To sum it up.......

We are done with swim team for the year....yesterday was the last early morning swim meet we had to get up for. Hunter swam in Divisionals...he did so great this year, positive attitude, strong swimming...I am so proud of him.
Last night we had our awards ceremony and end of the season big dance called the Tuckahoe Ball. The kids have such a great time at it every year. Sienna loves it too. She loves to dance and all the sweet older girls are so cute with her.
I love swim team but man oh man I am happy we are done! I am so excited to not have to wake up and rush out the door for the whole day. Packed with pool bags, lunches, towels, goggles...seriously put a fork in me because I am DONE!
Football is starting next week but at least it's at night.
So here are some pictures from the swim season.....


The Whirlpool... they do it every Friday...they run around this little pool and then float and it swirls them around.
Fridays were Fun Friday. Every week they got to do something fun after practice. Pinatas one week, relays one week, doughnut eating, ice creme Sunday's, arts and crafts. The kids loved it.





Jackson and his cousin Henry.....



Lunch at a Pizza place for the 9-10 boys


This was at the Divisional relays which we won! Out of 6 pools in our division.
Very exciting! We actually didn't loose one meet the whole year.
We go back up to Division 1 next summer. Bittersweet.

The Ball....Hunter...I loved watching them all dance all night.













Some of the moms...we spend so much time together we feel like one big family.......
We decided next year we were going to do a spa day after everythings all over.

So it went really fast. My kids all had fun (except Cooper who is fighting me tooth and nail on swimming) and I am sad it's over in a way. Not ready for summer to end that's for sure! Good thing we still have a month in a half!

Oh and today at 4:30 am Conwey's sister Summer and her husband Sean had a sweet baby girl! Delivered by Conwey's other sister Sierra who is a midwife. Summer did it with no drugs if you can believe that and we didn't know what she was having. We were all surprised it was a girl for some reason. Luisa Betty is her name after their grandmothers. Can't wait to go hold her!!!
Congratulations guys! We love you!

Jackson the triathlon man

So Jackson completed his first triathlon today! I was so proud of him! He has the craziest endurance I have ever seen. We go running and will run 6 miles and he is just keeping up the whole time..not even tired. I wish I had just half of his energy!!!
He didn't stop once today during it. So he swam first....

Jackson and his friend Dominic before the swim...



Then the bike ride....

Then the run....

I know I am his mom and all but he just did so good!I am so proud of him. He didn't stop once and did it so fast. I have a feeling this is just the first of many for him.
I love love love this kid!!!

For all you family members that want to watch some of it on video here you go......

Swim Team, Swim Team, Swim Team!

Where have I been? Let me tell you....
Swim Team....it is all consuming for about 6 weeks of the summer. Practices, Developmental Meets, Saturday Meets, Potlucks, Swim team lunches, Swim team movie day...it just really is our life for about 6 weeks. I am in the middle of it right now.


I really do love it though. There is just something about it. The smell of the chlorine and sunscreen, the sound of the swimming, the wonderful exercise my kids get from it. The fun memories they make every summer with their cousins, and summer friends. Knowing that they are learning something that they can do for the rest of their lives, and also something that could potentially save their life one day. I just can't say enough about how great I think it is despite all the time and work it takes.
Cooper has been also playing all star baseball so he hasn't been able to swim as much with us and I really miss him. I think also that it is the only sport that we can all go together to. One pool, one time, one meet. It is not me dropping off in three different places and trying to choose who's game I will see.
I didn't do swim team growing up. We swam at the pool everyday but it wasn't as big where I lived and I really wish I could have done it.
We had our swim team late night party last night where they closed the pool to everyone and only let the swim team come in from 8-11 pm and it is so fun for the kids. They play music and swim in the dark with just the pool lights. They have a talent show which is mostly silly skits and lip syncs, but boy the kids love it. Lots of junk food...just a really fun time for the kids to play together because let me tell you...they work hard! Those practices...phew I couldn't do them and I work out everyday. I love my swim team time as tired as I am and as much as I don't get done during it. It is 6 small weeks of the year. I will remember it as much as my kids.
Sienna keeps telling me she can't wait to be on the swim team when she is 5 too.


We still try to make it to our neighborhood pools too...the boys have all their friends that hang out there. Sienna too....


Sienna and her friends...Royal, Nicky and Jackson.


What can I say...like mother...like daughter.
We love summer time!

Memorial Day Weekend....

So besides Sienna's birthday that happened to fall on Memorial Day Weekend we did a few other things...

We went with some people from Conwey's office to some Horse Stables out in Middleburg. We decided to just take Sienna and Jackson...keep it a little more mellow. It's amazing what a difference it makes when you only have 2 verses 4!

It was actually a really nice day and I didn't think I would enjoy it but I did. The kids loved the horses. They had all kinds of horses from different races that had won at one time or another.

So the next day the kids talked us into going to Kings Dominion...for those of you not from around this area it's a big amusement park like Disneyland.

It was fun. They all loved it. The boys talked Jackson into riding the Dominator and when they got off said he had tears streaming down his face saying...I don't want to die! It made me really laugh...after he said he would go again.

We met cousins there and I didn't get to see my bigger guys very much thanks to their Uncle who took them on the bigger rides. Thanks Nico. We had Sienna going on the kiddie rides most of the day.

They have a big water park too that the boys waited in lines for hours to get on. It was fun going down the river until the end when I flipped over and under with Sienna in hand...hmmm I wonder how that happened...(yes Conwey was nearby)

So Sienna wanted to see all the characters but then when it came her turn she wouldn't let go of my leg...sheesh Sienna it's just Scooby Doo!


So my son Hunter decided he wanted to be pulled up by a cable 50 or more feet and then dropped. He and his cousin Nicolas went together and I almost had a heart attack!
This doesn't even show how high it really is...


So then Sienna wanted to go on the Log ride so we got on and she was fine until we got to the top where they drop you over and she started freaking out. I really thought she was going to pee in her pants. I felt so bad! But she was fine as soon as we went and then wanted to go again.
We had to buy the picture...I think they only charged us 20 bucks for it...but it was worth it!
Priceless!

I thought this was so funny....Jackson took it of Conwey and Sienna.


I had to put it in even though it's blurry.....

So Summer is finally here...(well the kids have a few more weeks of school) but it is definitely my favorite time of year!!! Woo hoo!





Watch at your own risk if you get motion sickness. There is no sound to it. Sorry.