Swimming when there is snow on the ground!?

My friend, Rabia, informed me of a free swim at our local recreation department today at 3:00. I asked the kids if they wanted to go swimming. Once they realized we were not going swimming at Grammy's house and understood that we were swimming inside--where there was heat--they were very excited! We met Rabia and her family there and swam with them for about an hour. (they arrived before us and left before us). After they left we swam for another hour and "closed the place down." The kids had so much fun!!

I stopped by my mother's house (where we keep the kids life jackets because of their pool) to pick up their life jackets. I got Ryan's belt too. None of the three of them use these when they can touch--and Ryan only uses his when he jumps off the diving board--but I did not know what to expect or know how many people would be there and I thought it would just be better to know the three of them were not drowning.

This pool has a dome over it. It is an outdoor pool, but they put this tent thing over it in the winter time.

I love the last picture . . . in the set up of the "Free Polar Bear Swim" they gave you tickets to redeem. These tickets got each person a hot coca and a snow cone. Lydia and Emily wanted a snow cone and hot coca and Ryan and I just had hot coca. Nothing like sitting at the pool, with your hair wet from swimming, and drinking hot coca. Too funny!! Great day!!

Campin with the fam

This past weekend Mike, the kids and I went camping with my parents, my brother, his wife and my niece, Adella. We had a great time going to Natural Bridge Campground in Natural Bridge Virginia and spending some quality time with the family. The Natural Bridge Campground has a pool, playground, mini golf and a beach area with a swimming lake. My parents have been camping in their motor home for several years. Traveling across the country and staying at various campgrounds along the way. They were able to turn their motor home around to face ours so we could have our joint campsite. It was great! The kids had such a great time playing together and playing with their cousin, Adella. Mike made his campfire and we all sat around talking each night after the kids went to bed. It was a super time, and the weather was perfect! Can't wait to do it again.

We spent a great deal of time in the swimming lake. I have attached a movie clip of Ryan jumping from the dock/pier area in the middle of the lake. This pier was approximately 5 feet out of the water and the bottom of the lake was nowhere in sight. Mike jumped off several times and attempted to swim to the bottom and touch it. He was not successful. We had NO IDEA Ryan would actually jump when he said he would like to go out on the "deck." If either Mike or myself had bet money on whether or not he would do it . . . we would have lost:). We were so very proud of him!!! Ryan also finally figured out how to swing by himself! He had never really gotten the whole "pumping" thing with swinging. While there . . . figured it out! I think he is almost 5 for sure!!

I think this camping thing is going to turn out to be a really great memory maker for our kids! Both mornings they would wake up before Mike and I would. Ryan would get up and then wake up his sisters. They would all climb to the bed above the cab (Ryan's bed) and would play up there. Mike and I would hear them laughing and playing and pretending while up in the "cool bed" that is Ryan's:). It was great!! I hope one day my kids are blogging about their great memories of their childhood!

Isn't it interesting how family is always so important, but taken for granted so often at the same time. Mike is the youngest of five children. With all five kids having families of their own and busy lives, seeing one another does not happen often enough. Yesterday we had the good fortune to spend the late afternoon and evening at Mike's sister, Debbie's house with her family. Debbie's husband Greg grilled hamburgers and we helped him roast hot dogs over the open fire. We tried to get the kids to help out, but they were a little uncertain and did not get too close. Debbie and Greg's boys, Cory (graduated from high school last year) and Chad (in high school), joined us for dinner and then we all went swimming. Ryan jumped in the water time and time again like he has done before, but Lydia and Emily joined in feet first! I have always been very comfortable in the water and a pretty strong swimmer. I hoped my children would enjoy the water and be strong swimmers themselves. We are planning on signing them up for swimming lessons, but are showing them things on our own at this point. Emily was jumping in the water over and over, jumping higher and higher each time she would jump. The first time she went under she swallowed some water, but after that first time she held her breath and did such a great job! We were so proud of her!! After finishing off the evening of great fun and fellowship, we shared a watermelon dried off and headed home. The kids passed out on the way home. It was a great time! Thank you Debbie and Greg!