Summa Time

As much as I love winter time, I love summer. I love wearing flip flops on a daily basis, and the sun beating down on me. I miss that. I miss swimming in the pool, hanging outside, just being outside without a coat. But, I digress. I still have a lot of winter left, so I just need to hang in there. There are a lot of happenings here this summer, the biggest of all is a trip to NC for my cousin's wedding. What does that mean, the beach, family, memories, and all of us (4 children and 10 adults) under one roof. Luckily, we found our house already, thanks to our "cruise director" R. The house looks awesome, and as the days get closer to the trip, I will be more than happy to share the pictures with ya'll. In the meantime, I am keeping them to myself so I can lust over them and the sandy beaches.

One of the things that the beach house has is a pool. If you know me, and I am guessing you do since you are reading this, you know that I come from a family of swimmers. We used to spend out summers outside in bathing suits, like they were street clothes. We would be in them from probably 7 am until 10 pm almost.every.night. It was awesome! We made up games, entertained ourselves for hours, all at a cheap price. When we weren't at my grandmother's swimming, we would be at the local pool racing our little hearts out, only to go back to the pool again all over again. This is something I hope my daughter loves as much as I do. As much as it seems the next generation of us are. See, my daughter is in the younger half of grandchildren. Granted, there are only 4, but there are 2 older and 1 younger. Anyway, last summer my nephew fell in love with swimming. If I am right, and I think I am, he still loves it. My niece, she is a fish. But, I know that she will want to do what the older 2 are doing, and I don't want to have to tell her no. The beach last summer, a success. I was worried because she was only 1, but she was great with it. In fact she loved it. I am hoping to take her there more often this year. Here that R, I have lots of week days off! (JK, kinda, I know you are crazy busy with work and school). Anyway, I will take her.

Wait, what was I talking about, see, I get lost in the beach just talking about it. Oh, anyway, The summer means outdoors and pools and swimming so I want to be able to enjoy the pool a little bit more, so I knew I had to get Makayla to understand and be safe around the pool. So, I joined the local Y so I myself can use other avenues to cross train, but also so I can sign her up for swim lessons. Today, was her first lesson. And while you can't tell from this photo, she absolutely loved it.

She was saying cheese, and swimming all at the same time when I took this picture.  She was so well behaved, she was pointing out all the colors of the bathing suits that all the kids were wearing, and she was even so excited for all the kids to be swimming. Finally, it was our turn. She was nervous at first (I was too, this is my first time taking a swimming class, not teaching one) but as soon as her feet got wet, she was no longer nervous. She couldn't wait to start. She kicked with a kick board, she reached for a disc. She blew bubbles, and then applauded herself when she did. She didn't like her back so much, but I think she will get over that. It was the first day and all.


The saddest part, when the class was over. She didn't want to get out. I had to bribe her that we would be back. So far, this was the best money I could spend.

After class, all she wanted was pretzels, so we went to Target, and bought pretzels. She must have swam her heart out because she only ate 2 pretzels and then fell asleep (2.5 hours ago!)


I cannot wait to see how she develops with future swim lessons. I/we will probably continue them until the summer when we will be outside, but I will cross that bridge when we come to it. I know that I could probably teach her what she needs to know, but I love the interaction she gets with other children and I think that is something that is important to her growth.  Saturday morning swim lessons do make for crazy Saturday mornings here, but it is completely and utterly worth it!

Happy Saturday!

Hi ho HI ho

It's off to school I go. Well, Makayla, and it's really day care but who's going to correct her. She got this backpack from my sister R for Christmas and what can I say, I am a sucker for it...

I am a mess already, and this is just day care. Oh Em Gee am I in trouble when kindergarten starts!

Doesn't this backpack kill you?!?! It kills me. She even tells me she can't go without it. It's hers. The things she learns. It's cold, she needs her boots. We get outside, she needs her mittens. (As a side note, she now knows how to put her thumbs in the correct hole). She is growing up too fast!

Happy Thursday!

New Year Snow Angel

Happy New Year! I hope that 2013 brings you everything your little hearts desire. As we come to a new year, we are all at the mercy of tradition to make resolutions. This year, I am working on many small things, but they all have the goal of making me a better me. Sorry if that makes me a little selfish, but every once in a while we need too. Anyway, to start of the year right, I will share some pictures from the first snowfall of the season. It also ended 2012 the right way. As you know, Makayla is 2, so last year the little snow we did have, she wanted nothing to do with it. This year, I didn't know how she would react. I think these pictures speak volumes....

 I don't own a sled, so I waxed up the bottom of my laundry basket and used that instead. She loved it! She really liked it too that at some point the "sled" turned her around backwards as she went down the hill! "More mommy!"

Her first time in the snow....

Here she is smiling, although you can't see it under her scarf. She kept saying "it's sowing momma"

Her first snow angel

Even her father came outside to join the fun. (although he didn't stay long)

I have to say that our first snowfall was a success! I can't wait for more snow, but hopefully I will have time to go get a real sled. In the meantime, I love how much she takes after me with wanting to be outside, exploring everything. She really is a breath of fresh air.

I hope your New Year's was what you wanted, and I hope that you have your eyes set on some great things for 2013. We are all in this together, Happy New Year!!