Field Trip to Centennial Park - Chloe

During the summer, Discovery Point takes the kids on one or two field trips each week.  I was thrilled to be able to go on the one to Centennial Park downtown with both kids.  Once downtown, we had to walk across all the engraved cobblestones before seeing the fountains.

Chloe LOVED standing right on top of the fountains and was all giggles as the water made her shirt blow out in front of her.

She had fun running through the fountains, too.

After playing in the fountains for an hour, we walked to a shaded area for a picnic lunch.  Then we found this fun playground for the kids to run off more energy.

Chloe spun herself dizzy on this chair.

Little Horse

Oh sad dog, it's really not that bad.

It's only taken two months for most of his Easter purple to grow out.

Peachtree City Visit

The kids and I drove down to PTC to visit an old friend of mine and her youngest son.  She brought the golf cart, which made my kids ecstatic (Chloe contains it well).

We met at the elementary school we went to together in the 4th through 6th grades.  I don't remember this 'track' circling the field in the back of the school, but it was perfect for a couple of rides around in the golf cart.

Then we packed up and took off on an adventure on the cart paths around town.

We stopped at the skateboard ramp next to the amphitheatre.  Chloe needed my help getting down when it was time to go.  Which is also when it started sprinkling.

We found an enclosed bridge.

And a boardwalk leading us deep into the woods on a nature trail.  A little stream wound around near the trail.

The rain stayed away while we were walking, but it started thundering pretty bad so we cut our walk short and headed back to the golf cart.

By the time we returned to our car, it was pouring out.  The kids had fun and enjoyed making a new friend.  I enjoyed hanging out with my old friend.  :)

Summer Evening

Owen wanted to go rollerblading. 

Chloe was still inside folding her laundry, so we didn't go too far down the street.

This is just the sweetest boy ever.  Look at his eyes!

When we got back, he was a hot sweaty boy in need of a drink.

His sister was done with her laundry and tired and thirsty from folding, so she needed a drink, too.  :)

Fun at the Creek

One of our karate family friends called us this afternoon asking if they could come over and go to the creek with us.  We didn't have anything going on and were happy the kids would get to play with friends.

Since the creek was down, I put my chair in the middle of it and kept cool.

The other family brought their dog, Duke.  He loves to play fetch with a tennis ball in the creek.

The older these two get, it seems the more fun they have together.

 I think this might have been Monkey in the Middle, but could have also been chase.  Whatever they were playing, it was filled with laughter.

Run Chloe, run!

 Glad that Owen spent more time playing in the creek this time.  The last few times we have come, the temps were lower and the water significantly cooler.  He had been content to sit on the sandbar and watch the rest of the kids play.

Chloe might have stolen someone's seat.

She was pretty pleased with her self and giggled non-stop as her friend Renee tried to dump her back out of the chair.

Even though there is about five years separating these two girls, they always have so much fun together.  Love that age differences are insignificant when it comes to friendships!

Chloe's Karate Tournament

Chloe wanted to sign up for this Tae Kwon Do tournament, so she did and we took her.

This trailer of wood was outside as back up supplies for all the people who wanted to break a wooden board.  We could smell that the wood had been cut recently.

Chloe was so excited about the tournament that she did not mind waiting in line to get in.  At all.

Even once we got to the tournament location, this boy still did not want to compete.  We wondered if there would be any regret over not signing up, but there was not.  He was quite content to just come along for the ride.

There were hundreds of kids, teenagers and adults who turned out to compete and to watch this Tae Kwon Do tournament.  We had to drop Chloe off behind-the-scenes earlier and didn't see her for about 15-20 minutes until she walked out into the gym with other competitors her age.

We had seats not far behind her.

The majority of the 5+ hours spent at the tournament was spent waiting.  Much of it with her turning around to make sure we hadn't fallen asleep or left her behind.

Finally it was her group's turn and she went out onto the floor to stretch.

Grand Master Lee and his wife came to the tournament and watched demo teams from every ATA school perform for him and the other lead instructors.

Once the demo team performances ended, Chloe's group was able to get down to business.  She was called up to show off her forms (a series of 16 movements in a specific order).

She is really good at her middle stance and others where she is supposed to sink down towards the floor with bent knees.

Ki-yap!

 Once she finished her forms, the judges rated her with hand scores.

After the other kids had all finished with their forms, the kids were called up for sparring.  We had a little last minute drama because Chloe did not have her mouth guard and would not be allowed to compete if she did not get a mouth guard.  Thankfully they were for sale at the front of the gym for just a couple of dollars.

Yay Chloe!

Even after she was done sparring and had removed her protective gear, she kept her mouth guard in.  Perhaps this child was afraid of losing it again?

Once her group was done sparring, each child was called up to receive a certificate for participating.

Chloe was awarded a special medal for competing.  Even though it was a really long day, she said she had a great time and wanted to do another tournament.  Owen said he still wasn't interested in competing in any tournaments.  And the parents made notes-to-self to bring snacks and seat cushions.

Just Another Thursday Morning

It's a bagel kinda morning with peanut butter on one half and jelly on the other.

I love when he hams it up for the camera.  He is excited about going on a field trip today.

Apparently I am not to be trusted, as he did not stop watching me out of the corner of his eye.

Following her brother's lead, Chloe asked me to snap a shot of her before going to summer camp this morning.  She is excited for her field trip.  Tomorrow.

Jezziebelle

She likes to sleep on top of Chloe's playhouse during the afternoons.