It's been so quiet...

So, this must have been what it was like in the "the old days". You know, back before we had kids. The house is so quiet. And it's clean. The pillows are adjusted on the couch perfectly. I haven't been stepping over Bionicles and dirty socks on the steps. I haven't folded one blanket in the living room. We even ordered pizza late one night, and ate it downstairs in the home theater while watching a scary movie.

It's weird.

The kids have been at swim camp at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion all week. This is their first time away from home for such a long stretch. They each have a buddy (Max & Anya) from their team to room with. So that has made it a lot easier on all of us!

My friend Gayle, Anya's mom, and I accompanied the four 10 and 11 yr olds on a long 5.5 hour drive there on Sunday (which, in reality actually turned out to be almost 7 hours including potty breaks). I wish I would have taken a picture of my car before we unpacked everything. There were bags, towels, pillows, and blankets plastered up against all the back windows and between all the kids. It was cozy.

The kids were so excited about their first "college" experience. Will thought that the dorm rooms are "really small and kind of boring...there is nothing on the walls!" Maddie and Anya brought their own artwork to hang - a bunch of swimming-focused Wordles that they had created previously. What artsy girls!

I've talked to them several times a day on the new pre-paid phone that we purchased. The phone is a much bigger deal to Maddie than it is to Will. They know it's temporary. And the fact that I don't allow texting is a bit distressing to Maddie.

They said camp has been really fun, but really hard. They are in the pool 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, evening). They have classroom lectures, videotaping sessions, conditioning practice, and technique work where they work on 1 stroke per day. They even have 1 hour a day of dryland practice each morning. They do some running and some strength training. And apparently, the kids now know what burpees are. Will thinks he might just get his 6-pack stomach after this week. It sounds like there is a lot of fun stuff too. Movie night, campfire and s'mores at the coaches house, and a tornado warning during which they played games in the bomb-shelter basement of the dorm. I'm sure that was thrilling for all of them!!

Yesterday, Maddie told me, "The food is so amazing. It's all you can eat. For one whole hour."

She takes after her dad.

Will and Maxwell

Anya and Maddie

Extreme (not-so-much) Home Makeover

We've had the most painfully prolonged experience with our recent siding and roof replacement. Our area of town sustained significant hail damage during a storm Memorial Day 2008. We started working with our contractor the following week. We had multiple meetings with the saleswoman. We took several weeks to carefully choose our colors. And our order was placed last August. The dumpster was delivered mid-October. The roof was redone late-October.

And the dumpster just parked in our driveway through November. And then through December. We shoveled snow around it on January. We glared at it every day in February. We hardly even noticed it there in March. And then, one fabulous day near the end of April, they finished the siding and took away the monstrous maroon chunk of metal. Hallelujah!!!

Believe it or not, this nightmare is still not over!!! Now we're just people caught in the middle of a money-battle between our contractor and our insurance company. I'm really hoping it gets resolved soon.

Very soon.

But anyway, aside from the huge headache...I really like how things turned out!

Here is the before picture from last fall:
And here is the lovely rusted dumpster that adorned the front of our house for over half a year:


And here is my brave, handsome husband, who fearlessly climbed ladder and roof as my own stomach did somersaults just watching him. (I never knew until recently that I am afraid of heights!) I'm sure our neighbors can attest to the fact that this "little" painting project took up a really, really long time. I attribute this to the fact that Bill only worked on it part time in the evenings after work when he wasn't going to cub scout meetings or delivering the kids to various places. Oh, and also to the fact that he is the most perfectionistic person I've ever met in my life. And here is the finished project:

So, it's not really an "extreme" change. But it definitely looks a bit different.

Now I'm just praying for no more storm damage for the next 10 years. I really don't want to go through this again any time soon.

I'm sorry!

OK. I realize that I have been a really pathetic excuse for a blogger lately. I'm sorry! I'm just praying for some inspiration and motivation to get me going again. I truly miss it!!! And now, I can't even blame that damn Facebook either. That was my scapegoat for awhile - but now all those stupid quizzes have driven me away. OMG, they are so irritating to me. The only reason I sign on anymore is to keep tabs on my daughter. Good Lord - that makes me sound really old, doesn't it?

We've been busy. Mostly the same-old-same old. A few high-points: The siding and painting are finished on our house. The dumpster has been moved out of our driveway. School is over. The kids turned 11 a few weeks ago. Now they are at swim camp in South Dakota for the week. This is their first time away from home for so long...but so far, so good for all of us. I think they are staying too busy to be homesick. I can't even tell you how badly I would like to be a fly on the wall to spy on them this week.

OK - my goal is to post some pictures and blog again very soon. Any kind of pictures, and any kind of posts. Even at the risk of possibly being the most boring thing you have seen in the past 6 months.

Consider yourself warned.

Addiction

I think this classifies as some sort of swimsuit-addiction problem.

Goals of a 10-year old

One really great thing I love about the fact that my kids are involved in the sport of swimming, is that it is so much more than just physical activity. Before we got involved, I never thought about the psychological aspect of the sport. You know...they dive in...they swim really fast...they touch the wall...they get out of the pool. Seems pretty straight forward, huh?

Well, there is a "hidden" aspect to this sport, even at young ages. Aside from the whole "mental-preparation" thing, there is a really big focus on goal-setting.

Recently Will and Maddie's coaches had sent home a work-sheet for them to complete. There were basic questions like, "What are your favorite events and times?" and "What are your strengths/weaknesses?".

There were also questions like: "What are your goals for this season?" and "What are your long-term swimming goals?"

After they completed their assignments, I was just too curious not to look. It was pretty straight forward stuff: Maddie likes the freestyle and butterfly. She wants to get better at the backstroke. She focuses well at practices but needs to work on her turns. For the season, she listed some time-specific goals for the 50 fly and 200 free, and her long term goal is to get a swim scholarship to college.

And for Will, he likes the freestyle and breaststroke, needs to work on starts and turns, is good at his stream-lines, and wants to improve his butterfly and backstroke. Long-term, he would also like to earn a college swimming scholarship.

And then when I got to the part about goals for the season, he wrote, "get another state qualifying time in my 50 free and get a 6-pack stomach."

I wonder if Coach Terri laughed as hard as we did?

A Lesson in Assertiveness

It's been awhile since our last family-outing, so we decided to take in a little basketball action at the Target Center last weekend. No, not the Timberwolves. We actually saw the Globetrotters performance as they once again took on their arch nemesis Washington Generals.

You all remember the Globetrotters as kids, right? What I mostly remember about them is the way-cool cartoon on Saturday mornings, and the fact that the "lead" player's name was Curly, when in fact he was actually bald.

Hey...I was a smart kid. Not a bit of irony was lost on me, OK?

I knew Will would like it. The two of us went with his cub scout pack last year and he had so much fun. But, I knew Maddie would have her doubts. This typically isn't her kind of thing. It really didn't take long to convince her that it was going to be fun...and funny!

After the game, the players took positions around the court and gave out autographs for 30 minutes. Their first autograph experience took forever as bunches of children, teens, and adults squeezed and elbowed their way in front of my timid and polite kids, who quietly waiting in line, looked as though they were in the school cafeteria. After the quick lesson in "polite assertiveness" and "standing your ground" from Bill and I, they jumped right in for more. It didn't take long for this to become a competition between the two of them as they raced from player to player, using their new-found skills of edging-in, ducking-around, and wiggling-through.

And in the spirit of David Carradine, as we watched our two brave, young grasshoppers from way up on section 113, we couldn't have been prouder.

Longing for a Thunderstorm

This winter has lasted far too long. Don't you think?

I am so ready for summer. I'm looking forward to warmer weather, green grass, and my plants and trees. I can't wait to walk out the door without grabbing a jacket. Heck, I just can't wait to walk outside without grabbing shoes. And I'm even looking forward to summer vacation for the kids.

I was going through my "Summer 2008" photo folder today and found these really great shots I took while on vacation in South Dakota last July.

We were somewhere east of Mitchell (you know, home of the world famous Corn Palace) and we came upon a huge storm. We drove straight into it. The winds and rain were ferocious. I can't remember if we actually pulled over and stopped for awhile or not, but I know we definitely contemplated it. I think one of the local radio stations even reported a tornado touch-down somewhere in this area. It was an amazing storm.

I love a good thunderstorm. There is something awesome about thunderstorms in the Dakotas. I'm not sure what it is. But Minnesota storms just aren't the same. Now, I don't mean to offend any Minnesota-storm-lovers. But, the storms are better when you have totally unobstructed views of the looming clouds and darkening sky. And by unobstructed, I mean - no big trees, no big buildings, no nothing getting in the way of your line of site. You can truly see the horizon in all directions. When we watch a storm approaching from my house now, I see it coming over the top of my neighbors house, the hill with the fence in our backyard, and a bunch of evergreen trees. Trust me. It's a way cooler experience in the vastness of a South Dakota prairie.

Anyway, these cloud/storm photos totally make me long for summer. They make me long for warm, humid days. They make me long for the smell of rain. They make me long for a really great thunderstorm.

Yep.

Despite visions of snow dusting my backyard, I'm longing right now.





Are you longing, too?

State Swim Meet

Since we've all now recovered from the 6 month swim season and are getting ready to start up the next one again in a few days, I thought I'd better get my blog updated as well. Plus, I've finally sweet-talked Bill into transferring and editing some videos for me.

I really should learn how to use that video-editing software. I think I'll put it on my to-do list along with "patch hole in laundry room wall" (which has been there for 3 years) and "buy white-cheddar popcorn salt."

So, if my memory serves me right...we all had a blast in Rochester for the 12 & Under Short-Course State Swim Championships. Sure, I won't deny that it was really great that the kids made the state team, but the thing is: it was truly so much fun having a little mini-vacation in March, hanging out with a bunch of friends in a hotel for a weekend.

Just to summarize - Will swam 2 individual events: 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle. He stayed about the same in the 50, but cut 3 seconds off his 100, giving him a National "A" time. He also swam in a couple relays. This group of boys did so great! Both of their relays placed in the top 16 overall, which earned points for the Sea Devils team. Maddie swam in a couple relays as well. They did great too - they dropped a bunch of time and had a lot of fun.

Our 12 & Under team placed 2nd in the "A" division. This, in itself, is amazing! Our club has never placed in the top 20 before this year. We really do have a talented group of young swimmers, and it's so fun to see their improvement every meet!


This is Will's 100 Freestyle:


Here's Maddie's relay girls in the 9-10 200 Medley. In order: Alaina (backstroke), Paige (breaststroke), Maddie (butterfly), and Marah (freestyle)


This is Will and the boys in the 9-10 200 Freestyle Relay. Will anchors this one, following Max, Drew, and Logan. They placed in the top 16 and set a club relay record.



We came home Sunday night and as I actually looked at my camera, I found that I had taken 454 pictures! In reality, only 164 of them were salvageable by PhotoShop. Thank God for digital!! How did people do it on the "old days"?

Here are a few of those 164...

Getting ready for warm-ups.

Before each session started, they played some fun, dance-along music. This one was the chicken dance. You know how I know that?? Easy. It's the only one that Will would dance to. You see him standing there? Yep...he's into it.

Maddie and the relay girls.

Starting...
Maddie the butterflyer.
Will and the relay boys.

Will doing the breaststroke in the Medley Relay.
The girls getting each other psyched up.
Logan, Max, and Will playing DS.


Will's start in the 100 Free

100 Freestyle...his favorite race.Relay getting ready.


Getting some tips from Coach Terri.We love our coaches, Terri and Michelle!

Grandma Jan and Grandpa Bill came to watch...





It wasn't all just swimming! We all had a blast!



My tired kiddos. Those fun weekends sure do take a lot out of you!

Hot or Not?

This is the first time in years that I've really followed American Idol. I'm not sure why this season captured me? Maybe it's just that I have a little time to breathe lately.

Last night, the theme was "Grand Old Opry". It was a bunch of country songs with Randy Travis as the guest host.

Now, understand that I love Johnny Cash as much as the next guy. I actually think he was pretty cool and I probably know more words to his songs than I'd ever admit to anyone. But, I have to say - I think this version sung by Adam Lambert is amazing. OMG...it's really amazing.




This morning on the talk-radio station I always listen to...it was a topic of controversy. Some loved it. Some hated it. And I mean really hated it.

So, now you tell me what you thought? Awesome!!! or NOT!!!

Just curious...

I told you they fit...

I just had to prove it to all you doubters...






...and I have lots of great photos/stories to wrap up the kids' fall/winter season. As soon as my wonderful video-editing guru pulls together a few video clips...we're good to go!

My cute little nephew

OK...this is too adorable not to share with you:
Conversations with Christian: volume 1

Seriously, check it out!

State Team Send-Off Party

OK...I realize that this blog has really been is a deep state of neglect lately. And I also know that it's taken on an aquatic-type focus.

But you know what?? Welcome to my life, people!!!!

So, hang in there everyone! Only a few more of these swimmy-type posts and then we're on a break for a whole whoppin' 5 weeks.

(Then it will just start all over again...)

The kids had a state swim team send-off party last night. The Sea Devils team will be taking more kids to the state meet than ever before. There will be 13 individual qualifiers and 8 additional relay swimmers heading to Rochester tomorrow for the 12 & under State Championships. It is so cool to witness the transformation of this club, which, just 3 years ago had only 70 swimmers and 3 or 4 kids on the state team, to now, with over 180 swimmers and enough kids on the state team to make a real presence on the pool deck! It truly is a great group of kids and coaches!

Here are some of the girls doing some carb-loading courtesty of Buca diPepo. Yummmm....



One of the best parts of the traditional send-off party is the gift bags. Seriously, my kids have been talking about these bags since they found out they were going. Keep in mind that they are a surprise...all they know about them is that they're filled with cool stuff! The main thing in the bag is the State Team apparel. This year they got pull-overs and t-shirts - very cool! There are also other things that some of the other state-families have given to the kids as well - goldfish crackers, Gatorade, towels, rubber duckies, door signs, fruit snacks, tattoos, car markers, bubbles, etc. Someone even gave each girl on Maddie's relay team a disposable camera, a scrapbook kit, and a cute note about "making memories with your friends." Very creative...I think I'll have to remember that one...



Maddie and her friends...



Sea Devils Swimming State Team - Short Course 2009: 12 & Under



...and a moment of craziness!



Here is Maddie and friends making up the Girls 9-10 relay teams. This is the first year our club has ever had enough individual qualifiers to yield two teams in the same age group.



This is the 9-10 Boys relay team. In case you couldn't tell, my kid is the giant.




We all love our coaches, Michelle and Terri!

So, we leave tomorrow morning. That means that today I'm washing clothes like crazy, trying to bake a few pans of goodies to share, and putting together a list of things to pack. Tonight, the kids will take their "slippery baths" and do another shavedown. Tomorrow, they get to skip school, and will go crazy drawing/writing all over my new car (which kind of gives me palpitations, honestly).

It should be a really fun weekend! And I promise that I'll post some pictures of the kids at the meet. That way I can prove that those teeny-weeny Fastskins actually do fit!

The Fastskin Fit

A few days prior to finals, I broke down and bought the kids Speedo Fastskins. I had been toying with the idea for a couple months and decided that I wasn't going to do it. First, the kids are 10 years old for God sakes. Second, they already have pseudo-fastskins by TYR. Third, these suits only get worn at finals and really BIG meets, definitely not more than a couple times a season. And fourth, these suits are ridiculously expensive.

Don't worry, these aren't the LZR Racers worn by the Olympians...I haven't totally lost my mind. But they do claim to "mimic the rough shark denticles to reduce drag in key areas and features a Turbulence Management System" according to their website.

Seriously. A Turbulence Management System. That's what it says.

Whatever. They're 10. I get it.

I'm not at all convinced that these suits can help them swim any faster at this age. But you know what...they FEEL faster! I continue to be amazed at the psychological component involved with this sport. It's the whole Swim-Final Package: carb-loading, pre-race bath (with ocean-crystals to make your skin slippery) and shavedown, visualization, and of course - the Fastskin.

It's totally a mental thing.

So anyway, I caved. I found them slightly discounted at one of the metro area swim shops and I surprised them both the night before finals. They freaked out!

One other tid-bit of information about the Fastskin...you're supposed to fit them in a suit that is 2 sizes smaller than what they wear for practice.

This is the part that gets funny! Seriously, check this out:


No, Maddie is not holding one of Beckett's onesies. Nope, Will doesn't have a 2T bottoms. Really - they are not baby clothes.

It took a lot of muscle and sweat to get them on for the first time. And I won't even elaborate on what was all involved in accomplishing a trip to the bathroom during the meet. But believe it or not, they fit perfectly.

Who really needs to breathe, anyway?...

Wow.

What an exciting day!!! My stomach still feels like it's in my throat. I'm not sure my mind or heart can handle any more drama.

The kids had swim finals today in Edina. Will went into the meet having to drop 0.36 seconds in his 50 Freestyle and 0.53 seconds in his 100 Freestyle. He got the 50 by about half a second and squeaked in by the skin of his teeth on the 100. And by squeaked, I mean that he needed a 1:12.29 and he swam a 1:12.28.

OMG - I almost had a heart attack.

And Maddie - that little trooper was my champ today. She has had the most amazing weekend...getting personal best times in 7 of the 8 events she swam. She had a magical weekend - it was almost like watching a transformed swimmer out there...but it was actually my kid! She dropped approximately 62 seconds in all these events combined. Maddie's bittersweet moment of the weekend was when, on Saturday, she dropped over 10 seconds in her 200 Freestyle; and then came back today in a time-trial to drop another 2.75 seconds. The heart breaker here is that this amazing near-13 second time drop still left her just short of her state qualifying time by 0.31 seconds. She needed a 2:36.69 and swam a 2:37.00.

And then I almost had another heart attack.

Never in my life have I realized how incredibly joyous or heartbreaking mere fractions of a second can be.

So, they're both going to State Championships in a couple weeks - Will in 2 individual events and 2 relays, and Maddie in 2 relays. They are thrilled!

Right now, I couldn't be prouder of these kiddos. They cheered for each other, hugged each other and truly were happy for each others victories. They've worked their butts off for the past 6 months. And during these past 2 days, I've been reminded of the shear strength and determination they each possess.

And now...we're going to take a few deep breaths and have an early night to bed. I think it'll be a good night sleep for everyone!

Too many numbers in my head...

OK...it's 4:02 am.

I've been tossing and turning since 1:27 am.

My alarm is going to start blaring in 23 minutes.

The kids have swim finals this weekend and we're supposed to be in Edina by 6:30 am.

All my mind can think of is: 0.36 seconds and 0.53 seconds...the times my little guy needs to drop to get his state cuts; and my girl wants to cut between 2 and 3 seconds in 3 events to reach her goal. My elbows are already wiggly (that's what happens to me when they swim:)...must be a nervous-energy kind of thing.)

This is their "final test" for the last 27 weeks of hard work.

Considering the new 3.5 inches of snow that seems to have fallen overnight, it'll take us at least 60 minutes to get there.

Maybe it's time to make some coffee.

...or try to cover up these 2 big bags under my eyes.