Where has the time gone. Last time I wrote we had just gotten back from Phoenix, I had just finished my exam, and we still had two months left of school and soccer games. Now we are in June. Reese has a mere six days left of school of her 2nd grade year. Her soccer team had their last game this past weekend. Brooke has finished her mini tap dance for the year. We are quickly entering summertime shenanigans and my head is already spinning. This week is a doozie with just a whole bunch of things. But first, what else have we been up to?
Reese:
Her team tied in their last game on Sunday. It was an easy season, no practices, games at Garfield, a three-minute drive down the street. Her team did well again but honestly, I am ready to have a season with practices again. Luckily, I can wait until the fall for that season to start. Reese is still going strong with gymnastics, twice a week for three hours at a time. Her team has morphed throughout this spring but as of this week they have some new blood on the team. She is still in the youngest cohort (6/7/8 year olds) but they are breaking them up by age and not by skill level this year for practices. They’ve had some fun with warmups, had a pizza party after practice one night, and they’ve ended with popsicles a few nights now.
She got to celebrate her summer birthday at school last week and we had the TOPS spring social, called Taste of TOPS, at her school two weeks ago. I was able to attend another field trip with her school, which was enjoyable, and Bryan and I have met with her teachers a few times to set up a personalized plan for her for next year. She’s made a ton of progress with us in reading and with a tutor and is really working hard at it.
Brooke:
Every weekend for the past several months has started with our girl biker/scooter gang ride to Brooke’s dance class with her buddies Madison and Halle. We’ve enjoyed these walks/rides and have been truly fortunate with weather for them. Brooke did seem to enjoy tap class and says she wants to try the mini hip hop next. Brooke has still been in gymnastics on Tuesdays right before Reese’s class. I just signed her up for an entry level swim class up the hill at the YMCA and so far in three classes, one was a fail but the last two were a success. But we are trending the right way and she was so proud of herself.
We had Brooke’s school’s art show and auction a few weeks back and the artwork the kids made was impressive. We even got to come home with the beautiful butterfly that her class made but that Brooke personally put in so much effort on. We had gotten some grooved paper books for Reese to practice writing her letters and numbers and Brooke has been quite taken with these. Brooke has had a few friend’s birthday parties lately, at the climbing gym, at Playdate and at the park this coming Friday. Her end of school play will be at the end of the month and apparently she will be the owl in the skit they are doing of the book The Mitten.
Chelsea:
Now that my exam is over and I’ve been in the “waiting period” for results, I’ve been able to read a few books, tackle a few outstanding items for work, volunteer at FareStart, coach soccer, have gone for a few bike rides, have been able to play soccer, and helped the girls start some plants from seed. Work is going well and chugging along. I spent two nights in Spokane a few weeks ago and am going back again for another two nights in a few weeks.
I survived a long solo weekend when Bryan went to Austin for Memorial Day Weekend. Brooke even had a day off of school the day before the weekend so I tag-teamed entertaining her and her friend Grace for half of the day and her mom did the other half of the day. I hosted three of Reese’s friends that night for the new Gabby movie in the backyard. We spent Saturday of the weekend at Brooke’s dance class and then swimming with Sarah and Lottie before going out to dinner with them down the street at Communion. On Sunday, the girls and I headed to the Seattle Center to spend the entire afternoon enjoying the Northwest Folklife Festival. We took in a lot of music, dance, art and crafts, and some of the street vendors for snacks. The girls played in the fountain and we also enjoyed the water toys in the Science Center’s plaza. We bussed there and back and that worked out really well. And on the last day, I took the girls and Lottie all of the way down to Olympia to the Hands On Children’s Museum where we spent over five hours playing. It was a great kids museum and could have easily spent the entire there.
Bryan:
Bryan had a great time in Austin celebrating 20-years with the riders in his Texas 4000 group. Many of them were able to make the trip or live locally and they had a great time catching up with one another. They had a few easy porch hangs at night, a party at one friend’s house, they took a boat ride together, they did a 20-mile bike ride, they got brunch, Bryan got to walk around and shop around the university. He had a great time but was worn out afterwards.
He had to come back and immediately solo parent but enjoyed some good quality time with the girls. He will be solo again in less than two weeks. He’s had a few guys nights/days that have been good for him. There is also an opening at work that he is very excited for and currently in the process of applying for that position.
Bryan also drove to Vancouver to pick up Lon and Trish who were here for a quick three-nightvisit at the end of their Hawaii cruise. They got to catch one of Reese’s soccer games, see gymnastics practice for both girls, get some Thai food and go to Tutta Bella and just generally have some hot weather.
We are almost into true summer months, both from a schedule perspective and with our weather. I’m ready for it. I’m ready for no more 6:30 alarm clocks and rush out the door. I’m ready for not wearing a jacket in the morning. I’m ready for more bike ride and boat rides and long walks. I’m ready for all of the chaos.
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Chelsea
