swimming

The girls started swim lessons back in March (I think.  All of the months start running together).  And Parker went each week for a few weeks practically kicking and screaming.  She had gotten to where she swam pretty well and went under water without a problem by the end of last summer....but here we were back at square 1.  For Grace- she wasn't scared to go under or anything like that....just lacking in skills (which is why she is in lessons).

So we get to May...Parker is still making little progress...so we enroll her in a fast-track class (going 4x a week for 2 weeks instead of only once a week).  And this consistency...along with many trips to our neighborhood pool with Daddy...did the trick!

I haven't made it to the pool yet this summer for several reasons.  1) I do not care to put on a swim suit. and 2) {my saving grace} I feel like Nolan is too young to get in the pool (if we had our own it would be totally different).  So we just stay behind and Geoff takes the girls. 3) I do not care to put on a swim suit.

One Saturday morning- Nolan was up from his nap early and so I grabbed my camera and we headed to the pool to hopefully see the girls swimming and get a few pictures.

They have grown leaps and bounds in their swimming and I'm so proud.

Little Grace jumping in.

...and back...

And Parker.

The whole time they were saying, "Watch this Mommy.  Watch me."

our 'My Little Pony' fun week

When 1+1+1 posted her My Little Pony printables....I knew what themed week(s) we'd be doing next.  Once Parker's school was out....and Geoff went back to work after Nolan being born....I found (like everyone else) that I needed some activities to fill our long days other than TV.  The weather wasn't too bad everyday....but with a newborn and little shade outside...I wanted to find something inside.

I did order the girls these ponies from Amazon because they went right along with her printables....but other than that- everything else that we did, I already had.

The first thing I needed to do before starting our activities was to be organized.  A lot of times I just throw things together haphazardly and the day/activities just never go as smooth.  So I spent a few days planning, printing, cutting....just getting everything together.

So one morning they came out of their room and found these do-a-dot ponies that I printed from 1+1+1 sitting at their seat at the table for them to work on while I got their breakfast ready.

And I also printed out My Little Pony coloring pages and made a book with printables found here and here.

Next up- another activity from 1+1+1.....cutting, matching, and gluing.

And I have to say....this was the first time I've brought out and planned activities where Grace actually seemed interested and did really well.  I usually say that she's like a bull in a china closet anytime I try to sit down and do constructive activities with her....but I guess now that she's a little older, she was more into it and we all enjoyed ourselves.

Next- they matched up the pony with the identifying sentence.  (printables also from 1+1+1)

At this time...they were "activitied-out" and Parker just wanted to play with the ponies.  Love watching her imagination at work.

Later in the day- they painted these ponies.  They were to paint them and then we were supposed to cut them out and glue them the next day.  Well- the cutting and gluing never happened.  :) (pony craft printables found here)

I rarely bring out the paint because of they mess...but using these cupcake liners were easy and clean. 

But again- I was very impressed with Grace's painting skills!

One afternoon while at my sister's house.....we let the girls paint these pony printables using q-tips.  Love this idea!  (these wonderful q-tip pony printables found here)

{Parker}

{Payton}

{Grace: she didn't really do the dots, but still painted them with the q-tip}

On another morning....I had these activities set out to do as they woke up and I made breakfast. (more printables from 1+1+1)

And this printable where they matched the cutie mark with the pony found here.

And this graphing activity also from 1+1+1

She played with these ponies for a good 3 weeks.  She still plays with them from time to time even now.  It was definitely worth the purchase!

We had a fun couple of weeks doing these activities.  Now I need to muster up the energy to do another 'themed week'.  We just seem to have better days when I have things like this planned, yet weeks go by and I still haven't done a thing.  Ahhhh....such is life.  =)