Is there anything better?

Than a Sponge Bob Ice Cream by the local pool on an August day……?

My budding “artiste’”

and yes she was washed off and brushed her teeth a minute after I took this–thank god Crayloa makes washable non-toxic markers

Sunflowers!

Don’t they just make you smile   I’ve never planted sunflowers before but figured I’d give it a shot this year–they are the huge ones–supposed to be a foot across and they are TALL but gorgeous and happy and they make me smile a lot–especially during naptimes on perfect summer days!

A little bribery goes a long way…

Sophia has been taking swimming lessons for the past couple of weeks at the local pool.  While she’s ok at kicking and blowing bubbles she doesn’t like to get her face wet AT ALL.  In desperation I headed off to my trusty Target store, bought a mermaid barbie, came home and put it on the counter and said if she had a good swimming lesson and put her face under–like a mermaid does–she’d get the barbie.

I really had little hope of it working, previous attempts at bribes have fallen flat with her.  She pretty much does or doesn’t do something when *she* wants too.  But the next day off we went to swimming lessons and Voila! she did it!

Today I met a friend who’s oldest son is 2 days older than Sophia at a local splash park– it was the first time either of them had been but we all had a ball and its definitely safe to say we’ll be going back.  The park had a little kids area with slides, a lazy river and all kinds of fountains–it was really cool!  Sophia was ALL about putting her face in the water today–no head completely under mind you but even still this is a HUGE accomplishment–go barbie!

Yes her hair IS wet and she’s SMILING!

playing on the whale

Holding her nose and going “under” she did this again and again!

Walking back to the chairs with Ryan, ready for lunch and naptime!

Summer, Summer, Summer!

We’ve been busy, busy, busy with trips to the pool, swimming lessons, visitors, garden tending and raspberry picking!  I even did some canning–with the day before I swore I’d never do–its actually easier than I thought!

Summer is also a time for baseball–Sophia is slightly obsessed so I got her a bat and ball on my last trip to target.  She took right too it,  I think we might have a softball player on our hands!

Best Friends Day

This is really Keith’s to report as I haven’t heard it yet but its too cute not to share. The last two mornings as they were walking downstairs Sophia told Keith that “today is Best Friends Day and you are my best friend”.

Adorable eh?;-)  Guess since she only told him that makes me chopped liver!

Definitely a holdover from a Dora episode but cute nonetheless.

Blow a whistle!

No idea where they got that from but Sophia and Derek were screaming over and over again last night as “the Daddies” lit a few fireworks off our patio.  “Blow a whistle! Daddy, Blow a whistle!”

The kids got to stay up late to enjoy the fun of a few fireworks after our barbecue, they put their jammies on and snuggled under a blanket together–and then what happens—seriously?  They are too young for this!  In fairness its been going on since they were about 6 months old…..these guys crack me up!

Happy Birthday America!

Sophia is currently ALL about birthdays–if asked she can tell you exactly when her birthday is and what she expects (a pretty cake with sprinkles, and balloons).  She learned about “America’s Birthday in the little “camp” she’s been going to and was very excited about it!  All day yesterday we heard “I’m going to a parade, and eating hamburgers and seeing fireworks MOM–Happy Birthday America!”  Yes, our town celebrates a day early–to get ahead of the game I guess…

I have to admit though I love small towns…and mall town parades are the best!  This is the kind of parade where the kids chuck gently throw candy to other youngsters along the route.  The fire department started the parade with ALL of their trucks–and those from the neighboring town showed up as well.  This was  followed by an amazing number of vintage tractors!

This was on the side of one truck –Rat Bomb Rod Shop–slow but expensive–hilarious!

Our town was an old German Settlement….this float celebrates that…

We also had our share of monster trucks and horses–all good stuff out here in small town USA!

Between the parade and the fireworks we always head back to my families house for some yummy barbecue and family fun–Soph found a ball and some kids to play with and literally had a ball try to jump head first over it…

This looks painful but I assure you- there were crazy giggles coming out of her.

Sophia actually managed to stay up–barely, for the fireworks.

My Olympus has a fireworks setting so I decided to try it out–I wasn’t as still as I should have been for most (I blame that on the monkey who was here there and everywhere trying to get comfortable) but managed to get a few good shots anyway.

At the end Soph was DONE, but still clutching her flag–I think its fair to say a good time had by all!

It could have been worse

Like the new look?  I guess it happens to “everyone”, I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon!  Sophia found the some SCISSORS–went under the desk in the office (where I thought she was pulling out some dog toys) but instead decided to give herself a haircut.  I’m glad it wasn’t worse, I’m more worried that she was able to find scissors at all when we thought they were all safely hidden away….

Night, night

I’ve been on a mission lately to keep Sophia entertained.  Not an easy job–she’s a busy one all day long.  Except when its time to go to bed.  She’s VERY consistent and serious about her 7pm bedtime  She’ll tell us its time for jammies or to read a book.

For the longest, and I mean LONGEST time, she HAD to read Llama Llama Red Pajama before going to bed.  No questions asked, we could add others (and did, to tune of 3-4 a night). We since ratcheted down to 2 books for nightime reading, but no matter what our standards we had to read that one.   We’ve replaced it with a book we first got from the library Eight Animals on the Town –she loved it and we did too!  It’s mixes English/Spanish with great pictures and a cute rhyming story.  I ordered its peer Eight Animals Bake a Cake and that has since become the new favorite (we had to return the other to the library).  I just ordered the final one Eight Animals Play Ball from Amazon (it was backordered the first time around), we LOVE them–they are cute, entertaining and a nice length for pre-bedtime pursuits.    If you are looking for a new favorite book give these a shot!