Oh, summertime. I do love you — swimming, grilling out, late bedtimes…and most of all, camps to send my kids to for a few hours a day, haha! I mean, I love my kids, but I enjoy a free morning just as much as the next mom.
We’re two weeks into our summer vacation, and this week was the girls’ first week of camps. Since Cricket is still in preschool, her options were way more limited than E.V.’s, so she went to her preschool’s day camp, which was themed “Gadgets + Gizmos.” Unfortunately, I had to do a hard sell on “invention camp” to my littlest, though, because Emma Vance went to HORSE CAMP (!) this week — so Cricket’s jealousy was at an all-time high.
We chose to send E.V. to horse camp because I wanted her to have some experience with horses before she rides them at sleep-away camp in July. Thankfully, our friend pointed us (and another of E.V.’s friends) to a local stable where she takes riding lessons. (And we loved it!)
Emma Vance had the best week ever with her pony, Cisco, whom she nicknamed “Francisco.” (Is it a nickname if it’s longer?!? A nicholasname maybe?) Although, she did come home the first day a little dejected because “we didn’t get to the jump the horses,” I think trotting was more than enough for her first week riding. ;) What can I say, she’s a fearless and confident five year old! Since today was the last day, the parents got to see the girls ride, which was so cool! E.V. was brave and full of personality, a little distractible, and excited (basically, she was herself, haha). After riding, the campers decorated their horses for a parade, and since E.V. is becoming a tiny francophile, we made a Frenchman costume for FRANCEcisco (her own brainchild of a second nickname). She was thrilled with how her horse looked — and even more thrilled that he loved his baguette. ;)
This summer is all about letting my girls explore their random interests, so this week horse camp, next week, on to cheerleading!