So, we really went back to school on 8/20, but I'm just now getting on here and getting pictures uploaded. Abigail requested that we do pictures in front of the school this year, so that's where we took them. Also, since I'm at school now, too, I had my picture taken. I think Abigail did a pretty good job.
Both kids seem to be settling down into school already. Rich is coming home with green behavior days, which is a good thing. I hear he's working hard. Abigail is already starting a PowerPoint about herself that is due next Friday. Actually, most of it's done, she's just adding pictures to it. She is definitely a go-getter when it comes to her school work.
As for me, I love the all the children are back in the building. It really makes it come to life. After being there through a complete cycle of school in, school out, registration and school starting back up, I finally feel like I have my feet underneath me. Of course, that means that sometimes a little more crankiness shows through at the office, but I try not to let it get the best of me.
This weekend is my kick-back and relax weekend with the girls. Going to a scrap weekend from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. When I went in February, they about had to kick me out. Then I missed the next 8 days of work with pneumonia. That will so NOT be happening this time around (the sickness, not the kicking me out!)
So, I guess I should have saved that title until after the first swim meet, but obviously, I just wasn't thinking. Abigail swam in 4 events today. 50M Free, 50M Back, 50M Fly and 200 Free Relay. She was first in her heat with the 50M Back and her time was somewhere around 58:00. Don't know if that means she'll get a ribbon or not. We'll find that out on Monday.
Here are a few shots of the day.......
Coach said to make a grid on their arm showing what they were racing and when. Abigail has small arms, because we used both of hers to get all the info on there!
Here is a picture of most of the team, getting their final directions before the meet starts...(Abigail is the one with the blue circle around her head).
Finally, here's little brother Rich who was sooooo very patient through the entire swim meet.
I helped volunteer with the timing. I think I helped time about 5 races. We didn't have a lot of activity in our lane, but it was good practice for when there are bigger meets. Coach also wants parents to learn to be officials. I also already said I'd be on the board, as they need parents for that, too. This team is just starting up, so it's going to be fun watching and helping it to grow.
We went out to Taco Bell for lunch afterwards and just got home a little bit ago. When we were leaving Taco Bell, the sky opened up and we got DRENCHED just going a few feet from the restaurant to the van.
Yes, that's just about all that our family is thinking about these days. When can we get back in the water? Maybe I should change the layout of this blog from purple to blue...nah, I really like the purple!
Okay, so I guess it's been a while. Well, a LONG while, right? So, what have we been up to?
Rich finished Kindergarten. With flying colors, this proud mama might add. He did a little bit of summer school and was familiarized with a new computer (BrailleNote) that he'll start using fairly regularly next year. It's quite a fancy piece of equipment. We're working on teaching Rich that it's not a toy. He is intrigued because it has different synthesized speech voices and speeds. The faster he can make it, the more the words sound like Alvin & the Chipmunks. He is also taking swimming lessons this summer. He's doing really well. He can jump off the side of the pool with no hands, likes to find the bottom, and is swimming about 10 feet by himself. In his classes, they're also working on smaller dives. His comment a few days ago was "can't we live under the water, mama?" So, we spend a lot of time at the Y.
Abigail is on the 2nd squad of the swim team at the Y. It's a new team that's starting up because the Y itself is brand new. She has practice 3 times a week in addition to all the family time we spend at the pool. She is getting anxious to start 4th grade.
Richard and I have been taking adult swim lessons at the Y and we are both getting very good. He's intent on learning all the strokes, where I'm more concerned with swimming freestyle back and forth, building up endurance and figuring out flip turns. Those have taken me a while. Richard has mastered breast stroke, free style, back and side. He just started working on butterfly tonight. In June, we had the teacher to ourselves. Now, there are several other people, so we don't get the individual attention we did. I'm glad we have that foundation to build on, rather than trying to get more time with the instructor.
Richard is still busy at work. I'm off for July and trying to get a project done in the bathroom. I have all the wallpaper down. Now, I need to re-mud the walls and get it painted. Then I can hang new towel bars and such. I'm looking forward to getting it done. I've been dawdling, so it's not gotten done as quickly as it could have.
The pets are all doing fine. The dogs need to visit the vet, but I haven't told them that yet. It's certainly NOT their favorite place to visit.
Yeah, it's been *that* long since I've updated. There has been so much going on, that I'm not even sure how to catch up on it all, so instead, I'll just updated about my last week :)
Last weekend, Fri-Sun, I went scrapbooking for the whole weekend! I stayed at the hotel and had a great time. I got 33 pages done!!! Unfortunately, I was sick, too, while there. Once home, I went to the doctor (I do have priorities, right? LOL!) Turned out I had bronchitis. Dr. wrote me out for Monday and Tuesday. I went back to work on Wednesday, was there about 1/2 hour---45 minutes and my boss pretty much told me to go back home. On Thursday morning, back to the doctor I trekked. Bronchitis was pretty much cleared up, but in had moved.....pnuemonia. Dr. said I have to stay home at least until I see him again on Tuesday. Oye! Turned out to be a very expensive scrapbook weekend. LOL!
At least I got a lot done.
I have almost all the pictures from last Summer done, but forgot a set of them. I was not nearly as organized this time as last year. Maybe next time (if I go again...can't afford another weekend like this again soon) I'll get the rest of the summer pictures done and start on Christmas 2008. I also have kids birthday parties, Halloween and Thanksgiving to scrapbook too. I guess that's what I get for taking so many pictures :)
Speaking of pictures, I have so many that I want to share, that I'm not sure where to start, so I'll just be even and pick one of Rich and one of Abigail to share....at least to whet your appetites for more, right???
