Summer thrills

Can you see the dirty feet? A good sign summer is underway...

Heavy load...

Ceci called to me from where she was separating the laundry...


...and this is what I found. Apparently the job was just too much work...

Meet Caleb

Two nights ago we got a call from someone urgently looking for a new home for their guinea pig, and was there "anyone who would like one at your house"? Seriously? Would anyone like a guinea pig at our house?! After much debate it was decided that this free guinea pig would be Adele's...as long as Tennie and Ceci could get one as soon as possible. His name was Caleb, and Adele decided to keep it that way.

Caleb likes grapes

That makes one dog, one fish, two rabbits, one guinea pig, two soon-to-be guinea pigs, and rumor has it around the house that Mormor and Poppop are getting chickens in the very near future!

Tennis fever

When the girls were really young (too young) we put them in soccer. We anticipated a childhood filled with organized sports. Both Tennie and Adele sat on the sidelines; neither one jumped in with gusto. Same thing happened with dance when super young. So I decided that I wouldn't push any activities and wait for them to ask for it, and I'm so glad we did. Their childhood has been relatively free of commitments and full of imaginative play and exploration. Looking back I'm so grateful for their initial resistance.

If there is one sport we really hoped they would eventually love it is tennis. They can play it until they're old, and they can compete with boys. This spring we had a family tennis lesson but Adele and Ceci played in the corner, and Tennie didn't seem super excited about it. We gave it one more little nudge. We suggested a summer tennis camp so they could meet some kids here in Auburn (most of their friends live 30 minutes away). The social carrot worked, they agreed to a camp.

This past week was the camp (which ended up a being a small group of kids they already knew) and they LOVED it!!! It was the same coach that taught us in the spring, but the friends made it fun and they couldn't wait to go every day. The coach invited Tennie and Adele to play on a tennis team this summer. They aren't nearly ready to compete, but they'll practice weekly with some girls their age that are really good. They've already gone to two practices in addition to their tennis camp (that makes two five-hour days!) and wish the same rigor were continuing this week! They've caught tennis fever!




Will it last? Who knows, but for right now they love it, and we'll fan the flame as long as we can...

Summer Jobs!

I unveiled the new Summer Job Chart today amidst a little anxiety from the girls. Summer is when they receive training on new jobs. It is a lot of work for me for the first few months of training (as I am ensuring a standard), but it pays off when the girls start doing the jobs on autopilot during the year. Plus, I'm raising future mothers and homemakers! I must admit that it is nice to slow down and spend time doing the job with the girls. I like talking about why the work they are doing is overwhelmingly important, and about doing a job well done. We have a long way to go before our home runs smoothly, without reminders or complaints...but that is my goal!


The weather forecast says summer is supposed to start tomorrow! Hooray! Just in time for the job chart...

Rainy Days

Good grief, we might as well be living in Seattle with weather like we've been having! Rainy and cool temperatures have us mostly cooped up inside. The other day the girls called me into the room and showed me the 'Animal Circus'.


They hooked their animals onto the ceiling fan and let them fly. Boredom begets creativity!

Last night we went to a Shakespeare's play As You Like It put on by a local troupe. In a few weeks the girls will be attending a week-long camp by the same group. They can't wait. The girls have made friends with many of the older kids in the group and love giving them all hugs at the end.

Tea and time with Ceci

Today Tennie and Adele went to a tea party at Tennie's friend Addie's home.

Ceci was feeling left out and quite distraught until I suggested that she and I go on a mommy-daughter-date and get gelato. She talked the whole time using all sorts of big words, like 'particularly' and pulled out all of her adult mannerisms. I thoroughly enjoyed her company.

When we picked up Tennie and Adele we got to play with Addie's five remaining lab puppies. Tennie saw the actual birth of four of the nine in the litter while playing there one day. What luck! They are so adorable!!!



Addie named her new chicken 'Ceci' so Ceci was eager to make the acquaintance...


In the end all girls were happy and felt they had a great day.