Summer Fun for a Little While Longer

I'm starting to get that itch to start up homeschool again, but Merrilee is not the least bit interested. Of course, I wouldn't do it in July, but this time of year makes me feel like I need to get started or I'll get behind. It's probably left over thinking from last year when I knew we had to start in early August because we had a trip to China and a hospital stay looming ahead of us. This year we've got a likely move to another state which will eat into our school year. I also think it's because this is the time of year I order books and teaching materials, and once they start arriving I want to use them. I love the feeling of new text books, fresh subject matter, and the lure of a new science book.

But instead of starting school, I'm trying to let the kids enjoy the nice, not-too-hot days we've had. Swim lessons will last the entire month of July (and I'll have some more fun photos after Thursday, when the kids get to end the first session with jumps off the diving board into the deep end of the pool. We're all looking forward to that, though I wonder if they'll chicken out when they finally step out onto that board over 12 feet of water. This will make for some interesting photos.)

Jacob got a new tent last week. He's been begging me to make a tent in the backyard, but I was not that excited about taking my blankets and sheets outside into buggy tickville. So I went ahead and dished out the bucks to buy him a nice little tent. He had instant friends.





We also got out the Slip-N-Slide last week when we had some technical difficulties with the backyard pool, and the kids enjoyed tearing up the lawn. Katie Mei always wants to do what the big kids do, but she didn't quite get the hang of running and sliding. She would lie down on her belly and let me give her a big shove, sending her sliding to the end. However, her preference was to crawl down the length of the Slip-N-Slide on her hands and knees until she got to the end and then lay her chin on the orange bumper as if she had slid into it the way Merrilee and Jacob did.

Yesterday we went to the playground and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Katie Mei has developed a bit more strength and independence on the playground equipment. She can now climb the steps to the top without any help and go down the slide on her own. Her balance and upper body strength, which had diminished after her long stay in the hospital, has improved and I was able to step back and just let her have fun. I'm looking forward to having Jay home this weekend so we can take her back to the playground and he can see her accomplishments for himself. By the way, I did not pull her socks all the way up her legs. She insisted that her socks be maxed out yesterday, and wouldn't have it any other way.

We've got to get ready for our swim lessons once again this morning, but stay tuned for diving board photos at the end of the week.

Love,

Petrie