My Fishie

For the past couple of years, we have taken swimming lessons in Montgomery.  I think it was 20 dollars, and I would swim with Alex.  This year due to remodeling and some confusion on my part, we did not get signed up for swimming in Montgomery.  Next best? New Prague.  Alex loved being outside to swim!

Everyday the kids started in a circle time before getting in the pool.  The class was only 50 minutes in length, but they were mostly done within 30-40 minutes.  Alex almost always enjoyed staying in the pool to swim after the teachers left.

After circle time, they moved onto exercises.  My sweet little boy thought he was supposed to face the class and not the teachers.  So, here he is "teaching" his peers the exercises.  He always did the exercises smaller.  I don't think he realized it until I asked him to practice with me two nights into swimming lessons.  He had just been moving his hands in circles instead of his whole arms.  He and I laughed for a good five minutes about this.  He is so innocent.

Aiden was such a trooper!  He went with me everyday and the days he did not sit in the stroller, he would sit by me, play with his cars, enjoy a snack or he really enjoyed playing with another little boy (Wes) whose brother was in Alex's class also.  They would move the car back and forth amongst each other laughing and seeing who could get it farther.  I was very impressed with their "conversational" skills.

Here are the kids practicing their kicks and playing the hide-and-seek game with the rings...

On the third day, the kids finally got to go into the 'big' pool and my little fishie was sooo excited!  I mean jumping up and down excited.

When prompted, he jumped right in...

Alex and his new buddy, Brady, chatting it up and waiting for their turn very patiently.

A few days later, they were able to try out the diving board and guess who was first in line? Yep, my fishie. And, I don't think the teacher in the water knew what to expect...

My little fishie loved his swimming lessons and was so excited to go each day.  Although it wasn't the most structured swimming lessons, they are three years old and like I said, my fishie loved it.  He also really enjoyed his teachers, learning to scoop the ice cream, jump off the diving board, plug his nose, and swim independently (which he did very well at!).  They even got certificates at the end.  Alex cried almost the whole way out because he accidentally tore the certificate. When we got home, we got out the magic tape and it was better than new!

 Andy had the whole week off and was able to come with to see Alex swim.  Alex could not have been more proud or excited that his Daddy was there.  After his last lesson, Daddy took us all out to a local bakery for some late morning lunch. 

I could not be more proud of my little fishie.  He has the ability to make new friends in an instant, jump into new activities without hesitation and not give up when things get difficult.  He is a trooper and I love him for it!

Daddy's on Vaca!

My husband is the hardest working man I know.  He works for our family and never blinks an eye  about it.  He misses out on a lot during the summer when I am home with the boys and I know that is hard for him.  He loves his family time and now we can a whole week of it! 

On Saturday we headed over to the Faribault Aquatic Center.  It is really cheap if you go after 5 pm.  It turned out to be the perfect day to go because the Rice County Fair was going on, so besides us there were about 10 other people at the water park.

My fishie loves his water.  He is fearless.  He would run away from us if we let him get that far.  He loved all the slides, but really enjoyed the kiddie one he could go down by himself.  Aiden is a bit more timid in the water.  He warmed up to the water pretty fast, but he had to really get used to being in it at first.  He went down the big slide and loved it too!

We had a blast in the pool for a couple of hours!

We went with our neighbors and friends, the Gibson's and had a great time!

The kids enjoyed some snacks during the pool breaks.

After leaving the pool we headed across the parking lot to the Rice County Fair.  We each got to pick something for supper.  Alex and Aiden shared a Root Beer Float and they each got half a hot dog.  Andy chose corn on the cob, which Alex ate most of and Andy and I shared a gyro.

Andy had promised Alex a camping night, so when we got home we quickly set up the tent and had a fire.  The boys each enjoyed some s'more.  Okay, Alex enjoyed the s'more and Aiden wanted nothing to do with it.  But, they each enjoyed adding their "layer" of the s'more and watching the fire.  I was impressed with how well they sat by the fire and relaxed.

Aiden got tired and started not feeling well.  Actually really fast.  I took his temperature and he spiked up to 102.  I called the nurse at our doctor's office and gave him lots of water and some medicine.  He woke up in the morning with a normal temperature.  Thank God!  So, Aiden and I went to bed (in the house) and Alex and Andy continued the fun outside.  I popped out for some quick pictures of course.

Alex was very excited...at first.  He laid in the tent with Andy for a little over an hour.  At about midnight, he had enough.  Andy said it was very hot and humid.  They enjoyed looking at the sky and talking, but it was time for bed.  Those of you who say, the later they stay up the later they get up are dead wrong!  Both of the boys were wide awake at 6:30 AM.

About midday Sunday we headed out to the MN Zoo.  One of Andy's favorite things to do with the family.   But, it was so hot we didn't make it long.  Oddly enough, the moose were out today.  They are never out when we are there.  The boys were pretty excited.  We spent most of our time here and...

At the splash pad where Alex had his swim trunks and was all about the water.  Aiden was about ready to take a nap...

We are so looking forward to more family fun to come this week...

Expect the Unexpected

Grandpa and Grandma Guse called one Sunday to see what was going on and came up for dinner and to catch up. The boys both took good naps and were ready to have a good time with their Grandparents.  Alex quickly talked them into Lincoln Logs. 

 

Andy grilled juicy lucy's and we had a nummy dinner...inside because it was so hot.  Alex really wanted to show Grandpa and Grandma his new pool and how well he could swim so we headed outside.  Grandpa and Grandma had no idea what was waiting for them...

We had a great time with two five gallon buckets full of waterballoons!

You were either team Grandma or team Grandpa.

Then the water guns came out...

The stand off...

We took Grandpa and Grandma down to the garden so we could show them all of our fresh vegetables.  The boys' favorite thing to pick is the peas and eat them out of the shell.

Thanks for coming Grandpa and Grandma, we had a great time!