summer freedom

Do you remember the thrill of going to putt-putt as a kid?  Giant animal statues, waterfalls and windmills to walk through.  Even when we went on a beach vacation, it didn't feel like fun until we'd hit the mini-golf course.

Now, as a parent, I've got to admit that putt-putt is a little more nerve racking.  Swinging clubs, hard golf balls flying off the course, crying when that ball just won't go in the hole, nearby blue water to fall in.  It's not my first choice when I think of fun.

But, Carmen got her first golf lesson last weekend at Juan Pablo's work party.

The big kids started out serious wanting to keep score.  Yeah, that's not going to happen with little Carmen around, so we let them go on ahead and have fun without us.

Carmen was more like a golden retriever, as soon as you hit your ball she was off down the course trying to pick it up.  Pretty much a ball thief.

But this was one of the best games of mini-golf I've ever played.  No scoring is the way to go.  Plus it had just rained a few hours before and cooled the evening down drastically.  So while the turf was soggy and some of the holes were filled with water, it felt perfect out.

Diego has always loved golf.  He's a little wild with the club, but he loved trying for that hole in one. That is until he and I went back after 9:00PM for one more round.  He actually was yelling at me at one point.  "Mom!  You can't always tell me what to do!"  (I was simply suggesting he hit his ball straight between two rocks.  Sheesh!)

It got so bad, I left him a few holes behind.  One of Juan Pablo's coworkers saw me alone and was concerned. "Susan, are you putting all by yourself?!"  Ha! I had to laugh and explained that Diego was losing it a few holes back, so I had to move on without him.

And this is the face of someone that is too short to ride in the adult go-karts.

I didn't try the go karts, but Daddy and the big kids stayed here most of the night.  Apparently, Isabela is a beast on the track and wouldn't let anybody pass her.  Juan Pablo informed me, "She's never getting her license."

Diego couldn't wait to get in one of the batting cages.  I had images of him wandering into the 70mph ball cage and getting whacked in the head, but the slow pitch softball made him happy.

He's always been a great hitter.  

But mom doesn't normally throw that fast, and he was feeling it in his little arms.

He came out smiling and ready for me to sign him up.  Looks like a pro to me.  Maybe one day.

As much as I want to plan out our summer so it doesn't whoosh by, I have a feeling it's just going to happen to us like it did this night.  As long as we look back and laugh when it's bad and tear up when it's good, a summer of freedom is fine by me.