Our New Sports

We have entered an new realm of sporting, which is a totally new concept for our family. Max and Lily have never been much into the traditional sports, but have now found "their" sports!

Lily joined the Ladera Liquids swim team this fall, and has practice 3 to 4 times a week. She's always been so comfortable in the water and now she gets to do it all the time! With coaching! It's the cutest thing ever.

Yesterday was her first swim meet. Such a new experience for us! We pulled up to Huntington Beach High School in the rain at 7:45 am. It was already bustling like a little city with Easy-Ups set up all over, beach chairs, a full make-shift "kitchen" on the side of the pool selling breakfast burritos, bagels and muffins, etc., vendors selling swim gear, tons of excited swimmers, and crazy parents. We learned a lot from the veteran parents though and had a great time watching our girl's nervous excitement.

All ready for her events:


Having some snacks after warm-ups:


Her event numbers, 5 and 21, written on her hand:


Her first event was the 25 Freestyle, just one lap. She didn't hear the whistle, so she was the last one off the deck, but her great dive made up a lot of time. She came in 3rd in her heat, but how awesome is that for her first time?!!

She is in the white cap in lane 4 (she almost started in lane 5). I kind of almost missed the end because I was watching her and not the camera!


Her second event was the 50 Backstroke, and she came in 2nd in her heat AND overall (about 20 girls). Here she is ready to take off, with Paul giving an encouraging word. She's in the white cap:




We are so proud of you, Lily!!!

And guess what Mr. Max's new sport is? Fencing! He is officially a cool kid, because who do you know that does fencing, huh? It was 100% his idea, so I went online to see where in the world a kid could take fencing lessons. And what do you know? There's a great center just 10 minutes away! So we signed him up and he takes an hour-long lesson twice a week. Check him out!




They spend about 40 minutes doing footwork and technique, then they get to don all the gear and fence with each other for the last 20 minutes. Seriously cool. Coach Nick is from Romania and is so great with the kids. Max is always sweaty with a huge grin on his face after class. After his first lesson he said, "Well, I finally found my sport!"



And in other news, Max consented to a haircut--finally!

Before:


After:

Sweet '80s 'do! I feel like he looks like my son again--ha ha!


Have a great week, everyone! Get ready for some fun Halloween costumes coming soon!

BTS 2010

The morning of September 8, 2010 dawned cloudy and drizzly--perfect weather for donning some new fall fashions and head Back To School! Total excitement for Lily, total dread for Max, as per usual. What new adventures in learning lay ahead in 3rd and 5th grade? They would soon find out.



Since those first few days, we've had record-breaking heat. This last Monday hit somewhere around 111 degrees here in little Ladera Ranch (113 in LA). They actually kept the kids inside all day because of it (and also because it was picture day and no one wants sweaty, red-faced children in their school pics). At some point, I may get brave enough to post a picture of myself in full Student Supervisor regalia: my awesome fluorescent safety vest, whistle and megaphone. It's a sight, I tell ya. I enjoy working with the 1,100+ kids, but in this kind of heat? Gross. But aren't the kids cute and getting so big?? Yikes!

Bliss, Part 2, and I'm Too Tired to Narrate

This was our last night in Utah, up at my friend, Shana's house in Logan for a backyard weenie roast/birthday celebration. Thanks for the memories, everyone!

The Bliss that is a Summer Trip to Utah

Why don't we live here? I really wonder that sometimes. There's nothing better than being surrounded by friends and family who just love you. I mean, I know why we don't live there, but can all you people please come visit us more often??

My dear, dear BFF, Linda. It was so great to see her again! Too many years have gone by. I really have to scan some old pictures of us because they are hilarious. When I think of how many hours we logged together from ages 5 to 14, it just seems like we were in a constant playdate/sleepover! I love this girl. It was so fun to catch up, and the kids had so much fun playing with her boys and her chickens. Let's not wait 5 years until next time, Linda Lou!




Max always loves visiting Utah, but this trip was especially blissful for him because of all the babies! My nieces Jayne and Tess each had babies about a day apart from each other, and we finally got to meet them. Meet baby Claire and baby Calvin:


Awesome! I love my nieces and nephews (all 24 of them). And how awesome is it that I have great nieces and nephews too? (8 of them). Normally that would make me sound soooo old, but when you consider the fact that I became an auntie at age 9, do the math, it's not so bad. Jayne and Tess, you are two of the cutest and best little mammas in the world and I'm so glad we got to hang out!

Jonah (Jayne's), Jo Jo (my sis), Emmy (Jayne's), Jayne with Claire, Tess with Calvin


Max and Calvin. They bonded because Cal looks so much like Max as a baby!


Lily, Max, Lainey (Tess') and Sydnie (my brother Paul's only girl)


Jonah and Lainey, enjoying "nature"


We picked Sydnie up on the first day and kept her with us the whole week. Lily is so lucky to have a best cousin--only 8 days apart.




Chillin' with Grandma Nette after another long day of water play


Speaking of swimming, we did a LOT of it on this trip. Water every day! Thanks to Grandma Gwen's pool (who isn't actually our grandma but my sister's mother-in-law, therefore my nieces and nephews' grandma, but she might as well be my grandma too since I grew up swimming at her house too), we were able to stay quite cool. More awesomeness!
Lily doing a dive


Sydnie's sweet slide ride


My cute mom and Claire


Is this post ginormous or what?

And what can I say about these two crazies? What CAN'T I say?! Hanna and Cami, oh the joy you bring to my life! Enjoy this little bit of teen life because it is quickly disappearing! I love our talks, I love our silliness, I love knowing what's going on in your lives. I'm so glad we're close!






No trip to Utah is complete without GameCube time in Grandma's basement. Here's Max doing his thing


I better post this novel and continue later . . . .