Sensing a pattern here?

My days pretty much consist of living at the pool (at least partly). Theo is still progressing with his swim lessons. His instructor asked if he was laid back (Why, yes, what makes you ask ;)) because she really has to work hard to get him to kick his legs. Ha! He just wants to float (or sink since he isn't wearing a floatie) like he always has.

Today we went to my friend Julie's house. She has a pool and my friend Connie was there with her 2 boys (they are neighbors). The kids all had a great time and ravaged a pan of brownies that Connie made. The kids and I are all getting nice and tanned from all of this time outside :)

Baby pool buddies

Theo hangs out in the baby pool with the other swim team siblings while team practice is going on. I got him a bucket (yellow naturally) to keep him occupied and this is how he was using it this morning. I had to chuckle at him! He and the other little boy were playing Star Wars with the water sprayers :) Too funny!

Work before play

We love the relaxed pace of summer and not having any place to be before swim team practice each morning. I try and get Jack to do his phonics on the computer before we leave but sometimes that doesn't happen. This morning Jack started reading a Froggy book to Theo (that I've been reading to them for the past couple of nights) and it was so sweet. These two boys, I swear..... they melt my heart sometimes!

We have an hour to kill between when Jack's swim practice ends and Theo's swim lessons begin so I packed up some workbooks for the boys today. We're at the pool for a solid 3 hours so might as well get it knocked out :) A passing mom asked if I was a teacher. Ha ha, no, just "Tiger" mom ;) Just kidding of course. I'm not making them do anything my mom didn't make me do on my summers off. We do tons of playing and crafty things as well so don't pity poor Jack and Theo.

Theo starts to swim

Today marked the first time that Theo has even been in a pool without some type of floatation device ;) He started private swim lessons with Ms. Kirsty at the pool that Jack's swim team practices. Theo (who we joke is the only kid ever at a pool with dry hair) willingly put his face under water and held his breath with ease. He loves wearing goggles and followed directions well. He's a little too laid back with kicking right now but I'm sure he'll get there soon :) Go Theo!

Swim date

Jack's Kindergarten teacher from public school invited us over to swim in her pool this morning and we were thrilled to see her again. Her nephew was over visiting so he and Jack had fun diving and swimming together. It was like no time was lost at all with Mrs. Waldrip. We all three enjoyed the visit and now Theo is passed out from 4 solid hours of swimming (swim team this morning with Jack). You can tell Jack was tired too when I took this picture :)

Scrabble anyone?

Mimi drove over on Thursday for a weekend visit and to take over Jack/Theo duty from Gigi and Dada. We got home late Friday night and were thankful that Mimi was on duty Saturday morning :) Here's a cute picture from this morning before Mimi left to make the drive back. She's the principal of her school's summer school and has one week left before she and Papa leave for Italy!! We're so excited for them.

I've been obsessed with Words With Friends since I got my iPhone in December and Jack has been bitten by the bug recently :) He's been playing a game with his former Kindergarten teacher on my phone and just loves it! We went ahead and got Scrabble yesterday when Mimi was here and the game got pretty confusing for poor Jack (especially when the board fills up). We played just one-on-one this morning after Mimi left and it was much better. We helped each other form words and score our totals. Jack does a fair job at coming up with simple words but I guided him on making them more complex and on placement for maximum point value! Dave brought out the dictionary for us when we questioned some words and then Jack totally wanted to look up each word before we played. I'm so glad he's loving this game because it's really bringing the skills he's learning from the phonics program to life! Ultimate Phonics has been really great, although not fun, at teaching Jack how to attack blends.

Shelley's pictures

Shelley and I met back in Estes Park four years ago when the wives were brought in for the sales meeting. She posted these pictures to Facebook and I wanted to share them here. Steve and Shelley went to the top of the mountain and snapped these pics. I had to share the continental divide picture (Hi Steve and Shelley!) so y'all can read the sign they posed near. So cool!!

Art Camp

Theo went to Lake Castle's art camp this week to get accustomed to the school. He'll be going there with Jack this Fall. Theo had a great time and made tons of neat projects. Best of all, he feels comfortable at his new school and met a friend that will be in his class :)

2nd swim meet

Jack had his 2nd swim meet on Friday while we were in Colorado. Mimi and Gigi both rooted him on and switched off to take Theo to art camp (the swim meet started at 7 am). Jack got 2 first place ribbons for freestyle and back stroke and then a personal best for freestyle. Go Jack!!!

Grand Lake Lodge

Dave had a sales meeting for one of the manufacturers in Grand Lake, CO this past week. The wives were invited for this meeting (last time wives came was back in Estes Park, CO four years ago) and the company put everyone up at the Grand Lake Lodge. The Lodge just reopened after being closed for a few years so everything was newly updated. We were up in the Rocky Mountains and really had just the most breathtaking views you could ever imagine. The Lodge had a sweeping front porch with swings and a huge fire pit inside with more swings. Christy and I shared coffee one morning on the front porch and just soaked in the scenery. The temperatures dipped down in to the 30's and 40's at night so you can imagine that it was a bit chilly that morning on the porch :)

The cabins we all stayed in were definitely no-frill (no tv, closet, clock or luggage stand) but were updated and clean. We all were out of breath just walking up the walkway to our cabins each day due to the altitude (around 9000 ft). Definitely a change from sea level here in Louisiana!!

The Lodge originally opened in 1920 and they displayed the old cars from back then. We rented an economy car and sported around town in a Kia Soul. It naturally was a running joke between us all (the commercials for the Soul feature the dancing hamsters). That Soul did right by us and was a good little car though :)

I snapped some views just from the edge of the Lodge before we left yesterday. There was still snow on the mountain tops and it had snowed the day prior to our arrival as well! It was fun getting to wear sweaters and my Northface jacket in a time of year that is strictly tank tops and shorts here :)

A huge thank you to Gigi, Dada and Mimi for holding down the fort here in Mandeville and shepherding the boys to swim practice and art camp for us. Dave and I really enjoyed this trip and couldn't have done it without y'all!!

ATV

Jerry, Christy, Dave and I all rented ATVs on our last day in Grand Lake. I had never even been a passenger on one before so it was a real experience for me! We followed a trail in the mountains and enjoyed the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. We did lose our trail at one point and ended up on a pretty advanced path which frightened us all. I drove my ATV in to a tree (didn't wreck it, just pulled off the trail) and had to get Dave to turn me around and drive my ATV down that path. It was uneven and steep and just way too advanced for my liking! I'll stick to flat ground for my next ATV ride, thankyouverymuch.

People on our trip

Since Dave and his family all pretty much work together we had the pleasure of having some of my favorite people at the lodge with us! "Aunt" Kit and "cousin" Christy were my partners in crime for 4 days :) We ate breakfast together, shopped in town and ate meals together. We posed for pictures in front of the rapids of the Colorado river. Christy and I also had to stick our heads in the precious gingerbread men in front of a candy store. Aren't they just too cute??

We also visited the log cabin of the President of the company and that was super neat! I love log cabins and really enjoyed seeing the inside (sorry no pics) and the rustic decorations.

Grand Lake scenery

Here is the gorgeous scenery that I captured in town, outlooking the lodge, driving up in the mountains and riding around in the ATV. The Rocky Mountain National Park bordered our lodge and we saw moose all the time! I never saw any other wildlife but there was a black bear that employees had seen recently and deer around. The views were breathtaking!!!