August 2016 - Bookended by wonderful trips

August was one of those rare months where we started it out on vacation and ended it on vacation.  What a treat!  The beginning marked the last few days we were in San Francisco, saying goodbye to "our San Anselmo house" and aiming for us to go back next year.  We wouldn't have to say goodbye for long to Uncle Reggie however because he was on his way out to Philly for 10 days, just in time for his birthday.  Two times to see him is such a treat.

Then we were back in Philly, doing our annual celebration of Auntie Ebonie's birthday, getting ready for the end of one school and the start of the new one she would begin in September and attend through 8th grade.  There were handbooks to read!  Timed arrivals and dismissals to get acclimated to!  New online tools to register for!

But not too much time was spent on that pre-Kindergarten planning because we were off to our annual pre-Labor Day weekend beach trip to Cape May.  S's confidence near water was certainly higher and her ability to play by herself with the sand was greater - all good growing signs that we were excited to see...and be able to thoroughly enjoy from our lazy places on the chairs!  

Here are a few pics and videos.

And as a closing thought - mark my words, this girl will either love tennis, or hate it.  In September we start her lessons again and she equivocates dramatically between "when is it going to start again???" and "oh nooooo, i don't want to do tennis".  During the Olympics, I told her about Serena and showed her one match, which was equally dramatic between "Go Serena!" and "oh this is NOT fair.  She is going to lose....(after missing one ball)".  That's our girl - dramatic.