Marble Jars, part 2

Today we started off with what I predict will be our daily routine on days we have no other plans.  We walked around our neighborhood, did a few things around the house and then loaded up with our picnic lunches to head to the pool.  I wish I had a video camera going at the pool today.  If I did it would have captured all sorts of fun!  While wearing her puddle jumper float, Harper jumped in again and again and eventually was jumping in off the side by herself, going under, and "swimming" back to the steps by herself.  She didn't want me to help her and was such a little fish in the water.  Handley, who is much more cautious in the water, was swimming independently with no floaties for pretty good distances at the end of our 3 hours there.   She was so proud of herself and kept telling me that Mrs. Angie (her swim teacher) would be so impressed.  She was right because it was like all the things she had learned last year came right back to her.  She was getting toys off the bottom of the pool and wanted to swim between me and the stairs over and over and over.  As we were getting ready to leave both girls layed down on their towels and probably would have fallen asleep right there if I let them.  They were both exhausted from all of the swimming.

This afternoon we had a special treat planned.  Harper recently got a marble jar to go along with Handley's and this reward system is working just as well with her as it does with Handley.  She can be so stubborn, but when I remind her of earning marbles she usually will jump at the chance and do whatever it is I'm asking of her.  Both girls filled up their jars earlier this week and this afternoon as their special reward we went to a new frozen yogurt place, Cowlicks.

We invited our playgroup friends to join us, too!  Handley was most excited about being able to put her own toppings on the ice cream.  Knowing this I gave her a little bit of frozen yogurt and let her pile on the toppings.  I told her she could pick 3 and she ended up with marshmallows, gummy worms and chocolate chips.  Harper picked sprinkles and M&M's.

After everyone was done eating the girls enjoyed playing together and must have made quite an impression on the employees there because the guy behind the counter was giving them extra gummy worms and sharing pictures of his pets with all of them before we left. It was too cute!