Life Goes On

Harper and I are in a Starbucks on the campus of SDSU, biding our time while Jaden is in a special 5-week reading program. Needless to say, Jaden was not too pleased with spending her Saturday afternoons this way for the rest of the summer, but a co-worker raved about this program and she definitely needs a reading boost. Harper is entertaining herself with some tactile make-a-picture educational thingy, and is on her second apple juice. I have stopped letting her have anything but water, milk, or 100% fruit juice. It was my assessment that fruit drinks (e.g., Minute Maid fruit punch) has something in it that makes her face break out to the point of sores, badly. She currently has light scars, which makes me sad, but hopefully those will lighten with time. That is about her only "issue", except getting the potty training down 100%. But she got a lot of support at daycare this week and had "dry" mornings all week. And she still sleeps throughout the night, almost all nights (insert smile).

The summer schedule for us is a bit looser than the school year, but I still have to go to work, so that is a bit of a bummer. Jaden is in various camps and her after-school program. She did fishing camp until a kid cast his hook into her neck (insert screaming while ER doc injects the anesthetic), but we got that pretty purple lure free from her neck and then on to get her a big vanilla milkshake. She had CSI camp last week and coming up is radical reptiles. She still thinks most of this is fun, and I start to think ahead to a few years and what I will do with her in the summer. That is kind of putting the cart before the horse, so not giving much worry time yet. Harper has "splash days" at daycare, which are quite fun for her.

We had one short vacation over the 4th of July weekend - to Northern California (Mendocino) to visit with friends who Harper and I made in China last year. Jenn (single mom) and I adopted our kids on the same day. Garrett (Gong Gong) had a severe cleft palate and lip that has been wonderfully repaired this past year, although he will continue to have surgeries into his teenage years. It was beautiful weather and the girls especially liked the bonfire on the beach complete with weiners and smores (I ate so many I was sick!).  And our friends have 3 miniature horses on their property, which Jaden really loved following around. We will have to visit again.

A few pictures.

June 23. Flowergirls Jaden and Harper doing their part at wedding
of Jason and Anja (Jason is the son of friend Diane - I used to
babysit him starting when he was 5!).

June 23. Flowergirls and their mama.

June 23. Pretty in lilac.

July 4. Harper and Garrett who was adopted on the same day last year
by friend Jenn. He is about 8 mo older than Harper.

July 4. Parade watchers. Notice how cooperative my girls are, and they inspired
Alma (Jenn's daughter) to join in. Cousin Blanca on the left, Jenn and Garrett
on the right.

July 5. Kids at the beach. Water chilly, and waves strong.

July 5. Post beach after going out for pizza. The kids got along well, and
maybe we will meet up for a camping trip next year.