Camping with Daddy

Todd took the girls camping last weekend. They packed up and headed for Payson. Off to sleep in tents, cook by the campfire and pee in the woods.

Yes, Catalina chose to wear a dress for this joyous occasion!

Smart man, he took the potty chair.

They went with friends, Mike, his daughter Shea and son Bodhi. Mike brought the 1970's "Scamper." Todd, the girls, and Murray slept in a tent on air mattresses.

The girls had a blast playing near the creek....and coloring (yes, mom sent along coloring books and crayons!)

The men sure knew how to build a fire. The girls got ready for bed and brushed their teeth using a water bottle for running water. Ava slept in her ASU clothes and apparently froze (the temps dropped to 50 degrees).

Up the next morning and back to coloring! They had a great time and hopefully will do it again (and leave mom home for a quiet weekend!).

Ava Graduates!

Here is how this round of swim and graduation went. First, Ava has to dress in "clothes" or her pajamas. It's the last survival class. (Notice proud Grandma Dorothy in the background!)

Then she jumps in....

...and floats and her back...to her tummy all the way across the pool.

Then she graduates!

Then she wants her "mommy!"

Now let's pose for pictures.

I'm a winner!

Sorry, No Pictures!

At the end of this week, the girls and I will have been in school for a month! Hard to believe.....but here's whats new:

1. Catalina is a reader and working on her first 100 site words (which she almost has). That girl could not be happier. She eats a turkey and cheese sandwich everyday for lunch. She has made new friends and seems to be coming out of her shell. She has confidence!

2. Ava wants to go to school everyday. Today she took an hour nap on the mat while class went on around her. She has "the gift."

3. The girls are still swimming once a week in a semi-private lesson. Ava just passed her last survival swim class and now will be working on stroke development. Ava is a fish and incredibly comfortable in the water. She easily keeps up with Cat and her friends in the pool.

4. We started gymnastics again after taking the summer off. I signed the girls up at a "real" gym and their first class was tonight. Catalina could not wipe the smile off her face. She is working out on real equipment and keeping up with the 9 and 10 year olds. Her coach is on the ASU Gymnastics Team. Ava had a blast in her class with the 3's. That girl can really follow directions when she is motivated!

5. I am working four days a week and enjoying Wednesdays with Ava May. Last week we got our nails and toes done and went to Build a Bear and made a dog. Ava named her Sherry Shirley and dressed her in purple. She took her to show and tell!

6. Todd is working hard! He is looking for a weekend to take the girls camping! Yee haw! (I'm out! No sleeping in a tent for me!)

I promise to get out the camera to shoot pictures this weekend. We are now counting down the weeks until we go see Papa and Mimi in Florida!

The Evolution of Ava

I know that most of you saw this email Todd sent out this week. I wanted to save and document it on my blog because it's amazing to see what this beautiful girl has turned into. She loves preschool! Every time I peek in her room she is working, paying attention, singing, and playing with the other kids. Her teachers LOVE her and tell me she is a role model in the classroom. Todd thinks they are liars...but we are so proud of her.

And she is a lefty! Fight the power!

Firsts

Catalina, Ava and I started school this week. The girl's school is a "year round" schedule so they go back super early. Really, what else is there to do when it's 115 degrees here?

Are you wondering...was it hard for me to see Catalina go to kindergarten? The answer is yes, I cried myself to sleep. I can still see my baby in my arms...wasn't that just last week? I held it together in her classroom but Ava cried all the way to the car. "I want my sister. I want my Cat." That just about broke my heart in half.

Merrill family picture on the first day of Kindergarten!

Cat and Ava in front of school.

Catalina did just great. AFter 5 full days of kindergarten we walked out of school on Friday and she said, "Mom, I had a great week."

Ava heads in to preschool...her first day! She attends the same school as Cat. Ava will go Tuesday and Thursday all day. Those are the two days a week I work at the school too. Ava loved it and her teachers just love her (imagine that!). I am so proud of both of them!

We are looking forward to a great year!