Where We've Been For Two Months

Here.  We've been here.  And there.  But mostly here.  Doing things and eating lots of grape juice popsicles and watermelon.  Here are some highlights before I attempt to get back to posting regularly.

Ella is reading:

Fablehaven 5

lots of littler books

Bedtime Readalouds:

The BFG (finished)

The Wizard of Ox (finished)
A Little Princess (finished)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (almost finished)

I am Reading:
All the Fablehaven Books (finished in a flurry of OCD)
The Wouldbegoods


Ella News:
Ella finished her 3rd grade school year two weeks early....about a week ago.  We'll still do little things over the summer like math and journaling, reading of course and violin practice but it is lovely for all that summer vacation has started.  She is doing a recreational swim team which meets every morning M-F for an hour.  It's been great for her!  She has no interest this year in doing the meets (they're optional) so we're just going to go watch one.  But she's swimming around 25 lengths (is a lap 'down' or 'down and back'?) of the pool every day and is making some strides in her strokes.  She gets to wear the team suit and cap and goggles and she looks like a real swimmer and she's having lots of fun.  She spends the rest of her days playing with friends and playing with friends and talking about when she can play with friends.  Luckily her two best friends are sisters who live on our block! 

Asher News:

Asher grew out of his little 12" bike and just got a new 16" that is bright orange with red and silver flames on it and is called "the scorcher".  He loves it!  The kids and I have been riding to park day every Friday morning----Ethan in the seat and Asher on the bike attachment.  I think Asher's ready to ride his own bike now that he has one with wheels a respectable size.  He is still obsessed with coins and collecting bugs and jack-knives and his collections in general (washers, bug carcasses, empty wasp nests, coins from other countries, marbles, bottle caps, etc).  He often wakes up and before doing anything else dumps out all his money and counts it----should I be worried?  Asher spends a lot of time in the sandbox digging elaborate tunnel systems for his playmobil men. 

Ethan News:
Ethan inherited Asher's little bike and he is so excited!  His hair is getting really long but we just can't bring ourselves to cut it---the curls are so beautiful!  Ethan is awed and amazed by the irrigation water that has just started flowing through the old neigborhoods here.  We've spent a good chunk of time lately with wooden boats playing in the irrigation ditch. Everyday, multiple times, he asks if we can "go find the irrigation" and on our bike rides he counts irrigation spots and begs to stop at each one to lift up the cover and look at the water.  He claims that when he grows up he's going to be the Water Master.  He is also really focused on the new fountain that the city installed in front of the new city offices/old library----he also asks to visit it on an almost daily basis. 

They're all obsessed with "snowies"----shaved ice that we like to get as treats in the summer.