Daddy was so kind to surprise the kids with a playhouse so we put the kitchen out there and the tool bench and then let the kids personalize it... it turned out pretty cute.
It's hard to believe that this little girl is a big 2nd grader!!!! Along with the 2nd grade has come a little bit of forgetfulness and a whole lot of success. My heart just about broke for Xiana when she found out she was not going to be in the same class as ANY of her friends. Also, she did not get the teacher she so desperately wanted. She was good about it commenting on how she'd make new friends anyway. I was very proud of her. And, as it turns out, being in a class without her friends has been a wonderful experience. Also, she LOVES her teacher, and I've been very happy with her also! Without being in the same class as her little BFFs I feel like she's less likely to get swept away in the ongoing exclusion that takes place (already) among her friends. Though she still loves her friends and plays with them at recess, she seems less inclined to have her feelings hurt by being left out than she was when they were all in the same class. Also, she's branched out and made new friends and has been the top of her class which is a place she thrives. What a tender mercy! It just goes to show that what we want for our kids and ourselves isn't always what would be best for us!
Co-op preschool for Mr. Kolton has been a smashing success! I worried that he'd be bored since he's 6 months to a year older than all the other kids. On the contrary, he's stepped up and really been an excellent example. He takes his role seriously regularly commenting on how he's the biggest so he has to be the example. Plus, he's learning his letters and numbers far better than I even hoped he would. I'm so grateful for friends nearby who are willing to be my village and enable my children to be a part of something so fun that I could not pull off alone!
Little miss got her first haircut from Aunt Tosh... it was really sweet. Tosh gave her a real salon experience and even carved out a two hour appointment for her! I thought Xiana was only going to get a trim, but when she went in, she told Tosh she wanted it to her shoulders. It looks great, but I'm not sure I'm going to let her cut her hair again. :)
We've been trying to go for family hikes a few nights a week. It's so inspiring when we make it to the top of a particularly steep hill. The Hofmann's joined us this evening, and it was a lot of fun. This one is steep... we made Ekco go with us the previous week, and she told us she almost died. Haha. Cute kids!
I tried to go to the museum as much as possible over summer break so that Xiana could get her fill. I take the little kids often, but Xiana is typically in school when we go. It's hard because the lure of the lake and river beckons so loudly, that I often resist the urge to go to Discoveries. I'm so grateful that we have this resource in our community. I watch as my children's minds are literally expanded right before my eyes. They are so inquisitive and immediately create, develop, and explore. Even Argenta begins to understand more fully the way to do a puzzle, to build with blocks. This visit she was thrilled with her ability to put screws in the holes of the construction equipment. It kept her occupied for almost an hour!! And Xiana, ever my little artist wants to be in the Picasso room more than anywhere else. Kolton's current favorite is the bridge building... I think because he gets to use real tools. It's magnificent to have in our midst.
