Summer Routine

We are back in the 'burg and getting into our summer routine here. It was a great first week back. Fun to be at church last week and see everyone as well as enjoy the new Custis Tenement facility. Then Monday the kids and I hit the pool for practice at 9am stuck around til about noon, came home lunch, quiet time, a nap for Esmé and then it was time to pack up sandwiches for dinner at the swim meet and head back to the pool. It was the third meet for the team, but the first for the kids. We had a great time. Chris timed for the first half and then left to put Esmé to bed. Then I finished timing. Nell swam in freestyle and did well. 2nd place! She was supposed to be in the backstroke race but did not get in to water when the race started. Oh well, maybe this week. Zaven swam in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. He placed 2nd, 4th and 3rd respectively.The team lost but it was a good meet. The rest of the week we were at the pool for practice at 9 and stayed until 12. Esmé is getting the hang of taking a morning nap in her stroller, though last week it was so hot that it was hard. But she has gotten about an hour each day, which is not great, but better than nothing! The 4th of July was good, hot! Esmé really started walking everywhere, it was so funny she kept wanting to put on the Colonial Williamsburg pass and walk around with it on. We went to the pool and grilled some burgers at home. The big kids stayed up for the fire works. We watched from just outside of the driveway, Esmé was asleep, and luckily stayed asleep during them. It was a nice show. Thursday I went to Short Pump in Richmond and got a new iPhone, mine went swimming in the Gulf of Mexico in my pocket when I ran in thinking a little girl was struggling in the surf. Turns out she was "listening" under the water. Oops. I would do it again. I was sorry to lose some of the photos I had taken on the kids at the beach etc, but not much i can do about it now. Friday we were excited to go back to Plaza Azteca and Sweet Frog, it had been a while. It was great, as usual. Saturday, hot again, the kids and I walked up to Merchant Square for the Farmer's Market. We got some great tomatoes, zucchini eggplant. Then Chris and Zaven went to the pool with the plan of Nell, Esmé and me following once Esmé woke up from her nap, well, she slept from 9:30 until just after 1:30. Chris and Zaven came home before we ever made it. So we went back later for another swim. Then we came home and I made a pasta dish with the things from the Farmer's Market, it was very tasty, if I do say so myself :) Today, hot again! We went to 9:15 church, Chris preached a great sermon. Esmé did not nap in the nursery so she was pretty much asleep the minute we go tin the car. Then it was the usual Sunday fare, grocery store and what not. Then at 5pm we met 3 families, the Brewers, Klees and Sneads at the pool to swim and grill out. It was a great evening. Each family has 3 kids and they all played really well, we were there until almost 8. We hope to do it again. I don't have many pictures to post of the above activities. But I do have the other photos from Esmé's first birthday, take two with the candle lit!