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Super Swim Team Swimmers -July 21, 2010

My guys.. showing off their events.  Tyler swimming free (heat 3, lane 2) and back (heat 1, lane 7) and Jonah swimming IM, MR, free (heat 2, lane 6) and back (heat 1, lane 6) -he placed 2nd in backstroke btw ;-)

Jonah and his sweet push off the wall.  Did I mention he's a natural backstroker now?

Tyler finishing his very first race.. under a minute! 

Tyler has excellent form.. breathes to the side, doesn't grab onto the lane ropes, reaches high to the sky.. he's gonna rock in a year!

Tyler is so excited!! It's his very first swim meet!

Tyler's first backstroke event

 

Cakes Galore

In case you're not on FB and following me here instead.. this is what I've been up to this week.  In large pics:

yes, I am now sitting.  Life is better spent when I have a purpose. 

In my garden today

This is just picture posting today.  I was having some fun with my camera and the morning light.  Enjoy :-)

Surprise!! Look what we found in our ivy plant that hangs over the doorway and columns..

Now onto my roses...

Springtime Fun!

I was supposed to go on a hike with friends and I had asked one of my piano students to come along with me last Saturday (April 24th) .  I was looking forward to this trip all week, and I had made preparations and homemade snacks.  I was devastated to find the trip had been canceled at the last minute and I was left on a sunshiney Saturday with no plans.  I felt down in the dumps for maybe half an hour when I decided we were going to make the best of the day and the warm weather.  I pumped up the pool and sat back in my lounge chair as I watched the boys splash and slide in our little kiddie pool in the backyard.  We may not have much right now, but we have enough to keep smiles on our faces.  And we're thankful for all that we have -including eachother!

 You should probably know Sam was only upset because I wouldn't let him touch the lens on the camera.  Otherwise he was a happy guy.  Especially when I give him treats like this..

All in all a very productive and fun prelude to summer-type day.

New battery in the camera!

Notice.. his hair flies as high as he does!

The following two pictures are flowers from my front yard.  I'm really just playing around with the camera and was quite impressed by how much color and detail catches my eye.  I'm not a photographer, but I do like a good pic.

And back to Tyler.. I was watering the lawn and immediately he wanted to run through the sprinkler.  It's only 70-75 today so I told him to stay in the sunshine.  You can't keep this kid down..

Just me and Ty and Sam now

Sam had his first debut in the double stroller last Friday. Now that Jonah is in school I get to bond with the younger ones without feeling overwhelmed.
We enjoyed a marvelous day at the Oakland Zoo where we all got to see the giraffes and elephants and ride the rides afterward.

Junior SJ Sharks!

I've gone and done something amazing!  Today I went to Big 5 in search of a soccer goal so the kids could practice kicking into something besides the side of the house.  I picked up a tee ball set where the ball is attached to the plate so when its hit it can't go more than 30ft before bouncing back.  I also picked up a $30 pop-up goal given two options.. that one or the expensive hockey goal for twice the price.  We are kinda strapped for cash right now so I went ahead and bought the cheaper one.. I don't like investing in something that will only collect dust in the garage.  I came home and Tyler wasn't happy.. he wanted "...the hockey goal!"  -He had come with me when we made the purchase.  After much deliberation I went back to the store and returned the cheaper pop-up goal for the hockey goal that can double as a soccer goal.  It also folds up for storage.  Since it was a hockey goal I decided since I'm also spending money that hey.. why not spend even more! I went over to the hockey section and picked up the goal and two junior hockey starter sets complete with stick, ball, and puck for street hockey.  I came home and, to my surprise, my two boys greeted me with stars in their eyes.  We played in our drive-way for 2 hours straight.. with threats of rain the entire time.  Sam got dinged a couple times.. but even Ben and I love playing!  I told him I was done shopping -he was going to have to go back and get sticks for us since he kept stealing Jonah's and Tyler kept letting me play (yes, I had to beg.. ).  Yay for us!! A new family sport!

Blissful Afternoon

I will sadly not have a photo to go along with today's post..
This afternoon Jonah kept bugging me about wanting to ride his bike outside.  I had to give piano lessons until 4:45pm, so we couldn't go out in the street until afterward.  I was so glad he still wanted to go.  He loves riding his bike now, and it makes me feel at peace as I watch him pedal up and down the cul-du-sac.  He has to level the leading pedal with his hand, but once his feet make contact his balance is excellent and he's off!  I wish he could trust himself enough to know standing up and riding won't make him fall off.  I'm sure it'd be a scary thing for him, as he's just begun to feel comfortable starting off on his own only this week. 

It's the last week in March, in like a lamb and out like a lion.  Right now it's 10:30 at night and a chilly 47F.  Tomorrow will be the last day in March, and then it will be April.  Easter.  Springtime.  But today.. today I felt like I was on a remote part of the coast and could hear boats in the bay with their bells clanging, waiting to see the lighthouse.  I could taste the fog and could almost reach out to feel the rocks in the murky water as I'd hear the waves crashing against the reefs.  It felt like something out of a movie, because I know the scene could not belong in my suburb.  The cloud layer above me was scalloped in edges of ashes and rocks, all different hues of grays and dark whites, not billowing and not roiling.. just .. settling.  Drifting, waiting.  There'd be rain later. 

I hear my children racing each other up and down the street.  I hear Tyler fall off his scooter twice.  I can see them laughing, competing, and egging on the other.  They are truly kids at play.  They have no worries.  Their eyes are light, and they have sweat on their brows and in their hair.  They giggle and wait for me to see if I'm watching.  I wrap my arms around my stomach, because the wind starts to pick up and it brushes my  hair from my face in cold and wispy snaps.  I hug my elbows and worry if my boys are warm enough. 

Then it all becomes clear.  No, not my mind.  The afternoon is suddenly clarified for me.  A halo of whispered white glows through the clouds that are still wrapped in shades of gunmetal.  It burns my eyes to look directly at it.  I turn my face away, but then peek upward trying to catch glimpses from the corners of my eyes.  The sight is celestial.  Earlier today I witnessed a similar miracle: streaming rays of light, flowing from these same threatening clouds which were bursting through their darkness, touching the earth with forgiveness and redemption.  The vision I saw now was not of that caliber.  These were not sun rays defiantly breaking through the walls that held them captive.  This was a beaming, pulsing radiation of light and power.  This was heaven saying, "not even the darkest of gloom nor guilt nor sorrow can shade my glory."  I wanted to walk into this light.  I wanted to touch it.  I wanted to put my hand upon it and caress each whiff.  I wanted it not to disappear as suddenly as it came to me.  Because it came to me.  It came upon me.  And I beheld glory this afternoon.  And it was blissful.

What was also glorious was how peaceful I felt as I watched my sons play in the street during this blessed event.  They were so light and full of laughter and happiness.  They were kids at play as much as kids at play could ever be.  They cried when they heard it was time to come inside.  They fell down and scraped their knees and palms.  They raced time and time again.  They taunted and jeered, and then they sat and drank juice until it was time to race again.  Kids take it all for granted of course, but as a parent I will never see being "just a kid" as being just a kid.  I will see it as my children make me feel it.  I hope I remember this day forever.

A Thing of Beauty

A few days ago I spent the morning pulling weeds and obnoxious plants -overgrown, dead, or ugly- out from underneath our front window. Winter is gone, and even though I dislike the chores of spring I admit I do love admiring the visual rewards of hard work in the garden. Today we spent a little dough at home depot and made for ourselves a retaining wall so I could have a place to put my flowers out front. I must say I'm pretty proud of what we've done...


And here is a direct view of our brand new, homemade planter box. So cute :-) Okay, I like spring today. Welcome to our home, oh allergy-ridden, time-to-clean-reminder-ing spring.

Mini update

Hello friends,
Just thought I'd visit my own blog since I haven't updated it in forever. I also wanted to share a picture or two of Sam.. he's getting to the age where curiosity takes precedence. Two messes: the 1st: powdered sugar. Jonah and Tyler do not like syrup. So instead we use powdered sugar.. everyone pats the bottom.. gives it a little spank. Sam sees us doing this and wants to join in the fun. His fun however occurs when we're not looking. And thus a mess is created.




Moment number 2: I picked up NesQuik powder from Walmart and dropped the bag on the floor because I hadn't realized I needed to get Jonah from school.. so I dash back out the door. When I get home Sam is happily licking his chocolately covered fingers. I mean, who wouldn't after all that deliciousness is spilled onto one's lap like that!



So that's my mini update.. and btw, can't we just bypass spring and head straight into summer?? Can you tell I'm not a spring lover? yeah.. anyway, much love!