Pinewood Bowl Play

A Night at the Pinewood Bowl

One of our favorite summer traditions over the past few years has been attending a play at the Pinewood Bowl. This year’s production was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat—a musical we didn’t know much about going in. Emmy was the only one up for joining me this time, so it turned into a little mother-daughter evening.

We headed over around 5:30 when the gates opened to lay out our blanket and claim a good spot. It was still way too hot to sit out for long, so after securing our place, we went back home for supper and packed up some drinks and snacks for later.

We returned when things reopened at 8:00, just in time for the show to start. As always, the cast didn’t disappoint. The Pinewood Bowl consistently puts on impressive performances with a super talented group of actors, and this year was no exception.

Thankfully, the temperature dropped enough by showtime that it wasn’t too uncomfortable to sit outside. The atmosphere was great, the music was fun, and Emmy and I had a really enjoyable night together. It's always a treat to soak in a bit of live theater under the stars.

 

Home Haircut

DIY Dog Grooming Adventures

Scout usually goes to the groomer twice a year to tame her shaggy coat. But recently, I bought a vacuum brush off Facebook Marketplace, and while Abby and I were messing around with it, we discovered it had a clipper feature.

So of course, we had to try it.

The girls held Scout while I gave her a full-on home haircut. She didn’t love it, but she didn’t totally hate it either—and honestly, I think we did a pretty decent job!

Looks like we might be skipping the groomer from now on. Especially since Scout loves to jump straight into the pond the second we get home anyway.

 

Orchid Club

Accidental Orchid Enthusiast

A couple of months ago, I was chatting with a patient about flowers. He started telling me about his greenhouse and all the orchids he grows—turns out, he has a ton of them. It sounded like a pretty impressive setup.

I told him I didn’t have any orchids and that they kind of intimidated me. He assured me that if I could keep tropical plants alive, I’d do just fine with orchids. Before he left, he handed me a business card and invited me to Orchid Club.

Who knew that Orchid Club was even a thing?

The next week, he dropped off a full info packet about the club at work. At that point, I felt too guilty not to go—so I went to a local plant shop, bought my first orchid, and told Robb, “Well… I guess I’m in the club now.”

On the night Orchid Club was meeting, of course we had to stay late at work. Johnny and Tobin were working with me, and I mentioned I was missing Orchid Club. They humored me (and probably made fun of me later), but they told me to go and have fun.

Orchid Club turned out to be basically Show and Tell for grown-ups and their plants. And honestly? It was pretty interesting. Some people brought really unique plants. The average age was about 70, but I like older people—and I had a great time.

So now, I am officially a member of the Lincoln Orchid Club.
I even have a nametag and everything.

 

Redneck Slide

Redneck Slide

Robb and I were kind of hoping we could skip putting up the pool this year. But then Emmy made it very clear that not putting up the pool was absolutely unacceptable. And let’s be honest—everyone knows Emmy runs the show. So… up the pool went.

Then Robb came to me with a new idea: “What if we added a slide?”
I didn’t want to crush his hopes and dreams, so I said, “Sure, go for it.”

The result? A full-on Redneck Pool Slide. It looked more painful than fun—but to be fair, it was actually pretty fun… in a chaotic, slightly dangerous sort of way.

In the end, though, the pool was kind of a flop. The water wouldn’t stay clean, and the filter just couldn’t keep up. If we want to try again next year, we’ll definitely need a new filter and a pool vacuum—minimum.

Or maybe… we just don’t put up the pool next year.
(That’s definitely the way the parent vote is leaning.)

 

Tear Down

Tear Down: Long, Hot, and a Little Too Eventful

Tear down is always long and hot. It’s kind of a family affair—everyone chips in to help wrap things up for the year. This year we had two tents to tear down, so it was double the work and double the sweat.

We started with the El Mezcal tent and got all the fireworks packed up and loaded back into the trailer. After that, we took a break to cool off and grab some food at Culver’s. Then it was on to the KFC tent.

We hadn’t been working there long when things took a turn. A girl—someone who worked for Sara, but I didn’t really know her—accidentally cut her forearm with a box cutter. It was a deep one, definitely needed stitches, and she didn’t have a parent there.

Somehow, I got nominated as the “most responsible,” so I ended up taking her to Urgent Care. She was only 17 and completely freaked out. She nearly passed out in the car and again when we walked into the clinic. She’d called her mom, but her parents were at the lake, so between me and her “situationship” guy, we had to get her through the whole thing.

She ended up doing okay—still pale and shaken, but stitched up and stable.

The only silver lining? By the time we got back, the tents were mostly down. Robb and I packed up what was left and finally headed home. We were more than ready to be back. Trying to parent from a distance while the kids stayed with the grandparents was not easy, and the constant bickering didn’t help.

The kids stayed behind to go to Big Bang Boom. They felt like they didn’t get enough “fun days” in Norfolk—which I understand… but honestly, we were just ready to be home.

 

Firework Camp

Two Tents, One Big Effort

This marked the fifth year the kids teamed up with Ginger and their cousins to run the fireworks tent—but this year came with some big changes. For the first time, they operated not just one tent, but two! In the past, everything was based at the El Mezcal location, but this year they expanded to include a second tent at KFC.

With two tents and limited staff, everyone had to step up in a big way—and they did. Caleb took the lead at El Mezcal, while Bryce ran things at KFC. Abby worked alongside Caleb, and AJ joined Bryce’s team. Brook, Emmy, and Carly floated between the two locations depending on where help was needed, and when Bree arrived, she jumped in at the KFC tent.

The boys were proud to each have their own tent, and of course that sparked some “friendly” sibling competition to see who could rack up the most sales. But running two full-time tents was no small feat. Unlike previous years when shifts were more relaxed and kids could come home for meals or breaks, this time the workload was intense. Caleb and Bryce were basically stationed at their tents full-time. Caleb rarely left—he’d come home late at night to shower, then head back to sleep in the camper at El Mezcal. Bryce, Brook, and Aaron rotated staying overnight at the KFC tent.

To make things even more challenging, illness hit midweek. Bryce came down with strep throat and still tried to power through, but eventually needed a trip to urgent care for antibiotics. Around the same time, AJ developed hand, foot, and mouth virus and also ended up at urgent care. It was tough watching them try to manage responsibilities while not feeling 100%, but they did their best—and thankfully started to feel better before the week was over.

Of course, in any family venture—especially one involving siblings, high temperatures, and long hours—tensions can run high. Caleb and Bryce were the official tent supervisors, and that naturally created some hierarchy. Caleb, while extremely hard-working, can be intense and not always the most diplomatic when asking others to pitch in. Abby adjusted well and worked alongside him with minimal drama. Emmy, however, had a harder time. We received a few complaints that she wasn’t following directions or being helpful. Robb shadowed her a few times and found she was mostly doing what she was asked—but, in classic Emmy fashion, the attitude often came along for the ride.

It was a tricky dynamic to navigate as parents, but Ginger stepped in and helped balance things out by splitting Emmy’s time between both tents. That seemed to help spread the sass more evenly and reduce some of the friction.

Despite the long days, the heat, and the challenges—including illness and sibling spats—we were incredibly proud of how hard the kids worked. For 12 days, they showed up, took ownership, and kept the operation running. The experience gave them more than just a paycheck (which was definitely a nice reward)—it taught them responsibility, teamwork, and a little bit of grit. We couldn’t be more impressed with what they accomplished.

Team El Mezcal

Team KFC

AJ

Bryce at the KFC tent

Bree and Emmy

Caleb closing the tent up for the night

Emmy breaking down boxes

Team El Mezcal

Grandma and Grandpa picking out fireworks for the show

Brook and Lane

 

Kids Firework Show

Fireworks and Family Traditions

After long days of selling fireworks, the kids were more than ready to blow some stuff up.  They’d worked hard and were just as excited to light them off as they had been to sell them. As always, Grandpa and the boys teamed up to plan and put on an impressive fireworks show for everyone to enjoy.

This year, however, things were a little different. With the Lutz’s house recently annexed into city limits, we ran into a bit of a snag. Typically, the only night fireworks can legally go past 10:00 p.m. is July 4th. Knowing that both the 3rd and 4th would be busy, the kids decided to hold their show on July 2nd instead.

We may have gone a little past the 10 p.m. curfew—but not by much. No one lost any limbs, the fireworks were beautiful so we called it a success! 

The boys walking out of the smoke after lighting all the fireworks.

 

Camp Sonshine

Emmy went to Camp Sonshine again this year.

She’s attended the past few summers and always has a great time. This year, she went with her friend Audrey, and they ended up in the same group with Hannah as their counselor.

Camp Sonshine is a day camp that runs from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, keeping the kids busy all day. Emmy comes home hot, tired, and full of stories. It was the perfect week for her to go, since the boys and Abby were both working a lot—and otherwise, she would’ve been home and bored.

Each day is packed with fun activities like archery, axe throwing, slip ’n slide, gaga ball, slime tag, outdoor cooking, go-karts, swimming, and more. We're lucky to have such a great camp so close to home.

On Friday, the camp offers an overnight option, and both Emmy and Audrey decided to stay. It happened to be 105 degrees that day with strong winds, so the camp moved everyone indoors to sleep in the chapel for safety and comfort. I don’t think Emmy slept much—she came home exhausted but happy after a full week of fun.

Strawberries

We’ve had our strawberry patch for five years now. Last year, we had a huge harvest—and this year looks to be just as good. The plants keep getting bigger each season, and we’re finally starting to see some nice, large berries.

I’m usually the designated strawberry picker, and the rest of the family is happy to be the eaters! This year, I made a strawberry sauce that the girls loved—it was perfect on waffles and pancakes. For about 10 days straight, I was picking a large bowl of strawberries every other day. I froze some for later, the girls used them in smoothies and açaí bowls, and Robb probably ate his weight in fresh berries.

 

Time to come home

The ride home was pretty cozy—just like it was on the way there. I think everyone had a great time, but after a full week, we were all more than ready to get home. We had an 8+ hour drive ahead of us, but we made it back safely.

As soon as we got home, Robb and I turned around and drove to Norfolk to pick up the dogs. I had really been missing my pups, and since I needed to help Bryce with his college class sign-up meeting the next day, I knew I wouldn’t have time to make the trip then. We didn’t end up getting home until 2 a.m.—which was kind of insane—but it made us extra thankful to finally crawl into our own bed that night.

This is what it looked like at the front door of our Air BnB house. Just a few shoes there.

 

Day 5 ATV Day

Today was ATV Day.

It ended up being one of the most expensive days of our vacation—and definitely the one that required the most planning on Robb’s part. There are tons of rental companies to choose from, so Robb had done his research ahead of time to find the best one for us.

With the size of our group, we needed two 4-passenger ATVs. The company had trails available to ride on, but we were a week early in the season, so they weren’t yet delivering the ATVs directly to the trail. That meant I had to drive a vehicle towing a trailer—loaded with an ATV—through the mountains for an hour. Not exactly my comfort zone. My stomach was in knots all morning from the stress.

I kept telling myself, “I’m a capable adult. I can figure this out.” Robb gave me a heads-up to tell the rental company I’d towed a trailer before. Gulp. I just hoped I wouldn’t mess anything up—because a wrecked ATV would make this day a whole lot more expensive.

The morning got off to a rocky start. We were trying to get everyone out the door early, and the plan was to just pick up Bryce on the way. But when we got there, we found out everyone 18 and older had to be present to sign waivers. So, I had to turn around and go back for Bryce and Bree.

Of course, when we returned to the rental office, neither of them had brought their licenses. You’d think teens would automatically carry ID—but we’ve run into this with Brook too. I’ve learned: you must spell it out—if they’ll need ID, tell them. We ended up just telling the company they wouldn't be driving, which at that point felt like the easiest solution. We were ready to get going.

Bryce, Bree, and Emmy rode with me to the trail. I actually did fine towing the trailer—though the beat-up 2004 vehicle they gave me felt like it was about to fall apart climbing the hills. Still, we made it to the Switzerland Trail, unloaded the ATVs, and we were off.

Everyone was a bit nervous about riding with Caleb, who’s known for his need for speed. Bryce drove one ATV with Bree, Abby, and Emmy, while Caleb took the other with Robb and me. Caleb handled the ATV well but definitely drove too fast at times. The trail had a mix of other riders—Jeeps, motorcycles, even a guy on a bike—so he could’ve used a bit more caution, especially around blind corners.

We rotated drivers throughout the day. Bree, Abby, and Robb all took turns and had a blast. I didn’t drive—it just wasn’t that important to me, and there was already a constant scramble for more driving time.

The weather was perfect—not too hot, and the rain held off until we were done. We had the entire day to ride and explore different parts of the trail. By 4:00, it was time to return the ATVs, so we loaded them up and made the trip back. First-time trailer hauling: success.

To wrap up the day, the kids played pickleball that evening. This ongoing need to be the pickleball champ is cracking me up.

Can you tell which vehicle liked going through the mud at full speed?

Day 4 – Falls, Horses, and Golf

Day 4 – Falls, Horses, and Golf

Looking at the extended forecast before our trip, we were worried we’d be dealing with rain all week—but the weather has been absolutely beautiful!

This morning, we hiked the Alluvial Fan area. According to an informational sign, this rocky landscape was formed when a dam failed and sent a 40-foot wall of water crashing into Estes Park. The resulting flood created this unique area of sand and boulders, and it’s now a fun spot to explore.

Robb, Bryce, Bree, and Emmy—our more adventurous hikers—scrambled up to the top of the falls. Abby and I aren’t quite as daring, but we eventually made our way up one of the cliffs to get a good view. It was actually a lot of fun climbing over the rocks. Bryce ended up with soaking wet shoes and declared that he “almost died.” While I tend to be overly cautious, Bryce is fearless—he has absolutely no aversion to danger.

Caleb, still firmly convinced that hiking is a form of punishment, talked us into dropping him off at the golf course so he could putt and chip instead.

After our mid-morning hike, we came home for lunch and some downtime. Bryce had a headache and took a nap. Abby, Bree, and Emmy watched TV and snoozed, while I worked on my tan out on the deck.

At 2:00, we split into groups again. The girls were off on a two-hour horseback ride through the park, while Robb and Caleb played 18 holes of golf. Poor Bryce stayed back to nap and try to shake his headache.

We were all excited for the ride—especially Emmy, who hasn’t been able to do her usual riding lessons this year since her instructor quit. She’s been itching to get back in the saddle. It had also been a long time since Abby, Bree, or I had ridden.

Our guide Kaylynn led just the four of us on the ride. Emmy rode Chester (I teased her that she always ends up with the horse who has an old man name), Abby had Ventura, Bree was on Navajo, and I rode Iceman. Emmy and Bree’s horses were the snacky ones—grabbing grass at every opportunity.

The trail took us into the National Park and up 800 feet in elevation. Some areas were steep, narrow, and even a bit nerve-wracking—especially one stretch with a steep drop-off. I was silently praying that Iceman and the rest of the horses were feeling steady on their feet. But the views were stunning—we saw waterfalls, the area of the Five Peaks, and Deer Mountain. It was a gorgeous ride, but by the time we made it back to the barn, we all agreed: two hours was plenty. Our butts were done.

After the ride, we swung by the house to grab Bryce, who was finally feeling a bit better, and then picked up Robb and Caleb from the golf course. Caleb proudly announced that he won "by a landslide" and made sure everyone knew it.

Robb dropped us off in downtown Estes, where we wandered through the tourist shops and picked up some local gear before heading home.

Hard to believe we only have one day left.

Emmy’s rating: 10/10.