Swim Mom Knits

All Swimming All The Time

It has been nothing but swim, swim, swim here.  We had a meet on Saturday, a meet last night and a meet tonight.  Unfortunately, Ben is going to miss the conference championship to go to the Ren Faire north of Chicago with his Aunt.  So his summer season will end with a whimper instead of a bang.  But he is still giving the meets all his effort.  He swam against his biggest summer competition in both Saturday's meet and last nights meet.  He got beat on Saturday in the IM (all four strokes) but yesterday he almost beat his rival.  He was ahead for three of the four strokes.  It was a fabulous race to watch.

I am still working on the sock.  At some point I will have a picture, but I just haven't gotten much knitting done this past weekend.

The visit with our Aunt was filled with a county fair.  Nate went on a ride called the Stardust that spins really fast and then lifts you off the floor.  He seemed to like it although he wouldn't go on it again.  Ben on the other hand, had to be convinced to go on the ride and then rode it five more times.  It was crazy.  I had one of my favorite fair foods, cotton candy.  Okay, so it isn't really a food, but I love to eat it.

Sunday, we spent the day resting, grocery shopping and doing laundry.  Okay the last two were really all me.  This coming weekend while Ben is off savoring the Ren Fair, Nate is going to stay with another Aunt so we will be childless.  I think I will sleep in until the dog reminds me he needs to go out.  Poor puppy was not happy to be kenneled for the weekend.  He has been letting his displeasure be known.  So this weekend will be all about spoiling him.

Swim Meets

Well, it has been all swimming all the time here.  Ben had a meet Tuesday night, Thursday night and one on Saturday is scheduled.  We are going down tonight to spend the evening with my Aunt who recently moved to the area of the meet on Saturday.  It should be interesting this weekend since Ben will actually have competition for a change.  These little dual meets just don't offer the kind of competition that he is used to getting in winter swim.  He swam his IM (that is all four strokes done in a row) against the 11-12 yr old boys and beat all of them at his last meet.  Which would never happen in the winter.  On the plus side he is seconds away from the record at the Marshall pool for numerous events so he does have something to work towards.

I have been knitting.  Slowly, on the sockapalooza sock.  I finished the gusset stitches and am working on the foot.  I hope to be into the toe (or done) by the time we get back.

Employment is Good

I got the job!  Let's all do a happy dance!  This couldn't be more perfect if I got to pick the job myself.  We don't have to move, I don't have to live away from the family for the week and I get to teach my favorite level of math.  I am totally excited.  Now I must just wait for the fear and stress of preping for the new year to set in.

I survived!

The overnight guests were far more cooperative than I thought they might be.  I managed to freak out my youngest niece when I forgot who I was putting in the pool (I tossed her in like she was one of my boys, who wouldn't notice if they could never touch bottom).  She couldn't touch and got really scared but we got it worked out and she was really happy to show Mommy what she could do on Sunday.  My poor nephew was not feeling well on Saturday and I wasn't sure I was going to take him with me.  In fact we had went back to Papa's house to drop him off while waiting for the 4-H judging to finish (I couldn't get the eldest niece until after she got judged for her rabbits).  When I got ready to leave, he went to the door to go with and I being the big softie Aunt went ahead and took him with me.  By the time we got home and had supper there was just enough time to swim for a bit and go in to get ready for bed.  I did bribe them with popcorn and a movie but they all settled down just fine. 

The little ones even went to sleep without any fuss.  I was somewhat surprised by the niece doing this as she can be difficult to get to sleep without her big sister near her.  But after talking to her and Nate (they were sleeping together) about the amount of giggling and talking they went right to sleep.  The nephew is easy as pie to get to sleep so he was not problem.  Ben and the eldest niece slept outside in the tent and after we got them situated we heard nary a peep from them.

The three little ones actually played quite well together except in the pool.  The nephew wouldn't get in at all.  But he was feeling better on Sunday and got to play cards and play outside so he was fine.

Ben's second birthday party went well.  Some of my family were in town that I wasn't expecting and they came over to enjoy the day.  Nate had a blast in the pool swimming and getting thrown in the air.  I don't think he will be satisfied with Mommy throwing him anymore.  I couldn't get anywhere near the lift the guys could.

It didn't even matter to him how he went into the water.  Face first, belly buster, whatever he just came up laughing and asking for more.  Of course, I didn't expect much else.  He has been jumping off diving boards and going down big water slides for two years.

The bigger cousins attempted to throw Ben.  But Ben is just to big to throw well anymore.  So they opted for a little shoulder standing and jumping off.  (No fears about the depth of the pool, it is over seven feet for 3/4 of the width)

All in all the boys were exhausted at the end of the day.  A fabulous second birthday party for all involved.  In fact, the littlest niece was very upset that she had to go home.  So we are already planning a second visit, hopefully with a day full of nothing but swimming.

Happy News

Not on the job front although the interview went really well.  I won't find out about the job until Tuesday morning.  And if it doesn't happen, well I have another interview in a week.  That is one nice thing about teaching math, there is a shortage of those certified to do it.

The happy news is that I am going to be an Aunt (again) twice over.  Both my sister and my brand new SIL are pregnant!  And to make it even more amusing they are both going to be due right around the same time next March.  Baby knitting here I come.  I am hoping for one girl and one boy.  Of course, no matter whether they are boys/girls or a mix I will spoil them terribly.  I already told my brother that I want to book a regular monthly visit, kinda like custody only for spoiling.  I figure I better ask now because with all the family (hers and ours)  I will have to book ahead of time to make sure I get to spoil the kid right.  Then my sister informs me that they are thinking of moving back this direction after summer next year!  It would be so exciting to have my nephew and future neice/nephew that much closer.

This weekend, we have Ben's big birthday party.  Plus just to make things more interesting, I have agreed to get not only my nephew but me neices as well tomorrow.  That makes 3 pre-schoolers in my house overnight.  I think this being off work may have warped my mind a little bit.  Two three year olds and a  four year old at once.  And my neice won't let my husband touch her (not anything personal, she doesn't like any men that aren't her Daddy).  This could get very very interesting. 

I got an interview

Actually, I have two interviews.  One tomorrow and one in a week.  Yippee!  I am really excited about the prospect of teaching again.  Wish me luck!

Last Week of the Bad Sickness

Whew!  Last week was awful.  Ben came down with some weird flu and then he did the unthinkable.  He passed it to me.  I was out for three days.  Seriously, the most awful headaches and a fever.  That is it.  But I have never had a headache like that one.  I could do nothing and that was on some pretty serious pain relievers.  No reading, no watching tv and no knitting.  It was horrible.  The house fell apart.

But this week, I am much better.  And today we have reason to celebrate.  Today is Ben's 10th birthday.  That is right my baby is 10.  Double digits.  We had one party for him yesterday but the big family one is next week.  He is so excited, as only a kid can be.  He ended up with a lot of early presents of the expensive kind, like a trumpet. But I know he still has a few good ones.

And of course, Nate got in on the action from his bestest cousin.  That is a shiny new Star Wars t-shirt.  He had to put it on immediately.

Well, I got confirmation that my math certification is official, so now I am waiting on the paperwork.  I have my first phone interview this evening but the school is way far away (like 2 hours.  I am not sure I really want to be that far, but I will if I have to).  A local school has an opening now, so I am hoping to hear from them.

I finished two hats.  I started my mom's silk wrap.  I am also still working on the sockapalooza sock.  Plus I really need to catch up on my blog reading.  I don't think I want to know how many I am behind.