Tag: 2014

Swim Team

I try to encourage an active lifestyle for the girls, although I don’t do a good job myself.  We have been trying to find a sport for Samantha since she was 2.9.  We’ve tried 3 sports so far, but none have really been her thing.  However, each summer, we swim and swim and swim.  Lots.  She loves it.  Because she has become so confident this summer, I decided to give swim team a go for the fall.  We are already doing soccer, but I keep telling myself that soccer is only 8 weeks…

So, off we go to the pool two or three times per week.  She likes it so far, but she is in the lowest group while she is working on perfecting her strokes.  She can’t wait until she gets her swim cap.

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Meanwhile, her sister is a trouper while being drug around to all these after school activities.  She can find the best of most situations.  She, on the other hand, discovered gymnastics at a very early age, and has been smitten.  She would probably be smitten with dance too, but I don’t have the courage to let her do more activities yet.  We still need to add piano lessons to the list.

Ellie’s First Day of 4K Preschool

This is our last year down the preschool hallway at school.  It feels a little strange.  I’ve been sitting in the preschool carpool for 4 years now, so it’s a little “been there, done that.”  It will be strange to have them both in elementary school and in uniforms, but that’s a whole year away.

This little nut had a hard time at the “Meet the Teacher” last week, but she got out of the car like a old pro this morning.  The principal looked at me, in the driver’s seat, like “Ok. well.  Crisis averted.”  She had a great day, and asked that I put orange circle chips in her lunch next time.  If that’s the only thing bad/unusual, I think we’ll have a great year!

 

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Lemonade $tand

All summer, Samantha has been dreaming of operating a lemonade stand. I think she got the idea from one of her Highlights magazines. But, there is a young girl who lives a few streets down from us who has a lemonade stand once or twice per summer. I always stop on my way to/from the pool when her stand is open. The girls find it hilarious to stop and get lemonade.

This began her dream.

First, she had to draw it out and get it just so.

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Then she had to make sure she had enough money for the supplies. Next, she had to find a free afternoon when someone could take her to the store for said supplies. She decided to splurge and get some helium balloons.  I told her they might cost a lot of money, but she assured me that “Sometimes, you have to spend some money to make some money.”  Yes, dear.  When supplies were got, she got to work.

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And she got so excited that she got the rest of us to join in.

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The little venture was much more profitable than I would have imagined: maybe because we were under a heat advisory and it was literally 100 degrees outside, or maybe we just have really nice neighbors. Either way, she had a blast.  And I hope she learned a little too.

The Final Countdown

We started out the last week of summer excited to finally get to the beach. Unfortunately, Brian came home on Friday afternoon late, and told us that he didn’t think he could come with us. Work gets in the way of life. Can I get an Amen? I attempted to get a few others to join us at the little apartment, but just decided to go on my own. I am so glad we came.

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When we were at the beach, the best way I know to describe it is occupied. The girls were just busy doing beachy things: digging for coquina clams, searching for crabs, riding waves, building sand castles, filling buckets, emptying buckets, looking for fish, watching the dolphins, the list goes on.  The girls loved going out to the sand bar, so we went out at least every day. Once while we were out there, we were watching some fishermen in kayaks and their wild success.  Then, some dolphins decided to join in the frenzy.  We were close enough to hear the water come out of their blowholes!  It was really cool.  We weren’t close enough to see them underwater, so Samantha continued to ask why we couldn’t get closer.  They are her all time favorite animal, I think.  They certainly are now, at least.

Then, on the last night we were at the beach, I was doing the final packing up and was ready to start walking up.  Samantha yells that she found a sea star!  I happened to have a net in my hand, so I walked down to the shore, not really knowing what I would find.  She was right!  It had lost an arm, but we picked it up long enough to watch it for a few minutes.  It was still alive, so I didn’t want to keep it.  Otherwise, what a cool find!

As soon as our feet hit the sand, they were content, which made me content. I even got to read a little while we were there!! They didn’t need me to join in the play, or worse, be the referee. It was lovely. I wish Brian could have joined us in this little bit of bliss.  The weather was great, a little cloudy all day (which is perfect in my book!) and even a little thunderstorm one afternoon.

This was the first time we had gone to Perdido Key, and based on our great trip, maybe we’ll be back!  We found so many great shells and animals.  I’m not sure if it was the season, weather, or the area.  It was nice.  I’ll pass along the house info too.

The rest of the week promises the finishing touches on our summer book reports, buying some new shoes, new school haircuts… Do you see a theme? We start back to school on Monday!!