More Memories from Woodloch

More memories from Spring Break at Woodloch

We created a "sign-out" sheet in the room, so we could keep track of where everyone was. Notice what Sam's favorite place was:

Also notice the occasion where he decided to "wander". Toward the end of the week, he had a little symbol that he would draw for Bunker, to save time. Also, when Sam got home to Ashburn, he created a "Bunker" sign and taped it to the door going down to the basement.

Pete and Sam always had empathy for the less popular characters, and took their picture with them to cheer them up:

Dinner in the Main Dining Room:

Bocce:

Hanging in the Room:

The Amazing Race:

Game Ball

The date was:

The field was:

The bases were loaded with Yankees. The batter was:

The result was:

As you may have surmised, Pete got the game ball.

Dad rolled up to the field a few minutes later, and had the following conversation with Pete:

Pete: Guess what I did on my first at bat?

Dad: walk?

Pete: No

Dad: single?

Pete: No

Dad: double?

Pete: No

Dad: triple?

Pete: No

Dad: struck out?

Pete: No

Dad: hit by pitch?

Pete: No

Dad: dropped third strike?

Pete: No

Dad: fielder's choice?

Pete: No

Dad: bunt?

Pete: No

Dad: error?

Pete: No

Dad: Home run?

Pete: Closer

Dad: Grand Slam?

Guaranteed Success

Dad usually comes straight from work to Pete's baseball games. It seems that he usually arrives just in time to miss Pete's first at bat of the game. Which is about half of his hitting, since Pete usually ends up batting once more.

At the last game, Dad rolled up just after Pete got a triple. Pete was standing on third, and the Coach signaled Dad with three fingers. Dad knew this meant that he had just missed Pete getting a triple.

Dad e-mailed Coach that if the team ever needs a critical hit in the playoffs, he can put Pete up to bat and Dad will go drive around the parking lot.

Triple

Hooray to Pete for hitting a ball all the way to the center field wall in yesterday's baseball game. And hooray to the small band of severe thunderstorms for passing about 1 mile north of the field, so the game was not cancelled.

The triple Pete got yesterday is what Dad calls a "natural triple". There is another way to get a triple in Pete's league, which is to get a single, walk, or hit by a pitch. This is because the players are allowed to steal second and third on wild pitches, and the catchers are not capable of throwing anyone out, so whenever Pete gets a walk Dad can be heard yelling out "that's as good as a triple", to the befuddlement of the other parents.

Pete's team (Yankees) won, to remain comfortably in first place.

Dad and Sam played a variety of activities during breaks in the game. After the game, of course it was kids eat free night at IHOP.

Slivers

Poem by Mike Berman 5/13/11

Bath Toys

Everyone needs a few bath toys. Maybe a rubber duckie, or a squirt gun. Dad noticed the other night that Sam has been taking a bath with the following:

Yes, a large stool and foam weight. Any questions regarding the above, you will have to ask Sam yourself.

Tether Ball

Mom and Dad finally revealed to Sam last weekend his final Christmas present. It is a real live tetherball set. Dad and Poppy poured 200 pounds of concrete into a tire on Saturday to make the base.

You can see in the picture that it is already a hit with the ladies.

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updated 5/17/11 to include missing picture

Rubber Beret

About one day a year, Pete decides that it's Pig Latin day. He speaks only in Pig Latin for most of the day. In case you think this sounds whimsical and fun - it's not. It actually starts out pretty annoying, and then gets worse.

One interesting thing did happen on Pig Latin day 2011. Pete somehow found a green rubber ball that he was able to wear on his head. He noticed that when you say "rubber" in Pig Latin, it is "ubberay" and on his head it looked like "a beret". This was a pretty unexpected coincidence of language.

Teacher Appreciation

Pete's 5th grade teacher this year at Dominion Trail is Mrs. Robin LaFrankie. Here is the poem he wrote for her, for Teacher Appreciation week:

Candace

Sam recently posted a number of drawings in the kitchen. Of course, the picture shown above is Candace from Phineas & Ferb.

The interesting thing is that I heard someone ask him what she was doing in the picture and he said it was a dance move called the "Camel Toe".

Pete's Breakfast

Pete made his own pancakes and bacon.

The two wristbands are: yellow from Woodloch and black from Farmwell Station (his middle school next year)

Mother's Day 2011

Mom had a nice Mother's Day breakfast. Actually, she had two. First, at 7:30am Sam brought her a Pop Tart and Orange Juice in bed, that he made all by himself. Then Dad and Poppy cooked omelettes, pancakes, and fruit for everyone.

Also later that day Nana and Poppy bought a condo. And Dad put up a rather serious fence to keep the rabbits out of his pumpkin garden.

Note in the picture above, Sam doing his traditional photobomb.

Woodloch Vacation - Last Day

Day 6 of the Woodloch vacation came quickly, and was sadly the last day of the trip. The good news is that even after checking out of the room, you can continue to use the facilities for as long as you want. So of course everyone took it upon themselves to cram as many activities as possible into this final day.

Pete and Dad headed down to the Goofy Golf contest, while Mom packed up the car and Sam headed up to the North Lodge for the "Finish Lines" game. Dad and Pete worked their way up to the lounge and everyone teamed up with Skillz That Killz for the Finish Lines game.

Everyone quickly hopped on the shuttle and headed over to the Go Kart area. Pete and Sam did some bumper boats, and Pete climbed the rock wall (the 2 hardest faces) while Sam and Dad checked out the bikes in the bike shed and horseshoes. Everyone then headed over to the Sports Complex for a spirited game of Wallyball. This turned out to be Newcomb, which was one of the most fun activities of the whole week.

With just a little time left before the Knockout tournament, everyone hopped in a rowboat and went out on the lake for about 20 minutes. Then they dashed over to the gym for the Knockout tournament. Pete and Sam had played quite a bit of basketball during the week, so it was pretty much their home court. They played well, but the randomness of Knockout, and about 40 entrants, left them out of the medals in this event.

Everyone made the sad walk to the car and bid farewell to Woodloch, hoping perhaps there will be another visit there one day.