Sunday, August 19, 2018

More Summer Fun


There are only two weeks left of Summer vacation. For the 3 of us that is great news. We are ready for school, for a schedule and regular stuff. 
But we have had lots of fun and it’s not over yet.


One Sunday afternoon Ally and I went shopping for new school clothes. Ally shopped well at Nordstrom and Athleta and then she got some fro-yo.


This year Ally took a 2 week break from gymnastics camp to attend dance camp at her ballet studio. She had lots of fun learning a variety of dances not just ballet.




At the end of the week they put on a show for parents. It was lots of fun to watch.


We’ve had Ally’s friend Juli over for dinner a couple of times. One night we made Rice Krispie Treats

Cloey is cute as ever.

Ally has some summer school work to do. I thought Cloey watching her was a riot.

Snuggles with her dog. 

On a not so fun note we’ve had some health issues.
Ally has been exhausted all summer. She can’t get enough sleep. She has been going to bed willingly at 8 or 830 and sleeping 12+hours a night. So I finally made an appointment at the pediatrician and it turns out Ally had strep throat. No sore throat, no fever, no upset tummy. But strep it is. I took the picture above in the car after the appointment. I stopped and got her, her favorite fro-yo. She missed 3 days of dance camp with the strep. 


But did catch up on her sleep! 


Beth then Sunday evening she fell in our driveway and scraped up her ankle pretty bad. Another trip to the pediatrician in the morning to get it checked out and she had a minor sprain with instructions to rest it for a few days. So she missed 2 days of gymnastics camp. 
While home from camp Ally worked hard on her summer math project and got it completed.



The doctor also gave us advice on how to keep the scrape clean and dry. Ally did get to 3 days of camp and worked hard. 


Guatemala Girls Summer Fun

The last weekend in July was the annual Guatemala Adoptive Families BBQ at Gabi’s House. 


3 of the 6 moms were dressed almost identically!


Alice, Gabi, Rosa, Ally & Roxie 

And the walk down memory lane:

Rosa, ally, Gabi & Roxie 2012


Roxie, Rosa, Gabi, Ally & Alice 2011


Ally, Alice, Roxie, Gabi & Rosa 2010

A few weeks later we met up with Alice and her mom Cheryl for dinner.

Ally started with a chocolate milkshake, her favorite from the diner.

It was fun seeing Cheryl and Alice walk down from their house.

Friends! 


Then we got the whole group (except Roxie) together for a swim date:


Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Good Bye Carl

It is with a heavy heart that I wrote to say today was our last day with our beloved cat Carl. I blogged in June to say that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer. He steadily declined since then and stopped eating this weekend. So yesterday we talked about it and agreed to make an appointment at the vet and say good bye. It was fair to let him suffer even though it’s so hard for us. 
Ally is extremely sad. She cried the entire drive there, while we were there and in the car ride home. Sorrow and grief are hard emotions. She says she misses him so much and Nali and Grandma Barbie too. It’s a lot of loss in one year for an 11 year old girl. 

Some memories:


















The last one was taken in June right before we knew he was sick. 
We are so lucky we had him for 12 years and 8 months. He was a great cat, wonderful friend and a huge love bug. 

We haven’t decided yet if we will get another cat or not. We will wait until September and see how we feel. 

As Ally says “I just miss him so much”

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Taylor Swift on Mommy’s 45th Birthday!

Months ago I bought tickets for Ally and her 3 best friends and their moms to go see Taylor Swift in concert.  July 26. My birthday. 


I came home at lunch and we celebrated my birthday as a family then. I got some nice cards and gifts especially the treat package from Aunt Martha.

Soon it was time for Ally and I to get ready for the concert. Friends were coming over at 4 for the long traffic filled drive to the stadium. 



We at dinner of sandwiches and chips in the car on the way down and had birthday cupcakes in the parking lot.


These 4 are such good friends! Willow, Cata, Colette and Ally.