Happy July 4th!

Anna is back from Japan!  She had a great trip and had lots to tell.  Stay tuned for a special guest blog update from Anna so that she can give you more details.  She arrived home at 10:30 PM on June 30.  Thankfully, her mother did not sign her up for the swim meet at 8 AM the next morning.  Unfortunately, she was scheduled to lifeguard at the swim meet at 8 AM.  Even more unfortunate was she also had to work at Wolf Trap that night (on the plus side, it was for the Diana Ross concert, which was awesome, so it was worth it).  On the plus side, she had a couple of days off from both jobs so she can catch up on sleep and adjust to the time zone.
Ready for Japan

Joe and Theresa decided to take a few days off to head to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  This was also Benny's first road trip, and he did well.  They got to enjoy some nice weather at the beach and a great rental cottage with a spectacular garden. Theresa took advantage of some outlet shopping while they were there so you may see her wearing clothes that are less than 10 years old. They headed out just as the Canadian wildfire smoke settled in on the area again, creating another code red smoke haze in DC and at the beach.  

The July 4th weekend was a somewhat quiet affair.  Due to the labor shortage, the firework company needed to divide up the local shows.  Joe & Theresa met friends on Sunday for the Fairfax fireworks while Anna met friends for the Vienna fireworks.  Monday night was the neighborhood block party at the pool, complete with bands, food trucks and thunderstorms (we didn't make that one).  July 4th was the annual Fairfax parade (we did make that one).  Apparently,


it is really difficult to get high school marching band members together for a summer performance as two high schools needed to combine bands and others didn't even show up. By far the most groups in the parade was not the politicians but boy scout troops.  We lost count of how many different troops there were.  The crowd favorite - the librarian book cart drill team - was there with their twirling carts.  The parade would not be complete without them.  We tried to go to the pool for the afternoon, but it was so crowded that there were not seats.  Alas, we opted for a quiet afternoon at home.

Happy July 4th!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Swimming with the Lakevale Dolphins

Image
The Swim Gang - Leo, Aidan, Megan & Anna Tonight Anna completed her third season with the Division II Lakevale Dolphins.  It was a great season for Anna as she improved her strokes and her times and made it to the "A"team to compete at Saturday meets.  It was an educational season for Joe and Theresa, who learned the ins and outs of life as swim team parents. The neighborhood swim team is the hub of neighborhood social activity in the summer.  There are events throughout the season, including Friday night pep rallies, and Sunday night fund events that include such things as the neighborhood scavenger hunt, laser tag night, bingo night, and even a team night at the Washington Nationals game.  In between the fun is the seriousness of the swimming, and there are definitely some top notch swimmers on the team. Anna with her lollipop for getting a "personal best" time Kids are motivated by different things. Some kids love to race.  Other kids try to b...
Read more

Camp Coles Trip & June Birthdays

Image
Anna at Girl Scout Camp Anna just returned from a fun-filled week at Girl Scout camp.  This year she was old enough to go to Camp Coles Trip, which is on a bay area off of the Potomac River.  This is a water camp, so she spent her days on the bay learning to paddle board and sail along with kayaking. Girl Scout Camp is definitely roughing it.  The camp is in the woods and girls stay in platform cabins with screens.  Anna shared a cabin with 4 other girls.  Mosquito netting is very important at night.  The only electricity is at the dining hall, health center, and activity building.  The girls are also responsible each day for doing "kapers" or chores.  They take turns helping serve meals, cleaning the bathrooms, and general clean-up.  They are also responsible for keeping track of their own things and carrying their bags. Anna had a fantastic time, despite the lack of modern conveniences, and is already planning her return next year....
Read more

The End of 1st Grade

Image
Last Day of 1st Grade Pool Party Anna is officially a "rising 2nd grader."  She was quite excited to celebrate her last day of 1st grade on June 14. She learned a lot this year, including great strides on reading, addition, subtraction, and writing. Anna kept a writing journal during the school year.  Below are some excerpts: If I had a pet I would choose a dog.  I would feed him, walk him, play with him, and a dog would keep me company.  PS, i atcally want one these are the things i would do One day while I was driveing on the road a deer was in the way.  My dad honked the horn.   self-control is keping your self in control.   Peace is when you are quiet.   I can respect others by bringing over plates afer diner.    The last week of school included a field trip to Frying Pan Park, a working farm in Fairfax County.  Anna, upon recounting the details of her trip, stated that they learned how to do farm chores from...
Read more