We've settled into "the usual routine." Here in the land of eternal summer that means a steady stream of park days, pool dates, and beach days! We're continuing our weekly pool dates with our home schooling friends, and the girls have asked that Mondays be designated outing days. Here's a few shots from our most recent outings:

They discovered a great climbing tree at a park
not far from home (it also has a playground,
 picnic tables, shade, and bathrooms,
 so we'll definitely be going again)

Gotta love a beach that thinks it's a swimming pool!

"Hey, Mom! We're digging the Mines of Moria!"
(Don't worry they stopped before they found a Balrog.)

It wouldn't be a real beach day without somebody getting buried!

Run! Kick! Run!
A recent weekend was one sporting event after another--especially for Lion! On Friday evening Daddy and Lion had a rematch race on level ground (really level--this 5k took place on an air field). Daddy won this round! But only by 30 seconds, and Lion says she was gaining on him. More impressively, while Lion was 1st place in her own girls' age group, she was also in 3rd place for all runners under 19--only two teenage boys were faster!

Lion crossing the finish line
(Photo courtesy of the wife of the guy finishing behind a tiny girl)

The girls had their first soccer games of the season! They're all doing well and having fun. They're all continuing to improve their skills, and Lion's excited to actually be on a team this year (last year she was stuck on a waitlist, but Monkey and Bug's coach let her practice with them). We've actually lived here long enough that the girls arrived at their first practices and discovered they already knew people!

Lion is actually in a different age group, so on a different team,
but they all ended up in the same color jerseys!

Then on Sunday Lion decided to try out one of USATF's developmental meets for cross country (because they're all on Sunday mornings, she won't be competing in all of them--just a few leading up to the championship meet). The event for her age group is a 3k, and Lion ran an amazing race! She told me she was planning to go just to get a feel for the course and not worry about being competitive, "but, Mommy, I was just born for running!" The next runner in her age group crossed the finish line two minutes behind her, and the next female her age was almost three minutes behind her! Go, Lion!

Here's a shot from the race before she left the pack in the dust.