School is in Session!!!

School has begun! We missed  "meet the teacher" day since we were at the beach during that time.So we went to the school on Monday morning and Ms. CC got a look around her classrooms. (She changes teachers this time--one for lessons & 2 more teachers for choice/free time.

Let's Swim!

I've mentioned in previous posts that we joined the YMCA this summer.  My main reason was to give MK an opportunity to learn to swim, although I'd have been content with just a little progress.  Well, I guess she doesn't call herself "Little Dolphin" for nothing!  This child is really SWIMMING!

MK insisted that she would never take swim lessons.  About 6 weeks ago, she was chatting with one of the lifeguards, CeCe.  They became fast friends & so we arranged "swim meets" with Miss CeCe.  MK was afraid at first, but CeCe coaxed her into deeper & deeper water, & she gained new skills all the time. 

The YMCA has a rule that anyone who hasn't passed the swim test must wear a red band to show that they aren't a strong swimmer.  A parent must always be within arm's reach of a "red" swimmer.  Green bands are awarded to those who pass the swim test, and they can swim without a parent in the pool.  MK said she wasn't interested in the green band, but CeCe gave her the swim test without MK realizing it!  Of course she passed & we were SuPeR proud!   

Usually when Joey & I take her swimming, she stays in the shallow end & doesn't even trust us to swim with her in the deep end.  But CeCe has given MK great confidence!  Yesterday MK & I were in the 8-foot section (with a kickboard) & she saw CeCe on the other side of the pool.  MK threw aside her kickboard & said, "I've got to go see Miss CeCe!"  And she swam across 2 lanes of the pool, just for the fun of it! 

WE ARE SO PROUD OF MK!!!

School is in Session!

School has begun!  We missed "meet the teacher" day since we were at the beach during that time.  So we went to the school on Monday morning & MK got a look around her classrooms.  (She changes teachers this year -- one teacher for math/science & another teacher for reading/social studies.)

 

MK was hesitant, but  then she saw this "Finding Dory" tissue box with a picture of Destiny on it.  This definitely helped her to know her classroom was a good one!

 

These are the best "1st Day" pictures that I could get!  She was still a bit nervous, but she tells us that she LOVES school!!!

A Birthday Break!

Today IS Mary Kathryn's 8th birthday!  We are having her party next week, but we did a bit of celebrating today also.  I'll post more beachy pictures soon, but

I just HAD to make this birthday post!

 When MK woke up, she unwrapped a Lego set and this Destiny plushy (her favorite character from "Finding Dory.")  She & I went to church & her 

daddy had to go to work :(

 After church, MK and I made some cupcakes {and ATE several of them too!}

We will continue the party later on this week!

Just a Snapshot Post About Our Week...

We've been at Panama City Beach this week & it has been SuPeR BuSY!!!  Here are just a few pics, & more will be posted soon!

Piano Lessons...

MK has been taking piano lessons for about a year & a half.  We decided to take a break during August so that she can settle into her school routine.  Her teacher, Ms. Carolyn rewarded her with this Paw Patrol Painting set!  (I think Ms. Carolyn deserves an award too!!) 

This will be exciting!!

Song for a Tar Baby

This is a video of Mary Kathryn practicing her C Major Scales & then she plays a piece called "Song for a Scarecrow."  You can hear her say "Song for a TarBaby!" -- this is because she has been listening to my old record/book set of "Brer Rabbit."  She is fascinated by the TarBaby & she thinks it's hilarious when Brer Rabbit gets stuck in the tar.  Today she didn't want to practice piano, so we reappointed this Scarecrow song to be a TarBaby song.

Ms Cool Talks About Going to the Doctor...

I also have a blog on crafty things & cooking. 

I've just posted a video of MK reading the doctors office social story that I made for her a couple of months ago.  It's kind of long video, but  I like to hear her read the story...

Here is a link:

Creations & Concoctions

Soak It UP!

We had a couple of errands to do on the way home today, after I had worked & then picked up MK from my parents' house.  As we were exiting JoAnn's, we were treated to a beautiful sunset.  We just stood there in the parking lot, discussing how quickly the cloud shapes and colors were changing. 

 

 How wonderful,

to not be in a hurry.

I need more of this!

A Busy but Lazy Weekend...

Thank goodness -- we had no solid plans for this weekend, other than going to church on Sunday morning.  So we just had some fun leisure time.  Saturday morning started

out with Lego building

*MK is studying some plans in this pic*

and then she had some

piano practice. 

Joey's cousin invited us to join him & his wife for sushi at a nearby restaurant.  This was a fun, impromptu outing AND we got to see their sweet newborn, 

Elijah Oliver!

 

 

We returned home for Legos, some scooter time & a little pool time.  We had a wonderfully lazy afternoon.

Sunday we enjoyed our church service & returned home for lunch.  MK helped me with unloading the dishwasher.

(She does this to earn a little money,

to save up for more Legos!)

 Joey, MK and I went to the pool for an hour or so.  It was rather an exciting afternoon!  MK swam about 10 feet across the pool (from me to Joey) without touching the bottom!  She did this SEVERAL times & we were all super proud!  As a reward, we agreed to get MK a "figural key ring" that she has been begging for.  The key ring is modeled after Destiny in Finding Dory.  Here is a picture of Destiny, the whale shark from the movie:

But the excitement doesn't stop there!  One of MK's teeth has been getting looser for a week or so.  MK had been nervous about this, fearing that it would be painful when the tooth fell out.  She was eating grapes during the swim break & the tooth just FELL OUT!  She was so relieved that it did not hurt as she had expected.  She is anxiously awaiting the Tooth Fairy's gift!

 

Finding Dory...

Joey took MK to see "Finding Dory" at the movie theater today.  When she found out that this was the plan for the morning, she greatly protested.  She even said she had butterflies in her tummy about going to the movies.  Of course, we knew she'd enjoy it...

Eventually she accepted the 

fact that they were going. 

And when I returned home after my

work-day, she was singing a

different tune! 

She LOVED the movie & even

wrote a "book" about it. 

MK quote of the day...

MK woke up around 5:15 AM on Wednesday morning.  I asked her why she wakes up so early (this is not out of the ordinary for her.)  Her response was this:

"I wake up because I dream I have

big plans on my mind.

  I just have to wake up and

DO it!"

Weekend Review...

We started Saturday morning with some piano  practice & then Lego-building.  MK has been making progress on her piano chart --  she is on her way to earning the final Paw Patrol mini-figure, Everest.  MK receives a sticker for every 15 minutes of piano practice.  She earns a figure after about 20 stickers.

 Here are examples of her current

piano pieces.  She is beginning

to learn sharps  & flats. 

In the spirit of Mister Rogers, MK

built this Lego Trolley.  Her characters

ride in the trolley to visit the

Land of Make-Believe. 

She also spent some time at

my parents' house.  Swinging

is definitely a favorite activity!

 
 After church, we had more Lego time & more piano practice on Sunday.

 On Sunday, MK and I swam for a few minutes.  Unfortunately, our time was cut short by a thunderstorm.

Since the rain cooled things off a bit, we enjoyed dinner on the back porch!