Time is running out!

It happens every year . . . you're finally into the swing of summer and suddenly you realize it's almost over! I had grand plans for this year. We were going to do all sorts of exciting side day trips and overnights and, and, and . . . and now almost all weekends are taken up! What happened to the camping trip I so wanted to plan? Hopefully the weather will stay decent into October and we'll get out there to experience a night or two in a tent with Monkey. Mark thinks I'm CRAZY for wanting this :) but he'll indulge me as long as I can get us all out there. I bought a tent and everything (there's no way we're going in our teensy backpacking tent!).

Other things on the list we haven't gotten to:

Remlinger Farms
Biringer Farms
Wolf Haven
NW Trek

There's more I'm sure but the list is at home and we're on Vashon so let's focus on what we HAVE done!

Kingfisher Cabin on Vashon the best part (aside from the beach) is the grandparents next door!
Lots and lots of digging and splashing at Golden Gardens
Exploring at Carkeek
Checking out the fish (and boats) at the Locks
Fish & Chips at the Totem House
Splashing in the backyard pool with friends
Monkey learning to ride his tricycle
Margaritas on the deck, more margaritas on the deck . . . and more . . .
Park dates with lots of friends
Boat rides with Monkey
Monkey visiting his cousins
Feeding the goats
First vegetable garden ever
Swimming in the Sound (yes, I'm a crazy born & bred Northwesterner)
Fun with snails
Picking berries
Farm Tots at South 47 Farm (sans wagon ride as Monkey balks each and every time)
Painting in the backyard
Naked days (for Monkey, not for me!)
Monkey's first popsicle (first of many now!)
many trips to get CHOCOLATE ice cream cones at The Scoop at Walter's
Outdoor "soccer"
Swim lessons
Owls, eagles, kingfishers, seagulls, ducks, etc.
Muffin tins
Point Defiance Zoo trip
Family Reunion
Countless hours of throwing rocks into the water
Looking for crabs (and watching Monkey's face as one scrabbles across his palm)

and hopefully we'll stuff a few more things in before fall arrives!
What have your favorite activities been this summer?
Or what's still on your list?

Act now!

p.s. Let me know if you have any good (nearby) campsites to recommend. I am DETERMINED!

"Swimming"

Recently, we (and by "we" I mean monkey with me along for the ride) delved into the wet & wild world of (cue dramatic music dum dum dummmmm!) swim lessons. Well, let's just say the first day I got wetter than monkey (and I wasn't in the pool). He got in and promptly clawed his way out of the pool and climbed all over me soaking me in the process. The next day wasn't much better--in fact he wouldn't get in. I finally handed over my stiff as a board child to the instructor for a "swim" (they carry the kids out and back for a quick "swim"). He wouldn't even look at her--I could see him thinking, "If I don't see her then I'm not here and this is not happening!" I felt horrible and considered pulling him out of the class since he didn't seem to be ready but in a few days he got a bit better.

Monkey's really working on his negotiating skills (he's almost three) so we had a long talk one night that if he would simply sit on the steps for the whole lesson and play in the water I wouldn't make him go out for "swims". That seemed to work so the next day (as we discussed the same thing at length that morning at breakfast, in the car, getting changed at the pool . . .) he finally got in and sat on the steps the entire day and by the end was playing games a bit and even splashing (one hand at first and two minutes before it was time to get out he had both going).

The whole set of lessons was every day for nine days. Day seven we finally had a breakthrough. He actually enjoyed going on a "swim" and was loving it. Day eight he asked to go for a swim and even had to wait his turn to go--this was an AMAZING turnaround. Unfortunately, one of the instructors took this as a good sign that he was ready to go underwater . . . needless to say he was not ready and after that he decided he didn't want to go back to the pool - ever. We only had one day left so we had many discussions that night about how he wouldn't have to go underwater again the next day, etc. I promised him I would talk to the swim teachers and blah blah blah. So the next morning he was finally ready to go again . . . and there was a thunderstorm so class was canceled. Now we can't go back until the end of August. Let's hope he'll be over it by then!









After the "bob"