Nana

We flew back to the East Coast on Thursday. Edwawrd's grandmother, known to most as Nana, passed away. We are all currently in Tennessee, where today, we said our final good-byes. She was a wonderful and extremely sweet lady who was a devout Christian. While sad to say good-bye, we are all very much at peace knowing she's in a better place in Heaven.

Here's a link to her obituary: http://www.dpa.xtn.net/dynamic/Obits/Obits/50396

We all loved Nana very much and will miss her great personality.

Photography

For those of you who don't know, Edward's sister, Jennifer, and her husband, Andrew live "close" to us in the winter. They live and work at Death Valley National Park, California (seven hours away). Jennifer and Andrew spend their time traveling the United States, and while doing so, they take beautiful pictures. I have been meaning to post this for quite some time, but here it is, finally!

They have a photography business with a website at:

http://labarphotography.zenfolio.com/

They really have some amazing pictures. Most of their photos are taken at one of three locations: Death Valley, Crater Lake, Oregon, and Alaska. Those are three of their very favorite locations, of which they spend most of their time.

Jennifer and Andrew are in Alaska for the summer, so I'm guessing more Alaska pictures will be coming soon.

Swim Lessons-Week 1-Alex

Okay, so Alex is part of the swim lesson posting too :)

No swim lessons for Alex because he's way too small, BUT he's definitely participating. Alex and I attend swim lessons everyday from 9-11. Madison's lesson is from 9-9:45, and then Luke's lesson is from 10-10:45. The preschool walks the kids over and back for their lessons.

Alex has had to make some major adjustments this week, and he's doing quite well. His normal naptime is from 9-11 (see the problem!!!). NOW, his naptime is from 12-2. That might sound easy, but try keeping up a tired baby three hours past his normal naptime. He takes his second nap then around 3:30-4:30 (if I'm lucky). I'm glad he's transitioned so well. You'd think he'd just sleep in his stroller, but nope, that's just too easy :)

Swim Lessons-Week 1-Luke

Luke started swim lessons this year, much to his delight. He's in the Level 1 class right now, as one of nine kids. He too, is doing really well, and it's been amazing to watch him make so much progress in just a few days.

Luke really likes going to the pool, and while there, he likes to dive for the swim rings. Now, he can't dive for them on his own, but he loves for you to hold him to go and get the rings.

His class is working on the basics of just survival in the pool. They will get to working on swimming and floating as the class continues.

Luke is really good at going underwater. He breathes well and doesn't swallow water. I think that impresses me the most about him, especially considering he's just three. He gets it, and as soon as he figures out how to stay afloat, he'll be a wonderful swimmer.

Right now, if the teachers ask for a volunteer, Luke usually "jumps" literally at the chance to go first. He will actually jump at his swim teachers in the water to demonstrate. He had kind of a rough day today, but I attribute that to being totally exhausted.

Luke really wants to go off the diving board, but the class isn't doing that yet. The kids have to be able to swim on their own to do that, and the class just isn't there yet.

I think Luke will be swimming well by the end of the summer. 8 weeks of swim lessons = a dream come true for Luke!!!

Having the kids kick

Working on his kicking and arm paddling

Swim Lessons-Week 1-Madison

Well, swim lessons for the 2010 pool season have started! Madison and Luke are both taking lessons, each in his/her own class.

Madison is in the Level 3 lessons right now (goes up to Level 4). She is one of six kids taking lessons in her group, and once again this year, she's the only girl. The nice thing is all of the boys are her friends, and all of these kids took lessons together last year. She's also the youngest, as most of the boys just finished kindergarten.

She's doing VERY well. Level 3 starts to focus on the actual strokes, along with diving and swimming underwater for long lengths of time. We have been working on things at the pool when we go, and just last night, she was swimming really well under water for good distances. Her favorite thing is to go off the diving board. She hasn't mastered diving, but she loves jumping off of it. Today, they started working on diving techniques, and it was quite funny to watch. She would put her hands into a dive position and still jump into the water. We'll keep working on it :) She also thinks the backstroke is really funny, and it's so cute to watch her little self try to coordinate her arms and legs at the same time to do the backstroke. She's really doing a good job.

Here with one of her instructors

If you count, you see five kids. There are six in the class, but one of her friends, Gabe, got stitches (courtesy of Edward) from jumping and spinning as he entered the pool. He busted his chin and was out for a couple of days...let's just say none of the other kids want that to happen to them!

Moving their hands into diving motions

Working on their different kicks...at this point, they are working on kicking with the breast stroke

Level 3 has another week of lessons, and then, they'll start a new two-week-cycle of lessons.

9 Years!

Nine years ago today, Edward and I got married in our beloved Clemson, South Carolina.

It's been a great nine years. Neither of us would have tracked our lives from FL to NC to AZ, but it's been a great road so far. God has blessed us with three awesome kids and in so many ways. We are both looking forward to the future and seeing where the Army sends us next.

A Birthday Party for Madison!

We celebrated Madison's fifth birthday on Saturday, June 12 with a pool party. Everyone had a great day, and most importantly, Madison loved it. This year, she opted for a "Pink, Purple, and Yellow" party theme, so I did what I could. Our friend at church made Madison's cake, and I kind of let her run with a design. She didn't let us down :)

Madison's AWESOME Castle Cake!!!

Madison opened one present at the house. Kate got sick, so she couldn't come to the party. Her dad dropped off Madison's present, a preschool Barbie set. This has been a BIG hit!

Seriously, this is the best picture of the three I got all day! Three very active kids!

Thanks for the new swimsuit, Nana!

Madison's very good friend from church, Caroline-Madison was insistent that no party was complete without Caroline :)

Dessert and favor table

Alex needed to be latered up with sunscreen (our kids all wear SPF 70, and they still get sun!).

Food line-I made pulled pork bbq sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit salad, baked beans and then I also had chips, and potato salad. Edward made homemade ice cream, our usual.

Here's what our bbq looked like. It was delicious! I put four pork tenderloins in my crock pots, and then I shredded them, all the while adding tons of bbq.

Water gun fight

The boys

Madison and her BFFs

Caroline

Waterslide

With my little guys

Yes, the tower started to crumble...no worries, the kids were able to take care of that.

Eating the towers

Sienna, one of Madison's BFFs and she lives across the street

Big battle over who would get towers to eat

View of the pool-Apparently, it's now one of, if not the, nicest pools in the Army

Alex enjoyed cake too.

Sienna enjoyed helping Alex eat cake.

Delicious!!!

We've never had a pinata, but it matched her party colors, and it was a great deal at $4.99 (most are $20-$35)! Sooo, we got one.

Lined up by height/age

Leave it to our neighbors (the older boys and Sienna's brothers) to bust open the pinata!

Madison and her BFFs-Caroline, Madison, Sienna, and Samantha. Samantha is the only one who has been and will be in school with Madison. The two loved Pre-K together and will go to kindergarten together. They are super friends and enjoy each other so much.

Watching these little girls was so sweet!

Isaiah, our neighbor, is so sweet with Alex. If he were old enough, I know he'd want to babysit him. He LOVES coming up to Alex and playing with him.

Tired, but a good end to a great day

A very happy 5 year old!

View of the pool

Going to bed with her mermaid skirt

Thanks for coming, everyone! We all had a great time!