Let's Go Ride a Bike

Despite the broiling heat, Maggie has been practicing her bicycle riding.    It has given her a lot of confidence and feeling of independence.   Some days, she rides in 15 minute sessions, a few times a day.   

I recently finished sewing the dress she is wearing, as well as another pink one.    She should get a few years wear out of them. 

The last picture is a self-portrait of Maggie, taken while she was goofing with my camera.

Andy Hardy Movies are the Best

It's great to find movies that everyone enjoys.  Right now, the Andy Hardy movies starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney are very popular at our house.    Between Sadie's babysitting job, volleyball camp, and other demands on our time, family time is getting harder to carve out, but we enjoy it.

Sadie and Emily

Every parent wishes for their child to have just one really good freind.   Sadie has 3 truly good friends.   One of those is Emily.   Emily and Sadie have been friends since Kindergarten.     They play volleyball together, and have many other interests in common.  We were sad that Emily had to move to New Mexico over the summer, but now her situation has changed and she gets to stay in our town.

A Runaway Duckling

You can just imagine my surprise to see this little duckling march across our front yard this week.   As Keith and I were sitting on our garden bench, talking and watching the hummingbird, this little runaway waddled right past us.  He was difficult to catch, but we interrupted his traveling plans and he spent the day underneath a laundry basket.   That evening, we took him to the home of a friend who has 10 ducks.  He came alive among the other ducks, who were terrified of him, and still are today.  The duckling has no idea the ducks are running away from him, and tries his best to keep up with them.    In the 16 plus years we have lived here at this address, he was the first runaway duckling.

A Tale of Two Biebers....

Sadie has been babysitting this summer; this marks her first regular paying job.  She has been employed by two families in our town.  In both cases, the families have been very pleased with her work, and the children love her.  This sweet, hardworking girl is getting her first taste of having hard-earned cash in her pocket, other than allowance. 

We, as her parents, have always set an example of thrift:  doing car repairs ourselves as often as possible, cutting coupons, using a clothesline, sewing, mending, and repairing clothing and household linens, gardening, canning, and mending and repairing household appliances.

In keeping with the values of her family, Sadie recently made a very exciting purchase.  She made the decision to purchase a Justin Bieber Standee.   After ruminating over this decision, she realized that if one Justin Bieber standee was a good purchase, two Justin Bieber standees would be an even better purchase.  After all, why spend the $65.00 on school clothes when you can have twin Justins in your own home?

So, the days were spent in anxious anticipation and preparation for the arrival of the twins.  Sadie was working at her babysitting job when the package finally arrived.   When Sadie arrived home that wonderful day, she bore as patiently as she could Maggie's cries of "The Beavers Are Here!  The Beavers Are Here!", and wasted no time informing Maggie "THEY ARE BIEBERS NOT BEAVERS!"       Keith refused an offer to tour her room with its new occupants, so she brought them downstairs for him to see.

The twin JB's are currently ensconced in Sadie's room, where they will remain until the Beaver Fever runs its course....and I am convinced that this temporary feverish delirium has been caused by the temperatures we are currently living with in our corner of the world, 110 degrees in the shade.   See the last photo of my thermometer outside my kitchen window for proof.  

{this moment}

Maggie created a working "office" in the living room, and worked diligently for an afternoon, taking messages, making appointments, and using the adding machine.  It's much too hot to be outside during the day this summer...

Swimming Lessons for Maggie

Here's Maggie getting ready to go to swimming lessons.   Sadie is away volunteering for a mission trip this week, and we really miss her.  In the meantime,  Maggie is taking swimming lessons every morning, for 2 weeks.   We signed her up for level 2, but after the first lesson, she was moved to level 3.     Level 3 is challenging for her, and I reminded her that she is still learning.  Sammy is not going to swimming lessons, but  Maggie wanted him to pose for a picture with her.    Maggie is also reading the "Black Lagoon" books from the library this week.   She really likes these books.   Someone must have read one to her at school, because she wanted to find them at our library.    We are looking forward to Sadie's return tomorrow.

Summertime.....we are having fun....

We were finally able to get the girls' pool set up for this season;  you can see how dry the grass is.    We have only had rain once since June 1st.  When they aren't swimming, the girls have really enjoyed playing board games together, and as a family we have played dominoes for several evenings.  I had forgotton how much math is involved in dominoes.   Sadie has really enjoyed these evenings at home.    Tonight, Keith and I sat outside watching fireworks in the park behind us....Maggie missed it, because she was asleep.   Sadie is out of town volunteering her time ( and sweat)  on a mission trip to south Texas.   More about that later.