We Summered Well

Summer has officially come to an end and school has begun for 2 of my girls.  When people ask how our summer was I happily reply that it was exactly what we hoped for: a successful heart surgery, time with friends and family and beautiful weather.

I decided to list our stats (statistics) from this summer and I think it is an exhaustive and impressive list.

• The biggies, as I like to call LBean and EBean, went to an indoor water park in the Wisconsin Dells, a Burlington Bees baseball game, 1 family wedding, the American Girl Store in St. Louis and the pool
•  One eye appointment (me)
• 3 pediatrician appointments (all at the same time!)
• 3 out patient echocardiagrams for ChinaBean
• 4 visits to the cardiologist’s office
• One heart catheterization
• One heart surgery
• Weekly art lessons for the biggies
• Weekly summer reading program
• 2 trips to WalMart 
• 4 + trips to Target
• 2 trips to Hobby Lobby
• 2 trips to the spa (maybe to reverse the affects of going to WalMart?)
• 4 haircuts (not on the same person!)
• 4 weeks at Jamie’s parents’ house
• 3 weeks at my parents’ house
• 1 ride on a horse
• 1 visit to the piggies
• 1 family picture session (success!)
• A round of vaccinations for 4 out of 5 of us
• 1 birthday party
• 6 days of VBS (vacation Bible School) between 2 churches
• Approximately 60 miles run outside in the fresh air
• Approximately 13 one-way trips in 7 weeks between Peoria and Carthage
• Two 12+ hour flights (four for Jamie)
• And, drum-roll…watched Frozen approximately 30 times…we’re ready to “Let it Go”

Summer ended and school started.  

LBean is in Year 4 (third grade for our friends in the US).  She got the teacher that she wanted and has a few good friends in the class.  Next month she will be going on a three-day school trip without mom & dad.

Outside the gate to the girls' school.

EBean is joining her big sister at Dulwich College this year as a Year 1 student (kindergarten).  She is very excited that her school will be studying super heroes for the first part of the term.

EBean with her teacher and classroom assistant.

ChinaBean is spending time with mom until she starts at her little preschool in September.

Celebrating ChinaBean's 3rd Birthday