Few more...summer

Last of the summer pics, then on to Fall - which has been particularly exciting with the newest addition to our family - that would be canine, finally.  Pics of apple picking, Halloween and sweet puppy Greta coming soon.

 One of my favorite summer pics, doing my least favorite thing - trying to catch fish.

 Sassy Monster High gal.

 This Fall soccer game was played on a wet muddy field, but the kids didn't mind at all - especially the puddles of standing water they constantly ran through.  The socks and cleats were soaked and coated in mud.

 The dunking of the bread tradition continues.  Years ago I explained to Helaina that every time my Mom made meatballs and sauce, when the meatballs were simmering we'd get to take a piece of bread and dunk it in the sauce.  I have fond memories of that and now Helaina will have them too.  She loves it.

 After she takes the first bite she always moans "mmmmmmmmmmm".  Our little Chinese Italian!

 Finally moving into Fall.  Making mooncakes with our FCC group to celebrate the autumn moon festival.  Filling the mooncake molds with sweet dough and even sweeter fillings - chocolate chips, marshmallows, candies, jelly and my absolute favorite, the Chinese sweet bean paste.  Sounds yucky but it's delicious.

So proud of her creations.  They look pretty, taste good and are relatively easy to make.  The best part (and the noisyest part) is slamming the mold on the table to get the cookie out onto the baking sheet.

Summer wrap up, a little late

Now that it's late Fall (I'd actually say winter), it's time to wrap up summer fun.  The months just seem to fly by and Helaina's growing up way too fast right before our eyes.  Most of these pics show the daredevil that Jim and I live with - Helaina's desire to walk on the wild side and her need for speed.

Our Seabreeze outing this summer was eventful for Helaina.  Before our trip she'd been BEGGING to go on the full-sized Jack Rabbit wooden roller coaster.  I hadn't been on it in years but remember it being fun.  She met the height requirement (over the line by just a smidge) and we reluctantly agreed she could ride (she was ready to cry if we said no).  Jim didn't want to ride but I felt I had to go to supervise Josh and Helaina - as if I could do anything or protect her from harm while riding in the seat behind her.  The ride was as the name warns - just like a hopping jack rabbit - three steep up and down drops in quick succession, and turnaround then 3 more up and down drops on the way back, ending in one final drop through a pitch black tunnel.  All the while Helaina's laughing and I'm screaming "Are you ok?  You ok?  Hold on!  It's almost over!"  Yikes, it was fun but I was glad it was over.  Daredevil daughter comment before the ride ended: "Can I go again?"  Uh, no.

Log flume is always a favorite for Josh and Helaina.  I think they rode it 3 times in a row.

 She loves the wave pool.  Like I always say, no fear and ready for anything adventurous - our little daredevil.

 She still goes on the kiddy water slides but now tackles the adult ones too.  I always had her ride down a double tube with Josh but this year she wanted to use a single tube - which she barely fits in.  Josh rides down before her and she follows.  They must have done this slide at least 5 times in a row.

 One of Helaina's favorite water slides in the soak zone.  It's for kids only but you slide down it pretty fast without any control, as you can see by the position of her feet.  We lost count how many times she went on this one.

 If Helaina had a bucket list (or if she knew what a bucket list was), she would have crossed off one of her items.  Along with about 30 of her children's theater buddies, she sang the National Anthem at a Chiefs game this summer.  She was SO excited.  Anyone that knows our daughter well knows that she's obsessed with the National Anthem and sings it all the time - perfectly. 

 Ah, Wonderworks - another favorite of Helaina's.  This is the wind tunnel.  You stand in a small shack and a GIANT fan blows unbelievably strong wind, so strong that you need safety goggles and have to hang on to a pole.  Once was enough for me - I came out with my hair in knots looking like I had combed it with an egg beater.  Helaina dragged Jim in it about 4 times.  She's nuts.

This is the 4-D theater, where you buckle yourself into a seat that moves, turns, vibrates and bumps while you watch a 3-D movie on a huge screen.  They have 3 different movies and Helaina experienced them all - a roller coaster mine ride (my favorite), a flying machine ride and a haunted house ride.  Jim and I watched 2 of the movies with her and she did the last one by herself.  This is the screen and monitor that the ride operator watches from outside the theater to see if anyone is getting motion sick and signals to stop the seat movement.  Helaina's in the front row (of course) on the left, while Jim and I watched from outside.  This girl is up for anything.  I always say that she'd bungee jump if we let her.  More summer fun to come...

The Jersey shore

Summer's gone (the state fair is gone for another year and the pool is closed).  Fall is here (leaves are turning and it's apple picking time).  Helaina's been a 2nd grader for more than a month now.  Even with my "free" days with Helaina at school, I've been keeping busy and am still behind on lots of things.  We headed out to Wildwood for a wild time in August.  Fun in the sand and sun, as always.

First time we ever buried her in the sand completely.  She loved it - especially when it came time for her to break out.

We brought mermaids and Barbie dolls this year to the beach.  They loved the surf too.

 The ocean water was really warm.

 Yah, she's cool in her Monster High sunglasses.

 She would have stayed in the water all day if we let her.

 Tube rides at the water park.  She's a brave gal and went down colossal water slides all by herself.  Braver than Jim and I (well, I used to go down them but not any more).

Nothing like a tire swing under a waterfall.

 Ahh, yes, the curvy snake tunnel slide.  She must have gone down this thing at least 20 times throughout our week-long vacation.  Absolutely loved the thing.

 The Flitzer - a fast steel coaster with lots of speed and curves for a relatively small coaster.  Two years ago Jim and I went on it with her, but this year she was tall enough to go it alone - and she did, many many times.  Absolutely loved it, laughing the through the entire ride.

Another favorite of Helaina's was this superman style ride.  It went up and around in circles, but also tilted while circling. It would have made me sick but she rode it daily - multiple times.

 Yup, asleep on the swings.  It was late.  We bought her a wrist bracelet that day so she could ride from noon to midnight all she wanted.  We hit the beach in the morning, did the rides after lunch, then back to the hotel and out to dinner, then back to the boardwalk for more rides.  She kept saying "just one more ride, one more".  This was finally the last ride of the night.

Our beach bunny sound asleep at last, with her 2 stuffed animals from home, her favorite little pillow and the Hello Kitty that Jim won her on the boardwalk at one of those water race games.  She was so excited when the bell rang at the game and she saw that her Daddy had won.  See you again in a few years, Wildwood.

In the blink of an eye...

Helaina's now officially a second grader.  Yikes.  She was SO excited to start school, talking about it for weeks now.  Her new dress was ready, the Monster High backpack was stuffed to the brim with supplies - she was way beyond ready to roll.

Victory! 

On her way to 2nd grade adventures.  Such a big girl now.

I did my usual first day of school routine.  After she got on the bus at home I drove to the school to watch her get off the bus.  "Mommy!" she screamed when she saw me.  Ran up to me, gave me a hug, told her I loved her and to have a good day, then she was off (holding hands) with a friend as they raced through the doors.  (sniff)

Yah, look at that smile.  She was super excited to be home and tell us about her day.  She loves her teacher already.  Second graders have their own desks in the classroom (instead of sharing round tables) and she likes that.  Mrs. M gave them popsicles today as a treat - score.  The cafeteria's first day meal was one of her favorites - hamburger - score.  They went outside for recess - score.  It was a good day.  She was tired so we got her in bed at her new school bed time, 8pm.  She called us up to her room twice though because she couldn't fall asleep (even though she was falling asleep on the couch tonight watching TV).  "I can't fall asleep.  I'm too excited.  I'm still excited about my first day of 2nd grade.  I keep thinking about all the things I did today and I'm excited about going to school tomorrow for my 2nd day.  Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"  She finally zonked out, little sweetie pie.  In the blink of an eye, she's 7 years old and growing up way too quickly.  I often say to Helaina "I wish you could go back to being 2 years old again, just for a day, so I could take care of my adorable baby girl."  "Mom, you know I can't do that" is her usual answer.  Sad but true.

Monster High still rules

Laguna Blue is in the house, Chinese style!

Straight black hair or blonde and blue streaked hair, gotta love that happy little face.

Look at that wig - crazy cute.

Laguna Blue is one of Helaina's favorite Monster High characters and her early pick for a Halloween costume.  It all started on a weekly Walmart run and a stroll through (where else) the toy aisles.  Checking out the Monster High section for anything new, there was a gasp and an "Oh my gosh!"  Monster High wigs.  There were wigs for Clawdine Wolf, Draculaura and Frankie Stein but no Laguna Blue (and they were only $10 - reasonable).  So the search began for a Laguna Blue wig at other Walmarts, Target and Toys R Us with no success.  Finally we went on line one afternoon and at walmart.com there it was - a Laguna Blue wig for the crazy price of $22, but it was way better than the $10 wigs of the other characters.  I told Helaina that the price was just too much and she agreed (big girl that she is).  Then I had a lightbulb moment and checked Amazon.  There it was, exact same wig, and it was only $11 and some change for shipping.  How could we resist.  Ordered it on a Thursday and I told Helaina it might arrive by the following Tuesday.  On that Tuesday, the doorbell rang and we found that the mailman had left a package.  Helaina picked up the package and read the printing on the box - "Amazon, my wig, my wig!  Open it, open it now!"  Shreaks of joy, squeals, jumping, hand clapping, you name it when she saw the wig.  "Be careful, don't mess it up Mommy.  Put it on me, put it on me!"  She wore it all afternoon while carrying around her Laguna Blue doll.  I emailed the pictures to Jim at work and his response was "Yowzers!"  The skimpy Laguna Blue Halloween costume is $30 and it's not much to look at, so I think I'll be putting my (lack of) sewing skills to the test to create something close to one of Laguna's outfits for Halloween - hopefully something that will fit over a snowsuit with the way the weather can be in October around here.  As the gals of Monster High sing, Monster High Rules!

Summer flys by

Yikes, only 10 days until Helaina starts 2nd grade.  How can that be possible.  This summer seemed to fly by, due in part to the many activities we've crammed into Helaina's summer vacation.  It's been fun and exhausting.  Jim is on his 2nd full week off this summer (the first vacation week spent at the Jersey shore), and Helaina has prepared a "to do - wish list" of  activities she would like to end her summer with (as if movies, Darien Lake, Seabreeze, Wildwood, parks, picnics, summer ice cream parlors and a backyard pool aren't enough).

After being presented with the list, Jim's response was "Whose vacation is it anyways?"  (we all know the answer to that question).  We can cross #5 off the list because we hit the Waterloo Outlet Mall yesterday for some school clothes.

We spent lots of time at the library this year.  There were a bunch of programs kids.  Helaina joined the summer reading program and read 41 books in 6 weeks.  She was rewarded with weekly prizes, books and a free Applebee's kids meal.  We also participated in most of the special events that were held.  Above Helaina was dressed to attend the Princess Party.  Decked out in her Cinderella tiara and Little Mermaid skirt, she had fun decorating cookies and making princess crafts.

Love this picture I snapped of my pretty girl next to a pretty basket of flowers.  Sporting purple eye shadow, oh what a treat.

Getting a rainbow painted on her arm.  Notice her blue and purple nail polish to match her mermaid skirt - and of course, her bling.

 Helaina LOVES her jeweled sandals.  Of course we had to paint her toenails to match her fingernails.

We attended a demonstration and lecture about dirt by a science dude from our local science museum.  Helaina and I both enjoyed it, and her name was drawn as the winner of 2 free tickets to the museum.  You should have seen her face light up when her name was called.  She jumped up, clapped and screamed "That's me!  I won!".  Here's a picture of Helaina holding a Herkimer "diamond", which is apparently quartz.  Hence, #6 on Helaina's to do list for Daddy, going to the "Herkmer dimins" mine.

We also went to see Klondike Dave the magician.  His show was hilarious.  There were about 35 kids in attendance sitting on the floor absolutely captivated by him.  He got every one of them to interact with his performance.  The parents were entertained and laughing as much as the kids.  Funny, funny guy.

Then there was the day we saw the reptile lady - I think Helaina's favorite library program.  She sat right up front, almost at this lady's feet.  When the bag of snakes came out, Helaina was the first one to shoot up her hand when the lady asked for a volunteer.  She was just thrilled to have this snake wrapped around her neck.  There were also turtles, all kinds of lizards and the big, hairy...

... tarantula!  Thankfully the kids weren't allowed to touch the spider.  Helaina probably would have passed on that anyways because someone in the family (I won't mention who) passed on the yuck factor regarding spiders to Helaina.

My little bun headed beauty - Helaina's been obsessed with hair buns lately.  I've just been doing them myself and they've come out sort of sloppy so we decided to invest in a "bun donut".  Well, let the fun begin.  After some practice and a few mishaps, I've got the hairdoo mastered - and Helaina is thrilled with the result.

Right after we bought the donut I think she had a bun in her hair every day for a week.  I absolutely love that Helaina loves having long hair for me to play with.  Hopefully she'll never want a pixie haircut!

 

June stuff

Pictures of June fun.

Lots of birthday parties to attend.  One cousin had a horse riding party, while another cousin had a bounce house party.

Bowling party for a school friend.

Children's Theater picnic.  It rained a bit during that afternoon and the bouncy slide became a wet slip and slide.  The kids' clothes were drenched but they had a blast.  I've learned to always travel with spare clothes for Helaina because you never know what will unfold. 

Out to brunch for Father's Day.  Helaina LOVES brunch.

This look is "Mom, I'm not posing for pictures while I'm eating."  If you can't tell, that's a chocolate frosted donut on her plate, with a side of bacon (only a tiny morsel remains).

Yearly Dragon Boat Festival.  Helaina's "boat" from last year still fits, so I didn't have to be crafty for this event - this year.

New location this year so they were able to do a little fishing - with no luck - what a surprise...

... and a little paddle boating.  Helaina was excited to this (never had before) and begged Jim to take her for a spin around the small pond.  Her legs didn't reach the pedals so it was a Daddy-powered paddle boat.

The festival ended with a bonfire and smores.  Sticky, messy, gooey but ever so yummy.

We've been to the zoo - a lot.  This trip was one day after the new Giant Pacific Octopus made her deput.  Ophelia is her name.  It was only Ophelia's 2nd day on display and she had mostly hidden in a cave-like opening in the rocks, but we were fortunate enough to be there when she briefly came out of the hiding spot, took a spin around her tank and hung on some rocks for a while.  Very cool critter.  We've also been to the zoo for a private party, an aquarium adventure academy and Penguin Palooza.

Helaina and I made a trip to the beach the week after school let out.  Have to hit the beach once in a while for the sand and lake swimming.  We had fun.  We met up with one of Helaina's friends from school and they splashed until their skin was shrivvly.

Many times throughout the day Helaina would say "Poor Daddy.  He has to be at work and we're having all the fun."  Well, someone in this family has to bring in some bucks.  Poor Daddy.

Sprinkler fun.  Even with a pool, you can't beat that old fashioned sprinkler.

Oh yah, there's been some shopping.  On this shopping adventure we were out looking for some PRACTICAL sandals for Helaina.  She needed some comfy, wide flats to wear with shorts.  Majorly sidetracked.  "Oh Mommy.  Can we PLEASE get these high heels?  Please, please, pretty please.  I'll be careful in them, please?"  So, we ended up with these beauties and a pair of sparkly Hello Kitty sneaker-shoes.  Not exactly what we headed out for, but oh well.  When Jim got home from work that afternoon and Helaina showed him 2 more pair of shoes, he said "You're kidding?!  How many pair of shoes do you need?"  I informed him that his daughter was Carrie Bradshaw Junior and that you can never have too many shoes.  She also has giganticly wide feet and when we find something that fits, we simply have to buy them.  She wore those blue strappy shoes in the house that entire night.  Just loves them.  (I know kids aren't supposed to wear heals - not good for their feet - but Helaina only wears them if we go out to dinner or if we won't be walking for any length of time.)