Winter Activities

I am so thankful that this winter we have found a healthy balance of activities for our kids.  So many families struggle with feelings of business when it comes to after school activities.  So far, my tendency has been to stay away from activities outside of school.  This is largely because the kids get so much activity and enrichment as part of their school day, and I want to prioritize time together as a family outside of school.  Also, I know that whatever we start now sets somewhat of a precedent that will set expectations for the future.  With a family of four kids, we need to pace ourselves.

This winter, though, I knew we would need some afternoon activities to keep us from getting cabin fever.  My priorities were to choose activities that could either be enjoyed at home or could be enjoyed by most of the kids at a single destination.  Preserving dinner time was a must.  In the end, we settled on piano lessons for G-Bear (continued) and E-Bear (first time!) and swim lessons.   We have been so thankful for both sets of experiences.

Piano continues to be a real treat. We love our piano teacher, Mrs. H.  She comes to our house and does a fifteen minute Kinder lesson for E-Bear followed by a thirty minute lesson for our more experienced G-Bear.  Thankfully, both bears enjoy Mrs. H's instruction and, at least so far, are happy to practice with only a little weekly cajoling on my part.  Both T and I love hearing the piano as playroom background music.

Our second activity has been twice a week swim lessons at the Foss Swim School.  Wow.  We are so fortunate to have one of their pools nearby.  These swim lessons are totally different than anything we have experienced.  The pool is warm, really warm.  Think bathtub warm.  So, the kids are very excited to hop in the water when we arrive, even my littles who don't like cold water (just like their momma).  Second, the teachers and teaching methods are excellent.  The kids are drawn to the enthusiasm and out-going friendliness of the instructors.  Everyone is known by his or her name.  And, the class sizes are no larger than 3 or 4 kids.  The best part is that each of our kids are improving by leaps and bounds.  G-Bear is swimming like a real swimmer, E-Bear is swimming alone and getting rings from the bottom of the pool, and Buddy Bear is swimming assisted with his face in the water.   The price feels a little steep when I am writing a check for three kids for four weeks at a time, but by the end of the swim session I always leave feeling like it was worth every penny.  I have my fingers crossed that we will have three swimmers by this summer!  Now that would be a winter activity well spent.

Happily Ever,
Queen B

Another Little Swimmer

Tonight, at the pool with MoMo and Papa, 

E-Bear took off his life jacket and swam by himself for the first time.  

We knew he had it in him.  By the end of the night, he was swimming all over the shallow end.

Way to go, E-Bear!  

June 2014 in Review

I can always tell when we've had a busy month because the number of blog posts dwindles.  This has been such a wonderful month, filled with wonderful adventures.

Week One: Chicago Land

Lincoln Park.  Yes, that is the John Hancock in the background.

We skipped G-Bear's last day of school to accompany T on the long drive to Chicago for a course he was teaching.  While he was busy in the labs, the kids and I ventured to the Lego Discovery Center (worthy of a post of its own) and built with Legos, 

First Lego car, and yes, Mom helped.

Legos,

Love that Millennium Falcon, E-Bear!

and more Legos in our hotel room.  

Surfs Up, with Legos, that is.

We also drank bottomless root beer with "Uncle" Tony at the Eleven City Diner and played with our friends at the Lincoln Park Zoo. We had a wonderful time. 

Weeks Two and Three: Swimming Lessons

Gertie the Guppie once again made an appearance in our lives for two weeks of swimming lessons.  Buddy Bear joined the Jellyfish group, E-Bear joined the Sunfish and G-Bear joined the Catfish.  The kids braved the 60 degree mornings like champions.  Everyone improved, both in following instructions and in their swimming skills.  I watched Buddy Bear come into his own singing to Gertie and even put his face into the water unprompted.  I watched E-Bear do under water bobs like a champ.  And I watched G-Bear backstroke across the pools and try a dive or two.   J-Bear spent her time toddling around the deck with me, holding my hand and trying her hardest to learn walk (thank goodness for those kneelers!).  She even learned the Gertie song too, and joined in by blowing bubbles with her lips just like the swimmers!

We celebrated at the end of the week by heading up to MoMo and Papa's cabin.  

MoMo was a champ and got the pontoon in the water.   

We all enjoyed our time on the water 

and in the forest. 

What a way to relax and revive.

Week Four: Catholic Kids Camp (Vacation Bible School)

When we got back, it was time for Catholic Kids Camp!  We all got to participate this year, G-Bear and E-Bear as campers, and Buddy Bear and J-Bear as un-official campers in a childcare class with me.  We did crafts, sang songs, enjoyed circle time and Bible stories and playground time each day.  All the kids were so proud of their hard work and had so much fun praising God with their friends.  Proud smiles abounded at the sing along at the end of the week.

I really must recommend Lacy Rabideau's Catholic Preschool Curriculum from Catholic Icing.  I used many of her ideas for Circle Time and for our crafts, all of which worked really well for our group of 1-4 year olds.  

In Between:  

In between our big events, we have had plenty of other little adventures.

We visit the visiting Handmaids nearly every evening. 

We even got to treat them to ice cream one evening.

We've played plenty of catch and ball.

We can't stay off our bikes. 

E-Bear asks to ride his two-wheeler every afternoon.

Day by day, we're growing a green, green garden,

From the front yard.

Our bouquet of front yard flowers.

The bouquet E-Bear picked for me.

and a new boulevard of green, green grass.

The kids have been a huge help to T, who reseeded our boulevard.  

It is hard to believe that only a few weeks ago it looked like a scraggly weed garden.

Everyday we make time for learning time, playtime and piano practice.

And each weekend you can still find us with MoMo, Papa and GG on the patio for brunch. 

These are sweet and wonderful summer days.  

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful June!

Swimming into Summer

Our session of swim lessons ended yesterday, just in time for summer's arrival.

The temperatures were chilly. 

On several mornings, we emerged from the water vying for the honor of "Bluest Lips."  

But don't feel too bad for us.  This crew didn't just survive.  

They thrived!

Every morning, the kids have jumped out of bed, excited for another day at the pool.  Trooper MoMo made the drive each day to hold J-Bear while the rest of us were in the water.  MoMo looked quite at home watching the Bears from the pool deck.  No doubt, these mornings were reminiscent of days when she watched her own kids freeze their tootsies in the pool on chilly Minnesota mornings.

Our favorite new friend is Gertie the Guppy.

Gertie is the star of her very own song, which our whole family sings with great gusto.

Her song has taught many a young swimmer how to blow bubbles in the pool.

Good 'ole Gertie.

Now, we're onto summer, ready to show off our new swimming skills

(hopefully, in slightly warmer temperatures :).

Swimming in the Arctic

Would someone please tell me why I thought it would be a good idea to sign my kids up for swimming lessons in an outdoor pool during Minnesota's Arctic spring?

We start swim school today.  

It has been raining for two weeks with temperatures in the sixties.

I don't think the pool is heated.

I have to get in the water for Buddy Bear's lesson.

Oh my.

Our Swimming Girl

The 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials will always hold a special place in my heart.  

Note the closed fist swimming stroke.  She had a bandaid on her finger that she didn't want to loose in the water.  Swimming with closed hands!  Now that is dedication, or something like that.

They inspired my girl to swim across the pool by herself.

Now, she is swimming underwater by herself too.

Way to go, G-Bear.

Anyone else excited for the olympics?

Tips for Three at the Pool

Here in NC, our new apartment is in a lovely community that includes a beautiful pool.  In this fabulous southern summer heat, the kids and I are constantly dreaming of a swim at the pool.  Unfortunately, we have had to use a lot of restraint.  With three munchkins who all need help at the pool, I am outnumbered unless T is home.  I had resigned myself to merely waving wistfully to the pool as we walked by during the day.

Thankfully, I consulted my good friend and experienced mom of three, Texas Mommy.  She reminded me of her technique for bringing her three boys to the pool -- a necessary survival tactic for their summer fun at their home in Texas.  Her technique involves coastguard approved life jackets for the two older kids, giving them some freedom and adequate safety in the water, and a water sling for the baby.

I am so excited that my TaylorMade Mesh Water Sling arrived today via Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique.  As soon as I had it out of the box, we headed to the pool.  Baby Bear loved it and so did I.  E-Bear and G-Bear swam and splashed in the pool in their life jackets, while Baby Bear snuggled me in the sling as I stood in the waist-deep water.

Hooray for safer summer pool solutions!  I am hoping that we'll be getting a lot of use out of the sling and the pool in the next few weeks.

We love a good swim

We have taken the swimming lesson plunge here in Happily Ever Johnson Land.  

G-Bear and E-Bear have had two lessons with "Teacher Mike" the past two Saturdays.  The lessons may be more aptly called "therapy lessons near water," as they have mostly involved copious G & E Bear chatterings to Teacher Mike as they dangle their feet in the water on the pool steps.

Their shyness toward the water when their teacher is around stands in stark contrast to their hold-nothing-back attitude when we swim just as a family.  Ah, c'est la vie, at least when it comes to teaching toddlers to swim!  Thank goodness for our teacher's patient, therapeutic nature.

E-Bear loves to talk and splash on the steps.

G-Bear shows off her skills.

The kids love to show off their new suits that they received for the lessons:  Lightning McQueen for E-Bear and Disney Princesses for G-Bear.  They amaze the check-in desk attendants with their enthusiasm as we arrive.  No amount of preparatory coaxing to "walk please, on the deck" can keep them from sprinting toward the water when we enter the pool doors.  E-Bear can hardly contain his excitement on the side of the pool as G-Bear get her lesson time.  They love their teacher's mini kick boards, even if they use them more for splashing each other than for practicing their kicking technique.

Kickin' it poolside.

Showing off the pipes!

So far the kids are doing a great job of blowing bubbles, feeling the water with their hands and kicking with their feet.  Aren't these the same children who were flinging themselves off the edge into the water and doing underwater dips with us last year at the pool?  Yes, we have a long way to go, but it is refreshing to remember where we all start when learning to swim.

Swimming buddies through thick and thin