Traveling Days ....

It's hard for me to believe but "G" and I took a trip to California almost 2 months ago.  My younger sister "Kiki" just graduated with a masters degree in education.  My parents, myself and Gia all went out to La la Land for a visit.  D1 & D2 still had school, so they had to stay back with Mr. Mom.

She should be in movies, she is so dang cute!

This is after landing in LAX, waiting on the curb, for my sister.  We kept telling he to look for Justin Beiber!

A picture of the program, and the whole reason behind the trip.


During the long accolades ceramony, I took the little one for a walk around campus.

On our walk she met a friend.

The next day was Kim's party/open house.  My parents are on the right, and our good family friends on the left.  Sharon in the yellow use to babysit me when I was little.  She tells everyone I use to play bank teller in her bathroom.

When we moved to the house of five on cambridge drive five years ago,Sharon and Joe lived 4 houses away. Sadly Joe took a job transfer 2 years later and they sold the house and moved out to San Jose California.  It was close enough that they came over to see us and attend Kim's party.

Gigi, and Kiki proudly posing with the vegan chocolate cake I made.  Yuck if you ask me, no sugar, eggs or butter.  Made with lots of tofu.


Gia made her first friend.  Jetta.  Her mom is a teacher and my sisters, school.


A view of the mountains, from Tye's apartment.


Tye is my sister's boyfriend.  He does voice over's in movies.  Here he and the little monkey are making funny faces.



The almost graduate trying on her cap before the actual ceremony.


Parmount Pictures, is a 3 block walk from my sister's apartment.


This is where she lives.  It is a cute old building with lots of character.  ♥ the red doors.


Commencement was actually at Universal Studios.


 Can you believe that?  We had to drive to a theme park and pay $20 just to park, so we could attend the ceremony.

It was in the amp-a-theater.  It was a bit surreal for me.  The lobby sold, hot dogs, chili cheese fries, nachos and beer.  Only in LA does a Commencement Ceremony sell beer!

This trip happened over mother's day weekend and I wanted to find a way to remember the trip, so I decided to buy myself some hair.  My sister's school, where she works,  is only a 2 block walk to the "house of hair".  So I thought, why not?

My hair hasn't been this long for 14 years.  Ha, it has been  fun to wear, but wow is it hot and heavy.


Now that Kiki has a master's degree, she took a new job at a new school, so she can make more money, This is at a beach community, if she moves closer to her work, I may have to visit a tad more often.  LA is not for me, I ♥ the ocean and beach to much.


Courtney

A simple sunrise....

I am fixated on these pure Michigan Commercials, yep, I admit it, they about bring me to tears. Is it the instrumental music that gets me? Maybe? Or it could just be Tim Allen's peaceful, calming voice. I don't know, maybe it is just my age and the thought that my life is flashing by me at warp speeds. ...

"25,000 mornings give or take, is all we humans get. We spend them on treadmills, we spend them in traffic .... and if we get lucky, really lucky, it dawns on us to go spend them in a world where a simple sunrise can still be magic....25,000 mornings, make sure some of them are pure Michigan."

I could care less about the pure michigan part, but boy oh boy, the 25,000 mornings has hit me hard. Really, is that all we get? If you do the math it is like 70 years worth of mornings. 25,000 just doesn't seem like very many. I mean I'm half way there!




Half of my life, flashing by, I've never really been a morning person, but maybe,just maybe, that might need to change.

Courtney

Travel Swim...

So another two swim weekends have come and gone.  The Huntington Mile was one of them.  It was to be held at a lake where the kids would swim a mile.  We have had so much rain this summer is was canceled because the lake level had raised 6ft.  That weekend we decieded to go to an amusement park instead.  It was a great time, except it rained on and off all day at the park and we got pretty wet.  (it's a whole other post for another day)

This weekend was the team travel meet.  We drove over 3 hours for this weekend.  We do this maybe 3 times a year.  This was our familes first year traveling that far.  It was a fun time.  We as parents are starting to build good friendship with other swim parents.  They are our mini vacations.

Which leads me to....

A friend of mine recommended this app for my camera on the iphone4.  Wow, is all I have to say.  It was 99 cents and usually I am only a free app girl, but this app lets your changed your pictures to make them very professional.  I spent the whole two days taking pictures at the pool and editing them with the app.

Check them out....
"G" as the team now calls her.  She is now 4 yrs old and truly is the teams #1 fan!


Gabby and her pre swim face.


View of the pool while Gabby walks past.


Bella and her pre swim face.



Gabby and Brooklyn.  Her swimming best friend.  These two have become the best of friends.  They push each other in practice.  ♥ this picture, because it was taken thru a glass wall, and the lines that make them look checkered are just a reflections off the title onto the glass.  So neat and cool.


Bella, enjoys the social aspect of swimming almost more then the swimming.  She allowed her friends to tattoo her back.   I was not over joyed by this, but surprisingly sharpies and cholrine do not like each other, so in the end it was fade pretty well.


Team mates cheering on a swimmer.  Warms my heart.

Now for a moment to brag...
Bella dropped 12 seconds in a race!  It makes her time 6 seconds away from a divisional cut.  She is 6years old and the time is for girls 10yr and younger.  Gabby was 9 when she made her 1st divisional cut, and Bella will have one by time she is 7!  WOW is all I can say.



Gabby, swam on two relay teams this weekend that made state cuts.  My baby made it to state!  This is where the top swimmers are invited to swim!  I can't even grasp how awesome this is yet!  She is 9 and swimming against those 10 year olds and made it to state!

After a full day of swimming, it is time for dinner.

Can anyone say reservations for 45?


It was a great way to celebrate a super day of swimming.

All the 8 and unders plus the number one fan.


11 year old Maddison and 3 of the 10 and unders.



Yes, swimming is a time sucker, and yes it a money sucker, but gosh...

I
Do
Love
IT!



Courtney

Plymouth Sharkfest 2011

Outside swim meets are one of my favorite summer events.  You get a chance to enjoy the outdoors and watch your children compete.  Sharkfest is one of my all time favorite meets because it is the chance to be on deck.  You get great pictures and videos.  Last year this was Bella's first swim meet ever.  Only 5years old at the time.  Wow amazing how she and Gabby have improved in a years time.

Come along for my picture journey of the weekend.....

Here is Miss Gia, the number 1 Fan of all time.


Bella after a third place finish in the 8 and unders.


My favorite picture of the weekend...

Gabby after the 100M Fly.
I just ♥ this pictures.  H2O dripping off the body, Fast button on the arm, impressions of the googles are still around her eye socket, a slight smile after dropping time.

This 6yr old makes me so proud.  She has to compete with the 8 and unders because there is not an age group under 8&unders.  She is such a competitor.  Hating to lose trying to fall into her sisters footsteps.  She is going to make a name for her self one of these days.


Bella and her freestyle.

The all important flip turn.

Heading back to the blocks.

An awesome 3rd place finish!

Miss Gabby has become quite a backstroker.

Partly due to the amazing flip turn she has learned.



When she pushes off the wall, watch out, she's bound to catch you.

Proud of her swim.


Here the swim team is getting a pep talk from coach Shelley.

Friendships are built among these girls. All 3 are team mates.

I really do love swimming, even if it is a time sucker, It teaches these kids, so may life skills.

It really was a great swim weekend.

Three friends, three high point winners!  All were top of their age groups!

Soooo Soooo Proud!


Courtney

what we've been up to...

I can't believe a whole month has come and gone.  The days fly by way to quickly.  I could almost have a panic attack if I truly stopped and analyzed just how fast the days move from one to another.

The month of May has brought:
*a trip to California for my sisters graduation
*teacher appreciation week
*mother's day
*swim meets
* jared's birthday
*last day of school

As I write, June is 2 days away from being half over!  It has brought:
*more swim meets
*my birthday
*Gia's soon to be 4th birthday ( 3more days)

I freak out when I think what has been filling my days and then when I look at the calendar I feel like crying.  When did summer become filled with taxing children from event to event?  Summer is suppose to be lazy days filled with outside play, picnic's, bike rides, fires and smores!  I need a clone.  The  carpooling and laundry consumes my days.  I am readjusting to 3 kids home all day.  The bicker and fighting are enough to make a person crazy.

It must be a bad day, because I made waffles for breakfast, only to get the kitchen all cleaned, to hear, when's lunch?  For Real????  I am on my third load of laundry and have begun making lunch.  A swim meet all weekend long, didn't allow for me to get the house cleaned.  How does a house get so dirty when you aren't even home to mess it up???

I spent a good hour last night uploading video's and pictures to the computer.  Tonight I plan to blog about my trip to California and swim meets.  Check in later this week for some pictures updates.  Till then a preview of the soon to be 4 year old.



Courtney