I told you Papa wouldn't let us do it. I've known him for a long time. - Ivan to Nikita.
July was memorable for my new schedule. To beat the heat and humidity, I swam and fed a cat for a family out of town before breakfast, and worked to Coffitivity and Spotify. The lack of classes gave me time to do clear the front yard of weeds and the basement of toys, read some great books (The Fault in Our Stars, Bring up the Bodies, I am the Messenger, Dirt Candy), get addicted to knitting socks, and have great conversations with Nikita about random things like mutants or lasers.
The month also brought about new schedules for the boys. After fencing class, we often had dinner at Armando's Pizza, where I once saw three people reading real books. Ivan resumed swimming with me at the pool, and made a LOT of progress. He can now swim 25 m without stopping, float on his back, and do somersaults. He's particularly proud of the last accomplishment because I cannot tumble. Finally, we end our days with him reading Dr. Seuss to me.
The boys also got some new lessons. Ivan started learning the cello, and eagerly does his homework. Both boys began horse riding lessons, which they really enjoy. I like how the sessions include horse grooming, so the boys learn to be responsible for their horses. Because this post is on the short side, I'm going to fill it up with photos of the boys from their first lesson:
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| Grooming |
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| Freestyle |
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| Balancing |
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| Back to the stables |
