Soccer and Smocking

Aden finally started soccer this week. He's been looking forward to it all summer. We made sure his best friend Jamie would be on his team. I missed the first practice, so I haven't earned my "Soccer Mom" title yet.

Danielle started ballet this week too. Finally, I don't have to hear the question, "When do dance lessons start?" Now the question is, " When is it Tuesday, so I can go to dance?"



Me and Danielle in our matching smocked Mother/daughter dresses.

I should have had the dresses finished in time for Mother's Day, but I had a little difficulty putting the finishing touches on mine. (The kids quit taking naps on the weekend.) This is only the second adult dress I've made -- it's smocked around the waist with fine piping. I had a heck of a time getting the tie-backs and everything to line up just right in the back. I also had to remove about 18 inches of lace from the yoke of Danielle's bishop and re-sew it because she refused to wear the "clown dress". She was right -- it did have too many ruffles, but it in no way resembled a "clown dress" as she put it.

One day, I will put up pictures of past dresses I've made for her on this blog. I need iron some of them before I take pictures. Anyone who knows me well, knows how much I abhor ironing, so I've been putting it off.

First Day of School

Summer Time – Part II

Well, Aden and Danielle’s first sleepover at our house went fabulously. I made Mickey pancakes for breakfast for everyone the next morning.



The trick is to use a big serving spoon for the face and a tablespoon for one ear at the same time. Pour fast and then quickly do another dollop with the tablespoon for the second ear before the batter sets. Decorate with raisins or blueberries for the eyes and nose. These really are easy to make and your kids think you are the greatest mom in the world. Of course when mine say I’m the greatest, it’s really true ;)

After breakfast and a little playtime, we took my kids and their friends to the Columbia Marionette Theater (www.strungout.org) for a performance of Aladdin. We all enjoyed it immensely as we usually do with these performances. Our kids’ daycare has taken field trips there, which included a tour of the prop room. Now, when we go as a family on the weekends, my kids beg to go backstage.

We took a short day trip to visit friends of mine in Charleston and to celebrate their daughter’s birthday. Phoebe’s party was at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry (www.explorecml.org). What a wonderful place this is. Danielle loved shopping at a mini Publix grocery store. Just her size.



Aden liked the pint-sized shrimp boat and playing with the golf ball roller coaster. Danielle’s second favorite thing to do was play dress up at the medieval castle exhibit. Of course both my kids love art, so the art room was a hit, especially for Aden who was so proud of his new masterpieces. To be expected, there were tears when we left, because both kids hated to go. We will definitely make a road trip to go back again. There is a Children’s Museum in Columbia, called EdVenture (www.edventure.org). It has some of the same sort of stuff, but no medieval castle and no dragon kids are allowed to paint during the week.

Unfortunately, we did not make a beach trip this summer. The summer went too quickly and there didn’t seem to be enough time.

Aden’s first day of kindergarten is Friday. He gets to meet his teacher this afternoon. How exciting!