Cute Kid Pix September 2024

More photos that didn't make their own post...

My oldest is now performing every couple of weeks at the home games for his high school's football team. Marching band is fun but a lot of work.

Combo of marching band and color guard

More of the same

The cub scout pack had its usual rocket launch membership drive. Things got dark quickly, making photography challenging.

The best of many unfortunate pictures

We took my eldest to Christendom College for a tour and promotion of the campus. The new church is amazing! I did not take many pictures though I did see myself in my graduating class picture from last century.

Inside the new Christ the King Chapel

A slow month with school starting up again. Once the extra-curricular activities get in full swing, there will be more pictures!

 

Cute Kid Pix August 2024

Pictures that didn't get their own post from August...

Summer saw the end of some cooking-at-home projects. We tried making plantains. Our first batch did not turn out so well but the second attempt yielded softer and tastier results.

Cooking plantains

Our daughter got a candy cook book for her birthday and made a variety of confections over the summer. One of the last candies she made were white chocolate-coated cake balls.

Yummy!

Our youngest had a friend over and they tried out Monopoly.

In mid-game

Our eldest son is in marching band again. They had a band camp that finished with a preview performance on the football field.

Marching band in action

Our youngest had another visit with the grandparents before school started. 

Sharing screens with Grandpa

We took boating lessons from the local county parks and recreation department. It was an exciting morning because someone fell out of their kayak. The falling fellow was not one of our family members. The instructors tried righting his kayak and having him get in but it wasn't working. They went to the shore and did the remount there.

Shared kayak with daughter hiding

Youngest at the front of the canoe

Power kayaking

The youngest had his birthday, so we had a retro video game-themed event. The cake was Cappy!

Cake not for wearing

Amazing wall mural by my daughter

Posing at the mural

Blowing out the cake

The next day, we had extra family over to celebrate.

Uncle Ed with the birthday boy

We went to a local Ethiopian restaurant which was yummy, though I was a little disappointed with my dish. The bread is still amazing.

Kitfo

We went to an 80s/90s dance at our studio. It was fun dressing up, especially for me to be Miami Vice.

Dancing the night away

The local library's summer reading program included a free Junior Frosty from Wendys which we wasted no time collecting.

Yum!

Summer ending in August for the kids as they had to go back to school. Our youngest still likes walking to school, which includes time with a best friend from down the street.

Off to school

Cute Kid Pix September 2023

More pictures that didn't make their own post...

My son's marching band is playing at his high school's home games. I took some pictures. There was someone chatting behind me so video did not work out.

The first number

Making shapes

The finale

My sister gave us some popcorn on the cob which was a lot of fun to pop. It goes in a microwave bag, cob and all, then takes a couple of minutes to pop. Some of the popped corn didn't make it off the cob. It was tasty!

Popped corn on the cob

My eldest and I volunteered at the Columbia, Maryland, branch of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a charity that builds beds for kids that don't have one to sleep on. My son will be doing a bed build in October as his Eagle Project for scouts. The morning was a fun, hard work.

At the staining station

Putting long rails together

Our parish had its annual picnic, celebrating the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They had a brass band playing that was very entertaining.

Naptown Brass Band

My yojngest is playing baseball this Fall. The team is kid-pitch and the coach had everyone try, though only a few are really interested in being pitchers. My son tried but is not interested. He looked pretty good on the mound.

Getting ready to throw

Pitch coming

My eldest had a Court of Honor where he received some merit badges!

Shaking hands with the troop leaders

And with the scoutmaster

Cute Kid Pix August 2023

More pictures that didn't make their own post...

We were out in the Shenandoah Valley, so we made a fun visit and a serious visit. The fun visit was to a huge playground in Front Royal, Virginia.

Almost a fortress!

More modern equipment

We also visited my parents' grave, where we reminisced a bit and said some prayers for them.

My parents' grave

In a build-up to basketball season, our parish was hosting skills workshops on Monday nights. My youngest wants to join the league in the late Fall, so this is a good way to meet other kids and work on abilities that have not been used for about a year.

Dribbling drill

My oldest had band camp in August, getting ready for the football season when school starts. At the end of camp, the music department had a music fest that included the chorus and the chamber orchestra performing before the marching band took the field.

Reservoir Marching Band!

We went out for dessert to the Charmery, an ice cream shop in Columbia, Maryland. I got a delicious scoop!

Happiness is focusing on the right things

We went to Glen Echo for a swing dance with my brother and his gal.

First act--Rockasonics

Second act--Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys

Best dancers on the floor!

Our youngest had his birthday in August. We had multiple celebrations. The first was a family celebration with a lemon cake.

Posing with the cake

Blowing out the candles

In case you didn't count the candles

One of the gifts

Playing The Grape Escape

Battleship with Uncle John

The second part had local friends and was Zelda themed. Guests and hosts dressed up thematically.

Great costumes at the Deku tree

Home-made armor!

Also home-made

Mom and dad

The cake was decorated as a Hylean Shield.

Cake!

Blowing out the candle

In addition to a house-wide scavenger hunt, the fun included Zelda trivia with kids versus adults teams. We won't say who won.

Trivia time!

The party was a blast.