Short Summer Underway

Our summer has barely begun and it's almost at its halfway point.

Yvie's last day of school was June 25 and after Friday, she will be done with her second of six weeks she'll have off from school.

We're not exactly cramming her summer with stuff but we've been sorta busy in these last couple of weeks. We enrolled Yvie in a science camp. It's a one-week camp that runs from 9-1, and she'll be done with it on Friday. I wish we could keep her in there another week because she's really enjoying it. Yvie's taking a liking to science. I'd never really thought that was a possibility. She is an ardent reader and devours books but she's just a sponge wanting to soak up as much as possible, and science seemed to have made an impression on her. All year long she was interested in things like weather and the ocean and ocean animals so when we found out about this science camp it sounded like she'd enjoy it, and she has been.

We've also taken part in other activities, free activities which Kennedy can also participate in. The library has been a boon as always and they've had a couple of shows the girls have taken in, one on sharks and another on pirates. Thursday is supposed to feature a ventriloquist - we'll see how that works out.

Something else we'll also do that's free is this: Regal Cinemas' Free Family Film Festival. As in free movies. Now, they're not new or anything but really, who cares? It's movies that came out last year or before I believe. The movies seem to vary from theater to theater. We might take in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs next week since we never did get to see it. Charlotte's Web is also playing, as is the Chipmunks Squekquel (we saw that and it was gawdawful but the girls really liked it so I might have to suffer through it again). I'd love to see Monsters vs. Aliens in the movies - we have the DVD and have seen it about 1,344 times but still it'd be nice to see it on the big screen. There's bound to be a free movie festival thing playing near you so even if you don't have kids you might want to take advantage. Come on, I know you want to watch the Chipmunks.

One thing we haven't yet done this summer, though, is Disneyland. Super sad face. I've been dying to go but between my work and Yvie's camp, we don't have a load of time. Next week the girls begin swim lessons so we might take off one day after that and just see what we can do before the crowds send us home. It really stinks to have passes and not be able to use them. They're good through the end of the year but at this point since we've used them not at all since February, and with school starting on Aug. 11, I'm not sure if it would be wise to renew them next year. Sad. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Another thing I want to do is to take them to the beach. That one might be doable soon too. I was actually hoping to have my brother Jesse go with me so he can watch the girls while I go running, and then we can all spend some time together in the water or on the pier or whatever. We'll see, hopefully that happens soon.

The girls, though, have had a fun time this summer. One thing they enjoy quite a bit is the pool. They are comfortable around water but don't know how to swim quite yet, hence the swim lessons. But they are becoming fearless around the water, albeit with a floatie in tow.

I'm not sure why they always have to cover their noses like that, but that's what they do.

So our abbreviated summer is off to a good start but after next week it will be halfway over. Crap. Maybe we need to cram after all.