first level four meet

{l} had her first meet yesterday and aside from a bobble on her bars (back hip circle connecting to and including the dismount) and losing her balance on beam (and jumping off) she did really well!!! oh, and she is still working on that back handspring--despite the look, she assures me she did not hit her head. I forgot her scores but I think it was 7.8 on floor and bars, 8.0 on beam and 8.8 on vault.

and, just to not play favorites, here is {r} from the last swim meet during the summer

while daddy was sleeping in denver

away on business, daddy is sleeping in denver

the kids decided to build a fort in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy is sleeping in denver

the kids decided to sleep in the forth

they built in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy is sleeping in denver

at midnight, {s} got a stuffy nose

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

{s} started crying

from her stuffy nose at midnight

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

{j} woke up because

{s} started crying

from her stuffy nose at midnight

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

{j} then went pee because

he woke up due to

{s}'s crying

from her stuffy nose at midnight

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

{c} started crying from being awoken by

{j} going pee because

he woke up due to

{s}'s crying

from her stuffy nose at midnight

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

mom then got up to check on {c}

who was crying from being awoken by

{j} going pee because

he woke up due to

{s}'s crying

from her stuffy nose at midnight

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

and so here mom types

with {c} on her lap

and {j} and {s} in her bed

thanks to a stuffy nose

while sleeping in the fort

they build in {j} and {c}'s room

while daddy was sleeping in denver

Where've you been?

Long time no type.

Actually, I've been typing a lot, just not here.

Here's a video of {l} doing a round-off back handspring. She is still working on perfecting it. She also informed me that she did not hit her head while doing it, though I thought she had.

Pretty in pink

isn't she. . .

well, most the time.

oh yeah, ijealous no more, cuz i gots my own itoy!!

ijealous

with tug's new job -- hmm, did i ever mention tug got a new job? i think i did. didn't i?? if not, tug got a new job -- came a new car. a company provided car. a car we don't have to pay squat for. AWESOME. not so awesome, tug already had a car. a car we had to pay squat for. a car we were paying too much squat for. so, we got it paid off and offered it to those in our homeschool group for pretty cheap. we also listed it on craigslist for $1000 more than we did to the homeschool group. we got an email inquiry from craigslist and one from someone in the homeschool group. we ended up selling to the homeschool group family which we were really happy about.

tug got a new toy with some of the money.

it'll come in handy for all the plane rides he is/will be taking. hmm, a brand new car AND a new toy. i think he likes the new job!

it's a family tradition

If at first you don't succeed
try
try
again

bubbles under water

the girls' last swim meet (possibly, might be one more) was this past weekend.
and nothing says swim meet at the end of july like a blanket.
it was cold.
i digress. {r} worked up the nerve to go off the blocks.
she pretty much went straight down though so there was a lot of underwater swimming just to try and resurface.
based on her age she should only be swimming 25 meters, but she likes to swim up a level to do 50s. on saturday she threw in her version of a flip turn. tug and i had a good laugh about that.
she is now saying she wants to drop gymnastics to try and be on the swim team at the Y.

and she wants to do tennis.

and dance.

and soccer.

and. . .

here's {j}.

and {r}
and {l}. that {l}, she doesn't want to do any sport besides gymnastics. i did get her to admit tonight though that swim team has been fun.
she even worked up the nerve to go off the blocks.

so what if i coaxed her.

coaxed means bribed.
all it took was telling her they could pick up food for lunch (ie: fast food) and she could get a movie to put on to her ipod. oh, and all it really took was a fellow friend saying she'd go off the blocks if {l} did.
that friend is the one still sitting on the blocks while {l} is already diving in, catlike reactions that one. the other girl still beat her in the actual swim.

and, here's a wink from {s}.
do you smell what the {j} is cooking??
and cute little chicharone as we usually call her.
WOW, two posts in two days. dont call it a comeback.

Tennis

i don't think i ever said here that regan got dropped (AGAIN) from her gymnastics. as part of a 'clearing out, let's try some new stuff' campaign (how i got her to drop baton) i said she could try some new sports. she decided on tennis. then she started gymnastics at a different YMCA (so she could still try the competitive route). tennis never happened. now she says she wants to drop gymnastics altogether and try something else. i said no dice. i will let her drop gymnastics but she has to finish out the month so she isn't making the decision on a whim.
i did finally let her start tennis though. When we were ready to leave {l} decided she wanted to give it a try.
that's {j}, then {l}, then {r}, then some random little girl. i should stop forgetting my zoom-ish lens.

unfortunately another coach came and took {l}, {r} and two other kids who showed up late outside therefore i have no photos of them. so, you only get a shot of {j} with a swing and a miss. . . notice the ball behind him.
i think one of {j}s favorite things was picking up the balls.
{r} and {j} gave tennis big thumbs up. {j} just yelled, "I LOVE TENNIS. i want to do it forever. . . except the nights i am doing hip hop." oh, he starts hip hop dancing next week.

not surprisingly, {l} gave it a big thumbs down. she is the type who if she isn't good at something, she doesn't want to do it. i've already paid for three additional lessons so she has to give those a go, then she can quit if she wants.

hope i can get some pictures of that hip hop!