Back in the mix

So, it’s been a while since I’ve updated.  This post will be a lot of pics catching up, but I’ll do my best to catch up things here also.  It’s not that there hasn't been things to post about, it’s more been that things have been weirdly busy.  Kiddo finished up her 2nd Grade year, but then J had another 2 weeks of work before her summer started.  In that, I was on Kiddo for that time and her and I had some fun and played; However, it’s hard to blog and update things when you are on an 8 year old from 7:30am until approximately 5pm and then need to handle dinner and household tasks.

Kiddo did have a day camp in there as well, Animal Helpers and Learning, so that was right up her alley, but I had chores to do in that time and med pick ups and the like, so I really only had one day in that week and used that to have a minute of down time and to just catch my breath for a minute.  The Samp was fun and she learned about a lot of different animals.  Kiddo made a new friend as well.  The week ended with a trip to the zoo.  That was the highlight, trust me.  

It’s the first week of J’s summer break and we are leaving on Sunday for the Avatar Mountains in Zhanngjiajie Provence, so we are also ramping up for that.  We also made an IKEA run yesterday to update our rug (it was getting grimy), get J and I a shelf for our bedroom, and update Kiddo’s sheets and bedding.  It’s just been a million little tasks, but they all take up hours.  We did get a patio set so we can sit and (come fall when temps get below 33C (100F) or next spring) we can sit out and eat out on the patio.  I mean, now that we have the grill, why not set it all up to maximize it.

With summer here and temps rising like they do, plus the humidity, we’ve also shifted a bit.  We are eating earlier in the evening so Kiddo and J can get out to burn off 8 year old energy when the sun goes down and we can get outside without melting in the heat and sun.  Plus, now that we have the bikes (J and I got bikes of our own) we can extend out and get to places more than just the playground here at LQ.  We can explore a bit, get to the sandpit, and things like that.  It’s also easier for me to run and get groceries as well.  Instead of 30-40 min round trip, plus shopping time, it’s now 5 min each way.  Saving those 20-30 minutes is huge.

Other than that, it’s just been being goofy and being Kiddo.  We’re getting ready for the trip and (today at least) putting together IKEA stuff.  When we get back from that, we’ll have 4.5 weeks of J before she needs to report back and then another 2 weeks of me and Kiddo having Kiddo/Dada days, but we’ve got some plans and are gonna have some fun. Between that, however, Kiddo has a basketball camp at the end of July and she’s really been into basketball recently.  

All in all, it’s been chill.  Busy, lot of little Kiddo days and just playing and doing with her, but it’s not been hard.  Just, I haven’t wanted to break away and blog.  I’ve wanted to stay in Kiddo world and just play.  Be in that world.  Play.  Enjoy the friends, even when Poley is being a butthead about everything.  LOL. It’s great jumping into her imagination and being in her little Calvin and Hobbes world.  Or playing Uno or Battleship with her.  It’s fun watching her explore the world and just be.  So, that’s what’s been keeping me busy.  Not a bad way, in my opinion, to use up some time.

Let’s go, Kiddo… It’s almost time to explore again.  Time to have a summer and less responsibility, but still have stuff to do all day; even if that’s just playing in your imagination.  Grade 3 is going to be next, but until then, we get to see more of China, eat in a different region and try that food, take the MagLev, go to basketball camp, bike, explore, see, do, and try.  All types of things.  Mumma and I couldn’t be more excited to do it all with you.