It’s been a good week in this Hendo house.  We’ve been going hard – just taking in all that is summer before it’s gone.  I feel like these last few weeks have been packed with appointments.  We had lunch with my grandpa this week to celebrate his birthday [forgot to take any photos], lunch with my sister-in-laws and mother-in-law for two of my SIL’s birthdays [again, didn’t take a single snapshot], had endless park runs/Target runs/Cutler’s runs.  I had a night this week where I felt completely pooped – work stuff had been weighing heavy on me and I had committed to help some friends and family with various projects.  I bathed Sloan and while tidying her room I caught this photo of her, fresh out of the tub.  Wet towel hair, smiling as big as ever.  It made me so grateful to her.  She always makes me forget the trivial things.  She also helps remind me about the real joys in life.  I always put Sloan first, which means my work stuff usually gets pushed until the late hours of the night.  It makes it hard to get up bright and early, but she always gives me this same smile.  So big, her checks just might burst.  Geez, I love this little girl.  This photo is everything to me.

Sloan had her swimming certification this week.  She had two tests to pass:  the “Fall in and Float” in her summer clothes and the same test, but in full winter clothes.  Megan, the sweet girl who passed her off, let me get in the pool and take these shots.  Sloan CRUSHED both tests and passed with flying colors. 

My eyes welled up with tears when I saw her floating in her heavy winter clothes.  I’ve been so worried about staying on a house boat for 6 days in Lake Powell and in this moment my heart felt so much lighter…

Yes, it was expensive.  Yes, it was an incredible time commitment on everyone’s part.  But seeing her successfully pass her certification made every second and dollar worth it.  I am so very proud of her.

Friday evening we went out to dinner as a family at Ti Amo in Bountiful – Sloan and I’s first time.  One of Sloan’s weaknesses is margherita pizza, which she inherited from me.

I’d still give From Scratch, Pizzeria Limone, and Arella a higher grade – but definitely worth a try!  However, Sloan gave the gelato an A+, so the night out was a success.

Saturday Sloan and Zach had a daddy / daughter date at Marine Products where Zach purchased her a “toy” for our upcoming Lake Powell trip.  I spent the morning battling the crowds at Costco getting my list checked off for the trip.  To be honest, I have been hesitant from the beginning to let Sloan try and waterski, but when Zach gets passionate about something…there’s no changing his mind.  He practiced with her out on the grass and it went better than all three of us expected.  She has excellent balance, which she did NOT inherit from me… Then, right before Sloan’s nap, we all made a quick trip to the local hardware store to get a custom “handle bar” made for said ski.  Sloan is obsessed and made me pull her around for 20+ carpet runs when she awoke from her nap. 

I still don’t think she’ll like skiing as much on the actual water as the grass and carpet, but I can’t wait to see her give it a shot!  Either way, I’ll be proud she even tried.  I didn’t successfully waterski until I was over 8 years old – so she’s already got me beat.

The countdown is on:  2.5 days until we hit the road for LP.  Please bless I pack everything we need to survive with a toddler on a floating house.