Monday, August 24, 2015

Playing Catch Up

I am a little bit behind in catching up on our weekly happenings as we were busy this month celebrating my daughter's 4th birthday, being out of state and doing other fun things around town. In the beginning of the month, our town (like many others around the nation) and the police department hosted the annual National Night Out. This crime prevention block party was held on Main Street and included games, face-painting, free food, bounce houses, music and lots of interaction with police men and firefighters. Despite the heat (95F at 7pm) that night, it was a fun outing.  
Amelia and I were also invited to a backyard play-date hosted by one of our friends from the MOPS group. Since I have joined this group in April, I have met so many lovely mommies and their children and I am excited to be part of the leadership team for this year. 
On a rainy Sunday evening, we had an indoor concert and afterwards a movie and a picnic. Sometimes it feels great just to do nothing and to sit all together on the floor watching a movie. 
While Elliot napped at home, Amelia and I went to the library last week for some one-on-one time. While I browse the bookshelves for new children books, she enjoys playing on the computer. The highlight of the day was making selfie-puzzles with my silly little girl.  
Even though it is still fairly hot (high 80s), one can feel a difference in the temperature and there is a touch of fall air in the atmosphere. It feels pretty great since Derrick and I didn't had that kind of August weather in a long time. With that come some more rain showers, but they don't seem to linger too long or we don't mind a few drizzles in our rain gear. So the other morning we put on our rain jackets and headed to the playground with a friend. The little bit of rain didn't keep us from having fun. 
Even though my birthday is not for another 2 months, we purchased my birthday gift already and I have been enjoying it. I wanted a bicycle for a few years now ( I always rode my bike when I lived in Germany), but it was never the right time nor place. But now it is and I'm so happy that I am able to go for a bike ride around town. 
Amelia has been asking me to do play-doh for a while now, so last week I finally obliged and let them play with it. Both of my kids love play-doh, I not so much (Elliot still tries to eat it and somehow it always ends up in crumbs and all colors mixed up on the floor). 
As a mother, it is often times easier to say "no" instead of "yes" because yes involves extra work, patience and mostly more clean-up. But kids love making a mess and learning thru touch by doing things. So two days in a row last week, I said yes and let them be creative. First play-doh and then she painted her little heart out and told me all kinds of stories while she painted. Honestly, it is a work in progress with the "yes" thing but I'm intentionally working on it. Usually it doesn't cost anything to say yes more often but the joy it brings to the kids is priceless. (PS: I was so proud of myself for letting her paint and she did great until she stepped on a paper that was drying on the floor and smeared paint all over my white carpet....ugh).
And then there was Amelia's 4-year wellness checkup on Thursday. According to her new doctor, she is in great health (33lbs and 41in) and one smart cookie. I liked that the doctor took her time getting to know Amelia and talking to us. My little girl was very interactive at the doctor office and only shed a couple of tears when she received 2 vaccinations. She is growing up too fast. 
I was invited to a Mommy's night out by the leader, Linda, of the Mom's Mentoring Group I am attending once a month. It was nice to dress up a bit and being together with 18 other lovely ladies. We enjoyed a fabulous steak dinner, prepared and served by Linda's husband and a friend of his. They made us feel special and it was an very uplifting night, just what I needed. 
On of our morning walks, Amelia and I found a little turtle on the side of the road. So we took him home and put him in the backyard and wanted to bring him to the pond after breakfast. Unfortunately, the turtle "ran away" while we had breakfast and we haven't seen her since. The kids were pretty bumped but the little turtle wasn't supposed to stay with us anyway. 
Off to a new week of fun adventures and a fulfilling life... 

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