SUPER AQUA CLUB

At least once every summer, we like to go to the water slides park.

Emma is getting older, and taller. She is now exactly 4 feet. 4 feet is the mark every kid wants to reach in order to be allowed the go on the BIG SLIDES...

Last year, Emma did one or two bigger slides (the ones on which it is permitted to sit on an adult's lap).

Well, guess what? Emma's new gig this summer is: I'm scared!!! She would not go on any bigger slides, not even the ones she did last year. Oh well, she had a ball on the kiddy slides and just loves the wave pool and the lazy river. It was great to watch her go up and down independently. She would wait her turn and initiated some races against other children.

As for Amy, who could not find a friend to come with us, she was stuck with her parents. Dad tried to go with her on a BIG ONE. But guess what? Dad is afraid of height, so after 2 flights of steps, he told her he had to turn around or he would have a heart attack!!!

I did go on some BIG SLIDES with Amy, but she had to wait for me as I struggled to go up the 90, yes, 90 steps to reach the top. When I got out of the car after the one hour drive back home, my left hip and knee would not support me. Carl, who is not a water person, was "waterlogged". Talk about having older, out of shape parents...

We shall go again next year as this outing has become a tradition...

AMY'S FIRST EVENT

After yet another rocky season debut, Amy finally participated in her very first eventing competition.

There are 3 disciplines in eventing: dressage, stadium jumping and cross country.

I am very proud of my girl, but mostly I am happy for her. I am happy that she gets to do something she really, really enjoys. The first 10 gets ribbons. Amy placed 8th out of sixty riders in her class. Way to go Ame...

Last week we went to look at a horse for Emma. Her name is Casey's Command. She is a 15 years old Palomino quarter horse who was trained in reining. My cousin who owns her showed Amy how to "spin". Amy, of course, is in love, AGAIN. The best part, though, is that Emma also rode her. And it went great. Casey is small enough for us to walk beside Emma. And she is so calm. We want her so bad but we need to let go of 1 horse before Casey can come home with us. A lady is coming to ride Winston on Monday. Amy will be so sad to see him go. He was her very first show horse, but she is willing to do this so Emma can have her own horse.

Did I mention that Casey is pregnant? By the end of next June, we should have a foal in our field!!!

This Fall, I will get rid of my fear of riding. I will take riding lessons and ride Casey. Then I will truly be able to share with my girls their love of riding. Wish me luck!!!

BEACH PARTY

Last Monday, Emma finally had her Beach Party,'.

Carl chaperoned a bus full of teenagers to 6 flags' La Ronde in Montreal, which he survived.

That trip was going to be too much for Emma, since they were staying until closing time, so we went to the beach instead.

Emma always talks about either a tea party or a beach party. We just love parties...

We were in the water for about 3 hours. I had to coax her out to have a drink and snack. We built sand castles (Emma likes to sit on them...) and she made lots of friends.

Old mom here was all tired out...

We are now getting ready for a huge family gathering (140 people) at our house. Got to love the weather man who is calling for nothing but heat and sunshine...

I'll take you to the beach again, little girl, since you love it so much!!!