Jane at gymnastics

Over the summer Jane told me she'd like to try gymnastics, so we signed her up and she started in the fall.

She LOVES it!

Yesterday was "camera day" when parents are allowed to come into the gym and take pictures. It was dark in there and she was moving quickly, so you'll have to excuse the "grainyness" of the pictures (I'm still hoping to get a fast lens one day.)

 Pay no attention to this "photobombing child" who was running for her turn!

 Handstands.

 I'd kind of like to do this myself -

bouncing down the length of the trampoline doing straddle jumps ...

... then landing in the giant foam pit.

Pivot turns on the beam.

Even as she falls, she smiles.

Handstands on the beam.

Looking at those long, lanky legs I realized that even though I am the shortest of my siblings - I must be a "carrier" of height because she definitely gets those from my side of the family!

Running

The cross country season has begun here and the meets (is that what you call them here - we always just called them races) are on Tuesday afternoons / evenings at the same time as Jacob & Jane have soccer practice.

I have to admit that I am wistful as they start and tend to look over longingly more than once. Last week I told the kids "I used to do that. Before I had you all, I was a runner but now I can't because of my knees." I've shared stories with them of my running days and they know that I really loved to run.

We left Jacob at practice and pulled out of the park to go get Emily from achievement days. The runners were all on the trail by the road out as we drove past.

I said "Jane, I would love it if you ran cross country one day."

She replied "I can't Mom, I'll be too busy taking care of animals." (She wants to be a vet.)

I told her "You don't have to wait to do it when you are an adult, you can run cross country when you are in high school." 

Then in a very condescending tone she said "Mom, I really don't think I'm going to have time to run ACROSS the country!"

I just love that spunky little girl!

The Day My Son Became a Republican.

Today went to sign the kids up for soccer. It was in the big park in our town, (where the dog park is) but other than going with Millie I hadn't really explored the area. The guy on the phone had told me that the rec department was "in the mansion."

He was not wrong.

(Internet photo's, sorry about the poor quality.)

As we walked up I said to Emily "Wow, I guess we found where all your wedding receptions can be." It really is just beautiful (these pics I found online do not do it justice.)

Anyway, as I filled out the soccer registration forms (3 times) the kids kind of bounced around and thumped up and down on the floor. I asked them several times to settle down when the lady at the desk said "It's OK, it's just us up here the rest of the building is empty." I asked what it was used for "Oh, weddings, Bar Mitvah's, corporate functions, filming."

Then she told me that the entire estate (which now has several soccer fields, the dog park, the town pool, two water towers, a retirement home, the High School, paddle tennis courts and 300 acres of woods, ponds, fields and trails) was donated to the town in 1967 and had been used as a private house until that time. I said "Wow, that's quite a donation." We finished our forms and headed out.

As we were driving away Emily asked "Why would someone ever donate that? If it was mine I would keep it." I explained to her that sometimes even if the land is owned heirs of an estate can't afford to pay the property taxes or upkeep of a place like that. So they donate it instead.

Jacob (who usually does not pay attention to anything I say) asked what "property taxes" were. I explained that it's money that you have to pay the government when you own a house or land or any property.

"WHAT?" He asked incredulously. "THAT IS SO MEAN!"

I explained they use that money to run the schools, fix the roads, pay the police and firemen. He asked how much it was and I told him it was different from place to place but where we live it was a lot and where we used to live it was really a lot.

"THAT IS SO NOT FAIR!"

Emily added, "Jacob it's not just for your house. You have to pay taxes for the money you get at work too." I explained further - Jacob when Dad goes to work and earns money he has to pay a bunch of it in tax. Also, when you buy clothes or shoes or food or gas you pay tax on it.

By that point he was just horrified. I tried to give him an idea of how much income tax we pay by explaining the portion of the week that Dad goes to work to cover taxes. My kids don't see Rick through the week and they know he works a lot. Thinking that so much of the time he was gone was to hand money over to the government - Jake was speechless.

The rest of the car ride home I followed up explaining some more of the good things that taxes are used for. Then he asked if everyone pays the same tax (like everyone pays the same tithing) .... taxes were getting harder to defend.

It was kind of interesting to see taxes through the eyes of a six year old.

Maybe we should have a few more of them creating tax policy.

Counties - Day 4

The last day of counties.
Bittersweet to think that she will not swim here again, or participate in swimming on a New York team again.

"Game face."

Backstroke.

She swam well in backstroke but didn't place or get a personal best. I always tell her it's great that she even qualifies for these meets - and it is nice when she gets to win occasionally but we can't win them all!

It's tradition that they always go to the theme park next to the pool on the last day of counties. However, since they'd added the events from the first cancelled day, the meet didn't end until later than normal and only about 30 minutes before the park closed.

For the first time in 6 years, Emily's team did not win the county championship. The winners always get free entry into the park. We hurried over and tried to figure out the best way to buy tickets (seriously, I'm not paying full price for 30 minutes). I bought a cheap non-rider pass for us both so I could just pay per ride for Emily and we went in. Emily couldn't find her friend Aidan or their coaches - the jr coaches always go in and ride the rides with them. She did a few rides, we grabbed some fudge - she loves fudge - and we left. She was already pretty bummed they they hadn't won counties and then to not be able to have the traditional "after meet" fun that they always have was even more disappointing. I promised her we'd meet up with friends there again on a day when there was more time to play. It would have been nice to move away after a win, especially as the counties will not be held there anymore but probably a good life lesson for her. Even though I know it's a neccesary part of learning and growing it just sometimes breaks my heart to see them learn those "life lessons."

Counties Day 3.

We stopped at the store again this morning. It's not very efficient going every day or so but this close to the move I am trying not to have extra food in the house and use up what we have ... so grabbing just what we need for the day or to supplement what we are using up is the easiest way to do it.

Jacob and Jane love to go in the "car cart."

If you have to fold yourself into it, you're probably getting a little big for it!

After swim practice we went home to work on packing. The kids are in charge of packing up all our toys from the playroom.

Sometimes we get a little distracted and start playing with them.

We'll create the same toy storage system at the new house (because I love it and it's been awesome) but for a temporary solution at the rental, I got the IKEA bins. All the kids have to do for the toy packing is switch them from the cloth bins to the IKEA one's. I'm leaving the cloth one's for the new owners.

I didn't realize they were purple. I thought they were gray and it just had a purplish hue to the plastic covering. I don't have time to go back and change them, so I guess we're living with purple.

Are you sick of swimming pictures yet?

If so - stop reading now because here comes a bunch more. Day three of counties is breaststroke, Emily's best stroke. They also (thankfully) decided to add a little to each of the remaining days of counties rather than add a day to make up for the cancelled day, so they did backstroke too.

Here she is waiting for her race.

She told me later that they were planning their strategy for this freestyle relay. 

LOVE IT!

They were ahead at the end of the first length. (Each swimmer only swims 25 yrds and since there are no blocks at the other end of the pool, they start in the water.)

Can you see the look of excitement on Emily's face?

Just slightly behind after the second swimmer.

Emily swims 4th.

My heart is always pounding for her, I know she feels the pressure of being the last swimmer.

She started a little behind and in second place.

Narrowed the gap.

Swimming her little heart out, she came up even ....

Then passes,

for a WIN!!!

1st place, lane 3, for a time of 2:29.96

Well done girls!

Jane's Pre-Team Meet

Jane has been dying to be on swim team the past few years. It killed her to watch Emily & Jacob and not be included over the summer - especially as she could have made the swimming requirement (to be able to swim 25yds) last year. You have to be 5, so this year was her chance and she had been really looking forward to it.  You can imaging my surprise when she got out 1/2 way through practice the first few times, or just sat on the side of the pool and refused to move. It was not super hot then and she just got really cold and refused to keep going!

I really didn't care if she did it or not. She can already swim well, she's only 5 and she swims year 'round. I figured it's not like it was her only chance to be on swim team .... but I thought she would like it if she were warmer and didn't want her to think she could just give up so easily.

It was probably hard for Jane to go from swimming 1/2 an hour in a heated pool (which she does twice a week September to June) to 1 hour in a cold one. The kids are assigned to a lane for the duration of the pre-team. One of the teachers from their winter swimming, Jessica, was a coach in another lane. I knew she knew Jane's ability and that she could use all the buzz words that Jane already knew to get her motivated. Most of all, I knew she would work her a little harder and keep her moving which would warm her up. So, I asked her if I could switch Jane into her lane, which she did and it made everything much better. It also helped that the weather warmed up a little.

Today was the pre-team "meet." Jane was really excited and kind of nervous. First up was freestyle. She did a great job! She has a very nice freestyle stroke. I overheard someone watching say "She's going to be like her sister." She definitely wants it like Emily does!

Not bad for one of the youngest on pre-team.

I had Bek video from the end of the pool. (Sorry about the jiggles.)

Next was backstroke. Seriously, could this be any cuter?

She zig-zagged down the lane. Jacob was standing next to me at the side of the pool. He called out "Jane! Jane! Keep your head straight & back and your body will go straight too!" She actually stopped to look up at what he was saying. I yelled down "Just keep going Jane" - Sheesh buddy,  mid-race is not the time for pointers. Although how adorable is it that he gave them to her? Such a good big brother.

She stopped as she neared the end of the pool to see if she was getting close.

Then bonked her head on the wall anyway.

The last race was their choice - butterfly or breaststroke. Jane has a great little breaststroke but I think she might have overheard some praise for Emily's butterfly and decided to do 'fly.

She got up on the block and into this nice looking "take your mark" position.

Then did this!

Rick is calling it her "Wolverine Attack" dive.

Then, bless her little heart, she did "butterfly" the entire length of the pool. Both arms were going, she did a dolphin kick, she only came up to breathe every few strokes. She had all the fundamentals there (but she did look a bit like she was drowning the whole way down).

After their 3 races they were awarded a medal & a trophy by their lane coach & lane helpers.

AND they got italian ices.

I was so happy I moved Jane into Jessica's lane. She was super sweet and understanding with her and helped her have a great experience.

Way to go Jane! I am so proud of my littlest swimmer!