In anticipation of the swimming competitions during the Olympics, I took the kids swimming several times last week. We also spent a few hours at our favorite wet spot, the Contra Loma Swimming Lagoon, where Charlton surprised us all by wanting to be in the water the whole time. His friend's flowery floaty suited him just fine!
On Friday I joined a few of my friends at a park that was equipped with a few spraying fountains and a splash pad. It was chilly in the morning, so initially I told the kids it was reading day. We all found our favorite spots and read. But as the day became hotter gradually, and the kids needed an outlet for their bottled up energy, I decided on taking them there. Charlton might have enjoyed the swimming pool, but he was no fan of spraying fountains. He felt more comfortable playing at the playground on his own, and using the sand box with his friend.
My older children however had a fantastic time taking turns playing at the playground and getting cool at the fountains:
On Saturday, after completing their chores, the children wanted me to help them with their Olympics game preparations. Since we weren't going to be able to watch the games on t.v. (we don't have television), the children had decided they were going to hold their own Olympics. We made a list of activities and started our ceremony but welcoming each of our children to the games. They each represented the states they were born in, with Charlton having to be assigned California since we moved here when he was just four months old. Gillian represented Utah, Jefferson represented Georgia, with James representing Virginia. Some of the athletic events that our children came up with were long jump, tight rope walking (walk fast barefoot on top of the couch for 30 seconds and go back and forth as many as you can), ball throwing, running, climbing the rope in the shortest time, and target shooting. The children took this so seriously that it was funny seeing them giving their best. In the end, Gillian had won three races (running, climbing the rope, and ball throwing); James came in second place by winning the target shooting, and tight rope walking, leaving Jefferson in the third place by winning in the long jump. We gave Charlton an honorary medal for being the cutest little contestant. We all had a wonderful time together, and I was glad the kids had come up with such exciting ideas.
On Sunday I had to take Gillian to the early church meeting (of our sister ward) and stay there for the sacrament portion of it. While Elijah took the other children to our regular sacrament meeting, Gillian was getting ready to participate in a music camp where she was going to spend three days and two nights away from my presence. She was very excited to be with friends, but also a bit apprehensive. Well not as much as I was nervous. We have a no sleepovers policy in my house, so the only time she has been away from us has been when visiting the grandparents. This camping trip was a milestone for us, too, as we realized our little girl is growing up to be a beautiful young lady, old enough to truly understand and follow the Spirit.
The olympics are in full throttle at our house. It seems my kids are inventing new athletic events each day. I'm having so much fun just looking at them. And if there were any prizes for cuddling with your kids, I would definitely whisk those away.
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