Swim Team 2014

Rachel really enjoyed the swim team this year. She greatly improved on her times in several strokes. She started doing breast stroke and butterfly this year. It seemed be a more chaotic season but she loved it. Last night was the last meet of the season and tonight was the banquet. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks.

Jackson liked trying on her cap.

Rachel and Bella.

Showing off his muscles...

Rachel and Kendall.

Waiting to jump in for her relay part.

The group of 7-8s with their medals.

Until next season...

Father's Day, etc.

I'm trying to catch up on my blogging...it's been a busy summer for us so far this year-  we knew it would be. 

Here are a few pictures we got on Father's Day.

Some of you know we've been having trouble getting Jackson to go to sleep at night, or stay in his room when he goes to bed, or for a while he was waking up before 6:00 each morning...We finally decided to cut back on his daily naps. It's taken a while but it has helped. If he does get a nap, we don't let him sleep longer than an hour, sometimes he doesn't get a nap at all.  Some days when he doesn't get a nap, he gets so tired and falls asleep on his own around 5 our so in the afternoons...

 This particular Sunday afternoon, we had gone to the playground and the pool...he was wiped out and fell asleep on me. I can't remember the last time I've had a kid fall asleep on my lap...so sweet.

At the playground...

 
 He found his Cookie Monster outfit from Halloween and decided he wanted to wear it for a while...

 We participated in the neighborhood garage sale last week.  Rachel really wanted to help.  She sat outside with Michael and helped the whole time.  She decided to get out her bracelet set and make bracelets for people to buy.  She made a sign with the price (50 cents each) and for water. She asked each person that came up if they'd like a bracelet or a bottle of water. She did really well and even made a few dollars!

 Jackson's school now has a splash park at it and they had a little party last weekend. The kids had a good time.

Beach Vacation 2014

We were lucky enough to tag along on a work trip for Michael this week - to Amelia Island, FL.  We added on another day and enjoyed a few days at the beach.  It was me with the kids mostly the first few days and that was exhausting...of course we had our share of issues, but overall, it was a great trip.  The kids got up early each morning and went to bed late each night and didn't nap - so they were exhausted as well.  We had lots of time on the beach and in the pool - they loved both!  The weather held out for us - one night of storms and one cloudy afternoon but overall, it was beautiful. We also saw a lot of critters on this trip... we saw several rabbits on the grass behind our room each day, we saw two crabs on the beach, two dead jelly fish, dolphins somewhat jumping in the ocean, and a tortoise outside our room one day. I feel like we took SO many pictures... I'll try not to share all of them... 

We actually left Wednesday afternoon and drove to Savannah.  We spent the evening walking around and eating dinner before staying there overnight.  Then we drove the rest of the way Thursday morning.

My company built the building below and I've never been there in person before - until now. 

They enjoyed watching the river and the boats going by.

Now at the beach.

Ready to get at it!

Morning visit to a playground...

They loved running out of the waves.

Enjoying some lemon water at the pool.

Mommy's wasn't lemon water...but I did enjoy it!

Silly...

 Stylish...

Out to dinner on the ocean.

Jackson liked playing in the sand and being buried!  Daddy was much better at both parts!

Our dinner plans got messed up one evening and it made us much later... we came in the room to find Jackson sound asleep on the bed... this is something that never happens with our kids...

We tried to take some pictures the last night of just us (today is our 13th anniversary, by the way) - so the kids took the pictures.  Jackson took this one with my phone - turned out better than the ones with the big camera that Rachel was taking.  Even got the rainbow in the background!  

Jackson in the air with the moon.

The villa where we stayed.  We were on the ground floor - which made it really easy when we wanted to go out to the beach but I like being higher so I can sit out on the balcony and watch everything.  We could see the ocean but not the shore.

Here's the view - eating breakfast out there one morning.

And the sunrise on our last morning... I was awake early enough to get it.

I think that's enough... It really was a good trip.  Maybe we can do it again sometime.  The kids had a great time.