We were finally rewarded for enduring all the rain with this glorious spring day. We were outside, and I am not kidding you, from dawn to dusk.
Category: outing
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Arboretum
I’m teaching a workshop tomorrow at the library. One part of my presentation talks about telling a story through photos. I dragged Ellery to the arboretum to do a somewhat chilly, very last-minute photo shoot.
Thank goodness she obliged.
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Horse camp
See Spot. See girl ride Spot. See girl fall in love with Spot.
Go, Spot, go.
(Somehow she managed to forget her helmet on the day I took pictures, so she’s wearing this loaner that looks a bit too big. I wondered how she could even see.)
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Check-up
Today I took Ellery in for her four-year-old check-up. We bided our time waiting for the doctor by Ellery telling stories and me taking pictures.
Our doctor is getting chickens this spring. At one point during the appointment we had to remind ourselves to talk for a few moments about the health of my child (thumbs up) instead of cute fuzzy things that peep.
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Dance class
As I mentioned with skating, Ellery has been a bit reluctant to try classes that don’t involve her sitting on my lap. I suppose this is the flip-side of being dragged to all your older siblings’ commitments—once it’s finally your turn to step out on your own, it feels unfamiliar and daunting.
When a good friend said that her kids were taking a dance class, I leapt at the chance to sign her up. With friends by her side, this ballet/tap combo is right up this girl’s alley.
Of course, the added bonus is the pinkpinkpink outfit.
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Skating
The two oldest kids have been in skating lessons for some time, but Ellery has declined, as she’s scared of going to classes without me.
But today, with Tom gone to a circuit bending workshop all day, we had some time to fill. I mustered up my courage, and headed to open skate with all three kids.
Ellery was nervous, but after a few minutes on the ice with her red pushy-thing, she was whizzing around. Alex was on the ice for the first time, too, so the two of them made quite the big, red, plastic train.
In other news, Neko nearly won the limbo competition.
(Tom had my Lumix with him at the bending workshop, so you’ll have to contend with these phone photos.)
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Hoops
We took the kids to go see one of Neko’s friends play basketball. Between soccer, skating, swimming, and the impending riding lessons, basketball just wasn’t in the cards for us.
Based on the average height of folks around here, I doubt we’ll book much time in our future on the basketball court, but it was pretty inspiring to see all these young girls getting into the game.
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Walkabout
We went on a walkabout for a strategic planning session this afternoon. It landed us in the city lot where they store all the mulch, a result of all those Christmas trees that are left on the curb.
Needless to say, a pile like this is just asking to be climbed.
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The high(er) dive
Remember your first time on the high dive?
You made your way up the ladder, and then stood, trembling, on the end of the board for what seemed like an eternity. Then, finally, if you didn’t fink out, you screwed up enough courage to take the step off into the deep.
My kids are lucky enough to have a kinder, gentler version of this experience. On their last day of swim lessons, every child had a chance to jump off with their instructor. Like tandem skydiving, they counted to three, and then took the plunge together. Neko couldn’t have been more excited with herself.
Can I get a high dive do-over?
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Gymnastics party
Lots of running, jumping, and playing. Tired kids in bed early. Can we do one of these every Saturday?