A Little Street Cred

E was mentioned on our school's website!

(sorry for the screen shot pic)

Birch Bay 2012

Mom and Kids Only Camping trip! Looking back over the other 2 trips we've taken, I realized that we have steadily increased our stays each time (Deception Pass - 1 night, and Ocean Shores - 2 nights), soon, we may be up to a week! This year we decided on a shorter car ride up north and stayed at lovely Birch Bay State Park, right across the water from Canada. We nabbed a great site complete with it's own forest trails. E spent most of her time in a huge climbing tree with Asher, and N and Mini were great companions. The 3-night trip (as you may imagine) presented itself with its unique challenges; a burst of rain on our ill prepared tents, a tick lodged under Mini's eyelash, early wake up calls, raccoons bumping around in the night, mosquito bites, uncooperative children howling in the showers, and a table full of picky eaters. None were so terrible to deter us from planning another trip again next year. Here are some shots from our time, none sadly from my actual camera, all via Instagram on my phone.

2012 Shark's Picnic

To say that swim team was a good experience for E this summer would be an understatement. She shone; our family was incredibly proud of her hard work. She was up every weekday morning for a 8am-9:30 workout and practice and she really swam her hardest at each meet. Her times vastly improved over the corse of the summer! Good work Sweet Girl!



In League Champs, the final meet of the season which included 5 or 6 teams, she placed 2nd in the 25 yard Backstroke and 3rd in Mixed 100 yard Freestyle for her age group (that's out of 30 or 40 some odd kids in those events)! We're already looking forward to next year!

Fourth Swim Meet

E's coach has taken a special interest in appropriately pushing E's quickly growing skill set in the lanes. It was decided that she be placed in an event rated for 10-year-olds (she's 7). She was entered into the 100-Yard Individual Medley. This requires her to swim 4 lengths of the pool and a new stroke for each pass. It was exhausting just watching. But she pushed right on through and finished 4th, we were so
proud.

Here's the video:

 

Last minute instruction from Coach Monique

Backstroke

Freestyle

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

And her best event; the 25 Backstroke was another success! She improved her time by 2 seconds and brought home another blue ribbon!

Third Swim Meet

The backstroke is E's strongest stroke, she won first in her division today! A very proud moment for all that were there cheering her on. D and I were serendipitously timing her lane and got to watch the whole thing unfold right under our noses. She's in lane 4 (4th from the top).

*Thanks to Grandpa for taking the video.

Second Swim Meet

E's First Swim Meet

E was all smiles during all 4 of her events (she must have swallowed a gallon of water with her mouth open like that). She competed with other 7/8-year-olds, and felt great about the experience. I was volunteering the entire evening as a timer, so I didn't get to focus on her like I would have preferred, but her 4 grandparents were in there in full force along with N, I was so thankful for their support.
   

*This cracks me up every time. She's swimming, but more interested in spotting her grandparents on the side.

Conversations With a 7-Year-Old

Setting: Backyard; I'm in our shed cleaning and organizing and she's swinging on her tree swing near the door.

E "Mom, if you could have just one wish what would it be?"

Me "Probably that we wouldn't have to ever worry about money."

E "Ok, what if I add you up to 5 wishes?"

Me "Whoa, well that's a lot to think about."

E "Ok I'll minus you down to 3."

Me "Ok, no money worries, health and safely for those I love, and...well peace I guess just about covers it."

E "Well, what if our car could fly? Like a rocket button?"

St. Louis Gateway Arch

E got a close up look at the arch today, incredible!

On the Receiving End of a Video Chat

As I mentioned before E got to tag along on the last leg of her daddy's tour. Kinda awesome, right? Not too many kids get to take a week and a half off of homelife and drive from Atlanta back to Seattle in a tour van. She's loving it. I've had a harder time not having her around. I think there were 2 consecutive nights I spent away from her last year sometime, but nothing like this type of separation. Our family is equally divided down the middle; 2 away and 2 stay. Of course we have our multiple daily conversations when I have to interrogate her on teeth brushing and vitamin taking. Every once in a while my phone let's me know there is a video chat afoot; let the silly face making contest begin! Her and her N could have hour long spells doing this: 

We miss her, and cannot wait until next week when we're all back together again.

1st Grade Art Appreciation

I have had the pleasure to teach an art class to E and Kaela this last year. We've dabbled in many areas but none so satisfying as our slow intro into the world of drawing. My guide: Drawing With Children by Mona Brookes.

This has been my teaching bible and given me the confidence to have the ability to impart these foundational skills to these two girls that love to draw. After weeks of drawing duplication and mirror imaging warm-ups, and then abstract designs we were ready to attempt our first lesson. The gals did fabulous, and I felt so inspired to have imparted some grain of knowlege to them, however small.

The girls were instructed to listen silently to each step, complete, and then wait for the next instruction; i.e. draw a dot anywhere on your paper, make a small angled line in front of the eye, etc.

Here is what we got!

by Kaela

by E

Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony

This Lucky Girl got to sit next to her best friend, Kaela.

E has graduated to a Brownie; we attended her Bridging Ceremony this evening! Unfortunately during the ceremony she changed from this giddy gal pictured here to an ashen shell of a girl. The flu hit her hard; high temps and aches with a furry. I watched her sink lower and lower in her chair as the evening went on, and when we met up afterward she was pale and could barely walk to the car.

Fire Hazard

E left her lampshade askew, and this is what we found a few hours later...very good reminder.

Sunny Game

Oftentimes after I pour my cup of coffee I will nestle myself into the rocking chair situated by our windows and enjoy the warmth. A while back I had my phone out and the sun caught the face of it and projected a concentrated reflection onto the wall and N went nuts! He loved chasing it around the room and frequently collapsing from laughing so hard. E took over this morning while I grabbed this video.

Family Time

It's state testing this week, so our classes were cancelled at our school. Perfect timing 'cause Dad's leaving us for a while...we decided to check out the children's museum over on Bainbridge Island and enjoy the sunshine, baked goods and ferry together!

Her name in Lights

E Swing

His Name in Lights

N Swing

Very Windy Ferry Ride

Girl Scout 100th Birthday Party

S-P-R-I-N-G

Fun with acrostic's

Can you tell we have gardening on the brain?

Wait, When Did She Turn 15?

It didn't take her long to make a few new rules after her brother moved out.

The Lorax

Creative Writing & Art Class