The Last of August

Clare is a big fan of Temples. She just loves to see their pictures and ask about them. She was asking about the Salt Lake Temple where Mommy and Daddy got married and asked if we could go there. I told her we could when we're in Utah again. But we have a temple here in Atlanta we could go to today.

So we went over to the Atlanta Temple which is not far from us. We took pictures and walked around. It was really an enjoyable afternoon. It was hot too but we had a good time.

Clare likes to take picture too. So I told her the rules of holding our camera and let her snap a few. Here's one she took of Tommy and myself. I think she's go a good eye.

We've also been back to the park. Yay! I love taking her to the park where she can run around and climb and swing and slide.

I think for me the playground at the park represents care-free life returned to. For some it may just be a hot sweaty dirty lot of fun but for me it's a happy comfortable place that pulls you back time and again.

She Swimms!

Clare swam several times from the stairs in the deep end of the pool to Rick! Hurray. We've been working towards this all summer. At the begining of the summer seh was so nervous about the pool and the water I couldn't get her off the steps without her crying. A little peer pressure fixed that but she still had a long way to go.

We bought 4 weeks of swimming lessons. She never advanced to the next level. She still needed to jump in by herself and bob under the water. Of course in three days Grandma got her jumping in by herself and going underwater. Two goals of her swim class that she never reached in class.

After Grandma left Rick has been working with her every weekend and sometimes after work. and now she is starting to swim. She's excited and feels good about it and Rick and I couldn't be more proud of her. Good work Clare!

Paper Mache Piggy

Clare came to us really honestly upset one evening. She couldn't find her pennies. After a while of us telling her we'd help her find them and put them in a safe place she let us know that she needs a piggy bank. I wonder how long she'd been thinking this through.

So, I decided the perfect summer indoor activety fo rClare and I would be making a paper mache piggy bank. If you know Clare then you are already laughing. Clare hates and I really mean HATES to get her hands dirty. So, when it came to putting past onto paper strips and smoothing them onto a balloon she didn't get far. First I showed her what to do. Then she told me it was too messy. So I gave her a strip I had already pasted. Much to her credit she did put it on. But that was the last one she would touch.

So In the end I had a nice time making a pig and Clare got to play. When it was all over I was supprised how nice the little piggy looked. All I can say is, "Here's to you Mom, and all the Thanksgiving pinta making practice I got through the years. Thank you."