SuperChic is learning to swim. I know, she’s 7, but we don’t really have a lot of access to a pool regularly, and can never seem to afford classes when they start making reservations for them. So instead every Summer we hang out with Great-Grandma and learn a little more.

So far this one lesson was the best ever. SuperChic decided that it was okay to put her face in the water, a major step for her. We’ve been working on that one thing for forever. This lesson she practiced some basic water safety, which we always practice at the beginning of each lesson. But, what really made te differnce was getting her to use me like a step/wall and push off of me to swim to the stairs.

Was it a perfect stroke? No.

Was it a perfect kick? No.

Did her face go under? A little.

Did her feet touch the bottom of the pool? No.

I am so proud of her. This is a big deal in our family. Shawn’s Grandma used to teach the Marines to swim, so her teaching the girls means a lot to me.

Thanks Grandma, we love you.

The other big news is that Rapunzel can swim across the pool and back without stopping. This means she should be able to pass the swimming test at Camp Lassen and won’t have to stay in the shallows!

6/365

I love a good margarita. original, blended, with lots of salt.

8/365

Temporary tattoos are so much fun. Especially when they look real and the kid wants it in the “right” spot.

9/365

Puppy face. Need I say more?

10/365

Giant Jawbreaker from Rapunzel’s 12th birthday party. She’d been eating it for two or three days. I’d say eewww gross, but I bought them and I remember what it was like to be 12.

Also, I kept telling her it was too close, but she didn’t get it. So it’s blurry. Oh well, life goes on.

11/365

Shawn decided to keep one of Annie’s puppies. He told the girls by bringing home a tag with her name on it. He named her Mischief and it completely fits.

12/365

A mini Chipotle carnitas burrito for SuperChic.

13/365

Shawn pushed her as high as the tire swing would allow.

14/365

Typical SuperChic. She started her own hair cut and I had to finish it.

15/365

One of my favorite scents. I need to find the body spray since Shawn approves of it.

16/365

Rapunzel and her friend Nesa started a club they called the “Green Club” at the beginning of the year. It was just them and two other friends. The four of them wanted to help teach others to go green. The club was renamed “Save the Planet” (STP).

They put recycling bins in each class to help encourage the recycling of paper, and to discourage the wasting of paper. It was nice to see them be recognized at the end of the year.

Rapunzel was VP and Nesa was the Big Kahuna. Rapunzel did not want to be the Big Kahuna but wanted the work so they came up with how things would be divided on their own.

I’m very proud of both of them. They’ve come a long way since last year when they hated each other. That alone makes a difference. A difference that neither one of them realizes now, but hopefully will one day.

17/365

Shawn keeps trying to convince me we need chickens. I’m very hesitant. Birds and I do not get along, though his Aunt’s chickens are remarkably calm.

18/365

Sanity

19/365

The Look. If I get it a lot now, what’s it going to be like when she’s a teenager?!?

20/365

A little pansy growing up through the tiniest crack in the cement under a grapefruit tree. Tiny as in it looked like it was shrunk, not just little blossoms. I’ve never seen a pansy so tiny and dainty before.

21/365

My cuckoo cat, Bam-Bam.