First
--AND MOST EAGERLY ANTICIPATED--
Tyson has been pooping on the potty!!! Okay, I absolutely try never to admit to the fact that I have an almost-four-year-old who is not completely potty-trained, but I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I have tried EVERYTHING this past year to get Tyson to poop on the potty (he has been peeing on the potty pretty much since Christmas)--candy, toys, TV time, spankings...you name it, I tried it. Anyways, on Sunday he finally just said "Mom, I need to go poop on the potty." He has gone everyday since Sunday (that's FOUR days)!!!! I really hope this is the end of pull ups for us. I couldn't be happier:)--although, now he is the proud owner of a dart gun (a whole new set of problems).
Second
Jordan and Kya have learned to ride their bikes without training wheels. Jordan has been so scared to ride her bike for years now. She just refused. So about 3 weeks ago she said "Mom, I really need to learn to ride my bike without training wheels." So we took her outside and she got it, first time. Then Kya wanted to be like her big sis. and tried too. Now Jordan can ride completely and Kya just gets a little shaky on the starting and turning parts. But I am so proud of my girls:)
Third
We have been doing swimming lessons this summer--non-stop. Jordan and Kya already knew how to swim, but they have improved so much! Kya can DIVE off the diving board!! She's the only one in her class who can do it, so I like to brag about it. She also is a rock star with the backstroke! Jordan has moved up to almost the highest level. She knows so many new strokes, it's amazing.
I don't know if any of you remember Tyson's history with swimming lessons. Last fall (when he turned 3) I put him into lessons and he would not go in without me. Finally, on the last day or two he went by himself, but he was still really scared. Well this summer was completely different. I got him a pair of goggles and he was a little fish. He just wants to keep his head under the water constantly! Then today while I watched him...he actually swam for a bit--BY HIMSELF!! What a big boy--he's only 3!! Anyways, his teacher tells me that he will probably skip the next level and move straight to Rays. Wow!
Fourth
Okay, this last one is about ME. I'll have to admit something else kind of embarrassing for this one:) When I started having kids, I stopped wearing earrings. They were just a pain. I told Mike I just wanted a pair of gold hoops that I could leave in all the time, so I wouldn't have to worry about changing them. Well, for Christmas one year he bought me a perfect pair of hoops. They were quite the challenge to get in my ears, but once they were there, I couldn't even notice them. Well (here comes the embarrassing part), they were so comfortable and life got so busy that they have been in my ears for the past~at least~SIX years!! Anyways, this past Friday I decided it was time for them to come out. So Saturday, I headed out to Claire's to pick out some new earrings. I feel like a brand new woman:)

...and this is what it looked like (seriously, this is an actual picture from Manhattan beach TODAY). We had no idea there was a huge volleyball tournament going on. Needless to say, we drove a little further south before finding a beach that actually had parking available.