A highlight of Walter's summer was attending farm camp.
He really enjoyed helping with chores and interacting with the animals. He milked a cow (his least favorite job since he got pooped on), collected chicken eggs, and fed many animals.
His other camps this summer included YMCA Camp at Union Park (2 weeks) and Summer Champions at Prescott Elementary (2 days a week). On the first day of the first week of YMCA camp, both kids came home with an injury - Walter got a plastic axe to the face. By the second week, he was old enough for zip lining which was scary but fun. The favorite day is walking to the arboretum to feed the fish and get an ice cream treat.
At Summer Champions, most days were spent at Prescott playing games. Walter loved going to the Comiskey Park Splash Pad each week - and one day resulted in a neck Xray after a hard fall.
July was filled with 3 days a week of summer reading at Kennedy Elementary.
And he had two weeks of swim lesson at Sutton. He loved going to the pool each day and uses both the low and high diving board now - though the high one is still quite scary.
Michelle and Walter started their own Nature and Animal club that meets once a week. They go exploring or watch a video together (Nat Geo Kids Weird But True). The first trip was to Theisen's where they unexpectedly found a mouse. They have gone to the pet store and the Arboretum. Walter and Johanna went fishing with Grandma and Grandpa Kluesner. At the Arboretum, Walter was excited to use his birthday money to buy an umbrella and improve upon his Penguin (Batman villain) costume and has perfected his Penguin impression.
Tony and Walter attended a Swiss Valley Nature Photography program where Walter loved exploring and learning.
Walter was so excited after he spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa's helping in the garden at "the farm". He brought home all the vegetables he harvested and shared so much information about what he learned. And he was very talkative sharing with Grandma and Grandpa all his knowledge on animals. Walter picked onions, potatoes, beans, carrots, cucumbers. He wash the potatoes "with his own hands", helped make pickles, and dead head flowers. He said it was his best day ever at the farm! And wanted to schedule another day as soon as he could. The one "sour" spot was when he took a deep smell of the ammonia around the corn used to keep the raccoons away.
Walter visited Michelle at work and had to go see the office mascot, Barry Bones.
And he enjoyed a few days at home.
