Another Year of Swimming Lessons at the Round House

HD spent a week at the round house with Nanny and Papa, so we thought it was only fair that JP spent a week with them as well. I was a little nervous about leaving him there for a week, but he did fine. Nanny said he was really quiet, and didn't talk much. We FaceTimed a few times and even then he didn't say much, but when Ms. Gail, HD, and I returned the following Sunday, he was SO excited to see everyone. I think HD and JP really missed each other!

The four of us stayed for the rest of the week to do swimming lessons. (I stuck around so I could quilt a blanket I made for a co-worker!) 

 HD and JP had lessons together and both passed level 2, but they aren't strong enough swimmers to be in level 3 because they can't quite make it across the deep end yet. We're going to work on that this fall/winter. 

Ms. Gail wasn't quite tall enough for lessons on her own, so we took the Little Tikes class and she did amazing! She's a fish! I've taken her to the hotel to swim a few times, but she's always had her lifejacket on and would just float around, so I was surprised as to how comfortable she was swimming under the water. She'd jump in the pool and swim to me from 10-15 ft away without coming up for air first. Obviously she passed!

 We made a trip to Rudyard to see the dinosaur museum and the rest of place. The kids really enjoyed the old school house.

 JP even played a little number on his Great-Great-Grandma and Grandpa's piano (the one I was named after!)

 JP went to the dinosaur museum with Nanny the week before so he already "knew everything there was to know" about the museum. The kids even held a dinosaur bone, with Nanny's help!

 Ms. Gail wasn't too impressed with the museum. I think the dinos were a little to big and scary for her!

 We also wandered though the main museum and checked out the Canadian washing machine Nanny donated that was her Grandma's.

 As well as the sewing machine she donated as well. JP was really excited to show this to us!

 We also spent one windy morning flying HD's kite. I bought the kids kites a while ago, but it's never windy enough at home to fly them. The farm however... Ms. Gail took a turn flying HD's kite, and then immediately let go after I took this picture. I'm sure it would have been fun to watch Nanny and I sprint after it...

 HD was the one wanting to fly his kite, but one he did, he was over it. (It did take us a while to get it in the air...)

 JP seemed to enjoy it a little more. But not much more.

 I'm not sure we would have been able to fly it if Nanny wasn't around helping! Hahaha!

One night HD left me this note on his bedroom door. I went in and searched his room for him anyways. Turns out he wasn't even in there! He went down the hall and was sleeping with JP! Those two...

And one more blurb about the round house that needs mentioning - One morning early on in the week, Ms. Gail and I were heading out the door to go to swimming lessons, when she looks over to the bunkhouse where all the kitties usually are and says, "Oh mom! Look at all the kitties!" I look over to the bunkhouse to see not 1, not 2, not 3, but EIGHT (give or take) skunks running past! The rest of the week we were paranoid about the kids accidentally running into one. By the end of the week, the yard just smelled like skunk. Yum... I think they're down to two left. Glad it's them and not me! Hahaha!

Swimming Lessons in Hingham

Summer must be here because swimming lessons have started!

At the beginning of May, Perry and I took the boys swimming and discovered they both have come to enjoy playing in bodies of water bigger than the bathtub. Due to that it was time they started taking swimming lessons. Although it would have been much more convenient for me to take them to lessons here, I instead took them to Hingham for the week. 

 Hunter was very anxious for swimming lesson. Even though he knew we were going to visit Nanny and Papa, he was convinced lessons were going to be at the hotel.

 On the second day of lessons, he discovered goggles. I'm pretty sure he thinks they are the greatest thing ever invented! 

 I was a little worried about JP, but he showed me! As soon as it was time for their lesson to begin on the the first day, he skipped the ladder and jumped right in. He was completely submerged in water and popped right up out of the water like a spring, with his eyes wide open. He clearly didn't know that was going to happen, but he hopped right back out of the pool only to jump in again. 

 He LOVED jumping in! That's all he wanted to do! By the last day, he was practicing his "dives" by sitting on the edge and then diving into the pool. It was more like a belly flop though...

Hunter loved playing with the rings. (I'm pretty sure some of them are the same ones I had played with when I was young...) He would throw them in and then retrieve them. At the beginning of the week, he would use his feet to pick them up, but by the end of the week, he was holding his breath to swim down to pick them up. I was so impressed with what he accomplished in a week!

Depending on what's going on in July, I might bring them back for the second session.

Here's a little video of the boys jumping in. Enjoy! :)

A Family Trip to the Pool

I can't believe I haven't shared what fun we all had swimming...a month ago! For those of you who know my boys, they have hated water, other than their bath, since creation. It was a hard pill to swallow since I worked at a hotel with a sweet water park for their entire lives. And to think I was blessed with little kids that wanted nothing to do with it. Go figure!

Last December a good friend of mine came to visit. Her son (who loves water) and Hunter had a little play date in the water park. With a little hesitation, Hunter eventually got in. Ultimately I think after seeing how much fun her son was having in the water, Hunter quickly changed his mind...and ended up butt naked in the pool. I took my eyes off him for a second, and then I see these yellow shorts floating in the kiddie pool and I knew instantly they were his... Of course it had to be my kid who was found skinny dipping in the pool... He was having so much fun though!

Anyways, since he had that *awesome* experience with the pool, he wanted to go back. Every Monday night we were too exhausted or he was too cranky, or there was something going on at the hotel that prevented us from going. Finally I made the executive decision that we were going to take both the boys, regardless of how tired we were or cranky they were. Good thing I did, because we had a little battle trying to eat dinner that night.

 When we arrived at the hotel, both boys were excited to go swimming, but after going down the frog slide once, JP had enough and sat on the edge of the pool watching Hunter.

 Hunter jumped in quickly and was all over the place. 

  JP played squirt guns with dad for a little while. He was pretty content doing only that.

 Of course they remembered the "hot pool" and had to try it out...even though they are too young for it. I even broke the rules and soaked for a while. Boy did that feel good on my back! I was...36 weeks in this photo, I think...

 After relaxing in the hot tub, we made our way back to the kiddie pool, and they boys had a "friend" join them. (Every kid their age is their friend.) He and Hunter did a lot of running around together. Perry even saved this kids' life when he and Hunter ran over to the big pool. He jumped in and luckily Perry was there to pull him out because his mom didn't see him escape from the kiddie pool. Before we left, they came over to thank Perry again and Hunter ran up to him and gave him a big hug. Very concerned like, Hunter asked if he was okay and then gave him a big kiss on the cheek. All without our prompting. I was very proud of his actions!

 Meanwhile... JP became super brave and started jumping in the kiddie pool, and then didn't want to get out! Turns out he really does like the water! WooHoo! Mission accomplished!

Aren't they so cute in their matching jammies? Aunt Erin and Uncle Cameron gave them these oneies and I love when they wear them! I'm excited for when all three kids have matching jammies :)