Backstroke Beauty

Well, Caroline set to prove me wrong from what I wrote last week.  She had not read what I wrote about her swimming skills being a little rusty last week.  However, when we went back to the pool this week, she blew me out of the water with her backstroke.  She went many lengths of the pool with a good, solid backstroke.  I even heard one lifeguard say to the other lifeguard that she had a good backstroke.  So, I was wrong.  The girl still has skills.  But she does need to work on her freestyle, so the lessons will still be helpful.  The kids each have their own stroke.  Henry does freestyle the best and always choses that when he swims.  Josiah does the breaststroke.  

Two weeks ago, Caroline sat herself down at the computer and went suitcase shopping online.  She wasn't satisfied with my old flowered one.  She wanted rainbow colors.  She sought.  She found.

Caroline has completed her giant stack of Cam Jansen books.  At one point she had 16 books stacked high on her desk.  She has continuously read at least one a day, but there have been quite a few days when she's read two or three complete books.  They have been the best transition into chapter books, because they have captured her interest so well.  She is now going to take a stab at Charlotte's Web.  It's a bit more advanced, but such a good story that she should hopefully be able to read it without trouble.  This is a really exciting thing to witness, because it is one thing to be able to read words and sentences.  It is an entirely different thing to be able to read fluidly and with comprehension.  I feel like she has jumped over a major hurdle in the reading department.  

The kids decided to fish with Benson.  They tied one of his favorite sticks to the end of a rope.  The other end of the rope held their pole.  I think the fishermen had more joy in this pursuit than the dog that they fished for.

Every third week, our jiu-jitsu school has a 'no gi' training night.  It is more of a self-defense night because typically you wear tight clothing so the 'attacker' cannot get an easy grip.  Our kids were interested in going to see what it was like, but as the time got closer, Henry said he just wanted to observe.  We encouraged him to at least try it.  If he didn't like it, he didn't have to do it again, but at least try.  We think part of his issue was that, though he had on a tight shirt, it was not rashguard-tight.  That ended up being a non-issue as the other kids were dressed similarly.  His siblings came as curious spectators.  Another kid requested to work with Henry and it was the kid who is a really serious student and a very good partner.  (The heavyweight champion from a few weeks ago.)  Henry ended up really liking it.  Now Josiah wants to give it a go.  

Henry put his foot in his mouth at dinner the other night.

Henry - "On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love me?"

Me - "10."

Henry - "I love you 9.  But I love the way you look 1."

Me - "Thanks...."

Henry - "Well, 5 and 5."

Me - "Keep digging."

This weekend Todd took Caroline out to eat.  He has always wanted to try this hot dog place - James Coney Island Grill - and Caroline likes hot dogs.  Todd got chili dogs, while Caroline opted for a corn dog.  The bonus was that her kids meal came with ice cream with sprinkles.  Todd said they had the friendliest person take their order.  When he brought her ice cream out to her, he whispered, I gave you extra sprinkles.  Then she came home and slept it off - she took a two hour nap.  

While she was sleeping off her lunch, the boys cooled off in the backyard.  They desperately wanted Benson to join them, but he had zero interest in participating in their shenanigans.  They started off playing with the sprinkler, but then felt the hose nozzle would be more fun.  They sprayed each other a lot, then set the nozzle to lock allowing the water to rain on them.  While it rained, they took their wet shirts and smacked each other on the chest producing big, red spots.  Sometimes when I watch them play I picture myself having to explain their injuries to an ER doctor and wonder if they'll believe me.  I promise.  I am not beating my child.  But they sure like to inflict pain on each other.  

Josiah has created a puppet.  Last year he had made a pillow out of a piece of felt, sewed together and stuffed with polyester fill.  He took that old pillow, pushed in the corners, and glued on ping pong ball eyes.  Then he took another piece of felt and made it into a dress shirt.  It is a shark.

We have finally started going back to church.  It has been a slow transition over the past three weeks.  First we did big church only.  Then we got Henry and Caroline into their classrooms.  Today was Josiah's first day in the KSM - the student ministry.  This is where the 6th-12th graders go on Sunday mornings.  During the school year, the kids are assigned to tables when they first get together so that they have consistency and sit with their grade level.  However, they scrap that during the summer since there are so many kids in and out.  So, today, after they called everybody together to sit down for the lesson, Josiah found an empty table and sat down.  He said a group of really big teenage boys sat at his table.  One commented on the suit Josiah was wearing.  Oh? What did he say?  Josiah said he couldn't say because he cursed.  What did he say!??  I told him not to say the word, but just the letter.  Josiah, "He said I looked bad-A. "  And welcome to student ministry.  

For Father's Day, the kids picked out a jiu-jitsu shirt for Todd.  Henry has the same shirt and he wants them to wear it together, but both were not clean today, so we'll get a picture later.  Here's an oldie from last year instead.

Josiah wanted to share a few comics he made: