Miranda Alone Time

Miranda has been saying how much he loves it when it is just me and her. She says it when we walk from the parking lot to the store leaving Parker and Elizabeth in the car. She says it walking to the video store or right after I get her from camp. So I decided it was time for a little get away for just her and me.  We went to the KOA in Petaluma for a night. The place was a zoo but we still had fun swimming, hanging out, reading in the tent, making a camp fire and smores, and visiting the petting zoo. We stayed up too late and didn't sleep in quite long enough but we still had a nice time.  

After we successfully put up the tent.

On the way to the petting zoo.

Baby goat.

Rabbit.

S'mores.

I thought they were gross, but she enjoyed three.

In the morning we went to the this farm that was close by that my friend Monika just visited. It sounded like just the place Miranda would love but her brother and sister would hate.  So we went and I was right. She really enjoyed it. It was very hot, but she never complained about all the walking and got a big kick out of all of it.

Waiting for the free tour.

On our way to see the chickens.

There were lots and lots of chickens. These are the egg laying ones.

She was trying to catch one. It didn't work.

Big ass pigs.

Big ass.

Did I mention they were big?

Very big pigs.

They get 300 chicks every three weeks. These are the ones that are going to become food.

She didn't quite get this part and named this one Bob.

Looking at the baby turkeys. Also for eating.

Beginner

Going early

As a kid, I remember always wanting to go early to ballet class or rehearsal or performances. If the call was 2pm, I wanted to be there at noon. If it was at 6, 4pm was good. As I recall, my mother didn't understand this. I wasn't ever a very popular kid, but there was a big social aspect to the ballet world that I enjoyed and I didn't want to miss any part of it. (except the part where all the girls ate laxatives to get rid of the food they ate...I missed that part happily.)

Elizabeth, being a gymnastics Team member, is allowed to go early. She has her own cubby inside the gym, away from where the regular class kids put their stuff. She puts her stuff with the team and can go on the gym floor early to warm up, goof off or practice.  The first day, I brought her 10 minutes early and she and waited for another Team kid to show up before going in.  Then this week, when I had to drop off Elizabeth at the exact time I had to pick up Parker, I had to bring her early. The first day, she again waited for someone else to show up (I found out later) before going in.  Yesterday when I brought her early, she ran in, didn't look back and was jumping on the trampoline before I could say goodbye.  When I told her I didn't need to take her early today because Parker was going on a playdate, she said, "but CAN I still go early?"  So I took her in and she was gone in a flash.

She has learned all of her routines now and like her aunt Amy is terrible at the dancing parts. Everything else, she is getting, but she can't do a jete  to save her life. And don't get me started on fifth position arms or her turn out. Just plain scary.  But her coach says she is doing well on everything else.  Today she had another 7 1/2 hour day at the gym (not counting her wanting to go early) so it's a good thing she is really loving it.

More skateboarding

Parker is really taking to skateboarding. He wanted to show me some stuff at the skate park where  his camp is so we all went there after getting the girls from their activities.

Waffles likes Parker

Probably because Parker pays him no attention.

This machine has a strange name.

Peter Pan

Miranda is taking a 2 week theatre camp this week and next. They are doing a mini version of Peter Pan. Today was the first day and they had auditions. She had to play Mr. Darling during her audition. She also had to sing part of a song about a crocodile. We find out tomorrow what part she got but she really enjoyed it today and is excited about going back.

Skateboarding

Parker is taking a skateboarding camp this week. Michael thought it was important that "all little boys know how to skateboard." And I always like it when Parker does something that is not in his comfort zone.  There were only 8 kids in the camp and Parker was with three kids who were also beginners.  He came home and practiced what he learned several times.  He wanted to show me and then Michael later in the evening.

Team clinic

Elizabeth is doing a gymnastics team clinic this week where they learn the routines. Three hours every day. Plus regular workouts. Today they learned floor and part of beam. I had watched them on you tube and was feeling a little worried for her because they looked harder than I thought, were pretty dancy (which isn't her thing) and there are a million ways to get deductions.

I got there 15 minutes early today and there she was on the beam doing handstands and looking very much like a kid who knew what she was doing. Then at home she showed me the floor routine. Except for not quite getting one dancy part, she looked really good. With almost two months before meets start, I'm not worried anymore. If she learned all that in one day, she'll be fine. Better than fine.

Parker's Home

Parker is back from camp and loved it, as we knew he would. He and the girls are talking about all the activities now and discussing how they will do them together next year when they all go the same week. Elizabeth seemed to really miss him, which I thought was sweet.

Piedmont parade

We saw the piedmont 4th of July parade for the first time. It was dorky and sweet and very small townie. The kids collected candy provided by floats and one even threw out a teddy bear that Eli caught.  The girls want to be in it next year which is totally possible.

Waffles

Waffles is still with us which is not great, but ok since he is so nice.

Santa Cruz

Michael and I took the girls to Santa Cruz for a couple days.  I wanted to find a place that had both sand and a pool and other fun things to do and thought Santa Cruz would be perfect. It would have been if the weather cooperated more, but it never really got hot or too sunny.  We had fun nonetheless, but probably at too high a cost in our fancy hotel on the beach.

Michael, Miranda and Elizabeth flying high.

Elizabeth climbing to the top pretty easily.

Elizabeth and Michael above.

View from pool deck.

View from our room.

Different view with wharf.

Breakfast at hotel.

Feeling fancy.

Enjoying the overcast.

Notice all the people around?

She did well boogie boarding, but it only lasted about 8 minutes since it was freezing.

Walking to the arcade.

Playing stupid games.

And earning lots of tickets.

Fruit Ninja.

A few moments of sun.

Enjoying the hotel bathrobes.

Last morning in the hot tub.

Photo bomb.