Healing

I had coffee yesterday with the mother of a dear friend who committed suicide almost two years ago. She brought pictures and we reminisced about our funny, smart, loyal, and compassionate daughter and friend. It was a healing and joyful experience. One that I didn't know I needed as much as I did.

Game Day

Today was Game Day at soccer camp. Not like a soccer match but a review of all the games that the kids played throughout the week. The games included characters like Sponge Bob Square Pants, Dora the Explorer, and other childhood favorites that Sam has never heard of and calls by the wrong name later ("Sponge Bob Fancy Pants!"). My favorite one isn't really a game so much as a chant that I've been singing all week.

Bananas unite!

       Repeat: Bananas unite!

Bananas split!

       Repeat: Bananas split!

Banana peel to the left.

       Repeat: Banana peel to the left. 

Banana peel to the right.

      Repeat: Banana peel to the right.

Peel it down the middle and take a bite.

      Repeat: Peel it down he middle and take a bite.

Go bananas, go, go bananas!

There are actions for each line and at the end you do a crazy dance. I imagine that if you take one second to think about it, you actually know this chant from your own childhood. I recommend singing it and doing the actions several times a day. Life is decidedly better when you do. 

Foss

Remember how much Sam hated swimming lessons when he was almost three? Remember how we had to hold his hand and walk around the pool watching the other kids in his class play games and sing songs and swim in the pool?

Well, that happened, and we had to take some time away from swimming to get over the trauma.

But yesterday the most amazing thing happened when Dave took Sam for a swim assessment at the Foss Swim School. Sam was Mr. Cool In the Pool. He paddled, he kicked, he jumped into the water, and even submerged his head.

We're still shocked.

But now our Little 1 is looking forward to swimming every week this fall. We know because he told us this three or four times yesterday and as many times today as well.

Eloise

Our little girl a walking bruise. She's convinced she can do anything her brother does. Sometimes that's true. And other times, like during couch gymnastics today, it turns out that she's less coordinated than she thinks.

This wasn't even the last time she needed an ice pack today. We're thinking about having her wear a helmet. At least while she's awake anyway.

Dribble

"Dad, now I can Dribble the soccer ball and stop it, too." Soccer Camp Day One = Total Success.

Car

Somehow our 3-hour Car trip to south western Minnesota was actually a 5-hour Car trip. We should have done more preparation to figure out this key detail ahead of time. Instead we complained and some of us cried. In the end we made it to our destination.

Boxes

"Only two today!"

That's what our awesome UPS man said when he delivered the Boxes yesterday.

It might be time to cut back on the online shopping.

August

It's August now. A week into it even. So I'm thinking about doing an alphabet sort of theme to jump start blogging for the month. A is for August, obviously. But it's also for Apprehension and Avoidance, which is what I'm feeling and doing about having to start work again in four weeks. Apprehension and Avoidance is Apropos to this particular month given my line of work, so there's nothing really new to it.