The Great Hair Cut

After 4+ years, it was time to chop off 'ye old locks again.

This is kinda my thing.  Grow it out super loooong, then chop it all off  And donate it to Locks of Love, of course!

12 inches of hair GONE.
All for a good cause!  I just wish I could see the wig that they make out of it.

CYO Grasshopper Camp

Emma experienced her first - of hopefully many - CYO Camp last week.  Since she's only six, it was just a Day Camp, where I dropped her off at Fatima Retreat House every day at 8:00 and picked her up at 3:00.  She enjoyed full days of singing, arts & crafts, prayer, and games.  She had a BLAST and can't wait for next year, when she can actually stay overnight!

Oh, and do archery.  She really can't wait to do that!

Emma won the award for "Best Gymnast" because, well, that's ALL SHE DOES!

Team #3, Boo
(the theme this year was Monsters Inc)

Such a neat picture......these are kids she's going to grow up with.
Which is what I love about this Catholic family that I married into.
Emma, Josie, Ava P., Maura, Counselor Anna, Eli, Ellery, Ben

Sprinkler Fun

Water: the best drink in the world!

Same Love

Before reading this entry, please watch this video and listen to the lyrics:

Same Love

One of the most important things, as a parent, is teaching my children to love.  Love all.

Seeing beyond color, seeing beyond religion, seeing beyond sexual preference.

And I received one of the most gratifying rewards of this moral that I'm instilling in my children from my baby girl Emma.  As soon as this song came on the radio the other day, she said:
"Momma I know why this is your favorite song."
"Why's that, baby girl?"
"Because it's about love."

I'm tearing up as I recall the moment.

Because, while she's only six years old and doesn't yet understand the depth of this message, she understands that her Momma believes in love.  Loving all.

And isn't that what it's all about?!?....................

Air Conditioning

We've enjoyed a rather mild summer thus far, which has been wonderful.  There has been no 100-degree heat wave like we experienced last year.  In fact, we've gone with the windows open for a while now.  

But that all changed this past week.  It was the hottest and most humid it's been all year.  90-degree heat in effect.  So what better week for the air conditioning to go out in our house?!?!

Yup.

After 22 years, it finally decided to give out.

Which was just faaaaaaaabulous.

Well, we're over a month into the summer, so I thought I'd do a mid-summer check-up to see how we've progressed on our Fun List!  And it looks like we need to kick it into gear, and get some of these Fun Things planned and set on our calendar!!!!

Swickheimer Summer Fun List

1.        Go on vacation

2.       Do a century ride. In one day. That's 100 miles

3.       Take weekly trips to the pool

4.       Have a family and friend cookout

5.       Get a sno cone

6.       Go to the Indiana State Fair

7.       Go on a picnic at Fort Benjamin Harrison

8.       Have a summer date night with the hubs. Complete with wine and an evening stroll. Anywhere

9.       Go to the Fishers Fire Station

10.    Go to an outdoor concert at White River

11.     Take a walk along the canal

12.    Play miniature golf

13.    Roast marshmallows over a fire and make s’mores

14.    Go to the Binford Farmer’s Market

15.    Go kayaking at Papa & Grandma Ann’s river cottage

16.    Go camping

17.    Go fishing

18.    Watch a summer blockbuster (Monsters University?) at the theater

19.    Go to an Indians game

20.   Play in the sprinkler / make a yard “water park”

21.    Have a water balloon fight

22.   Homemade carwash

23.   Make Play-Doh

24.   Catch lightening bugs

25.   Make forts

26.   Go to library

27.   VBS – Kingdom Rock

Wine & Canvas

A handful of us "St. Pius" moms had a Mom's Night Out at Wine & Canvas last week.  We are trying to get together a couple of times a month this summer, sans kids.

I [unofficially] call it the F39 Group:

Just a group of 30-something-year-old moms (we won't tell who's older than that!) who enjoy wearing yoga pants (did we just get back from the gym?.....or are we on our way to the gym?......one will never know when you're wearing them all the time!) and drinking wine.  WITHOUT KIDS.

Our first outing was an absolute blast!  And with 12 moms attending, we had a pretty good turn-out.  Can't wait for our next get together.......I'm already counting down the days!

Jenny & Kate

Alicia & I
Can you believe that we went to Purdue at the exact same time, and never knew each other?!?
Alicia was a Kappa, which is directly across the street from the Chi-O house.

Elizabeth, Natalie, Meg
Fun Fact: Natalie is another greek Purdue alum. She graduated a year ahead of Alicia & I and was a Ph Phi.

Colleen, Emily, Janet, Heather