SUMMER FUN
Brandon and Sophia still require close supervision. To make that
task easier, I had a glass storm door installed at the entrance to the
house from the garage so that I can not only hear but
see what
they're doing when they're outdoors. I also put down a mat on the
garage floor so they can play off the cement. Having this addi- tional
play space also extends the area where toys are available and keeps some
of the messes out of the living room.
Several days through the summer, Sophia and Kelsi entertained
themselves by putting on make up and nail polish. Once the immediate
goal was achieved, sometimes Sophia moved on to applying body art.
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Brandon has taken golf lessons for the last three
summers. One day we went to a driving range so he could practice.
Brandon can hit the ball well, but his swing is more appropriate for
hitting a baseball than a golf ball. It drove me daffy trying to get
him to tuck in that elbow rather than let it "fly". He felt that if he
could hit the ball even if his form was wrong, then he shouldn't
change. I tried to tell him that this isn't Tiger's philosophy, but I
lost the battle. |
Dawn's friend Inga and her two children, Hayden and Lydia, came up
the end of July to spend a few days visiting Dawn's family. Carolyn,
Inga's mom, came along and stayed with me. One afternoon the eight of
us visited the locks on the nearby Erie Canal and took a ride on a canal
boat which is towed by horses.
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| Ready for a ride on the canal boat |
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| The moms - Dawn and Inga |
This summer I took a couple short trips out of town. Grandma Sherry
and I drove to Pittsburgh to see the Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at the
Phipps Conservatory. On the following day we toured Fallingwater, a
Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home an hour southeast of Pittsburgh. We
had a good time sharing the experience and being free of our
grandparenting responsibilities.
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| Fallingwater - a corner window with no mullion |
In September Teresa, a friend I met on a cruise several years ago,
came to town for a visit. We have always enjoyed traveling together and
as a result, have become sisters of the heart. She, like Sherry and I,
loves glass, so we went to Pittsburgh for a tour of glass exhibits
including Chihuly, and then we drove up to Niagara Falls, a new
experience for Texan Teresa.
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| Chihuly glass exhibit |
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| Niagara Falls - The three falls from our hotel room |
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| Mutt and Jeff - Taken by Teresa |
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| At the butterfly conservatory |
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| In their "kitchen" |
As the weather turned to fall, the kids found new activities to
enter-tain themselves in- doors. I was their customer and Bran- don and
Sophia took turns being the waiter, waitress or chef.
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Halloween signaled the beginning of a fall and winter festivities.
Brandon and Sophia joined neighbor friends Nicholas and Genevieve on a
comfortable, gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon to go trick or treating.
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| A princess, ghoul #1, ghoul #2 and a kitten |
Dawn and Sophia were born on November 3 and 4. This year Sophia was 5. She invited four friends to a make-up and dress-up party. While one mom applied their blush and eye makeup, the other did their nail polish. Once the embellishment was completed, the moms went to prepare for cake and ice cream. While in the kitchen, Dawn heard the girls laughing and squealing and went to see what they were doing. Each girl was taking a turn, running across the living room and diving face first into the chair, leaving their over-the-top make up on the chair cushions.
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| Birthday girls with Brandon |
Just what part of "Don't jump on the bed!" don't kids understand?!
How many times must a child be reminded? Evidently one more than Sophia
was. She fell and her right front tooth met the bedside table an
instant before her nose grazed the corner. The result was a tooth
knocked loose as well as a cut lip and nose boo-boo. It was nearly two
weeks before Sophia would eat solid food. The tooth is still there,
hanging about 1/8-inch below its mate. And just short of two weeks
after the accident, she was caught bouncing on the bed
again.
Copyright ©2003-2008 Kitty Park
Dawn and Sophia were born on November 3 and 4. This year Sophia was 5. She invited four friends to a make-up and dress-up party. While one mom applied their blush and eye makeup, the other did their nail polish. Once the embellishment was completed, the moms went to prepare for cake and ice cream. While in the kitchen, Dawn heard the girls laughing and squealing and went to see what they were doing. Each girl was taking a turn, running across the living room and diving face first into the chair, leaving their over-the-top make up on the chair cushions.
