June 2016

Summer always seems just as busy as the school year - we just don't have to wake up as early! Besides summer swim, the older two kids did a VBS with our friends the Isaacsons at their church in June.

Evan and Alex enjoying the music

Popsicles the last day!

Group photo - only 2 more years until Ryan/Chelsea can go!

In mid June, we went straight from a swim meet and hit the road to drive to Mema and Papa's for the last time. 

It's all smiles at the beginning of the trip.

The first day, we drove all the way to West Memphis, AR.  We spent the night and then got up early the next day and drove the rest of the way to Midland.  The good (and bad) thing about summers in Michigan is that it's still light until almost 10pm at night. So, we had to go on the boat even though it was 9pm.

More to come from our last Hope, MI adventure. Mema and Papa sold the place at the end of June (hence our visit in mid-June). It was all very sad for everyone - we all loved that place.  But, it meant that they could buy a smaller place in Northern Michigan and a house in Texas so we can see them a whole lot more and that makes us all happy.

Summer Swim Team - Brushy Creek Marlins

This summer, we did something new. We took a break from our year round Lonestar Swim club to try out summer swim. This is a big thing in Texas. There are lots of clubs all over the city (and state). They start at the beginning of May and go through the 2nd weekend in July. During May (when school is still going), they practice up to 4 days a week after school.  Once school is out, they practice 5 days a week in the mornings. You go as often as you want.  Then, starting the last weekend in May, they have a swim meet every Saturday until the District championships.

We joined the Brushy Creek Marlins swim team as we had friends who were doing it. (We also had friends doing the RR Dolphins, but only Evan had friends on that team.)  It was a really great chance for the kids to improve their swimming while having fun and getting to compete.

Each Saturday, we had to get up about 5am to get to the swim meet location. Then, we'd sit outside watching and volunteering until about 1pm. It was a little exhausting for us parents, but the kids have a blast. 

Our first meet of the season was against our friends and the RR Dolphins!

Evan doing the Relay

Each meet, the kids swim 3-4 individual events, 1 freestyle relay, and then the older kids (at least 7) swim a medley relay. 

Evan got to race against his good friend Nicholas

Evan won a heat! 

And so did Caitlin!

The best part of summer swim is that the kids get lots of ribbons. You get a ribbon for a time improvement (so just doing better). You get ribbons for placing in the top 9. You get heat winner ribbons. It's a great way to get some affirmation of all your hard work (which is tougher with year round swim).

Caitlin doing the back stroke.

Evan with all his ribbons from the first meet

Evan and his friend Luke

Ready for his leg of the freestyle relay

Sitting on the ready bench!

The summer swim is so well organized. They have tons of parent volunteers and it really does run smoothly. I mean, the Marlins team has like 200 kids on it. It's an insane number of kids. They have at least 8 coaches helping out. 

Another relay

The big goal for Evan for the season was to get an Invitational Time. This meant he could swim at the Invitational Meet at Texas A&M. But you have to get a good enough time to qualify. He was so close all season. Finally, the very last meet of the season in his last race (the 50M Freestyle), he did it!!

Wearing his invitational cap! You get a special Silver cap if you get an invitational time.

The goal for the team is to win the Divisional meet. Each year, your team faces off against 2 other teams in a divisional meet. We had not won for a couple years but they broke the streak this year!

Hoisting the Divisional Trophy with Head Coach Chris

Both kids posing with coach and the trophy

The very next day, we headed to A&M to watch Evan swim in the Invitational meet. He was super excited and we were too. Unfortunately, his goggles came off when he dove in the water for his 50 Free. I was so sad for him as he'd worked so hard to get there. But, these things happen and you shake 'em off. We were still so proud of him for setting a goal and meeting it!

Last but not least was the end of year banquet where they got their trophies and final medals.

It was a great first year doing summer swim. 

End of School Chaos

The end of school is finally here. There is always so much going on (performances, awards, field trips, parties!).  So, here's a quick wrap up to the end of the school year. I have videos of the performances but I barely have time to keep up this blog, let alone upload some videos. So, here are the pictures instead :)

Evan with his Spring Semester awards

One coo thing that 2nd grade does is the Second Grade Market. The kids have to make a product, keep track of the costs, then sell their item to the rest of the school, and calculate their profit. We couldn't decide on just one thing so we made a bunch of things! We had glow in the dark and colored slime, darth vader head crayons, and Han Solo in carbonite crayons (or varying sizes). Also part of the challenge is the actual selling where you have to make change correctly and keep track of your money.

All the other grades (except Kinder) got to come shop. But I brought Caitlin up as she had wanted to buy something from her brother :)

Overall, I think Evan did awesome and maybe even made the most money in the 2nd grade. The crayons were essentially all profit (as we had a huge bag of broken crayons to melt). The slime was pricier to make. I think Evan made about $50 in profit (he had to pay me back for his startup loan). He donated $20 of it to a charity the school supports and kept the rest. 

Here is Caitlin's Kinder music performance and awards. She is right in the middle!

Uncle Will was even in town and got to come!

And we were there too.

And Oma

Caitlin and her wonderful teacher Ms. Ybarra

And her friend Ellie.

Kinder gets to do a splash day for their end of school party. Normally they have big water slides, etc. but due to weather concerns, this year it was mostly indoors :(

Caitlin and her teacher at the end of year party

Getting off the bus for the last time!

It was a great school year for both kids. Caitlin became an avid reader and math lover (makes her mom so hopeful!).  Evan really blossomed as a writer and his reading comprehension took off. We can't wait to see what Third and First grade hold for these two!