our li'l swimmer

We signed Gracelyn up for some swim lessons at our local YMCA this summer, and she had her first lesson last week. Ummmm, let's just say that she was slightly less than ecstatic about being in the pool. For one thing, the water was so cold that even Daddie was shivering (all the while, trying unsuccessfully to convince Gracelyn that the water was nice and warm)! They practiced making bubbles (Gracelyn's better at doing that with her butt than her mouth), kicking their legs, jumping into the pool, and floating on their backs. Here are some photos of the first lesson:

We've had a few lessons since then, and Gracelyn seems to be getting more and more comfortable each time. Who knows, maybe by the end of the program, she'll be able to teach Mommie a thing or two about swimming!!

on your marks, get set...go!

This is a video taken at Caffe Boa, an Italian restaurant in Tempe, AZ, where it was decided that Gracelyn took her first official steps. About 1 hour earlier, we toasted to her 14 month birthday!

hot shit

First, in order for this post to earn its title... if hell had a comfortable temperature, it would be 117 degrees. Holy shit, it is hot in Fenix; but, at least there is air conditioning. Okay, so what do you do when you can't go outside because your skin will melt off like a Kraft single? Yes, you stay inside with 30 second sprints from the car to the deed and back to the car. We have packed our days with lots of indoor excitement. A couple of highlights are listed below:

• The Circus


• Storytime at the Library


• Kiddie Playground at Scottsdale Fashion Square


• Mojito Mondays at The Havana Cafe


• Dos Gringos Bar in Ol' Town Scottsdale with Scott and lady friend


• The Science Museum...Gracelyn crawled into a pit of rocks with barefeet. Ouch!?! Who does that?


• Gelato Spot...Gracelyn tried some sugar free Raspberry stuff. The funny thing about that was that it was sweeter than my mint chip. WTF!

So far, so good. I even stumbled on a killer recipe for a quick and tasty margarita while Amanda stumbled on a 'no more than once' mojito. She should have given up the idea when it took us three days to locate the mint ingredient! Also, Gracelyn has developed some rash, and we don't know what it is. At this point, we have it down to the climate (heat), the dog, or allergy culprit X. She is happy though, so it can't be too bad. And, Gracelyn is very fond of the dog (she calls his name first thing when she wakes up...'Guk' is the term...and all day after that) and is getting better with being in the pool.

Okay, I am going to get some water. Even computer exercises will drain you in this weather.