Last week we had a fun play date with the Scherman family. Oak Park has a wading pool that is open during the summer. We've been to the park before since it is so close to our house but I have never noticed that there was a pool there! With the 80+ degree weather we have been having it is the perfect place to cool off.
It is also the perfect place to practice swimming!
Luke and Samantha played really well together which is great since they are starting at their new school in the same class tomorrow.
Elena and sweet baby Solei
Not surprising, Thatcher wanted to kick back and eat an Otter Pop instead of swim.
Samantha had her last day of preschool last week. Such a bittersweet moment as I signed her out for the last time. We love the experience that Samantha has had at Good Shepherd. She has grown so much since she started there 2 years ago.
We love all the teachers and how kind they are to Samantha. During the last circle time the students were asked one by one to say something to Samantha. I asked Samantha what each of her friends said to her and she said, "Mom, everyone kept saying they loved me. Like one hundred times. Over and over. They love me so much!"
The weather has been so great lately in Santa Barbara that our evenings are spent riding bikes around the neighborhood (or a scooter or tricycle or balance bike if you are Thatcher). We have been checking the Stone's mail for the past few weeks while they are transitioning to their new home in Holland so we usually take a nightly excursion over to their house (sniff, sniff, so sad that they are not home)!
About a week ago, Samantha asked for her training wheels off. We took them off and her princess bike was actually hard for her to ride because it is pretty big for her. So, we took the training wheels off the bicycle that the Stones gave Thatcher and it was a perfect fit!
So proud of our Sammie! There is something about having a two-wheeler.... It is sort of like graduating from diapers - such a rite of passage!
You either love or hate Fiesta in Santa Barbara when you live here. We've gone through various stages and for the past few years we've learned to navigate our way around the large crowds and out-of-towners to enjoy some fun events while completely avoiding others.
One of our favorite things to do during fiesta is to watch the flamenco dancers. Our sweet neighbor Sofia is an excellent dancer and the kids really love seeing her perform on stage.
Sam's friend from preschool, Angelina, also dances.
And her other little friend from preschool, Shaianne.
The little ones really know how to shake it up on stage! We are going to give flamenco a try at Linda Vega Dance Studio and enroll Samantha this fall.
Thatcher thought he was hot stuff after he got a kiss from one of the flamenco dancers on his cheek.
Here are some clips of Sofia during one of her performances.
The other Fiesta event we love is the Children's Fiesta Parade. We got to walk as a family (Lollipop too) down State Street with the PEP organization.
About 30 seconds into the parade, Thatcher got the hang of it. He was tipping his hat, waving to the crowd and throwing confetti. Perhaps a future Grand Marshal? Or as they call it for Old Spanish Days, the El Presidente!
Lollipop's sombrero was not cooperating but that didn't stop her from trying to put the moves on a fellow el perro.
Samantha was more reserved than her brother. She sort of laid back and cruised down State Street. I think she was more interested in the free ice cream they give you at the end of the parade.
Thatcher kept yelling out, "Viva La Fiesta!"
Ola, El Presidente!
Now she's happy!
After the parade, we walked over to Esau's Cafe for some breakfast and to crack some cascarones (confetti eggs).
The above sequence of pictures actually started off like this....It took some practice before they got the hang of it ;)
The last event we went to was the El Mercado Del Norte which is basically a fair set up at Mackenzie Park. Thatcher was tall enough to go on all the rides so we had two happy kids.
Samantha is either scared of the rides or can't get enough of them when we are at amusement parks or fairs. She was loving the rides this time which is a lot more fun! I think it helped to have her brother on the rides with her instead of him screaming on the sidelines because he is not tall enough.
Speaking of being tall enough, apparently OSHA was not monitoring this fair like they were at the last one.
Samantha wanted no part of this kiddie roller coaster but Thatcher walked right up, gave the guy his tickets and headed for the front seat by himself and off they went......
As soon as it took off you could tell he was a little nervous (so were we). He was holding on to the railing for dear life and his almost 30 pound body was lifting up in the air each time the ride would go down the hill. It didn't seem very safe. It didn't phase him though, he was all smiles when he got off.
And finally, here's Samantha when she was just 2 1/2 watching Sofia at Fiesta. Such a fun tradition we have together. Who knows, maybe next year Samantha will be up on stage?!
