The sheer pride expressed in the first, "I DID IT!" is so worth the frustration of watching as clumsy, little fingers try to tie shoes.

Today was a deliciously perfect picnic kind of summer day. It was 75 and sunny with a slight breeze and there haven't been many of those lately. So Cate, Joel and I drove to the park with food and camera in hand.
....the crew....
....our fare....
....Joel having a fabulous time....
.....and the kids decided to do a little weeding of the park area while there....

This Summer, it seems, has been all about Cate. But I suppose she is getting older and able to do more fun things. Joel, though, I can tell feels a little left out- as much as I try to do fun things for him as well.
Another thing that Cate had been asking about (for the past year) is getting her ears pierced. Roger and I have tried to dissuade her, though we don't necessarily have a problem with it, we thought maybe she was too young. I wanted to make sure she understood that it was going to hurt and we would have to make sure to clean them and all the things that come with wounding yourself. For a year these things have worked in discouraging her. This month she has been showing an even greater interest in it and has watched many videos of people getting it done, seeing their tears. She finally decided that it was worth the pain this week- this is quite something for my little girl as she is quite dramatic and cannot even walk for a week after she has skinned a knee. So after Roger and I discussed it at length, we decided that it would be alright, since we felt like she understood how ears were pierced, that it hurts quite a bit and that the after care would get old. So, today we went to the mall and she picked out the earrings she wanted and got them pierced.
The first picture is immediately following the experience- she is trying to smile, but it came out more as a grimace.



This is after they stopped hurting and she was so very excited to tell everyone about it.
I'm not sure how the video ended up on the bottom, but it is the actually piercing. I'm very proud of how well she did. She cried a little, but didn't wail- which is her customary "pain" cry.




Overall it seemed to have been a pleasant experience for her, but now I have to come to grips with how grown up my little girl looks!

Cate has been asking to get her hair cut lately. She, like me, loves it short. So today we went in and had it done.
Before front
Before side
After front
After side

Now isn't that the cutest haircut you've ever seen? I have to say this is my favorite- even though it does make her look a few years older.

Here are some very good finds from last week...

I went looking for shirts for my growing belly and found instead good deals on kids clothes! Cate has been growing out of her summer things, so I needed a few filler items- including legging shorts for under dresses (which she wears most days). This denim jacket for Joel for the Fall was $2.99. Everything together was just over $16. I was very excited to say the least!

Cate and Joel have been asking Grandpa Roy to take them fishing for a few months and today they finally got their chance. The three of them went to the lake for awhile to try their hand. The kids had to bait their own hooks, hold their poles and reel in the line. They had some help casting, but for the most part did everything else by themselves.

The three fishermen.
Joel after the first fifteen minutes.
Cate caught two catfish and helped grandpa clean and fillet them.
And for the enjoyment of those who know me well....I fried them for her for supper, despite a great dislike of fish, being in my first trimester of pregnancy and the permanent smell of fried fish. I guess I must kind of like her.

Cate and I spent this last weekend at Teddy Bear Camp for 1st and 2nd graders. She thoroughly enjoyed it though she was bit nervous around so many new people. The first day we were there it rained very heavily and made for some chilly and unhappy kids. Until the games began. There was a campfire that evening with songs, devotional and s'mores (delish!).

Cate atop her bunk looking for all the world like a seasoned camper.
They had many crafts for the campers to make. This one is a bag they painted footprints on. The theme for the weekend was "Walk His Way".
Cate made several new friends, but this one is Anna. She and Cate were inseperable for most of the two days we were there. Cate is excited to go back next year and see her again.

Though it was a little sad that she's old enough to go to camp (even with a parent), it was fun to see her in that environment that I so enjoyed when I was young.