Junie passed the island swim test!

FiNALLY one of girls passed the island swim test at camp! (All 3 were perfectly capable of doing it.) Congrats!

Swim

@ Riverside High Swim meet for YaYa

Pool Party!

Junie and Smiley attended a pool party, complete with DJ, bounce house, and fire truck, at their Grandma's apartment complex. (Smiley refused to consent to photos)

YaY

Junie passed her Level 3 swim test today :)

Pokemon Go!

The Pokémon's encouraged the oldest to take the youngest by bike to swim class. I don't care what anyone says, this game is awesome! Love my bookends! Thx Pokemon & YaYa

Swim Classes

Junie started swim classes (Level 3) this past Saturday

Swim Letter

While the rest of #TeamSlap was at the party, YaYa attended her swim team

banquet. Plus, she got her letter in swim!

A Full Day

I drove yesterday, for the first time since the surgery, taking Smiley to my childhood stomping grounds at Collector's Edge Comics, where he picked up a few Teen Titans and Robin titles. In the dollar bin I scored issue #1 of "All-Star Squadron", a lifelong favorite, & the first issue of "Night Force", a very well written title by the legendary Marv Wolfman. I promise Lisa, I won't buy anything if Parker wants to go again, but I won't turn down a boy that wants to read comic books. BTW, he wanted to spend his own  money to buy a MLP graphic novel for LK, but I vetoed it as too generous.

As for the hip, it was a rough day, but I don't think driving had anything to do with it. It's very warm to the touch, but a quick internet check revealed that to be normal. The pain was markedly worse than it has been, but I consider myself comfortably on track - it's just a longer road than I originally estimated

Late in the evening, after Lisa took GC to a competitive swim program, the two of us went to the grocery store. Once again, I was reduced to riding around in one of those blasted scooters, this time with my crutches balanced awkwardly on my lap. (other stores have scooters with crutch holders in the back). "Here, let me carry the crutches," Lisa said. 

"Hell no," I said. "These are all that keep people from thinking I'm just a fat, lazy bum."

I loathe those scooters, but I'll admit, they are a blessing..

 Watching YaYa get her swim on at South Division - Lisa

A Swim Meet

At Riverside High School, cheering on YaYa at her swim meet!

YaYa's 1st Swim Meet!!

YaYa had her first high school swim meet tonight and finished third! Way to go kid! I'm sorry I couldn't attend. I'm proud of you!!!!

Is this the first thing that you missed in your kids' lives? I wouldn't be surprised! You're a good dad. - Sandee

Proud Dad

I have failed to mention my pride and satisfaction that YaYa is part of the MHSA swim team, and has devoted two hours after each school day to making herself into the best athlete possible. I love her very much, and I am confident she's on the right path to being a great woman. #ProudPapa

My Swim Class

LK came to watch me at swim class tonight.

Parents Day at Swim Class!

This morning LK and I biked to and from her swim class, and unbeknownst to us it was Parents Day and I got to sit and watch. She was the only kid in the class to do the elementary backstroke without assistance! Good job kid!!

Swim Class

Only two of us showed up for swim class today. The instructor said that's typical for an adult class, which usually winds up with zero students by the end. Anyhow, I tread water today for the first time, managing to do it twice for a minute apiece.

Swim Pic

The road to Olympic swim Gold is rarely this pretty. Enjoy it.

Swim Class

Just back from my first swim class since the early '80's. I *can* swim, but not in a manner recognized by the rules of the sport or any god above. Today was testing on all manner of strokes, and apparently I'm very good at the breaststroke and tolerable at the rest. There's a lot of work

Stingray Freakout

Mom and LuLu -  remember when we were snorkeling and Mom got all freaked out about the sting ray? I looked up stingray barb and oh my lord if I had known I wound have been swimming back to shore faster than Phelps - YaYa

All stingrays around castaway cay are de-barbed for safety but I didn't know that at the time that's why I was freaking out! That snorkeling with you girls was one of the most fun things I've ever did! - Lisa

Cool Waters

@ cool waters

just went down the tube slide w/ lu 2x gc 1x

my family accounts for 6 of the FIFTEEN patrons in the entire water park right now

smiley is tall enough for the adult slides! And he loves them!

just went on the tube slide w/ park!

Although the air was chilly the water was warm, and w/ the park nearly empty my water-anxiety w/ the kids was nil. It was a great trip (my 1st there) courtesy of passes the kids earned from the library's summer reading program.

An afternoon at Bradford Beach

This afternoon I took my four kids and YaYa's friend Anna down to Bradford beach - alone. Yikes. It went smoothly, and we spent 2 1/2 hours down there enjoying the water and playing in the sand. Those who know me well know that although I don't avoid the water since the drowning incident, I traditionally wouldn't think of taking the kids to a pool/lake alone. This was progress.