You Don't See That Every Day

How many teenagers do you know who would get up at 4:30 a.m. on a school morning to jump into cold water? The swim team does it willingly. Every day. For 3 months straight, Including over Christmas break. Not only that, how many of those teens would do double practices over the break, along with signing and abiding by a no-junk food clause for the entire season? Along with smelling like chlorine for a few months, because even though you shower right after, there is still a lingering smell from the pool, not a bad smell, but a lingering one. This sport of their choice also means more laundry, more food, more I-can't -stay-up-and-watch -that-movie-because-I-have-swim practice-in-the-morning. It means self-discipline, self-control, self-motivation. But it also comes with teammates in the same position; friends who know exactly what you are going though; comradery that comes from mutual experience; It comes with coaches who push you, believe you can do more; and motivate you t

On Friday I spent the whole day with these two Actually I spend nearly every day with them; but this time we were in about a 3-foot radius of each other all day, from 10:30 in the morning until about 9 at night. And we weren't doing schoolwork. It was a Go day. We did our banking and then we went shopping - first for birthday gifts, and then we saw shoes, and clothes, and got a little sidetracked. Because we were suppose to be getting groceries.But first we needed lunch, so I took them out for a treat. We don't regularly go out to fast food places - except in the summer when we are at Grandpa's farm, so even Burger King for lunch in the winter is a special deal for my kids. (Side note - I can specifically remember a handful of times my own mom took me out for lunch while we were shopping. Usually we had to get home to make lunch for others, but once in a great while we would stop at McDonalds for a special treat.) And then it was on to grocery shopping. This is wher

How do you deal with disappointment? When you're six, crying is usually tolerated. Last weekend we got another round of snow, lots of it; so much that everything was canceled. We had family from out of state arrive on Friday night. We were looking forward to basketball games and swim meets, sharing our lives with our visitors. Then cancellations started trickling in. And all of our plans were wiped out. Little K had been so excited to have her very first basketball game and to have her cousins there to watch. When you've been dragged to numerous games and meets for older siblings, having someone special there to come to your game .... Well it's enough to send a 6 year old into a near frenzy. Alas, it was not to be. So we readjusted, relaxed and spent plenty of time inside playing while the snow blew outside. This last weekend we had a number of plans too. Our lives are busy, so nearly every day has plenty in it. But once again, disappointment visited our house. The f

The first snow day of the season was back in December and there was much rejoicing in our household and up and down the neighborhood. Kids bundled up and went outside to play for hours. Cold fingers and empty tummies drove them back inside, and then after a quick lunch and warm-up they were back out there. We parents snapped a bazillion photos of the kids in their snowsuits flying down the hill in their cute winterized outfits, on sleds, throwing snowballs, eating (clean) snow. We relished the peaceful quiet that snow brings - slowing down our days, with no where to go, and no hurry-up, we relaxed and enjoyed the day. And then the second snow storm hit a few weeks later. My kids played outside for about an hour. No one wanted to go for a walk with me in the snow. Thankfully my visiting sister-in-law was up for it. She's from snow country - Wyoming/Colorado -  so snow wasn't any reason to stay stuck inside. Our days came to a standstill however; meets and games were cancelle

The Mr. came across our daughter, the One who Swims, laying on the kitchen counter. When asked what she was doing, she answered, "Instagram." When it was mentioned that the couch would be more comfortable, her reply: "It's too far to walk." Yup, a whole 15 steps away. Swim practices have been hard on her this Christmas break. She has been swimming daily-doubles with her teammates; along with a signed 'contract' to not eat junk food during the season, her swimming has really improved. We're thinking we might approach the Boy's basketball coach and suggest daily doubles, and no-junk-food contracts for those teams also. Basketball season is in full swing for high school now. (Our 8th grader finished up in October.) He has scored and gotten rebounds when he is in the game, so that has been fun to watch, although his playing time at this point isn't quite what it used to be. Every season is a growing season, a learning season. No one is e