Daddy's Weekly Dollop

After a six month hiatus, I'm back to bring you the latest installment of Daddy's Weekly Dollop.  Included will be five things from the previous week that stood out and one bonus picture.

1)  Our Elf on the Shelf (AKA Tinker Bell) made her return this week.  She's a silly and mischievous elf who likes to keep the girls guessing every morning  . . . "where will she be and what will she do?"

Tinker Bell makes her return with new pajamas (and a mess) for the girls

Snap, Tinker Bell, Pop

Tinker Bell decided that we needed to decorate our family van.

2)  Making a Difference - the theme at Campbell's school is Making a Difference.  The kids are encouraged to "make a difference."  The girls wanted to help package Thanksgiving meals for one of the ministries at our church.  Here they are making a difference. 

3) Sharing a drink - The girls were sick last week, one after the other.  While Campbell was at the doctor, Maggie and I hung out at Starbucks waiting for Martha and Campbell to tell us that it was time to pick them up.  Maggie and I just had a wonderful time sharing a hot chocolate and talking about life.  This girl is filled with personality. 

4) Campbell's reading has just blossomed.  It's evident from her formative assessment scores and through her increased love of reading (she takes after Martha on this one).  Anyway, she's been reading this Christmas classic each night (which happens to be a 3rd grade reading level):

5)  Rock Hill has an annual Christmas festival called Christmasville.  The girls, and their parents, look forward to it each year.  Here are a few pictures from this year's festivities:

Campbell and the Grinch

The girls and Santa

The girls, and daddy, with Santa 

Bonus Material:  We had our annual kid-friendly Halloween party this year.  On the day of the party, Rock Hill was hosting a Zombie Crawl.  It was a great day!

We got to meet Addy Miller, the first zombie killed in the show The Walking Dead

Martha sent Princess Merida to the Zombie Crawl, Daddy brought home Princess Zombie Merida

The party

The girls' costumes:  Princess Merida (Brave) and Princess Anna (Frozen)

Daddy's Weekly Dollop - the two week edition

Greetings, here is a run down of events from the past two weeks . . .  Robbie's perspective.

1)  We, okay Martha and the girls, took a mini-vacation to the beach two weeks ago.  I was lucky enough to attend the SC Association of School Administrators conference that that was at Kingston Plantation (Myrtle Beach).  This was the perfect location for a summer conference because there are plenty of things to do for the the attendees spouse and children.  For example, here's my view:

Here's Martha's view:

It was a great few day min-vacation.  Here are a few more from the trip:

Author Stephen Covey and myself

Mermaid Maggie

Underwater Maggie

Underwater Selfie

The girls with Mr. William, a co-worker of mine.  They love him!

2) It's that lady Molly and a sign.  In SC, the Superintendent of Education is an elected position and this year is an election year for that position.  I'm a supporter of Molly Spearman.  I've know here for a few years and I think she's what our state needs right about now to help our education system.  The girls have helped me put out signs and we've had a lot of fun doing so.  When we're driving around, they like to point out "that lady Molly's signs."

3) Maggie learned to swim:  Maggie is just like her sister . . . a fish.  She tries so hard to swim, but I'm scared to let her go to . . . .so who do we need to go see?   Ms. Heather.  She's the same person who taught Campbell how to swim.  I knew that Ms. Heather would get the job done.  Sure enough, after 10 minutes, here's the outcome:

4) She's a green!  At the Baxter YMCA, there are 2 sets of slides.  On set of slides are for everyone (swimmers and non-swimmers) and the other set are for swimmers.  Kids under the age of 10 need to take a swim test and they are given a red band (non-swimmer), yellow (struggling swimmer), or green (a swimmer).  On the day the pool opened, Campbell did her swim test and she was a given a red (she'd swim 5 fee then stop and brush the hair from her face, then start swimming again).  A few days later, I wanted Campbell to re-take the test.  This time armed with a ponytail.  The results:

She's on yellow!

A week later, after working with Campbell on her swimming, she retook the test.  This time . . . she earned green.  Now she can slide down the swimmer's slide:

5)  We spent a few days in the mountains with my mom and her husband.  We had a nice time.  There were a few highlights of the trip:
a) cooking by the fire:

b) successful fishing:

c) nighttime mini-golf in pajamas

d) our first family hike (on a side trail to Grandfather Mountain - Profile Trail)

e) spending time with grandma and grandpa

6) Bonus Item . . . Campbell is the next American Ninja Warrior . . . . let's rephrase, in two decades from now, Campbell will be the next American Ninja Warrior.  The girls LOVE this show and they love turning everything in to a climb or a warped wall.  Here's Campbell training to be the next American Ninja Warrior:

Daddy's Weekly Dollop

Here's a your week in review from the perspective of Robbie:

1)  On Thursday I sent to school a kindergartener and a first grader came home!  It's hard to believe that kindergarten is already over.  I cannot believe how quick the year flew by. I am so proud of Campbell.  Not only did she have a great year, but she's learned a lot.  Her teachers, school, and program have been a blessing.

August 2013 - June 2014

2) Maggie had her 4 year old well check-up last week.  She did great.  She was 75% percentile for weight and 90% for height.  As you all know, the "4 year old visit" is the biggie shot one.  Campbell still has nightmares from her 4 year old visit.  Anyway, my girls know the rules . . . . we'll always make a special stop after shots.  

3) There are very few shows that the girls enjoy other than Disney Junior.  These "other" shows include America's Funniest Home Videos and American Ninja Warrior.  Last summer Campbell, with her broken arm, wanted me to build this in our back yard:

Clearly I haven't, however, clearly she doesn't need me to build her anything.

4) Somehow over the past two weeks, Campbell has turned from a fish to a super fish. Martha sent me this picture of Campbell jumping off a diving board (for the first time) into 12 feet of water (for the first time). 

5)  Martha is a rock star!  She competed in her first open-water swim triathlon this past weekend.  It was a sprint at Tybee Island (750m/12mile/5k).  Because it was her first open water swim (ocean) I signed up as part of a relay team so I could swim with her.  Well, Thursday I started feeling bad and I knew something wasn't right, so I went to the doctor Friday morning.  The diagnosis was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  So our plans changed, Martha and the girls were still going to go without me because I needed to recover. She and the girls left Friday afternoon.  By the next morning, I began feeling better (3 doses of antibiotics in me), so I decided that I'd make the trip to surprise the family.  Heck, I had to go because Martha forgot her transition bucket.  

With the bucket strapped into the car seat, off we went.  The next morning (Sunday) I decided I felt good enough to swim the swim leg with Martha.  While I got to stop after the swim, Martha kept going and finished the other two portions.  I'm so proud of her . . .  there is no way I would have the strength or stamina to do what she does.  She's a rock star! 

We swam

Martha Rode

Martha Ran and Finished

My relay team The Preemie Donnas (parents of a set of preemies).

6)  Thank you Jennifer and Greg . . . they live in Savannah and opened their home to us for the weekend and even watched the girls so Martha and I could race.  Here's a picture of our girls with Finley and Bay . . . all having some pool fun!