Meet our swimmers

This was our 3rd summer here and I decided that with Brian gone, it would be a good idea for us to join our local swim team, the Ridgewood Barracudas. The practice schedule is intense and the season is long, but I figured it would be a great way to keep us busy and engaged with friends in June and July. We know lots and lots of people on the team, so it would be fun right? 

Some highlights from June- 

My friends were so gracious to show me the ropes! First being to write down the kids races on your hand, and their arm. We would be tattooed all day, but it helped me not to miss a race of theirs. Well, thats not entirely true. Sometimes I would be standing on the deck of the pool, and get to chatting... OOPS! Hated when that happened. Tate would eventually swim 4 races and Macy 5, but these were their first- 

The calm before the storm...

Here is Macy, anxiously awaiting her first race-

Macy and her buddy Morgan, who would prove to be a fierce competitor for Macy all season long-

Tate and Joel-

Tate for sure loved the time with friends more than he did the actually swimming. The kid just has no competitive desire in his body. Which makes him a great friend!

He did like the snacks-

 Swim meets were on Saturday mornings, at 7 am. The would have to be checked in and ready to swim a warm-up by 6am. If the swim meet was home, not too bad because we only had to get up at 5 to pack up, get ready and make the short drive. If it was an away meet- some 45 minutes away- it was ugly. Needless to say, by 7:45am these kids needed, and deserved, a donut as big as their face!

Macy quickly proved to be a great swimmer, here she is earning her first heat winner ribbon at her second meet of the season-

Not surprising that Tate would rather sit and read than swim an extra practice during Macy's practice time!

Actually.... the kids very first Friday night practice I left them with friends at the pool because I had to go get ice for the meet. They knew what to do and when to swim. Or so I thought. Tate was in the 11-12 category, but some of his friends were still 10, so they didn't swim with him. When I wasn't there, he jumped in the pool with a buddy, not realizing it wasn't his practice, just thinking "if my friend is going, I must too." When I got back at the end of that practice, he was just finishing up. I realized the mistake he'd made, but insisted he still practice with his group. Man was he tired after 2hrs of back to back practices!