Summer Swim League '08

It's started already! The kids had their first summer league meet this weekend - loads of fun! Both of them are enjoying just swimming on this team this summer - no year-round swimming until August. There are so many friends from the neighborhood and school on the team. Tom is helping out with starts and I'm judging strokes and turns. It makes the time go by quickly and we are on the front lines to watch every race. Of course, it also gets very hot! I love these pictures of the kids diving in. Enjoy!

Summer's here!

My parents came to visit last weekend - the HOTTEST of the summer so far. It was very nice to have them here, especially since it was my Mom's 68th birthday and their 45 wedding anniversary. I do think we wore them out a bit, especially on Sunday when we went hiking. We probably should have just gone to the pool to keep cool.

Daniel enjoyed having Grandma help him figure out the abacus they bought him in China last year.

Granddaddy loved spending time with Mia!

On our hike, we saw a ton of mountain laurel in full bloom. The trail was surrounded!

45 years and counting! Lookin' good! :)

Invention Convention

Clare and Daniel participate in the Discovery gifted and talented program at their school. It's a great program that they both love because of the many cool activities they get to do. Every year there is a project that they present to their parents. This year, the theme was inventions. Clare wrote a book about toy inventions (all on her own, hallelujah!) and Daniel did a Rube Goldberg invention (with a little help!) Can I tell you that I was about to scream by the time this project was finished? I think I did scream at one point! I know Tom was about to as well! Just to let you know - we didn't actually DO this project . I'm not a parent that does their kids' projects (I've seen plenty of them and Clare has always complained that I didn't help her enough!) Daniel had the ideas, we just helped it along so that the invention actually worked! I do know that we spent WAY too much time working on it with Daniel. Anyway, I was VERY glad it was all over. Enjoy the pictures!

Here's the 3rd grade group checking out the chocolate bar they were awarded.

Daniel had just gotten back from trying out for a soccer team. His legs were definitely the prettiest up there! You can't see the worst of the scrapes on his knees!

The 5th grade group. Clare is REALLY excited about the chocolate bar!

Clare and her buddies, Katie and Ally. Unfortunately, because of crazy county zoning, they will be attending different schools next year.

Daniel and his "Scoring Machine."

Daniel after eating the ENTIRE chocolate bar! :)

Clare's visual representation of herself and her book, "Toy Stories."

Clare and another good friend, Sara. They'll be together next year! :)