City Meet.

A few weeks ago the boys wrapped up their summer swim team season by competing in the All-City meet.  There were teams from 5 different places within the city all competing against one another.  We had the opportunity to submit finish times ahead of the meet to the swimmers were seated in the appropriate heat.  It reminded me almost of my old track days.  

The meet happen to be at the pool the greatest distance away from our house and the kids had to be there by 6 am to warm up which meant we had to leave our house at 5:30 am on a Saturday.  Let's just say I think mom should get extra kudos for getting up and out of the house that early to go sit near a pool.  

The boys got there and started warming up.

I can't believe just how big they are now.  

The boys were seated in the fast heat for almost all of their races.  Michael swam first and he did the backstroke first.  He finished 3rd! 

We were so excited for him as he was swimming in the 11-12 heat and being on the younger side of 11, he did a great job.

Of all the activities that happened that day at the pool, I told Michael the thing I was most excited about and proud of was about how he carried himself and showed true kindness and friendship to two other boys on their team.  These two much older boys clearly admire and look up to Michael.  Both of them, at several meets earlier in the season would come up to Michael each time and give him a big hug.  Michael would ask them how they did at their race and tell them congrats.  On this particular meet, the boys each brought their towels over and sat next to him on the ground.  Michael would ask them questions and then when the one boy finished 3rd in his race and had a medal similar to Michael, he said, "I got a medal like you Michael."  

I told Michael the kindness, friendship and love he showed those boys made me more proud than any place in a race.  For that kindness is way more important than all the medals in the world.

Michael was getting ready for his other races

Here he is getting ready to get out of the pool.  

Next up it was Gabriel's turn to race

Gabriel is smack dam in the middle. To the right of the kid as you look at the picture, in the green cap.

Here are some videos of their races.  Sorry not sure what order they are in. 

All in all, it was a very good day at the pool.  Gabriel ended up finishing 1st in all three of his races!

While he has a long way to go to catch up with Michael Phelps, I think he's caught the swimming bug. 

Here they were at home after the day at the pool  Why Gabriel's wearing a sweatshirt I have no idea.  It was probably 110 outside when I took this picture.  I told him I could have soaked a sweatshirt with all the sweating I did that morning watching them swim.

Being in swimming in the summer in Arizona is perfect if you are the swimmer.  The spectator not so much.  

Oh the things we do for our kids.

So proud of the boys.  Next up is baseball again.  It feels like it never ended for some reason.. maybe that's because it never really did!

Until next time,

Angie 

New Do!

School starts this week and Isabelle decided since she's starting first grade she needed to change things up.  So she decided to try a shorter, much shorter hair style!

Here are some pictures of her before we cut her hair!

This is high pig tails and then braids.  It was a much easier way to keep her hair from getting all tangled.

Here her hair was almost down to her butt.  

And here is how her hair almost always was.  A tangled mess.  

So it was time for a change.  She was excited, mom was a bit nervous as I love her long thick, naturally highlighted hair. 

I cut off about 9 inches!

And this is what it looked like when we were done!

Can you tell she liked it?!?!?!

 Here is just a little bit of the hair on the floor.

Here's the other pile!

And here is is all washed, dried and styled!

With her new glasses and her new style, I think she's ready to begin 5th, oops I mean 1st grade.

Doesn't it make her look so much older?

Yep she's excited!  

Now only a few more days and we'll be sending her off to her first day of first grade!

Until next time,

Angie

George W. Bush Presidential Center & Wrap up

On our final morning in Dallas we  used the last of our tickets from the City Pass book we purchased and went to the George W Bush Library at Southern Methodist University.  

After we finally found what door to enter in (if you saw my previous post you saw Madelyn knocking) we were surprised to learn that it was George W. Bush's birthday that day so we all got a hat!

The library turned out to be very interesting and was much bigger than we expected.  

There  was a whole section on education as it was a big push during the Bush presidency with No Child Left Behind.  

The girls loved the school bus to play in.

And there was also a  large section of the library dedicated to the events of 9/11.  It was so interesting for Jarrett and I as we still remember the emotions of that day so clearly.  But what I also found to my surprise is that the boys found that section moving as  well. 

Gabriel is touching the beams that were removed from the twin towers after they collapsed.

They told us they could touch them and as the kids reached out to put their fingerprints on them, I wondered how many others who are no longer with us were a part of the rubble of that tragic day.  

Here Gabriel and I were reading the notes of the speech President Bush shared with the American people after the attack.  

It was a very moving part of the museum.

Other aspects of the library that I enjoyed was seeing the gowns Laura wore

And this is when Gabriel took my phone.  Can you guess why he took this picture?

This is one of 20 pictures of sports balls.

Another very cool part of the library was a room that is a replica of the oval office.  It was SO neat to see as we've never been to Washington DC and will probably never see the actual oval office (I guess who knows, maybe and never say never, but maybe never)

So we decided we should take our picture behind the Resolute Desk.

Doesn't it look like the real thing?

Meanwhile, this is how Madelyn enjoyed the museum!

The brand on the ceiling in the oval office.

Michael was not afraid at all to jump in the seat.  As I took his picture I thought, what if he actually sits in the real desk in 40 or so years?  Wouldn't that be crazy? 

Not sure who Michael was calling but so neat to get this shot!

Then there is a section that resembles the Rose Garden.  This picture for some reason made me think of President Kennedy and what it must have been like for his family when he was in the White House.

On the opposite side of this view was the view below.

Gabriel started taking pictures and I love how these next ones came together.  

First Jarrett and I with Madelyn just about ready to join us.

Then....

And then Isabelle joined in...

and then Michael 

and Gabriel.  

For some reason I just love that picture of him with us in the background.  Makes  me feel blessed with the family I have.

Before  getting ready to leave  the library we took a few final photos of some of our favorite things we saw...

Look at those cowboy boots!

I look at  this and can't help but think those three are a part of our future...

So lucky to be their mom.

Before we left we had to take one  final family photo to see if we could capture at least one picture where we were all looking.
How do you think we did? 

Nope not that one.  How about this one?

About as good as we got!  Look at how perfect that sky is in this photo.

After we left we loaded up, ran through the gas station to fill up and started our 15 hour trip back home.  

As we headed back toward  home, we reflected on all the memories we had created.  It was so nice to spend time as a family, to visit Darold and Barb and their family and to create moments that we

 can cherish forever.

Here are a few of our favorite photos from all the fun we had.    

Okay maybe we did get one good family picture.  But it sure wasn't easy!

We look forward to our future vacations as this one was such a great time and a reminder that really it doesn't matter what we are doing, as long as we can be together, that is what makes the trip the most memorable.

Until next time,
Angie