Swimming Lesson Joy

One of Brannon's very favorite activities is swimming lessons. It all started with Grandma Karen Really wanting her boys to have swimming lessons for safety reasons. Now Brannon chooses the lessons every summer:) He LOVES it, it's so fun to watch him!!

He really struggled with his backstroke when he first started doing it. He'd always kick water in his face. He'd stop over and over again on his way across the pool. Sometimes he'd cry. But he kept at it, this boy who would much rather quit anything that frustrating.
He dives beautifully...

:)


Teacher love

Happy boy

Workin' hard!

Graduating from his second lesson this summer

And on to a third (the first year he's ever made it through more than 1 1/2 two week lessons without getting sick for so long he had to quit until next year!!)

Myrna would have the other kids watch him dive as an example and boy did he love that!

He also made friends with a six-yr-old girl in his class and taught her how to do a few things while they played together. He was very proud of himself and pleased to have won a friend so quickly :)



On the second to last day of every lesson there is "life saving day" where they all jump in the pool with their clothes on and learn what it feels like to float with extra weight...

When they're littler they then jump in with life jackets on and practice grabbing the hand or ankle of another kid until they are all linked together. This year though the bigger kids practiced...

How to save someones life without endangering your own...

If you accidentally let go of your article of clothing while tossing it you slip into the pool, hang on tight to the side and offer your legs to the struggling person

And, after a successful stint at life-saving practice you get to race your water "ponies" across the pool

The only time you are expected to keep your face out of the water...

Swimming stars:)

I'm so proud of you Brannon! I loved watching your confidence grow this year. I'm especially proud of you for overcoming a difficulty and continuing through frustration (and your back stroke improved tremendously). I appreciated, as always, your kindness and patience with someone younger and less able than yourself. And I so enjoyed your joy! I love you Son! Great job:)

Swimming lessons

Every afternoon this week has crawled by as if coated in sticky slime, leaving a trail like the misguided slugs munching the struggling cabbage in my garden. The culprit is the cold virus oozing its way through my system, reducing me to a disgruntled couch potato.

The bright spot in our day is my youngest son's swimming lesson at 5:30. It seems like we stare at the clock from the time we get up from nap at 3:00 until we get dressed in our swim stuff at 5:00. As soon as we exit our vehicle at the site of the lesson my four-year-old is transformed from sleepy-eyed to animated. He skips gleefully through the parking area to the pool. He is, as usual "hyper" throughout the lesson and struggles to wait patiently for his turn to participate.

The blissful look on his face as he floats in the water is heaven itself for this besotted mama:)

Here is a hat I made this week. I saw a picture of one and thought it was too cute, so I whipped one up for my little hat lover. My oldest has no interest in hats but he's hoping I'll make him some crocheted food pretty soon. We'll see how it goes, I'll post pics if I finish anything.