Ice Bucket Challenge

Okay. I know that the ALS Ice Bucket challenge took the internet by storym this summer. 

I also know that I was supposed to post these videos to facebook. I did not.

Here is Emma's video:

Her friend Elizabeth was also nominated. Here is her video:

Swim Team

We had a great season on swim team this year. Emma swam with the 11&12's and Rebekah swam with the 7&8's. Here's some photos of Rebekah in action: She got new goggles about halfway through the season. Rebekah decided she really like Breaststroke.

Here's our Emma. Her favorite stroke is butterfly. At the awards night she got the "Dead Bug Fear Award". Apparently there were a few morning where there were a lot of dead bugs in the pool. She would not get in for practice because of all the dead bugs. We didn't find out about that til that night. She was still a big help to the team. She volunteered as a Junior Coach helping the 6 & Under kids during practice.
 
 
 
 

 Here is how Clay & I spend most of the swim meets. All the families need to volunteer so many hours to help run all the swim meets. Now that both the girls are swimming, Clay & I can volunteer together. Our favorite job is timer. We have our backs to each other in this picture because we are timing for different lanes. I'm the one in the big hat. I always wear it at the pool.
 

Happy Independence Day

We enjoyed setting off a few of our own fireworks and then watched the city show. We decided not to have a big barbecue this year. I just needed some down time this year.

Last Day of School party

Last day of school!! We had ice cream sundaes and water squirters for the kids to celebrate. All the kids on the block had a great time soaking each other.

Clay had to clean it all up when he got home. He wasn't happy about all the ants that were attacking all the spilled sugary treats.

It's like a heatwave ...

burning in my heart.

This is what the external temperature read on the van today.

I took the girls to Sport Bounce so they could burn off some energy. They get free passes from their dentist for being cavity free at their check up. There was a new "Hurricane" booth that the girls wanted to try. It got up to 78 mph wind in there. 

Barbecue for Independence!

By the numbers:
4 years in a row
110 people
15 pounds of ground beef
15 brats
90 hot dogs
98 degrees

Rebekah on the slip 'n slide.

Line up of kids for the slip 'n slide.

Line up for food.

"The party starts here"

 Kids gather round for sparklers.

Swim team

Yea, it the first day of summer vacation!!! We get to sleep in, nothing to do... 

Nope. How about being at the pool by 7:00 am for a swim meet.

This is Emma's third year being on swim team. They started a mini team, so we signed up Rebekah too. It comes out to about 7 weeks of crazy schedules, and then it's done. We have 5 practices and 2 swim meets every week. It's a lot. But the girls really improve their swimming. And really, I don't know that I would every go to the pool if it wasn't for this.

Today was just a trial run. Not a real swim meet, but a chance for the team to see what a meet will be like and get a time for the swimmers to go off of. 

This is Rebekah's first time swimming. She really can't make it across the pool yet. But she is ready. Look at her. First one in line, and ready to go. 

She didn't get too far before she grabbed onto the rope.

One of the junior coaches jumped in to help her finish. So proud of Rebekah for giving it her best!!

Clay (yellow) and I (wide brim hat) got our volunteer hours in early.

Here's Emma doing freestyle

and breaststroke

and butterfly.

Last Day of School

I got a call to come join the Rosenlunds after school. 

Emma just came home wearing these. I really don't know...

 The mom's in their neighborhood have a tradition of attacking all the kids with water guns as they get off the bus on the last day. However, their oldest, being 12 and in middle school, did not want to be embarrassed. So they all hid behind the van to get her as she was walking in the door. 

 I got the pleasure of holding Miss Juliette and watching the whole thing go down.

Afterwards, we all went inside and had ice cream sundaes. Let the summer begin!!