Girls swim safety class

The first class this session that the girls popped back in to happened to be the boat and life jacket safety class (always fun)!

Cora was last in the boat, so she got to be in front of all the other kids. I think she was a bit shy of the whole thing, but once the teachers started puling them around, she was all in.

They made a lap or two around the pool--stressing lifejacket safety, etc. 

And Amara's class was about the same.  They do it every so often--but for Amara I was especially glad--since I think the Indian Princess things she's doing with Eric this fall involves canoeing.  Better sign Eric up for boat safety too! lol

Skating class with Irelyn

Ever since the roller skating party we were invited to when Amara was about 3, I've wanted to expose Amara to skating. Not a ton of kids have skating parties anymore (yet) so she hasn't been a lot, but they had that cheer skating party and she had a blast--so when I saw the class at Skate America in the GC activities flier, I jumped on it.

Irelyn's mom (Natasha) signed her up too, so the girls could take the class together--a nice surprise for both of them.

The first week was spent on teaching them how to fall and how to get up.  Four high school aged kids with animal hats taught the class and they did really well with the kids.  The "class" is really just rink time plus a pair of skates they can keep, then time to practice.

Amara's favorite is when they turn off the overhead lights and put on the black lights and disco balls. When she's not stressing, she gets going and really loves it. Last weekend she even skated up and down the driveway--which has far more obstacles that a rink, so she's tough!

Some weeks they do games, sometimes obstacle courses, and sometimes open skating, but they always have fun.  As tired as you'd think they'd be when they are done though, they aren't--so no hope of skating wearing them out, lol.

"Cora-nastics"

We (ok, I) started calling the Saturday morning classes "Cora nastics" largely because Cora doesn't say gymnastics, she says "nastics--" so there you go.  This 9 am class has been pretty great at getting us all up in the mornings and rolling, so it's a win for us all.

Not to mention Cora really enjoys it--the spring floor, Coach Jenny (and the others) and following around the different courses they set up each week.  She's getting really confident on the beam, no matter high or low, and tumbling is second nature. I'm not to much help with cartwheels, but that will be her next challenge.

We rush home to see sissy and daddy, sometimes getting breakfast to surprise them, but sometimes playing coy and "asleep" in the back seat too, lol.

Amara pulled her first tooth

Mark the date, March 23, 2014--Amara pulled her first tooth!

  She has been working on it a while--actually it was January at her last checkup when the dentist mentioned it was starting to feel loose as she flossed it.

Amara has been wiggling it and wiggling it. I was googling around for tips to help kids, and read something about twisting--so as we were cleaning up last night, she did that and it got REALLY loose.

After fiddling with it all day, she came running up to my room around 4 and it was super loose--like to the point I could see the underneath of the tooth on one side. She sat here with me--i could tell she was kind of scared, and we just worked through it. Sure enough she pulled it all by herself. She was running around screaming and showing daddy and calling the grandparents and taking pictures!

I am just so proud of her that she did it herself. She's got such confidence anyway, but now she trusts me that it doesn't hurt and she knows she can do one more thing herself too. She wants to take it to show Ms. Sarah tomorrow, then it'll go in the pillow for the tooth fairy tomorrow.  

Her toothy grin is just adorable.

Easter crafting with Irelyn

I found a cute Easter craft on Pinterest a while back, and thought this might be a good year to try it out with the girls, since we have a much different space to decorate this year :) 

Irelyn brought Tim Horton's and craft supplies and we got to work!

Amara hadn't seen her friend Irelyn in a while either and I'd been talking with her mom Natasha--so we decided to have the kids come over for a Sunday morning craft time together.  

We had a lot of fun! Natasha and I kind of figured out the mechanics of the whole templating part and then when it was ready to get to work, the girls jumped right in! Everyone had ideas of the colors they wanted, how they could decorate and didn't hesitate to get busy.

In the end we made maybe 10 to 12 bunnies of all color, shape and size. The girls were happy to pose with their class picture (in between watching Frozen) and then were off to play.

The bunnies didn't mind, they sat still for their picture--right before they all headed to their fur-ever homes with Irelyn's family and ours.  Grandpa Jahn even stopped by for a visit later and Amara sent two of ours home with him, for he and grandma to enjoy.

Cora picked purple on purple (of course) and she loved it! She was carrying it around and I'm surprised she didn't ask to sleep with it. Amara put one of hers in her room too.  This is a keeper craft for sure!

Tiny prep skating party

Bailey's mom, Amie, organized a skate party for the Winter team tiny group--for them to get together and play and hang out. I happened to catch a bug that day and couldn't go--so bless her heart, she saved us at the rink!

Amie and Amara skated the whole time and Eric said Amara loved skating. She was so excited, she picked out her own outfit and fixed her hair and I guess even skated without the 'walker' a few times!

She even asked if we could go again--lucky for her we have another party there in a few weeks :) but we also signed her up for a little class they have on Saturday mornings.

Cora wasn't as impressed--she was still happy she got to go, but was content to eat and sit with daddy.  Eric said she lost her footing once and she was done for the day.

I was so thankful that Eric took the girls to the party without me--i hated missing it, but Amara had a wonderful time with her team. Even though she's not continuing with the full season team, I think she has had a good experience overall--and especially at fun things like this with the girls.

Busy Saturday!

This Saturday was certainly a productive one--and I'm sure will become the norm for us as it warms up.  Ily had a vet apt at 8:20 to get her flea and tick medicine before the bugs come out, then Cora had gymnastics class at 9 at Elite--Amara came along to watch, then Amara had cheer at noon (g'ma took her) then everyone crashed for quiet time.

Cora and Amara painted a little too, after morning activities--while the neighbors came by to visit--they snuck in the craftroom and helped themselves :) at least they don't wait for instruction!

After nap, Saphira came over to play--Amara hadn't seen her in a couple weeks since quitting at GCCCC, so they were thrilled to see each other.  They played in, out, around, playhouse, trampoline, barn, cars, etc. and wore each other out!

Cora helped me in the barn--dad and Eric built the first bay of shelves out there and that will make a huge dent at getting some things off of the floor and MAYBE we can actually use that space for parties again--vs. how it looks now.

 Tomorrow is a skating party and temps back in the 20s again, but we love these warm days when we can be outside and start putting things back together!!