Tuesday July 7th, a week after Elisabeth turned 16, she got her license. Because of Covid19, the school drivers ed was behind, and her summer course would be way behind, so we decided to cancel the school drivers ed program and went with a private instructor instead. This is about $100-$150 more, but we got the entire thing done in a week, all the drives, the written work and the driving test. Because of Covid, we had to make an appoitment to get into the DMV, which you can't do until you pass your driving test, and that happened the week before her birthday which is why her appoitment was a week after her birthday. Elisabeth was overjoyed to get her license. She's had it for a month now and it is nice not having to drive her to her early morning cheer practices, to work at Subway, or to her friends and her tumbling classes etc. Plus there's been a handful of times already where she's picked up or dropped off a sibling.
Penny enjoys swimming in the irrigation canal for short periods, but she doesn't enjoy having baths which we do outside since it's hot and since she sheds. Sometimes Penny and I have a disagreement about just who is giving who a bath. Penny often wins which is why Nora is sporting her swimsuit during Penny's bath time; and I usually am too.
Charles, Nora and I took Penny on her first hike. We went up Yellow Fork Canyon. She had a great time! Charles suggested it, and if he asks to do anything physically active with me I will make adjustments and work it out even though I have a very structured morning with my own exercises etc.
Nora made smoothie pops for the family to enjoy in this awful 100 degree heat! I for sure prefer sixty-degree weather...perhaps a result of growing up in Seattle. 80s, 90s and 100s, no thanks!
Our friend Mahdhis (Annabelle's good friend Sariah's mom) teaches private soccer lessons, and she is teaching Annabelle and Sariah together in the mornings once a week which is so nice of her.
Nora and a couple of neighbor friends wanted to do a spa day at home. So we made facial masks and painted fingernails.
I read the dog socialization at an early age is important, so we try to get Penny together with friends dogs whenever we can (usually a couple of times a week).
This is a game I learned about in a Golden Retriever book. You hide a snack under each of the tennis balls and she has to figure out how to get the tennis ball out to get each snack. It helps her work on her sense of smell and problem solving skills. The first time she did it, it took her a few minutes to figure it out, but now she's a pro.
