Just Keep Swimming 2016

We have some shy swimmers in the family.  Oh yes we do.  And I think swimming is so important, so by the time we are finished, we will have spent $1000s in swim lessons for these little chiquita bananas.  Oh yes we will.  

 Shawn is still intimidated by jumping off the diving board.  Hopefully next year.  Never give up.

 When Ben decided to jump off the diving board and swim the entire length of the pool, Daphne and Shawn cheered him on.  "Go Ben!  Go Ben!"  We are a little more enthusiastic about swim lessons than your average bears.  Plus, this is one of the few times when they supported each other instead of  punching or insulting.

 Ben is a poser of the rarest variety.  This is the year I would say swimming "clicked" for him.  He still has some serious coordination and form and technique issues, but his fear is nipped in the bud quite nicely.  Speaking as possibly the most reluctant Nicholes swimmer, I feel I can say this.

 It always SOOO fulfilling as swim lessons are something we spend a lot of effort and time on to see those lessons finally pay off after years (oh yes, years) of patience and refusing to do this and that.  No melt downs in my family but definite refusals.

 We still have Matt's swim lessons to go, and I am very excited to see how those goes.  I think he isn't very afraid either and has just some technique stuff to work out.  I think all in all I will dub this a seriously successful swim lesson year.  Now, the tricky part, taking them swimming all winter.  I wonder if once a month is enough because it is quite the circus to haul all the kids to the pool by myself and the papa is not so into project excellent swimmers in a hands-on sense.

In other news (oh yes, there is always other news with me), we had a lovely Friday afternoon.  Whee!  We went and played at this huge fountain in a huge park ....with huge piles of goose poop (what?  I was continuing the huge them, and it was true).  It wasn't crowded which is JUST HOW I LIKE IT!  We also went to a candy store and I would have been remiss if I hadn't taken them on a driving tour of ye old stomping grounds.  Our first apartment/duplex was SOOO small.  How did we ever fit to barely-not-teenagers and a hyper stinky beagle in that little place?  The mind reels.  I also showed them campus, attempted to show them my old dorm but would you believe they have built an entire huge (there's that word again) new dorm all around my old little dorm?  So sad.  Walking tour will be required.  My how times change, but good old fashioned fun never does.  Thank goodness for that.

 Daphne was hilarious running screaming up to the water fountain, getting wet and then running screaming back.  again and again and again.  Tres cute.

15 YEARS TOGETHER

Just spent a most lovely day with my sweetheart.  It was fabulous!  We had a lot of laughs and some serious thoughts reminiscing about our 15 years together.  I'm glad that God put me right in L's path, like a deer in the headlights, so that we would most definitely not miss meeting each other, the very first day of Freshman English.

You know, I have actually made long lists of all the reasons I love Lucas over the years, but they are kind of for him and not this blog, but just for fun, I am listing 15 songs that played a role in our relationship...according to me...because it is my blog...ha ha.

1.  To Make You Feel My Love by Garth Brooks...and who would have thunk it with L's strong aversion to country music as a whole.

2.  When We Dance by Sting...kind of became OUR SONG...which is funny because we don't slow dance anymore really...maybe it's a metaphysical kind of dancing now.  Maybe our witty repartee (which our sweet sheltered children call fighting) is how we dance.

3.  So I Married An Ax Murderer soundtrack.  Yep, I just totally cheated and made a bunch of songs into one number.    We watched this movie when dating and so Lucas made it a part of the activities we did on the day he proposed as well.  "Heed!  Pants!  Now!"

4.  In Love by Ben Folds (feat William Shatner)...I put it grudgingly, but it totally played a role.  Nuf said.

5.  I'm Blue by Eiffel 65...this song and a slough of others were just random songs we'd hear on the radio as we drove around.  Oh and remember Napster.  Yikes.

6.  A Praise Chorus by Jimmy Eat World...a reminder of all the fun road trips.

7.  Satellite by Dave Matthews Band...some magical nights at the Shakespeare festival and celebrating Lucas's seasons of music (he totally listens to specific albums/artists and certain times of year - quirky/cute)

8.  Enya.   Bwahahahaha.

9.  Beat It and Thriller by Michael Jackson

10.  Love at Home by John Hugh McNaughton.  It's a church hymn but you will probably hear us singing it 'round here at least once a week to remind some fighting kids to be nice.  

11.  A thing we shall call Lucas's drunk Elvis as it brings laughter to our house, although we could also add Lana Del Rey to that list "...video games..." [awkward slow twirl]

12.  Ho Hey by The Lumineers...it makes me think of Lucas as I belt it out every time.

And because I am such a good wife, I am letting Lucas have 3 whole songs as well.  :)

13.  Flux by Block Party.  This song has led to many dance parties where Lucas was the DJ and the kids just go crazy.  Little Lily called it the Emma song for some reason.

14.  The Lighthouse by Nickel Creek.  He is sooooo good, that husband of mine.  Totally blocked out this whole phase of our marriage/music listening experience.  I love Nickel Creek.  Must dig out old CDs stat.

15.  Coffee and TV by Blur, Gotye, Kimbra, Dashboard by Modest Mouse, Ok Go (anything by them), The Funeral by Band of Horses and Just Like Heaven (the total inspiration for my blog name) by The Cure

I must apologize because my husband is like a music man, not a swindler who pretends to be able to teach kids in small river towns how to play in a band, but a man who likes music and has an impeccable memory.  Thus when I asked for his input, he had a lot and it was all valid, so, um, yes, we will pretend that was FIFTEEN songs up there for our 15 years of marriage.  The ups, the downs, the highs, the lows, the raging hormones, the silly, the serious.  Happy anniversary to us and many more.  Thank goodness for marriages that can last forever!

Let's Chat

Let's chat...only really fast because I am on a quick break but have so much I wish I could write about.

 You know, I could look a whole lot scarier without makeup.  I always feel like the lack of major change with and without makeup is mostly a blessing for me.  You get what you get.  No surprises on this face...for better or worse.  I will say it looks WAAAAY better with a smile.  When I am grumpy or sad I swear I age by 10 or so years.  Yikes!

 Sewing has taken the household by storm.  I've sewn a dress and kids (especially Lil and Matt) have gone teddy bear (and seahorse thanks to Lily) crazy.  I'm proud, naturally.

 It has been a summer full of swimming which makes me so happy as we have progress.  Would you believe that Ben and Shawn are actually excelling in their swim lessons rather than being the scaredy-cats of the class.  I am so thankful to our neighbors/the family Lily babysits for.  The use of their pool has done wonders for my not so fishy children.

 Nothing says summer fun like a burrito party?  They are the cutest blanket burritos I ever did see, that's for sure.

 This little girl is actually quite fashion conscious.  She cares if her hair is done and what clothes she wears.  Yes, her hairstyle choices are 'special' and her clothing coordination is, well, not coordinated, but I think it is super cute and girly that she cares so much.  However, it does mean extra laundry when she plows through 4 outfits in a day and we can't remember what is dirty and what is not.

 After school let out, we went to Savers to get summer clothes...and apparently to try on hats...and purchase a few stuffed animals because the 300 we already have just weren't cutting it.  I got comments on how well behaved my kids were as the boys waited for Lily trying on clothes.  Bless them for being well behaved in that situation.

 Last day of 6th grade for milady.  6th grade was not a fair-weather friend at times, but if we can just make it through 2 more years of middle school I am sure high school will be better.  She has grown and changed so much.  Being our guinea pig makes watching her grow up extra fascinating.  It's all so new and different and you never know what to expect with her.  We love her so much, and she makes the house run smoother...minus the brother beatings (please don't take that literally).  She is as bossy a big sister as could be, but I'm sure things will smooth out...eventually...hopefully...maybe not.

 I have become NATURE GIRL!  Okay.  I probably already was, but I have spent more time outside this spring and summer than I have for years and years.  It's been pretty fabulous and freeing and therapeutic since a year of full time work has almost made me lose my mind and my waist.

It has been a great summer and not overly hot to boot.  Yahoo-yippee.  Regarding my last post from what feels like long ago, I have been writing and hoping and working on things, and it has been quite an adventure with some ups and some downs.  I definitely no where I want to go.  I just have to try some different paths until I find the one that gets me there.  Wishing anyone who reads this fulfillment of their dreams and joy in the journey regardless of their dream destination.  Anna out!