1. Little girls giggling.
2. Little boys playing with toy cars.
3. Evie hitting the wall at the end of her heat during a swim meet.
4. Nathan rubbing a kiss I just blew him into his cheek.
5. Picking up a good book and settling in to read.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
I Belong In the Zoo
We took Evie and Nathan to the zoo today, for the first time in a really long time. We spent 4 1/2 hours there. I am pretty sure that is record setting. The time flew by, and it was the best way we could have spent the afternoon.
The weather was perfect. Most of the animals were up and about since it was not unbearably hot for them. The kids were madly in love with the baby orangutan. (Okay - me, too.) They got to see a snake show and the rhino pee. (Who would have thought that could be soooooooo much fun and the source of major laughter.) And they enjoyed rides on the merry-go-round and brightly colored slushies.The day was full of running children, bright smiles and laughter.
Days like today are why I love summer.
The weather was perfect. Most of the animals were up and about since it was not unbearably hot for them. The kids were madly in love with the baby orangutan. (Okay - me, too.) They got to see a snake show and the rhino pee. (Who would have thought that could be soooooooo much fun and the source of major laughter.) And they enjoyed rides on the merry-go-round and brightly colored slushies.The day was full of running children, bright smiles and laughter.
Days like today are why I love summer.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Preschool Swim Class is Not For Wimps
Today I can't help but think of the wonderful college girls who teach the preschool swim class that my Nathan is in. They have some serious internal sunshine lighting them.
This was what Brittany and Ashley faced today: 8 preschool kiddos, all are non-swimmers. Most are pretty pumped to be in the pool, but even still, that is a lot of kids! (And just in case this crossed your mind, there were two lifeguards on the side of the pool right next to the kids.)
Okay, so 8 little ones. Some anxiously wanting to be "next" at all times. One who keeps escaping from the pool, right up the ladder, so she can walk around and climb back in. One who is crying because she got hurt just before class started, effectively ruining the excitement she had felt just minutes before. One who is fighting tears, asking his mother every 30 seconds how much time is left. (yeah, that last one was mine).
And their sweet teachers never flinched. They calmly handled the ones in tears and the one who was a flight risk. They gracefully took turns instructing each child with what they needed. They were AWESOME in the face of chaos.
This was what Brittany and Ashley faced today: 8 preschool kiddos, all are non-swimmers. Most are pretty pumped to be in the pool, but even still, that is a lot of kids! (And just in case this crossed your mind, there were two lifeguards on the side of the pool right next to the kids.)
Okay, so 8 little ones. Some anxiously wanting to be "next" at all times. One who keeps escaping from the pool, right up the ladder, so she can walk around and climb back in. One who is crying because she got hurt just before class started, effectively ruining the excitement she had felt just minutes before. One who is fighting tears, asking his mother every 30 seconds how much time is left. (yeah, that last one was mine).
And their sweet teachers never flinched. They calmly handled the ones in tears and the one who was a flight risk. They gracefully took turns instructing each child with what they needed. They were AWESOME in the face of chaos.
Friday, June 10, 2011
School's Out!
Here's the scene.
We parents are gathered outside of the school to pick up our kids on the last day of school. The kids are getting done early, 10:00 a.m. and most are heading from there to Waldameer for a school picnic. We are all chatting about summer plans and whether storms will ruin the picnic or not.
Then we hear it...
The sound of stampeding kids, sooooooo excited to dart out of the building for the last time this year. They are cheering and run to their parents with smiles and more cheering.
Do you remember that feeling? The joy of the last day of school? Looking forward to summer in a way that only a child can?
Watching the kids experience that emotions was almost as good as living it myself!
We parents are gathered outside of the school to pick up our kids on the last day of school. The kids are getting done early, 10:00 a.m. and most are heading from there to Waldameer for a school picnic. We are all chatting about summer plans and whether storms will ruin the picnic or not.
Then we hear it...
The sound of stampeding kids, sooooooo excited to dart out of the building for the last time this year. They are cheering and run to their parents with smiles and more cheering.
Do you remember that feeling? The joy of the last day of school? Looking forward to summer in a way that only a child can?
Watching the kids experience that emotions was almost as good as living it myself!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Glue Gun
Nathan has loved to play Rock, Paper, Scissors since he was 3. And I am grateful for that, because it is a game that we have played MANY times while waiting for whatever we have to wait for. (Doctor appointments, Evie to come out of school at the end of the day, etc.)
Some time ago, Nathan and Brian were playing it. And in true boy fashion, the game had to get more exciting. So they added "glue gun" (which, in case you were wondering, beats scissors and paper, but not rock). It has just become a rule of the game for us.
What is awesome though, is when we are sitting at a table having lunch somewhere, and we are playing. I LOVE when people look confused by the glue gun and I explain to them that Nathan and his dad changed the rules.
Yesterday at Brickhouse, Nathan got so goofy, and he had me laughing so hard. Somehow he started including coffee, straw, fan, and a bunch of other things, all with hand symbols of their own. It was so much fun laughing with him and his Aunt Claire as we tried to figure out what beat what. I love Nathan's imagination and the joy he finds in things.
Some time ago, Nathan and Brian were playing it. And in true boy fashion, the game had to get more exciting. So they added "glue gun" (which, in case you were wondering, beats scissors and paper, but not rock). It has just become a rule of the game for us.
What is awesome though, is when we are sitting at a table having lunch somewhere, and we are playing. I LOVE when people look confused by the glue gun and I explain to them that Nathan and his dad changed the rules.
Yesterday at Brickhouse, Nathan got so goofy, and he had me laughing so hard. Somehow he started including coffee, straw, fan, and a bunch of other things, all with hand symbols of their own. It was so much fun laughing with him and his Aunt Claire as we tried to figure out what beat what. I love Nathan's imagination and the joy he finds in things.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Ticket Free
I decided to run into a thrift shop by my house, hoping to score items to remake into fun things for my shop. Nathan and I parked around the corner and there for about 15 minutes when a woman came to the door of the store and asked if anyone had a van parked on 27th. I said that I did, and she told me that I was close to getting a parking ticket.
We chatted as I scooted back to move the van. She had been sitting on her porch as I parked and was still there as the parking ticket people (what are they really called???) were ticketing all of us who didn't bother to notice the no parking signs. She guessed where I had gone and so sweetly saved me from a ticket.
How sweet was this random act of kindness? I am grateful she was that thoughtful - no one is pumped to pay $25.00 for a parking mishap!
We chatted as I scooted back to move the van. She had been sitting on her porch as I parked and was still there as the parking ticket people (what are they really called???) were ticketing all of us who didn't bother to notice the no parking signs. She guessed where I had gone and so sweetly saved me from a ticket.
How sweet was this random act of kindness? I am grateful she was that thoughtful - no one is pumped to pay $25.00 for a parking mishap!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sunshine - Birthday Party Edition 2
Nathan's 5th birthday party was last night.
Here are some of the sunshiney highlights:
Nathan wanted a Star Wars theme. We made light sabors from pool noodles for each child. Nathan's Uncle Jay came sneaking out of the house with a Darth Vader mask on while the kids were battling in the backyard (okay - I totally had a blast battling with the little Jedis myself). The looks on the kids faces were AWESOME and Vader was attacked! So fun.
Playing frisbee and catch in the yard.
The smile on Nathan's face while we sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
Making S'mores, an absolute favorite of Nathan's, for the first time this year.
Here are some of the sunshiney highlights:
Nathan wanted a Star Wars theme. We made light sabors from pool noodles for each child. Nathan's Uncle Jay came sneaking out of the house with a Darth Vader mask on while the kids were battling in the backyard (okay - I totally had a blast battling with the little Jedis myself). The looks on the kids faces were AWESOME and Vader was attacked! So fun.
Playing frisbee and catch in the yard.
The smile on Nathan's face while we sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
Making S'mores, an absolute favorite of Nathan's, for the first time this year.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Adorable?
The kids' school had an athletic awards assembly today. Nathan sat with his little buddy Avery, playing games on Avery's mom's phone. They were way too cute, huddled together on the bleachers taking turns blasting fruit. (Or something!)
I asked them if they knew they were adorable.
Avery looked slightly offended. And then she said, "We are not horrible!"
I wish I could say I didn't laugh before I fixed it, but the look on her face was absolutely priceless.
I asked them if they knew they were adorable.
Avery looked slightly offended. And then she said, "We are not horrible!"
I wish I could say I didn't laugh before I fixed it, but the look on her face was absolutely priceless.
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