July 2025

Started out the month getting new Black Sex-Link chicks, this was in the plan to flip our flock this year.  The great "they" say hawks think they are crows so they won't attack, we'll see.

Geese are growing fast!

July 4th (technically 3rd) Party at Lake Benson - It had been a long time since we all went to official fireworks, this year we met up with the boys dance friends.  My misting fan was a huge success.  Kids had fun dancing to the local band playing and then we all enjoyed the symphony performance before the big event.  Surprisingly, the crowds were thin and manageable.  The fireworks were spectacular, I think we'll definitely go again.

Tradition required on the actual day we have our own little show in the cul-du-sac.  Titus and I worked a really good deal this year from a tent near our house.  Titus came up with idea of elevating them that turned out awesome.  Another 4 star rating on the Otto Neighborhood show!

Titus finishes his orthodontia just in time to go to Encampment, followed by Swing Dance; as was mentioned in a previous post.

There was a lot of dancing this month.  Jared had another private dance gig, then he got together with friends at a park (with great acoustics and apparently large spiders) to try out three new dances including one he created before officially calling another big ECD dance.  Sprinkled between all the ECD dancing was a good helping of Swing dancing.

Thor and Amber continued to have fun with each other and friends at the barn.

Lance played Cardinals baseball, Jared took pictures, Titus finished out swim season, the kids attended a Fiesta Party and another game night at the Lyons.  There was some airsoft squeezed in..... basically a very, very active and exciting month.

 

Encampment

Encampment is a sort-of BootCamp for the Civil Air Patrol, if you want to move up the ranks and fly you must attend at least once.  Titus was a bit apprehensive about going but he wanted the rewards that come with checking it off his list, so he went.  For the first time in many years it was held at Marine Corp. Air Base Cherry Point.  

Not sure who was more worried about the weekend, Titus or I.  They are not allowed to contact home for the entire week, so you have no idea how they are doing.  Thankfully they did send link to a photo gallery each day, which I scoured to find a picture of him to try and ascertain how he was doing, but I rush ahead.

In preparation all I could do was make sure he had everything he needed so they couldn't pick on him about anything tangible.  We spent weeks gathering supplies and a long time packing it just right.  Drop off on Saturday went really quick.  He left the car and I went to parent tent, next thing I knew they had fast tracked him onto a bus to enter the base (His uniform was perfect, he takes great pride in that and it saved him a dressing down other kids were getting before they were allowed on the buses).

Since we were all the way at the coast of North Carolina (for the first time since we moved here) Chris and I decided to make it an all day date adventure.

We drove to New Bern to tour Tyron Palace, the first governor's mansion in North Carolina (pre-revolution).  This property had been on my bucket list for years and it did not disappoint.  We toured the "palace", extensive gardens (ornamental and for cooking).  Our ticket also included the right to tour other historic homes near-by.  Our docents were all top notch and the town was so incredibly peaceful.  We found the best restaurant to have lunch; rubens, rootbeer, banana pudding and chocolate desert.  It was located on the river with a beautiful view.  We instantly decided to take Titus back when we picked him up because we knew he'd be needing a really good big meal.

In the end all my worrying was fairly unnecessary.  Titus did tell us quite a few kids quit by the end of the weekend but I saw him leading drill in the pictures posted on Sunday so I knew he'd found his groove.  After the weekend things calmed down a knotch and they started working in some fun between the testing and drills. Titus earned his NRA marksmanship badge, played flag football, water balloon fights, STEM projects, launched rockets, and got to get up close and touch all kinds of aerial toys on base.

We showed up early for graduation at the parade grounds, and got front row seats.  Titus was so locked in he walked right at us and didn't see us.  

We caught up with him in the parking lot, to gather him and his stuff.  He said he'd had a good time, his roommates were awesome, he was glad he went but he had no interest in going again.

We brought him a change of clothes and took him to our new fav restaurant to fill him up, before heading home so he could go straight to a dance with his brothers.  So thankful for God's presence and blessing upon him all week.