4 weeks gone 7 to go

We have been out of school for one month now.  Overall its been a pretty great month.  The weather has really heated up this week and its making me realize how pleasant June was. We are steadily checking things off our bucket list and thinking of more things we want to add. Some things are throughout the summer so we haven't checked them off but are enjoying them.

Last night was the first community race at UVA.  Jared and Lydia have been talking about them all year and had a fun time. I was concerned last night because the weather was so hot yesterday but right around 6:30 when the races started some awesome clouds rolled in and a nice breeze picked up. It was still way hotter than I would ever run in but Jared and Lydia did well. They participated in the 100M and 200M.  Jared said he wanted to do the mile but we may try it another week if it's cooler which doesn't seem likely but we will see. Lydia was not a huge fan of the 200M whereas Jared liked it more.  We met up with the Farnsworth's and Shaw's which was great.  Side story: The UVA races were one of the first things we did with the Farnsworth's back in 2014.  Laura and I were reminiscing about it last night, our almost two year anniversary (we moved in on the 19th). We moved in on a Saturday in July 2014. (I remember because we were were worried about getting our keys before they closed because they closed early on Saturday's although in the end they had a key box so we needn't have stressed about it) Josh came to help us unpack and I met Laura that Sunday.  On Monday she called me up like 30 minutes before the races stared to see if we wanted to come hang out for FHE and we decided to go for it. It's been tons of fun ever since then. We are glad we could do the races and will see if we can make it again.

Today we checked out Timberlake's Pharmacy and Soda Fountain on the Downtown Mall.  A friend had told me about it after I saw it on their bucket list. I had never been in there but knew I had walked past it. We hadn't gone in because we didn't have a need for a pharmacy but in the back of the store they have an old fashioned soda fountain/sandwich shop.  It's awesome. It feels so authentic or at least what I think this type of place would be like.  We sat down at the counter and ladies who had been working there for 15 + years served us.  (One from the 1st ward) We got an ice cream sundae, a milkshake and Jared wanted a soda float so he got Sprite and vanilla. It is old timey and vintage and fun. I can't remember how long its been there but well over 30 years as one lady has worked there for 25! It was great to show Jared and Lydia what a soda fountain was and talk about them. Such fun. We will for sure go again. I think next time I would like to try their mixed fountain sodas. It would be a fun summer date night wth another couple not because the food is amazing but just walking along the mall and stopping in.

I didn't actually know Mark was taking this picture I thought he was taking one of just Lydia but at least I am almost smiling. Before we went to talked to our kids about trying something new, not just getting vanilla and chocolate ice cream.  We somewhat succeeded. Lydia was funny: She said "This is way better than I thought it would be! It may even be better than daddy's." It wasn't but it was fun.

We have also been doing our theme weeks which has been fun.  It is so interesting to watch Jared.  I think he truly misses doing school work!  When I handed him some fun sight word papers and timed math papers he was so excited. He loved doing our little activities which was really nice. So far we have done Star Wars, LEGOs, and America. Rescuing LEGOS was probably the favorite activity so far.  I froze a bunch of LEGO pieces overnight and they "rescued" them the next day. Many years ago I did this for Jared, I think when he was like 2.5, he loved it then and has asked to do it a couple of times but I have been lame and not done it but now we have. I think I should incorporate it into every theme.  The funny thing was that the day we did it was rainy and chilly.  It was supposed to be a fun outside cool off activity but oh well.

Tyler was over because he needed a break from cub scout day camp and he and Lydia did a great job working together. Jared was really not cooperating. I know he was excited, he had been looking forward to this for well years...but I was so disappointed that he wasn't willing to work with others.  He needed everything to himself and it was just disappointing. I really don't know how to help him think more of others, less of his own needs. I probably need to model it more but I wish he could just put himself in someones else shoes, think of other's first more. 

We also made some LEGO cheese and crackers.

I love planing these activities. It is a large part of why I enjoy teaching preschool.  It's a fun way to spend time with kids, I feel like I am using my degree and they are learning things. I am also way better at doing something like this with Jared and Lydia then just sitting down and playing with them which they would love. I am sad that it is hard for me to sit and just play with them and am trying to work on it.

Jared and Lydia also took swim lessons at Chris Greene Lake. Jared already knows how to swim but it was nice for him to learn more about strokes and gain confidence. I am tempted to try swim team for him next summer but it's a really big commitment so we will see.  I feel like Lydia gained a lot of confidence from this set of lessons.  It seemed like there was a lot of waiting around and during that time she really wanted to just splash and play around which was okay since they weren't being instructed, just waiting for others in the class to finish practicing the stroke but it meant when the teachers were ready they had to wait for them to get back to the group. I am not sure if city or county classes were more helpful. I think it depends entirely on the teacher.  I do feel like Lydia can now swim for sure underwater (seems so weird but I guess it makes since she doesn't have to use as much energy to swim under as she does above).  She is better/ stronger/more capable than a month ago so I am happy with it. I wouldn't let her swim alone in a pool, I would have to be in it but I feel she has made great progress and will really have it down by the end of summer. Going swimming is pretty fun when your kids know what they are doing. They both love going out to the dock and jumping in. We have spent lots of time at the lake and went swimming with the Lenox's at their pool which was fun.  They have a slide and diving boards and Jared and Lydia loved using both.

Jared loves jumping off the dock.  We were at the lake for 2 hours the other day and he spent it all out there minus the "rest times".  I love seeing him just out playing, gaining confidence and being a kid. For some reason going to the lake seems so old timey to me.  Like it was what kids did when my parents were growing up.  We love pools but there is something about swimming in a lake. It's funny because it was not part of my life growing up but I am glad it can be for Jared and Lydia.

Lydia loves it too and Mark is such a good sport. This is her first summer doing it.  She loves diving boards too and has never bene afraid to jump off them really but last year she never made it to the dock. I didn't either but this year we all went out and had fun jumping in together. 

Perfect night paddling on the Lake. Sometimes I see people posting pictures of really pretty sunsets here in Charlottesville or talking about seeing one and I realize that I have seen so few sunsets in Charlottesville. There are so many trees I feel like I never have a clear view.  Especially at our house. This night I was fortunate enough to go kayaking with Laura and enjoy great visiting and this beautiful sunset.

In not so fun news.  We had another leak in a pipe, a in prick in a copper pipe. This was the 4th one in the year since we have lived here.  We have been super lucky that they have been pretty small and caught early on, no crazy damage but it has been a bummer.  So after this last one we talked to my Dad and decided to replace all the pipes in our house.  I went to work one day (which has been going well, they are a really nice family) and came home to over 15 holes in our walls! It has been such a mess.  We are grateful my Dad helped us out but what a headache.  Our water has been off and on and it has taken quite a bit longer than originally planned.  He is doing a great job but it is time consuming because you have to wait for the mud to dry then sand it and put more mud on, then paint it not to mention how much pipe is in a house.  And sheetrock produces a lot of dust when it is cut and a lot has had to be cut.   It is almost done now and we are grateful.

Old Copper pipes

And what says summer more than swinging on a tire swing and an antique filter?

We are so fortunate to live here.  There is so much to do and we know such great people. This weekend and next are kind of our last free ones.  Mark's family will be here the  22nd-25th then we are meeting them in Palmyra the following weekend. Then we are off to the beach to go camping and then to Pennsylvania the weekend after that. Our week days won't be crazy but the weekends of summer are almost over! We will will have one more before Jared starts school. Crazy when I look at it that way.