It is that time again.......

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It's over.
Finally.

No more swim team.

At least for a few weeks or months.

I loved it. Even though it meant some serious commitment with practices and meets by both the kids and I, it was great fun. I want them to swim year round. Although I have been informed (by Jared) that they are only 7 and 5. I say whatever they will swim year round. Yes, I am one of those moms. They are good at it and they can only get better. So here are a few pictures of the last swim meets along with their best times. They both qualified for the finals in the Championship meet and they both did great. We are so proud of them. They had so much improvement throughout the entire swim season.

Landon:

25 yard Freestyle: 27.03 sec.

25 yard Backstroke: 38.88 sec.

25 yard Butterfly: 32.78 sec.

Ethan:

25 yard Freestyle: 21.19 sec.

25 yard Backstroke: 27.48 sec.

25 yard Butterfly: 30.87 sec.

The 4th

Ward Breakfast at the park (I honestly did not see my other two kids until we left the park so no pictures of them)

Ashton thoroughly enjoyed the watermelon including the rhine.


Swimming with friends

We had 12 adults and 17 kids swimming. Laura's mom is a saint. She was so calm and laid back during all of this.

Then we made homemade ice cream. Laura and Brian got this portable ice cream maker as a gift. The ice cream goes in the middle and then you fill the plastic ball up with the ice and start rolling it. The kids rolled it for a little while then got tired of having to work for their treat so the adults started rolling. That ball was not light so they just threw it any way they could. Sorry Laura this picture had to be posted.

Then we went to my parents house to watch the big fireworks show the country club always does. We got there at 9 and waited until about 9:45 before we decided that maybe the stinkin economy was going to deny us our free fireworks show. So we packed up and headed home and as we turned the corner out of my parents neighborhood we saw them start. It was 10 pm. My kids were done. Although we have some very smart friends the Shaffers (a very big thank you) who actually brought fireworks to my parents and were nice enough to share with all the kids while we waited. Next year we will know not to start waiting for big fireworks until about 9:45 and to buy some ourselves.

We had a great 4th spent with great friends, great food and great fun....all in the greatest country of all! A big thank you to all of those that make it possible!

Dance Recital

(dress rehersal)

Way back in June (wow I am really gonna have to play catch up here) Mackenzie and my niece Chloe had their first dance recital. They were very excited to wear their costumes and us moms were excited to see whether they would just get up on stage and stand there or if they would really dance. Well we lucked out and they both did great on their dancing. I was a little irritated that we had to pay $16 a ticket for us to go see the show (I thought it would be more like $5-10) but there were some kids in the show (the little ones) who made it worth every cent. They were hysterical. Some paid no attention to the fact that they were supposed to dance the routine they learned they just did whatever dance they wanted. One little girl danced to her shadow on the back wall, and one little boy had moves all his own. The girls loved it and so did we.

(night of the show)

Of course after the show we had to get ice cream at Rosemary's (along with the rest of Bakersfield that had come from the same dance show)

After leaving this place that has gotten so much rain it is officially no longer in a drought,

After Ethan threw up in his plate of food because he ate way too much food way too fast here, (Yes there were plenty of other eating customers who got to see it also.)

After we changed the biggest blowout that ashton has ever had, stripped him down, and cleaned up the car seat here,

And after we stopped and turned the car off on the freeway at midnight while we waited for them to get the semi truck that was on fire under control when we were only 30 minutes from our house.....
WE ARE FINALLY HOME!!!!

Pictures from our trip to come but right now I need to just do nothing.

We had our first swim meet of the year, or ever for that matter. I enrolled the boys in swim team this year because they seem to love swimming so much why not see if they enjoy it as a sport. We have been practicing for about 3 weeks now and I have noticed a big difference in the boys swimming actual strokes. So today was their first meet. Landon complained the whole time about how he didn't want to swim and the races were dumb and blah blah blah. Typical Landon. I have no sympathy for him because 1) he has never tried it and 2) he just didn't have a good reason not to want to do it. During his his relay race he decided he just wasn't going to go in. Well since other teammates finish times were on the line Jared just gave him a push in thinking once he is in the water he will start swimming. Well he did but back to the starting point. So they had another kids start swimming. Then Jared promised a ring pop to him. So when his turn came up again he swam. Not only did he swim but he passed two other kids in the process. He is pretty fast if he would just stop whining about it. Unfortunately we don't have video of the relay race. The following video is of his last race of the day, the freestyle. He was crying right before he went in the water. I know we are mean parents but I justify by saying we are preparing them for the real world when they will have to do lots of things they won't really want to do. Sounds good right?

Ethan on the other hand ate up every second of it. He is a really great swimmer. Although he slows himself down a little since he just can't wait until the race is over to see how he did. He takes lots of looks back to see how he is doing. He did great in the video below finishing 2nd in his heat.

A few pictures of the day. It is a long day sitting out there from 7:30 am until about 2:30 but we brought some games, there was a playground, and the kids liked watching teammates race. I also told Jared it was kind of nice that we weren't just sitting at home playing video games or watching TV. Every time I tried to take a picture of Landon he thought he would let me know just how he felt. Ethan was all smiles though, and Mackenzie just had to throw a nice pose in there.

Pick your battles

This is what happens when I choose to fight the battle. I get my little girl with some cute piggies complete with bows looking like someone took the time (or at least won the fight about taking the time).

When I choose not to fight I get this. One rough looking girl with a cheap headband worn in a way it was never intended for looking like she rolled straight out of the "09" zip code of town. (those from Bakersfield know what I am talking about)
So much to Jared's dismay, this is one battle I will fight. I may roll out of my house in the clothes that I slept in, with my greasy hair under a hat, and not a stitch of make-up on but my only girl will not.