Fairy Houses

Chloe and I headed out in the afternoon and went for a walk with a basket.  We went all around the yard and on the trail closeby the house.  We gathered leaves and flowers and pinecones and sticks and rocks...We picked up anything pretty or interesting.  Then we found a few places around the yard that would be good fairy homes and built some pretty little abodes.  We got really into it.  We made beds and kitchens and doorways with welcome signs.  We made trails and firepits and stools.  For a couple weeks after that she was talking about making fairy houses.  She and Kylee would go out with their baskets and gather supplies for them.  I hope to make fairy houses a regular part of our summers.  We had a fun time connecting and being creative together.  It was so fun to get caught up in the whimsey and chatting about what the fairies would do if they came upon such a perfect little home.   

Swimming Lessons

 Chloe continued swimming lessons for a bit into June.  She began to do VERY well!  She told me all about how she was learning to "bob" in the water without plugging her nose.  A couple times I took her swimming at the apartment complex.  She could go into the pool on her own.  Jump in and come out again.  She was practicing trying to float on her back and front.  She told me how she was learning to "torpedo" or glide through the water.  She was told by someone at the pool that she was the best in her class.  That seemed to light a spark in her that she would try every time to be the best in her class.  She was a real student of the water for a couple months or so.  I loved watching her confidence grow in the water.  Eventually, she decided that she wanted to take some gymnastics lessons instead of swimming for a while.  I hope one day she goes back to swimming, even just enough to keep her confidence growing. 
Since her lessons were during the times I was at work, I was sad to miss all of the summertime lessons.  But I did send a sucker with my mom one day for her to have a treat from mommy when she was done swimming.  I sent with it the message that I was proud of her for trying so so hard. 

Eat Anything You Want Day!!

It's a recurring holiday in our house!  It's one of the ways we reward Chloe and ourselves for eating healthy on a regular basis.  It feels good to let loose some of our most strict rules from time to time.  We'd planned a Eat Anything You Want Day and I had to go to work for the morning.  By the time I was there for an hour or so, I got this awesome picture from Abby!!  Looks like a fun shopping trip of your dreams for a kid!!  Abby and I secretly love it, too! 

Of course I immediately spot the red vines and ghiradelli chocolates!  Abby was thinking of me!  One of the only rules for Eat Anything You Want Day is that you have to eat a good hearty breakfast to kick it off. As with anything else, it CAN be ruined by a bad attitude. So far, we haven't had any Eat Anything You Want Days taken away.