Pieces of Us: Swim

August 10, 2010

Swim Stuff

In the last month the girls participated in two swim meets. (Should have been three but they missed one due to the flu- they were NOT happy about that.) The first meet was a novice meet which was a LOT of fun. They have not earned any Red or Blue times yet so they are still able to compete in novice events (in addition to recognized meets.

The novice meet took place at Oaks Christian High School. They have the most fantastic pool in the county. (I guess that is what you get when you pay $25,000 a year tuition for high school!) Both girls improved all of their times in 5 events. Freestyle, Butterfly, Breaststroke, Backstroke and 100m IM. They earned a stack of ribbons which was so fun for them and really made all their work feel worth it. I love swimming because it's not about winning. It's about improving on your own performance every time. So far the girls have done really well at improving their times. I was especially proud of Gabby this time around because she shaved seconds off of all her times even though she had taken a 6month break and had only been back in the water TWO times for practice!

Maddy was completely surprised to even win one of her events!

This last Saturday was a recognized event meaning the competition was a lot stiffer. Some of these kids can really swim and have been doing it for years! It's so cute seeing even the tiniest 6 year old tearing it up in the water. I was a timer for this meet and I have to say I don't understand why most parents try to dodge their timing responsiibilites. It was so much fun. Best seat in the house too. This meet was held in Pleasant Valley at their impressive indoor pool. Here in California indoor pools are pretty rare. The chlorine smell is strong in there but at least it's out of the hot sun!

Both girls swam hard and improved their times in all of their events. It's a lot either to get a disqualification in a recognized event and both of them had a DQ in a couple events. I was still proud of how well they swam. It's really easy to get a DQ on a tiny technicality. Maddy had a small issue with the even-ness of her butterfly stroke that resulted in her DQ and Gabby had an issue with her turn in the backstroke. Now they know what they need to work on at practice.

It was so exciting for both girls to get a ribbon at this event. Maddy a seventh place and Gabby a sixth place in breaststroke. Maddy also got a ribbon for Personal Best Time in an event (freestyle). Amazingly she shaved 18 seconds off of her best time! The best part of all for me was seeing Maddy swimming the breaststroke (her favorite event) and seeing her huge smile every time she came up for air. She was obviously loving every minute of the competition and that is truly all a mom can ask for.

Posted by Lisa on August 10, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Who We Are

Lisa- The Blogger

This is me. I like to think I am complex and multi-faceted but I think much of the time I am a silly, zany, free-spirited person who really enjoys life. I like to make people happy, I like to be happy. I am a sanguine through and through. I love crafting, Pinterest, gathering ideas, computer stuff, watching movies, sleepovers and hugging on my offspring. I don't like internet haters who assume to 'know' me just by what they read here. There is a reason this is called 'Pieces' Of Us. It's just a small peek in the window. You may think you know, but you have no idea.
Mike- The Sportsman

Mike is more than just a sportsman but he does like to shoot a deer now and then. In his other spare moments which are few and far between he is taking college courses to finish his degree or tending to his pack as Cubmaster. He loves to spend time with the kids and they think he is pretty great even if he is a goofball who loves to embarrass them.
Madeline- The Free Spirited Bohemian One

This kid could be happy with just some books, a drawing pad and a pencil. She has an aptitude for art and has really excelled at drawing over the past year. She is patient and kind but has a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Maddy is dependable, if you want something done, she's your girl and she does it with a cheerful spirit.
Gabriella- The Creative Ray of Light

Gabby has sparkle, she has pizzazz, she has talent. She is the kid you never have to tell to practice the piano instead you tell her to take a break. She loves to chat with her friends on the computer (what teen doesn't?) and write stories with her twin sister. She's a practical joker and has a terrific sense of humor. Did I mention she is also a talented actress as well?
AJ- The Deep Thinker

This boy is going places! AJ is always thinking. He is a true philosopher pondering the whys of everything but he is also an inventor/engineer also determining the hows. He spends hours building and taking things apart. We worry that he will one day blow up the house but for now he is pretty darn useful at optimizing our computers and rewiring things that break around here.
Genevieve Audrey- The Spunky One

Spunky doesn't even begin to describe it. She is a social butterfly and she loves to sit and chat as long as her victim will listen. Ginny is a tiny little thing but her spirit is huge and she's smart to boot. She is proving to be an excellent big sister and is teaching Jilly the ropes.
Caleb Allen- The Littlest Man

He doesn't like it when you run your fingers through his hair so we do it all the more. Caleb is just so cute and snuggly. He is always full of enthusiasm whether it be positive or negative. He either really loves something or he doesn't like it at all. We love him regardless.
Jillian Clementine- The Boss

She may be small but she makes up for it big time. Jillian likes to let people know who is in charge and we often have to take her down a peg... or five. She says funny things so often that she has her own blog Jillyish. She loves to use huge words like intrusive and incredible or any other adjective that shouldn't come out of a three year old. She will also tell you that she is too shy to say Hi but don't believe it because she is pure drama.
Jess..ica- She hiccups

She may not be blood but we claim her as one of us. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without her around. She makes us laugh and she can sing like a hamster. Everyone needs a friend with a hamster voice. Now she'll probably ask me to take this down but I'm not gonna. Because we love her.

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