Same, but different

Remember this? This was Christmas Eve '07 at about 10:30pm. We were headed back to the hotel after a long day of family Christmas get-togethers and all Kabe really wanted was to swim in the pool.


Jump ahead to last week. Yeah, yeah, I know he's awake. But he'd still wear these things all the time if I'd let him...and I probably would except he pushes them against his eyes because he likes purple eye hickeys. And yes, we were actually on our way to swim lessons.


He is really enjoying his swim lessons this round. He's working on the breast stroke, which is sort of technical and difficult. I think he's up for the challenge. Here he is working on the stroke with his instructor, Sammy.

A full weekend

Last weekend, on Saturday evening, we attended
Andrew and Laura's wedding (pictures courtesy of jeremy fenelon image design- link). Laura and her mom are so crafty, they took care of so many details of this beautiful wedding themselves. They even made the cakes! This was truly the most relaxed wedding reception ever. Congratulations to Andrew & Laura - a beautiful couple! God has great things in store for you two!





On Sunday we had a swimming party with some friends. It was a beautiful day...not too hot or too cool. Kevin was on hand with his massage table, selflessly giving massages to all of us with weary muscles. Here he is with Kay.

Kevin is an OT and in addition to that, just graduated from massage school last weekend. Congratulations Kevin!

An Update!

Are you enjoying the last few days of summer? I can remember a time (not too far back...) when I would hear my grandma, mom, or one of my aunts refer to time passing so quickly and I would chuckle and not really understand what they were talking about. But here it is, August, a week before school begins again, when school just got out for the summer. Here I am, sitting in the seat of 'Where did the summer go?', smiling as I think of my grandma, mom or aunts and of course, thinking 'Hmmm. Guess they weren't that old!' =)

I don't know about you, but I love, love LOVE the Olympics. Winter Olympics. Summer Olympics. Diving, Swimming, Gymnastics, Kayaking, Springboard, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, Basketball, Synchronized Swimming (I know... this really gets to some of you, huh?...you KNOW who you are! =) We've got the DVR set to tape so that each night we can watch stuff that's gone on all day long and then catch up. Of course, I do fast-forward through quite a bit and miss a good deal of the chit chat. It's probably a really good thing it's only two weeks long! As noted earlier, I have been knitting while I watch as well, so at least it's not entirely unproductive... and of course, I am rooting on the Americans. =) Do you watch? What's your favorite sport or do you just go crazy and watch it all too?

Kabe's swimming lessons are finally over for the summer. The lessons this year focused so much more on technique rather than just the physical movement. He found this rather difficult at first.





The most difficult part for him was re-training his arms, but by the end of summer, he figured out that by using the new technique he could swim farther and faster.





After he finished his last lesson there was still a little time left before he moved on to diving off the board so he got to play a little water basketball.









He even figured out how to dunk a few! Swimming ended on a high note and Kabe can't wait for the next round of lessons...whenever that may be!

Sunday

Sunday was the much anticipated baseball cookout and swimming party, hosted by the baseball coach and his family.

The kids had a blast in the pool. Felicia & Courtney led the boys in the water wars. This is Kabe and Courtney.

Kabe & Courtney matching up against Kyler & Felicia.


Here is Kabe & Felicia against Mason & Courtney.



There were even snow cones available. Yum!

You know it's summer when...

Baseball is almost over - it's time for tournament play. Every day when we come home the street is full of kids - most of whom live on our street although we're just this summer realizing it. As soon as we get in the drive, if Kabe doesn't go outside to play right away, the boys are ringing our doorbell to see if he can ride his bike or swim. Kabe is so dark he doesn't look like he couldn't possibly be genetically related his father. Swimming lessons are in full swing. It's almost time for Vacation Bible School. Kids are headed to church camp every week. Mosquitoes are out. It smells like charcoal and cut grass a lot of the time in our neighborhood. Two of my favorite smells.

Tuesday night Kabe I got a few pics at Kabe's baseball game. He's a pretty good hitter, but as the year has progressed, so have the catching and throwing skills of the opponents. He actually got to run with this hit.


And even made it home.


Take a look at this determined run to the dugout. It doesn't even look like my boy!


Here he is waiting in the outfield.





Kabe is also in swimming lessons twice a week. Here he is with his instructor, Lisa. She's going over proper arm movement with him.



At the end of lessons each session the kids get to jump off the board as long as they swim to the side using the proper skills they've just worked on. Kabe opted to do a cannon ball, just like Muncher taught him.


He's going to be eight soon. He really is growing up!