bobes and Sophia, before his big game. Sophia asked him if he wanted to watch TV and relax before they left and he asked what they were going to watch. Sophia said, “whatever you want” to which he responded “this feels so weird.” Kid is used to perpetual compromise with his brother and sister!

Unfortunatley, the Astros season ended after their Friday night game. They lost by 1 run after a great showing and near comeback. Steven had two hits and an RBI. He was really, really disappointed to lose the game but Jason helped him rally for a fantastic Saturday.

See? Happy boy on a Saturday after a downstairs sleepover with Jason. He says he’s a cucumber.

Saturday was cooler in Lakeside so it wasn’t a pool day but Sammy and Amaya had a ton of fun around town and playing with the other kids.

On Friday we rented a golf cart and, on Saturday, we popped back over to the rental shop to rent Amaya a bike. Kids ride everywhere. It’s really cool.

Sammy’s big ask for the day was a game of shuffleboard. If I ever played before it’s been years and years. We were pretty bad at the game but had a great time. Amaya and one of Hannah’s daughters, Bonnie, also played together. (Hannah’s triplets are identical girls – and she has three older girls. Abby has shorter hair so I know her easily but I always confuse Bonnie and Betsy.)

Back in Michigan, Jason took Steven to an art show in Northville and then to home depot. He truly loved, and appreciated, this time at home alone with Jason.

Amaya was having a great time with the girls at Hannah’s house so she stayed there while Sammy and I went out to eat.

Let’s talk about mayflies. Sometime after we got there they hatched and were everywhere. I mean everywhere. It was wild. I’ve never seen anything like it. Sammy wasn’t thrilled by them but Amaya thought they were adorable. We read up on mayflies and learned that they hatch by water, can have up to 400 offspring each, and average lifespan is one day. They’re believed to have been around for over 350 million years and have clearly perfected their reproductive process.

The last activity of the day was entrepreneurial. Amaya and some of the girls made beaded earrings and headed to “town square” to try to sell them. They walked up to people and asked if they wanted to buy jewelry. Amaya sold hers for five dollars and I’m pretty sure all of her money was reinvested in candy. She and Sammy are already making plans for next year’s jewelry business.

On Saturday afternoon/evening, Jason and Steven went to the Tigers game. Perfect weather and it was Negro Leagues Replica Jersey Giveaway day. They had seats right by the Tigers dugout and got to see the Tigers score fourteen runs.

We all got home around 7:30pm on Saturday. Gives were dispersed and then Steven got to the business of reading Amaya’s Lakeside journal before everyone went to bed.

This morning we kicked off Father’s Day with our annual family photo shoot. It definitely gets easier and less stressful as the kids get older! This year I didn’t have the bandwidth to buy coordinating outfits for the kids so I looked in their closet and dresser this morning and managed to find an option that worked out. I was ready for a total mismash of outfits but I’m happy it looks (falsely!) like there was real intention behind the choice. It was a beautiful day so we got lots of photos outside.

The kids had some “kids choice” photos. (Steven wore his shorts backwards – his idea – to hide the white logo on the shorts and make it look like they were solid black.)

Amaya and her babies! We came in and she was all set up on the couch with them.

It was a quiet family Father’s Day. Jason and the kids had a nice long game of Monopoly, one of the kids’ favorite things to do with their dad.

Steven and I took a trip to pick up his new glases and then I went to the playground by Novi highschool with the kids. Steven really wanted to practice batting so I pitched to both Steven and Sammy for a while, with Amaya helping out in the field.

Baseball ready!

We wrapped up Fathers Day with dinner at Bonefish Grill.

And that’s it for us as SSA head into summer break! Have a great week!

Every now and then, during my workday, I get an email with a link to a school presentation that Steven and/or Sammy are working on. This week, it was a “My Family” presentation. You’ll see that I am featured prominently on the cover which is the result of Steven doing a google image search for my name. Jason can’t be so easily found online.

The thrill of this presentation was that I could see Steven working in it live while I was flipping through. He was adding dates for my birth year and our wedding year but had blanks in the deck. I was able to pop into the notes section of the presentation to povide the info he needed and loved seeing Steven’s note back to me. It was such a fun moment in my day.

On Monday morning, Jason and Steven had a late start together so Jason could take him to an eye doctor appointment. Steven did great with dilation – he’s come so far – and his prescription has improved! His doctor said it’s even possible he won’t need glasses one day in the future, for his farsightedness at least. Steven says he’ll still wear his glasses, though, because he likes how they look.

After school, I hosted the end-of-year girl scout party for Amaya’s troop. It’s such a smart, energetic, friendly group of girls. I hope most of them are interested in continuing next year. I know Amaya is!

Before the activity and pizza, the girls wanted a dance party. Imagine my surprise when they requested Weird Al. He’s still popular with the kids!

Painting frames for a troop photo.

Troop 40831!

We were able to use my printer for the photos so each girl left with a completed frame. This was Amaya’s. 🙂

While we were having fun at home, Sophia and the boys went to Culvers and swim lessons.

Our sweet Amaya, wrote a comic based on Sally’s life – largely centered on the day she left us. This breaks my heart but it’s also such a gift to see how Sally stays with Amaya and how she’s processing through her grief. “You might think I’m just a cat, but I have a story to tell.”

The 2nd page shows our life with Sally, and evolves into the morning we realized she wasn’t well.

Page three takes us to later in the day. Sally was still at the vet and, while we waited to hear more from the vet, Sophia took the kids to the playground.

Page 4 shows the kids learning that we have to say goodbye to Sally and sharing that goodbye at the vet. But it ends with us enjoying ice cream together. I’m glad that, on this sad page, Amaya can still reflect the way to tried to feel a little better.

Page 5 is Amaya’s representation of what Sally had to say to us. <3

“I love my sister.” “I’m 93 in cat years.” “I love my mom.” “I love my family.” “I love the Clines.”

On Tuesday, now that the Astros have full uniforms, we finally had picture day! Can’t wait to see our boys’ newest baseball cards.

Grandma Sunshine and Aunt Annette came to the game! It was the perfect night for it.

Both boys did really well in the game. Steven had hits at every at bat and at least one RBI.

In fact, he was the game ball recipient for his performance in this game and through the season.

Proud boy!

Last week Steven, Sammy and Amaya commented that Sophia walked them to school this year and Jason walked them to school in kindergarten but I never walked them to school so, on Wednesday, we made it happen! Another perfect day for an outdoor adventure. It’s about 20 min each way – less if you hustle – and I make it back just in time for my 9am meeting.

After school, we all met up for a little retirement celebration for teachers including the boys’ teacher, Mrs. Bates. She is amazing and I’m so sorry the school is losing her. Steven and Sammy had an amazing year in her class.

Cookies and cat ears!

Steven is down to one pair of glasses so, with his new prescription in hand, we took a trip to his optometrist where he picked out two new pair of fames. He is adorable narrowing down his choices with “lilke”, “maybe” and “no” piles and had a very specific point of view on what he was looking for.

I had plans last night so Steven and Sammy joined Sophia at Amaya’s gymnastics class. I’m just now noticing that Steven went in his pajamas lol.

I got home from the movies and four the four people I love most in the world asleep together in our master bed. Truly the best.

The boys have two more regular season games next week but, because of my work and travel schedule, Thursday was the last one I’ll get to attend. It always seems like we’re getting right into our groove as the season comes to a close.

Both boys did great! Sammy got a hit at one of his at-bats and did a great job chasing down a ball in the field that went so far it was an grand slam for the other team. Steven got on base twice and scored once.

This game, Sammy earned the game ball. The kiddo was thrilled.

We had a special visitor at the game. May May came to see the boys play and was able to see both of them get hits. So special. <3

Friday, Sammy and I headed off to New York! Remarkably, we also went to NY together a year ago today! The same thing happened on my last trip with Amaya. I definitely have a pattern.

Sophia came early to help get Steven and Amaya on the bus.

Psyched to get decaf in the sky club. (Mostly psyched about the sky club.)

Away we go – same as we did exactly one year prior!

I worked from Sara & Dave’s house in the afternoon while Charlie and Sammy got wet under the hose. It was a beautiful afternoon.

Our 8th grade graduate joined for dinner

Back in MI, Sophia, Amaya and Steven got some ice cream at Stuart’s.

It was Friday night sleepovers all around! I slept at Nana & Papa’s with Sammy, Chase and Charlie while Amaya and Steven slept with Jason.

The boys are wrapping up school. I’ve loved getting photos of their school days this year. Truly a treat.

Saturday morning, Sara, Sammy, Chase, Charlie and I went to Dave & Busters and then out for lunch at Applebees.

Sammy and Charlie spent the afternoon getting wet again. They took turns standing on the trampoline and spraying the hose on the other one, who was on the grass below with an umbrella. Sammy was very impressed with Charlie’s aim.

Back in MI, Steven was modeling his adorable freckles.

A huge treat for me was meeting my friend Rachel in NYC to see The Music Man, with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. We’ve been going to shows together since we met freshman year of college and this was high up on my list. It was even better than I hoped and the company was perfect. Such a great night!

Back on Long Island, Charlie and Sammy had another sleepover with some bonus Carvel.

Today we headed out early for the annual SunriseWALKS event to support Sunrise Day Camp – a free day camp for kids with cancer and their siblings.

Before we left, Sammy and Papa took this picture, giggling because they were holding the box to cover Papa in his bathrobe.

The walk gang was Nana, me, Aunt Sara, Sammy and Charlie. <3 It was a little rainy but that didn’t stop us.

They had activities for kids before the walk and a little kids’ carnival afterward.

Explaining how his snake was painted.

Sammy and Charlie, walking together.

We did it!

Bubs at the carnival.

Back home, Steven got in some batting practice!

Our flight back to MI was delayed a bit but Sammy was a happy camper in the sky club and it was worth it for the fun weekend we had.

I’ll wrap up the blog with a photo of a lifelong friendship – Nana and Linda Schwartz – friends since high school. Linda was visiting from FL where she’s lived since I was in kindergarten. In fact, the Airbnb I stay at, across from Nana and Papa’s house, was once Linda’s! So special!

Have a great week!

Leaving Bitcherie Weekend is always so sad, knowing it will be another year before we’re all together again. Coming home to my Cline 4 softens the blow, for sure. Sammy saw me pull up and ran right over for the biggest hug. It was a beauitful afternoon. Amaya rode her bike. There were turns in the car. Jason, and his helpers, cleaned out our garage. I really nice, mellow Memorial Day.

I found Steven, inside, doing math on Prodigy.

Power washing!

Riding around in his automobile…

Amaya spent the late afternoon making a cake for the family. The only thing I did to help was put it in and take it out of the oven. It was a triumph!

Back to school on Tuesday! On nice mornings, I can sit on the stoop and watch the kids at the bus stop.

LIke Amaya, the boys wanted to apply for the Student Lighthouse Team. I made them answer the questions themselves, with limited help, which may have put them at a disadvantage if other kids had more specific parent direction but I was really proud at how thoughtful they were. Sammy, in particular, spent a lot of time thinking about his answers. For “why he should be selected” he said, “I make friends easily. I introduce myself to people and make friends through other friends. When people get to know me they know I’m a good person.” <3

None of the kids were ultimately selected but they do get a chance to be on a different student leader team, instead, and can apply for Lighthouse again next year.

Tuesday night was one of two season games not at Thornton Creek. Both boys played really well. Sammy made an amazing stop in the field and threw the ball to first to get the runner out. At one point in the game, Sammy was on third and Steven was at bat. He told Sammy, “I’m going to bring you home” and he did!

I just love this boys’ bun. He told me he is trying to grow his hair long enough to have a low ponytail in the back. (“Not a ponytail right on top of my head.”)

FINALLY, this week, work continued on the wood in our house.

Thursday night was the Gator Gala at Thornton Creek. The kids attended on in Kindergarten (fortunately pre-COVID) but this one was bigger and better and – being in 2nd grade – they had more freedome to wander off with their friends. There were outdoor activities, indoor games, food and lots of prizes. From my pictures, you can’t quite get the scale of how many people were there.

Sno-cones were a favorite for all the kids. I was volunteering at the food table when Sammy and Amaya got theirs.

The floor is complete! Now all we have left are the stairs and the kids’ room which will be completed when the wood for the stairs eventually arrives. My best guess is the work will be done the week of 6/20 or 6/27.

Amaya, with the CALL to Action team invite that the kids got. They said that everyone who applied for Lighthouse and wasn’t selected got this invite which may be true but they seem pleased enough, regardless. And we discussed that you get 0% of the things you don’t try for. I’m proud of them for going for it.

It was a big birthday party weekend so the kids went shopping for gifts with Sophia and spent some of their own money along the way.

Amaya’s new babies – Sammy and Sophie.

On Saturday, while the boys were at baseball practice, Amaya and I went mattress shopping for a new mattress for the upstairs guest room. A purple mattress with an adjustable frame is on order! Amaya also finagled herself a purple pillow out of the trip. One for me, too, because they’re so comfortable.

Last afternoon, through dinner, Amaya had her friend Clarie’s birthday party. There were at least 20 girls from the grade there. Clarie had a huge inflatable water slide and a ton of other games to play. I’m friends with Clarie’s mom so I hung around to help, much to Amaya’s chagrin. She was clear with me that it was fine (better, even) if I left. She got over it. 🙂

While we were at the party, the Cline men went out for mediterranean food. Steven looooves shwarma.

Today was a day of birthday parties. First, the kids had Ruxin’s birthday party. There was a bounce house obstacle course, a race car craft and lots of junk food.

Right after that, we went to Claire’s family party – which is for entire families they’re friend with instead of just girls from Claire’s class. I hung around for this one with SSA so I could visit with some of my friends. Again, the bounce house slide was a huge hit.

Photo booth!

Story time – with Amaya as purple haired goth-style princess.

That’s it for us! Have a great week!

*Blog title by Amaya