Amara went back to school last week and there are still so many fun times from this summer that I haven’t shared yet. These are some of the highlights
We made her Daddy monkey bread for his birthday. We tried a new orange chocolate monkey bread recipe because he loves the orange chocolate combination. Amara had a blast drizzling the chocolate on top. Actually, it was more like drizzling it from the fork while flicking it all over the kitchen! She even said to me, “Grandma, we are getting chocolate all over the counter.” I looked at her and said, “We?” She just looked at me and grinned. Her Daddy didn’t know but we had all gotten him Star Wars gifts so Amara even decorated the monkey bread with Star Wars frill picks and one of her handmade candles. It was good but we all decided this wasn’t our favorite of the monkey bread recipes we’ve tried.
Our summer included at least two trips to the yogurt store and one to Baskin and Robbins. I love it when Amara and I get to go do little things like this. We have such wonderful conversations when we do. However she did not tell me that she is only allowed one scoop of ice cream and she is not allowed waffle cones. I found that out later from her Mom.
We spent one weekend chalk painting and making perfume. Reminiscing about my own perfume making kit inspired me to get her one. She loves it.
One Sunday morning we spent creating a glitter explosion. I had read about it on Magnolia’s Surprise. Her granddaughter Noli loves all things glitter. I had shown the post to Amara and she couldn’t wait! We weren’t nearly as precise or neat as Noli was. Our entire driveway was a glitter explosion. It was so much fun and the sun shining on the glitter made me smile for days afterwards. (Please note the huge box of baking soda and gallon bottle of vinegar. She used it all!)
There were four pool parties with the girls across the street. I bought Amara a 4′ inflatable pool and they had a blast, so did Grandma! We had picnics on the lawn, ate Sponge Bob push-ups and the girls even performed for me. I wish I could share the videos!
Amara took swimming lessons this summer and I got to go with her a couple of times. The lessons were at a private residence and the adults were welcome to get in the pool – which was in the 90s and very relaxing! The best part was being there when she took her test. She had to jump in with all of her clothes on including her shoes and swim to the other end of the pool. Part of the test also included taking her clothes off in the water – she had her suit on underneath. Her skills and confidence in the water have just gone through the roof.
We had a wonderful summer but this isn’t everything! Part 2 “The Beach” is coming soon!
Kc… it sounds like you filled the summer with a lot of fun times. Amara always looks like she is enjoying herself immensely… I love that.
Have a fun filled week ahead
It is a Grandma’s job to make sure she is having fun and always smiling! I take my job very seriously!
Sounds like the two of you had a great summer. My granddaughter loves all things glitter too. Must be a girl thing!
The glitter section at Michael’s is one of our favorite places to spend money. Even big girls like Grandma like glitter!
Those swimming lessons sound amazing! I’m going to check out the glitter explosion post right now–I’m intrigued!
Your granddaughter is probably too young for a glitter explosion but someday!
As always, you and Amara found multiple projects and adventures to enjoy together. The smiles tell the story. Congrats to her on her swimming lessons because that is certainly a skill she will use and enjoy her entire life.
She is already talking about taking advanced lessons next summer. She will need it if she really wants to learn to surf which she says she does!
Summer always flies by so fast, but it sure looks as though you made the most of it. I laughed out loud at the ice cream story. You do know the rule about what happens at grandma’s staying at grandma’s?
What happened was about a week after Amara and I went to B&R we went there again with her Mom. I didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to get 2 scoops and since I had let her the last time she looks to me and asks and her Mom quickly came back with No! It was then that it came out that Amara had worked Grandma. Again! We won’t tell Jenna that I let her have 2 push-ups last week!
Joy, joy, joy!! That’s what I read here and what it seems your summer was filled with (that and glitter; I must check out the glitter fun as even grandSONS love glitter)! Kudos to Amara on her superb swimming skills!
We do have fun! I guess that is what I want Amara to remember most — all the fun she had at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
What a wonderful wrap up of a wonderful summer! You used the time as it was intended – to relax and refuel for another school year. I always love the simple activities the best. These are just clever, they don’t require a huge array of supplies or expense – just enthusiasm and fun!
I love the Star Wars bread – you know, if it was green instead of brown and had beady eyes, it would have looked like Jabba the Hutt!
I think one of my biggest expenses is food coloring! Amara has to color her pancakes and now all these explosions! Plus with cake baking and frosting we go through a lot of it! We have a new rule — she can only use the inexpensive kind of outdoor play. Not that it is really inexpensive but the stuff from ABC Cakes is much pricier — and they every color imaginable. We’re working on building our collection.
Now my first thought about that glitter was imagining it tracking into the house!
Do you know Deb I kind of like when the glitter tracks in. I feel the same way when we do glitter things inside, too. I love finding a speck of it somewhere or on my face! I am very sappy but it brings back the memories of the fun. I looked at that glitter glob on the driveway for days and smiled every time I did.
You sure had a fun summer with Amara!! Her little memory bank will be so packed with awesome memories when she’s older that she’ll need this blog to help her find some of them!! The pictures are wonderful! You must have the most beautiful driveway in all of southern CA!!!
I do have the best driveway in so Cal I am sure of it! I’m hoping by the time Amara grows up they will have finally come up with the technology to download this blog to book form for her!