End of Summer

Hi Sidra,

Flower girl, Old North Church over your shoulder

Kite flying on the beach at Newport

So why I am I saying 'end of summer' in late October?  I've been slacking, of course!  It's been way too long since the last post.  In any case I wanted to thank you for such a wonderful summer.  I think I did the same thing a year ago but it bears repeating.  We had a good time together on our leisurely summer days and your sister was a great playmate.

You took part in a couple of extended projects this summer.  First was the summer reading program through the local public library.  In the winter they have story time but I'm working then and can't take you.  In the summer there are other cool weekly events that are educational.  This year they were held in the park because the library is being remodeled.  Some of the performers were:  a band called the 'Alphabeticians,' a family(dad, son, daughter did magic, mom did sound) magic act, a puppeteer, and a 'Mad Scientist.'  The reading program was a little tough for you/us, as we had to read to you(since you weren't really able to read on your own) for 20 minute periods to get a sticker.  We got all the stickers done but didn't turn in your sheet.  I think the prizes we missed by not doing so weren't that great which is why we didn't follow through.

With Cousin Rachel at State Fair

Another project you did was through the Oregon Parks Department.  You had a checklist of things to do, mostly outdoors.  Some of them were:  catch a fish, hike on a trail, sleep under the stars, dip your feet in the ocean, and go on a boat ride.  We had a lot of fun making sure we did all of the things on the list.  We hiked a few trails- the Salmon River Trail, Zig Zag Falls trail, and short nature trail at Wildwood park.  You caught four fish at a fish farm between here and Mt. Hood.  We camped for one night (next year we'll stay longer) at Timothy Lake.  We also took the kayak there and had a brief boat ride on the lake.  It was short because all four of us were packed in the kayak and I was the only one who could paddle.  The wind was starting to pick up and make it a sketchy proposition.  I think you really enjoyed the campsite and will be looking forward to going there again.  You got to dip your feet in the ocean just before school started in the fall.  We went to Newport and flew your kite there on the beach.  We also got to visit some tide pools at low tide and see starfish, sea anemone and urchins.

In one of the videos you are on a bike ride with me around the neighborhood.  This was a frequent event in the summer, a twilight ride at the close of the day, just hanging out and enjoying each others company.  This video is from one of the last rides of the summer.
You have become a really great big sister.  You are able to distract and entertain your little sis when she gets a fussy.  Sometimes your mom prompts you but once recently you recognized the need for it and began singing for Shira.  We were in the car and mom and I had to be out of the car for a few minutes and you started to sing without any prompt.  When I came back we both sang and comforted Shira.  Later that night at bedtime I told you how proud I was of you because of that.  You remembered and said something like "I could see she was going to get fussy and as I thought of singing my eyes brightened and I just did it."
This fall you were on your first soccer team.  It's been very hard to watch you do this.  I know that you are the youngest and nearly the smallest kid on the team and that has a lot to do with how you play.  But you are without question the worst player on the team.  I didn't expect this because you are physically gifted and I know you could play better than you do.  Sometimes, your lousy play can be chalked up to distraction.  You're just not that focused on the task.  But it boils down to this:  you won't challenge any player for possession of the ball.  And that's a central characteristic of any successful player.  The funny thing is, you'll let an opponent take the ball from right in front of you and to right the goal yet be disappointed when the opponents score these uncontested goals.  It's perplexing. 
Your coaches have been extremely patient with you.  They've done a great job of helping you be part of the game when there isn't someone trying to get the ball from you.  Like at the beginning of play when the ball needs to be kicked from the center circle or a goal kick when after the ball has gone over the end line.
You are getting to be quite the reader.  We've been trading the reading with you at bedtime.  We read some and you read some.  Tonight was your first read of Hop on Pop.  We've read it you many times and some of it I'm sure you did from memory but you did pretty well.  We haven't read it for quite a while, though, and I was going to read it but you said you wanted to.  You did very well.  Near the end of the book there are some words that are bigger and you needed some help but mostly you did it on your own.

Another huge event for you was your cousin Sara's wedding.  You had the honor of being a flower girl and you were great.  You're seen here at the wedding in your beautiful dress.  It was a long day for you and your sis (and your parents) but you had a good time dancing and eating dessert.