Summer? Where did you go?!

Eyes closed....Of course!

It's August. AUGUST! That means, I need to be ready to start business in a month and I'm getting really anxious about it. I love the fact that I've got a bus, now. That is certainly a plus! It's currently in the process of being retrofitted, which basically involves having the seats ripped out, flooring put down,  having hooks hung up for rings and a rope, an having it painted. It sounds daunting, but I was reassured  that it won't take more than 2 weeks. Phew! This is all starting to come together! Except for the fact that the mats are still being custom made, and the flooring isn't here yet... Oh well, I suppose it's impossible to get things going without any glitches. With that said, in less than a month, I will not only be teaching gymnastics classes full-time again but I'll also be DRIVING A BUS! Stay tuned for updates on those driving lessons. I'm sure I'll be a sight for sore eyes. Ha!

So, business has pretty much taken over my life for the last several weeks. Between coaching at the gym, teaching private lessons, purchasing a bus, buying supplies, pricing out t-shirts, contacting preschools, etc. I haven't exactly had any "me" time. I can't even remember the last time I had someone watch Charley in the evening so I could go out. I need to get out, soon! I'm hoping for a girls' night out at some point in the next couple weeks. I need a chance to go out and let loose a little bit! I'm a little bit high strung under normal circumstances, but right now, I'm totally wound up and completely wrapped up in business and Charley. I know I'll get my butt out of the house, it just might be a couple of more weeks.

"Sure, I'll load your Spiderman web shooter..."

Last weekend was packed full of activity, but it was really a lot of fun. I worked all day Friday, and then I took Charley to her friend Sawyer's birthday party. The party was at Long Lake Park Beach, and it was great! We were late (of course), because I had been at work, and had to stop home to let Oscar out before heading to the party. It was supposed to be a 5-10 minute stop, but it quickly turned into 45 minutes. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say that Oscar made a mess on himself (outside, thank goodness) that was so severe, I had to bust out the scissors and give him a bath. Not cool. Anyway, we pulled up to the party, and Charley yelled Sawyer's name until she spotted him, and they ran toward each other. They really are cute. They played for several hours, alongside the "big kids" and Charley fell asleep on the ride home. Score for me!

"Should we cross the bridge or just stare at it?"

Saturday and Sunday, Charley got to play with her friend Aurora. On Saturday, Charley went for a play date, right after gymnastics. It was so different, because she usually puts up a fight when she leaves the gym, knowing I'm not going with her. But when she left with Aurora, she clearly couldn't have cared less that I was staying at the gym. By the time I picked her up, all of the kids were pretty wiped out, so Charley and I went home, ran some errands, and had an early night. Sunday, we got together with Aurora and her parents, again. We walked to the park, which was probably a little bit over a mile each way. Both girls walked most of the way there, played like crazy once we got there, and crashed on the way home. It was fantastic! We ate dinner with Aurora's family, and it was awesome. Aurora's dad, Rich, made mustard and pretzel-crusted salmon, summer squash, roasted potatoes, and salad. For a woman who eats cereal for dinner most of the time, it was like a feast! More than anything, it was good company, and an overall fantastic day. Oh, and now Charley insists I tell her "Charley and Aurora Stories," before bed every night. She's heard the same story about 6 times, now, but it doesn't seem to bother her.

Now that the weekend is over, it's been go, go, go with one meeting after the other, and Charley has been a trooper. She's getting dragged from one location to the next, and all things considered, she has been behaving quite well. She's done a great job of entertaining people, as well. I included a few Charley statements below. She definitely has a lot of her mom in her...

Charley-isms

*When told she would get to see her friend Ryan, she smacked her forehead, shook her head, and said, "Ryan is SO difficult." (*There is a Curious George character named Ryan, which is where she got that line. She delivered it perfectly, though.)

*While speaking on her toy phone, she said, "Hello? Daisy? WHAT? You've GOT to be kidding me!" She then proceeded to "hang up."

*I was getting my hair cut last week, and just like any other good mom, I was bribing my child with M and Ms to keep her subdued. About every 5 minutes, she peeked around the chair, and asked, "Mom, can I have a couple more, please?" Boy, does she know how to get what she wants! The stylist ate it up.

A girl, a bus, and a maraca. What a combination.

Side note: I've been doing a lot of paperwork and emailing at night, while listening to the TV in the background. Tonight, as I worked, Abby Lee Miller and a 109 year old woman got fitted for bras on a show I didn't even know existed. I'm a little bit scarred. It might be time to turn the channel from Lifetime and Bravo, to something more intellectually challenging than The Real Housewives. Meh, we'll see.

That's all for now, folks. Keep checking the GO! Gymnastics FB page for updates. We will add a link to the company website when it's finished. Thanks for all the support, too, I clearly have a bunch of wonderful friends behind me on this!