The girls have so much fun playing together these days. I think they appreciate more their time together now that Summer is gone for part of the day. Here are some clips of them playing. The quality isn't that great because once they notice I've got the camera out, they get camera-happy. So I try to be inconspicuous.
Playing School: This was taken tonight after dinner. I was still eating at the table, and the girls were playing. I overheard Summer say, "Okay, Claire. Sit down." She waited, and Claire sat. "Okay, now put your hands in the air." Claire followed orders. "Now clap your hands." I heard four little hands clapping. "Now roll your arms." By this point, I figured they must do some kind of routine at school when they all sit down for story time--some kind of routine where they put their hands in the air, clap, roll them, and then put them in their lap. Summer never got to the last part. She got a little carried away, "Now, stand up and stomp your feet." . . . "Now take your hair clip out." . . . By this point, I was chuckling and wanted to get it on the camera, but of course, she was done, so I just got the next part--her reading to Claire. The book is about the life cycle of butterflies. Summer starts talking about what the bugs are eating--something about a "bug skeeter eating a pineapple," and a "rabbit" eating something--all of this which concerns Claire and she's saying, "Oh no. Oh no." In the end, Summer has no idea what the butterfly is eating so she just says, "I don't know what are they eating. The end." Then they move on to another book.
"Ay Ay Ay!" and "Ta ta-ta dah!"
This was taken yesterday when Claire was trying to climb onto my legs while I was sitting on the couch. Sometimes when I get a little frustrated, I say, "Ay ay ay!" Well, she's picked it up. So you hear her say it as she's struggling to get up. When she finally gets there, she triumphantly says, "Ta ta-ta dah!" Of course, not all playing together moments are blissfully happy. There's a lot of "My turn too!" involved!
Raspberries: This was taken Sunday while the girls played on a large cardboard box. Claire was giving Summer raspberries on her back, and then Summer started suggesting she do them elsewhere--belly, leg, arm, etc. Claire obeyed. Then it's Summer's turn to give them to Claire. I love how Claire (towards the end) lounges on the cardboard box like it's a hot tub or something. And that's the not the inside of the box--it's the side that's caved in from their weight!
Instructions: Summer's giving a lot of instructions lately. I don't know if it's from school, or just the age of bossiness, or what, but most of the time, Claire plays along and enjoys the companionship. In this clip, I think Claire actually put the big hair clip in her hair first, and then Summer takes it out and puts it in her own hair, trading the tiny clip in its place (which gets caught in her hair as she tries taking it out.) Claire notices I've got the camera out and starts saying, "Smile," and giving a goofy smile for the camera.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Reports from School
Per Summer:
"Bernadette was crying because she didn't have two muffins."
"Avery had to go to the office today because he wouldn't sit down."
Per Summer's Teachers:
"Oh if only we had ten Summers!"
"Summer is doing so well. We love having her here."
"Bernadette was crying because she didn't have two muffins."
"Avery had to go to the office today because he wouldn't sit down."
Per Summer's Teachers:
"Oh if only we had ten Summers!"
"Summer is doing so well. We love having her here."
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The BIG DAY
Today was a VERY BIG DAY for us. It was Summer's first day of school. I'd been coaching her all morning, and the past few days, about going to school, her being on her own, asking her teaching if she needed any help or had any questions, etc. And at 12:15, we shuffled into the school with everyone else. She was a little nervous with all the new people around her, but once she saw the potato heads, she forgot I was even there. (We took a tour of her school a few months ago, and she wanted so badly to play with the "mashed potatoes." So she was really excited that they were still there today, and she could finally play with them.) I had to do everything I could to keep it all together as I was signing her in and helping her find her cubby for her backpack. A few times while I was there, I got a little emotional, and when I was talking to her teacher before I left, I just broke down. I kissed her head goodbye and told her I would be back to pick her up, and then left. I don't think she even noticed--she was having such a good time with the potato heads.
Well, after sitting in the parking lot and crying on the phone with Rhett, I headed out with Claire to have a special lunch with her and some frozen yogurt. Then we went to the library and spent the time together. A few times as we were driving around, Claire asked for Summer. "Nummer? Nummer?" I told her she was at school. She responded, "See. See." She wanted to see Summer at her school. I told her she had to wait a little longer. Also, when we were at the library, she pulled a chair up to the little kid table, then pulled another one up to the table. She sat down, pointed to the other one, and said, "Nummer. Nummer."
THREE HOURS LATER, I was back at the school, picking Summer up. When I walked in, she was working on a puzzle. She didn't even glance up when her teacher said I was there. She finished her puzzle, and then wanted to keep playing. I almost had to drag her away from there! So I guess that's a good sign.
I asked her what she did, and she didn't say much. She's pretty exhausted. I think she played hard. But she did say, "Little mouse, little mouse, boo!" which was probably a little nursery rhyme or something they did. She also said, "Roll it, roll it, slooooooow." (Rolling her hands fast, fast, then slow.)
She had lunch and a snack there too. When I asked her what she had for lunch, she said, "Oh, snacks and cookies." But I don't know how reliable this answer is. Her school has pretty strict regulations on getting the kids all the nutrients they need.
Well, we're back there tomorrow, and then it's Monday through Thursday for us. It will be good for her--I know she needs the socialization and the experiences. I'm positive this is the right thing for her--it's me I'm worried about!!!
Well, after sitting in the parking lot and crying on the phone with Rhett, I headed out with Claire to have a special lunch with her and some frozen yogurt. Then we went to the library and spent the time together. A few times as we were driving around, Claire asked for Summer. "Nummer? Nummer?" I told her she was at school. She responded, "See. See." She wanted to see Summer at her school. I told her she had to wait a little longer. Also, when we were at the library, she pulled a chair up to the little kid table, then pulled another one up to the table. She sat down, pointed to the other one, and said, "Nummer. Nummer."
THREE HOURS LATER, I was back at the school, picking Summer up. When I walked in, she was working on a puzzle. She didn't even glance up when her teacher said I was there. She finished her puzzle, and then wanted to keep playing. I almost had to drag her away from there! So I guess that's a good sign.
I asked her what she did, and she didn't say much. She's pretty exhausted. I think she played hard. But she did say, "Little mouse, little mouse, boo!" which was probably a little nursery rhyme or something they did. She also said, "Roll it, roll it, slooooooow." (Rolling her hands fast, fast, then slow.)
She had lunch and a snack there too. When I asked her what she had for lunch, she said, "Oh, snacks and cookies." But I don't know how reliable this answer is. Her school has pretty strict regulations on getting the kids all the nutrients they need.
Well, we're back there tomorrow, and then it's Monday through Thursday for us. It will be good for her--I know she needs the socialization and the experiences. I'm positive this is the right thing for her--it's me I'm worried about!!!
Summer's First Day of School
Monday, September 5, 2011
Long Overdue
People have been asking how we like it here in Liberty Lake. Well, we absolutely love it! We love the weather, the ward, the friends, the local paper, the people, the area, the trees, the mountains, the lake, the pheasants, the deer, everything! (We've seen so many deer here that it's now a special occasion for Summer and Claire to see a horse or a cow. But when we see another deer, it's just old hat for them!)
I've wanted to do a little tour of our place now, but I've been waiting until it's cleaned up and tidy. Well, that never happens, so I just decided to go ahead anyway. I've also decided to do it in photos so that when we make our blog into a book, we'll have the tour as well.
This is the front of our side of the duplex. The window on the left is to the master bedroom, and the window on the right is to the family/tv/living room. Our parking space is just to the right of the duplex where the grass ends.
Here's an inside shot of our little family room. In this picture, we are facing the couch.
This is the family/tv/living room. We are standing behind the couch now.
The rest of the family/tv/living room. Notice the door leading to our office/piano room.
Next to the girls' bookshelf pictured above and below, is the opening for the dining area and kitchen.
Here's the kitchen and door to the girls' room. (The washer and dryer are in the closet next to the fridge.)
And the girls' room.
(Excluded in this tour is a close up of the bathroom--no one needs a closeup shot of a bathroom!--and the room that Rhett and I are in. There's also a little walk-in closet in our room.)
The glass door in the kitchen leads out onto our deck which is where we had our pool set up for the girls. It now just holds our lawn chairs and our electric grill. Here's a shot through the glass doors. (Notice the mountains in the background. And just beyond this house is one more street, then the lake.)
Rest of the deck.
Here's a shot of the side of the house/deck and a little strip of grass behind the deck. The glass doors you can see connected to the house are actually to the girls' room, but we have them locked and covered with drapes all the time. We never use them. (The bright colored stuff on the lawn is where the neighbor's yard starts.)
And our yard that runs along the side of the apartment. At the bottom of the picture is our little parking area that can fit three cars.
And what sits in our parking space ? ? ?
A mini-van.
Yes. We got a mini-van.
Our little Hyundai would not seat three car seats, and since we'll be adding another carseat in November, we decided it was time to upgrade. (All the car problems with the Hyundai had something to do with this decision too.) So while we were in Idaho--the day before we left actually--we went "browsing," found this great deal, traded in our Alero and Hyundai, and came home with this. I'm hoping this lasts us for at least TEN years!
We also decided to buy Andrew and Maria's little black car since they were heading to Sweden. So we came home with two completely new cars. I imagined the neighbor's probably thought someone new had moved in!
I've wanted to do a little tour of our place now, but I've been waiting until it's cleaned up and tidy. Well, that never happens, so I just decided to go ahead anyway. I've also decided to do it in photos so that when we make our blog into a book, we'll have the tour as well.
This is the front of our side of the duplex. The window on the left is to the master bedroom, and the window on the right is to the family/tv/living room. Our parking space is just to the right of the duplex where the grass ends.
Here's an inside shot of our little family room. In this picture, we are facing the couch.
This is the family/tv/living room. We are standing behind the couch now.
The rest of the family/tv/living room. Notice the door leading to our office/piano room.
Next to the girls' bookshelf pictured above and below, is the opening for the dining area and kitchen.
Here's the kitchen and door to the girls' room. (The washer and dryer are in the closet next to the fridge.)
And the girls' room.
(Excluded in this tour is a close up of the bathroom--no one needs a closeup shot of a bathroom!--and the room that Rhett and I are in. There's also a little walk-in closet in our room.)The glass door in the kitchen leads out onto our deck which is where we had our pool set up for the girls. It now just holds our lawn chairs and our electric grill. Here's a shot through the glass doors. (Notice the mountains in the background. And just beyond this house is one more street, then the lake.)
Rest of the deck.
Here's a shot of the side of the house/deck and a little strip of grass behind the deck. The glass doors you can see connected to the house are actually to the girls' room, but we have them locked and covered with drapes all the time. We never use them. (The bright colored stuff on the lawn is where the neighbor's yard starts.)
And our yard that runs along the side of the apartment. At the bottom of the picture is our little parking area that can fit three cars.
And what sits in our parking space ? ? ?
A mini-van.
Yes. We got a mini-van.
Our little Hyundai would not seat three car seats, and since we'll be adding another carseat in November, we decided it was time to upgrade. (All the car problems with the Hyundai had something to do with this decision too.) So while we were in Idaho--the day before we left actually--we went "browsing," found this great deal, traded in our Alero and Hyundai, and came home with this. I'm hoping this lasts us for at least TEN years!We also decided to buy Andrew and Maria's little black car since they were heading to Sweden. So we came home with two completely new cars. I imagined the neighbor's probably thought someone new had moved in!
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