Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

Rachel swimming breast stroke in the IM.  She doesn't like this picture but I thought I'd post it anyway!  I'm not very good at taking action shots and at least it's not blurry!

Spencer waiting his turn in the relay race.  It's hard to get a picture of him racing because the timers are always on the side of the pool where we can take pictures. 

We had a great swimming season this year. For the first time in the four years that she's been swimming, Rachel qualified to swim in three events at championships (The IM, butterfly and freestyle.)  A swimmer has to be one of the top three fastest swimmers on the team to qualify.  Many of our swimmers swim year-round and are on nationally ranked club teams so to make it into the top three is quite an honor.  I told her that she's a perfect example of persistence because many kids may have given up if they didn't get to championships at an earlier time but Rachel never gave up and kept trying hard to improve.  Improve she has!

Spencer spent the first month of swim team in a cast so it took him a while to get in swimming shape but by the end of the season, he was swimming beautifully!  During his last meet, he improved his freestyle time dramatically!  We are so proud of our swimming kids.  They work hard, practicing each morning Monday through Friday with meets twice a week but they love it and so do I!  I love watching them swim, seeing them improve and witnessing the joy they experience while they do it!

A hijacked camera provides us some interesting and beautiful images

My girls often abscond with the camera and I never know what kind of pictures I'm going to find afterward.  Here's a picture of our hanging basket that Rachel must have taken.  She really has an eye for photography. 

This is a pretty sunset on that same day captured by Rachel.

There she is, my budding photographer, in a self-portrait.

I'm sure Courtney wanted to be in a picture as well when she spotted Rachel with the camera while she was riding her bike.

This looks like a picture taken by Courtney of her sister Caitlin eating a paper clip.  Don't ask me why. 

Caitlin took this picture of her barbie.  Isn't it just lovely? 

I leave you with another beautiful view of our hanging basket which Rachel took.

Girl's Camp!

Rachel (2nd on the right) with several of our ward young women at Lake Seneca in Upstate New York

Rachel spent the last week at girl's camp at Lake Seneca, one of the Finger Lakes near Palmyra.  She had many fun and spiritual experiences.  We missed her like crazy at home like but we're so glad she could be there with all the wonderful young women from our ward.  We are so blessed to live in our ward!  We have the largest, sweetest group of girls and awesome leaders in the stake (not that we're biased or anything!)

Swimming, Swimming, Swimming

As usual, our summer is consumed with swimming and swim team.  This year, Spencer sprained his foot at the neighbor's house right before swim season began.  I was so relieved when the x-ray came back negative for a fracture but because of damaged tendons and ligaments, the orthopedist elected to put him in a cast for four weeks.  He got a waterproof cast but it didn't last long at the pool.  We had to have it replaced after 2 1/2 weeks.  Spencer was able to swim really well with his cast on but he still wasn't allowed to participate on swim team until the cast came off.  Now both Rachel and Spencer are practicing Monday through Friday with meets twice a week.  It's a fun way to spend the summer and it's great exercise.

Here's some pictures taken (mostly by the kids) at our first meet of the season:

Rachel and her friends arrive at the meet

Cast boy (with his 2nd cast)

Proud Mama!

Beautiful Courtney's ready to cheer Rachel on!

Rachel, warmed up and ready to race!

Caitlin and Spencer

Independence Day Weekend

The 4th of July landed on a Sunday this year which was kind of a bummer for our kids because a couple of our traditions of going to our neighborhood parade/party and the pool party were off the docket this year.  We did take them to watch the fireworks in Bethlehem.  We sat right on the street because Paul couldn't walk to our normal spot.  Our car is actually right behind our chairs so he didn't have to walk anywhere.  It ended up being a perfect location to see the fireworks lighting up the sky!  They were especially good this year so we oohed and ahhed the night away! 

I think Rachel looks like a model in this picture.  I couldn't figure out what was going on with her multi-colored outfit for church on Sunday morning until she reminded me it was the fourth of July and she was donning red, white and blue to show her patriotism. 

All the kids are anxiously awaiting the first boom from the sky.  It took a while! 

The next day was a holiday for us so we went to our ward party.  It was sooooooooo hot.  You can tell by looking at the kids.  But they still had fun playing with their friends, and participating in the activities.  We also went to the pool to cool off later that day.

The Completion of Concertpalooza

My friend, Sara, aptly named the end of the school year and all its accompanying concerts, recitals, performances and ceremonies "Concertpalooza."  For Rachel, May and June have been chock full of events.  With District Orchestra, the school orchestra concert, her choir concert, being inducted into the Jr. National Honors Society, her school musical and her piano recital, it was a busy few weeks.  Add on to that playing basketball, daily play rehearsal, participating in young women, practicing the piano and violin and doing her schoolwork--well, let's just say it's good she survived. 

At the chorus concert, Rachel had a solo singing part and also had to read about a song they were singing.  She did a terrific job, as always!

Rachel reads the story behind a beautiful song about the Holocaust.

Singing with the 6th Grade Chorus

Performing at her piano recital

Cell Phone Stuff

For some reason, I often find myself places without my camera where I should have it.  Here are a few examples from the last month or so: 

Caitlin and Courtney (center bottom row) at their preschool BounceU party

Caitlin and Courtney with their preschool pals

Caitlin loved the Big slides at Bounce U

Courtney enjoying Bounce U

Rachel (center in blue shirt) with her friends who were honored at the Junior National Honor Society

Rachel performing in the district orchestra concert (she was one of 3 violinists selected to represent her school)  I was on the balcony--thus the lovely picture quality.

Spencer (holding the bat on the left) with his baseball team, The Mets.  He couldn't play the last three games because of the cast on his leg but he went to the last game and coach let him hit and had someone run for him.  We thought that was awesome!

Rachel's Spring Orchestra Concert