July Recap

Well, we blinked and July is over!! Can you believe it?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, every year races by faster and faster.  We definitely stayed busy the entire month with more summer fun.  Simone, for instance, had a piano camp and a musical theater camp experience.  At the end of their theater camp, they held a performance at a local high school on "the big stage".  I didn't get very good photos with my phone and the lighting there, but here's what I got...

The program for the show--Simone was featured in "Singin in the Rain".

The opening act.  It's hard to see Simone in this one.

A closer, but blurry shot.

Her handmade star on their walk of fame!

After the performance.

We also had a visit from Uncle Jim, Aunt Jenn, Jack and Sam, and spent the day at the Watermine.  Always a good day!

Simone and Jack were best buddies swimming and splashing with each other!

We also took a trip up to Pennsylvania to see family.  On Saturday evening we went to a great outdoor restaurant on the top of the mountain with an OUTSTANDING view.  It was a gorgeous evening.

The view from our table.

Simone with her great grandmother after dinner.

And last but not least...we had an AWESOME surprise visit from an old college friend with his family.  One afternoon was not nearly enough time to catch up after so many years, but so wonderful to see them!

At the totem pole near the hotel where we met up with friends.

Simone made a new international friend and they had lots of fun chasing each other!

And summer's not over yet!  We've still got lots more in store before Simone heads back to school in September.  Stay tuned for our final adventures...

Minion Birthday

Yesterday we went to a birthday party with a Despicable Me 2 theme -- totally cute!  I was so impressed I had to share some their super cool minion ideas.

Cookie robots and Agnes' caterpillars.

Madalyn--the birthday girl-- and Simone

Minion goodies bags!

Of course, lots of pool time.

Cotton candy machine -- IT'S SO FLUFFY!!!!

And the kids favorite -- a special showing of Despicable Me 2 on the giant outside blowup screen.... followed by a camp out...in tents!!  

I have no idea how I'll ever give Simone a birthday party that she thinks is NEARLY as awesome as this one.  Sweets, swimming, movies, popcorn AND camping!  She told me it was the best day ever.  Oh to be a kid in the summertime -- so magical!  and so fun to watch them having such a good time.

Williamsburg Roadtrip

 We just returned from a couple of days in Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.  It was a lovely place and lots of fun. Here's just a short sampling of our trip.

The Lion King!

This past Sunday we trekked into DC with a friend of Simone's (and his mom) for dinner and special performance of the Lion King at the Kennedy Center.  There were no photos allowed in the show, but here are a few shots of the evening.

Waiting for our table at Firefly restaurant near Dupont Circle.  iPads help pass the time anywhere!

A couple of poses outside of the Kennedy Center at intermission.  

In this picture you can really see Simone's missing teeth!  She finally lost the top front tooth that's been loose for weeks and weeks, as well as a bottom one.  She's got two more wiggly ones in there now.  At this rate she'll be toothless by fall!

Father's Day Piano Recital

Daddy got a special treat this Father's Day-- Simone's first piano recital!  She was the first performer and was as cool as a cucumber.  She played both of her songs without any mistakes and calmly went back to her seat.  With any luck we'll have many many years of these to come!

Swim Update

Wish I could say we've been up to exciting events here in the Dotson household, but... not really.  The school year is just about over, and we've been eagerly trying to get our yard ready for summertime.  The past few weekends have been filled with planting, cutting, mulching, power washing -- we're almost there.  We've had a few glorious weekends in a row now, and-- I must say-- we DESERVE them after the long, long, cold winter.


Simone, on the other hand, has been keeping busy with birthday parties, playdates, piano practice and swimming classes.  She is making some good progress, so I thought I'd share a few clips of her aquatic skill...

Things should start to liven up in the coming weeks, and I'll be sure to post our adventures.

A Rough Week

Ok, so I suppose every parent already knows this, but not every week with a little kid is sunshine and roses.  And for us, this week is proving to be one of the tough ones.  First...

Simone broke her toe on the weekend running through the basement.  She slammed her foot on the leg of the ottoman and voila... broken toe.

Figuring they wouldn't be able to do much about a toe, we put off going to the doctor. But by Monday morning when she woke us at 4am to tell us how much it hurt, we figured a trip to urgent care was in order.

 So now she's all taped and booted up for two weeks.  Although she thought the special shoe was neat, she was particularly bummed out that she wasn't able to participate in field day at school.

And the fun didn't stop there.... Today was her orthodontist appointment.  We've been going back for regular consultations because she has a crossbite and they are just waiting for her molars to be in enough to put in an expander.  The doctor checked again today, and much to her dismay -- that's right, she can't wait for "braces"-- he still doesn't feel it's quite ready yet.  So back again in a few months.  She does, however, have FOUR wiggly teeth so Simone may be near toothless by summer.

Playing video games in the orthodontist waiting area.

And finally, we wound down the night with a disappointing discovery/confession that our devilish baby girl has been regularly tossing her packed lunch at school and buying cookies and doritos in the cafeteria instead!!!!  SIGH....  we definitely didn't see this one coming.  They say it doesn't get any easier -- I don't even want to think about that right now.  And it's only Tuesday!!! this week can't be over soon enough.