Firetrucks and Waffles

What a fun and busy week! I had plans every night this week, which means I was pretty tired by Friday, but it was such a blast catching up with so many friends. I love that everyone is beginning to gather again...it's such a blessing to be able to meet in person. 

We had a wonderful visit with my parents last Saturday evening...great food and very interesting conversations about UFOs! That was the first time we had been back (as a family) to their house since Christmas 2019, so it was fantastic to be able to gather.

Ava had her last-ever visit from the Tooth Fairy on Wednesday night. She had an appointment on Wednesday morning to get her last two baby teeth pulled, in order to prep her mouth for her Invisalign. She was a trooper, followed instructions, and barely had any pain whatsoever. Ava was even more surprised when she realized the TF left her $20 instead of the traditional gold dollar coin. I'm sure the TF thought that it was an appropriate farewell gift...how generous!

G had a super awesome week! He's been running into challenges with a few activities we've wanted him to learn, so we set up a rewards chart at the beginning of the summer with some pretty big goals on them. He was able to check THREE things off the list this week! 

• He's been enjoying his tumbling class but he's at the beginner level. I just wanted him to master summersaults...and once he did, he got an ice cream date as a reward. He was summersaulting all around the yard and house on Tuesday night, so he earned the ice cream! ✅
• G was a bit more motivated to pass the test for this 3rd stripe in Taekwondo, once I told him we'd buy him an Among Us plush. He and Ava practiced this past week, and...he succeeded! ✅
• And by the far, the biggest accomplishment for the week (and maybe even the summer), was to learn how to ride a bike. It's been a really big struggle for him, but a few weeks ago, I decided to break it down into steps. 1st he learned how to balance while pushing himself with his feet. 2nd he learned how to do a few pedal revolutions, and 3rd he figured out how to put it all together...and now he's cruising all around! He thinks he's ready for a long bike ride now, but...no. We'll keep him close to home and practicing for a bit. And for that accomplishment, he earned a new Lego set! ✅

Apparently this is what motivates him. And by successfully learning the activity, it helps him build confidence, which makes him ready to tackle the next things on the list. So proud of him!

Ava just let us know that she would also like a rewards chart...but she always learns things without too much fuss, so I'm not sure what we'd put on there. She did master her Taekwondo creed, so she has earned a trip to McDonald's. But, I think we need to come up with something bigger for her.

We kicked off the weekend with a fun Friday night outside with the neighbors. The kids rode their bikes (yay!) and had a ton of fun playing together. The weather and conversation were a perfect way to start the weekend. 

Scott, G, and I went to the waffle and sausage breakfast at the Rosemount Fire Department on Saturday morning (Ava didn't want to go...she really missed out!) The food was yummy and G had a blast exploring all of the firetrucks.

After a really busy week, it's awesome to have a few days with very light and loose plans. What a fun way to kick off Leprechaun Days! And we're wishing my dad/Grandpa Doug a very happy birthday on Sunday, July 18! 🎂🥳🎉