As always, these are in jumbled-up order.
After starting the swim season bundled up - with me wearing jeans and sweatshirts and the kids bringing warm clothes to put on after their practices - the weather was HOT for the finish of the season. We employed whatever methods we could to stay cool at practices and meets. Shade and drinking water were top priorities, followed by popsicles. Here are the kids enjoying a popsicle at home after a hot meet.
Jonathan read while his siblings practiced, and he and I made a routine of taking one of the beach towels, dipping it in the pool, and then laying it over him to keep him cool. I laid a wet one on my legs. I highly recommend our method.
Benjamin and Grace would often shower to cool off while they waited for their practice time and while Jonathan practiced.
That's a wet towel.
Jeff is such a swim dad in that hat.
Here are Grace and her buddy exchanging a quick word during their awards time at the end of the season. See them?
Jumping in the diving pool at the end of practice was a fun way to finish the session.
My darling kids walking in to practice. It was HOT.
We read a lot of books this summer waiting for siblings!
Jonathan entering the water at a meet.
Benjamin gets ready to get in the water at a meet.
More of Grace and her buddy getting their awards at the end of the season.
Cuteness!
Jonathan swimming the backstroke.
Read, read, read while you wait your turn...
And read while you wait for your turn at a meet!
Bringing your loop loom is a good way to entertain yourself and a friend at a meet, too.
Our buddies brought Uno and were our neighbors in the tent city.
More fun with buddies in the tent city.
Getting crafty at the meet.
Our friend Mark visited us for one night and joined us for the beginning of a meet. I was really happy that Jeff got to spend some time with him.
And he also spent some time with the kids.
Waiting to practice...
My darling swimmers.
The cement was hot!!! Kickboard stepping stones were so helpful to tender feet.
I loved watching our kids dive in.
Grace and her best buddy got to swim an event together. Grace was so proud of her friend for being the heat winner.
Fun times on the last day! No lane lines, just fun and games.
My mom was SO great to come and support the kids at every meet she could attend.
Jonathan preparing for the backstroke.
Benjamin preparing for the backstroke.
Grace preparing for the back stroke.
Finally, after lots of faithful participation, Grace earned a heat winner ribbon at her last meet. She was so proud, and we were proud of her. She had been so hopeful that she would get one since her brothers both had ribbons. It didn't even matter that her swimsuit was wrong side out!
My sweet swimmers on the last day of practice! Their coach even let them swim during the same hour, which I loved!
Grace dives in!
More of Grace with her best buddy.
Hugs after her buddy won the heat.
Getting ready to swim the event with her best buddy.
Benjamin is ready to go!
Slow and steady sometimes wins the race!
Benjamin at practice
Super excited that they finished the season! It's done!
More pictures from awards night. I really liked the coaching the the kids got throughout the season and also the way they recognized each swimmer for the amount of time they shaved off of events and the number of points they contributed to the team. This was not a participation trophy, but a certificate recognizing the difference they made to the team and the improvements they made in their skills, which I thought was very appropriate.
I think he's done swimming and ready to read for awhile. Check out his hair! Taking care of swimmer hair was a challenge for me this summer. The boys' hair got very crunchy, unfortunately.
The next several pictures are from the last day of practice!
I was so proud of their efforts, improvement, and perseverance throughout swim season. It's so rewarding to see my kids do things that I am not capable of doing now and never was capable of, either!
More with Mark and Jeff at the swim meet.
The kids LOVED having their grandma at meets! I loved having her company...and her help, too!
Three more pictures from an intense and lesson-filled season: Kids reading and trying to stay cool. WHAT an experience.
