Just Keep Swimming

Grimm was not too happy about having his photo taken but he kept bugging me to pet him so I bugged him right back.  

He got some loving and was finally happy. 

Saturday morning I headed off to Carlisle for a busy afternoon.  Baylor had spent the night at Ryder's and I was kid free until the afternoon.  On the way to the car there were two couples of cardinals in the neighbor's lilacs but I could only catch one of the males.  The other three birds flew off while I was walking closer with my phone.  

I had a lunch date with Karen at noon at Scales.  They have really good soup and we had a nice lunch talking and catching up.  And since I was kid free we also had a chance to run around shopping a bit for new fake plants for her dad, potatoes for her, sour cream for me and white out for her/her dad.  Then we ran over to her house to see her new antique purchases, she a lot of wonderful pieces and they look amazing in her house.  Then we went to the Y to see Cullen swim. She takes aqua-aerobics there and knew where we needed to go.  We found seats and watched most of the meet. 

Julie was a timer for the first half of the meet and then stood with us while we waited for Cullen's last even.  He swam in three that day and we missed the first one but got to see the other two.  I don't think he knew I was going to be there and was surprised when I got his attention while he was waiting for his event, the back stroke.   

Then he did the butterfly, for the first time at a meet.  He was pretty nervous about it.  There were only three swimmers in the event and sadly he placed third.  But the coach and his mom and I tried to help him see that it was a learning event for him and now that he has done it, the next time won't be so bad.  It is tough stroke for kids to learn and he is only eight after all.  

I said good bye to Julie and Cullen and then to Karen when she dropped me off at my car.  I headed out to pick up Baylor at Ryder's and headed home.  Sunday was not an inspiring day so I watched DVR TV and knitted while Baylor played Minecraft, pretty much all day long.  It is January, my knitting month and I finally got to the half way point on this little blanket I started when I was pregnant!  I had dreams of wrapping my baby in it but soon realized I was not that fast a knitter especially with the fine cotton yarn I had chosen,  Then a few years back while working on it I realized it was not going to be a very big blanket with the yarn I had, which was now discontinued.  I looked on Ebay and found the same style of yarn in a color I thought would at least look OK with the blue and decided to put that in the center of the blanket.  I gave three balls of the gold finished and then I have to start decreasing for the other three balls and the rest of the blue.  Maybe by the time he graduates it will be done!! He can take it to college with him and my baby will still get wrapped up in in!   

I also finished a pair of flip flop slippers for Heather.  They work  up pretty fast so if they don't fit, I will just have to try again.  

Monday January 30th was food day at work and the theme was Chinese New Year/Superbowl food.  I made Dorito dip and my manager's mom made us spring rolls.  I took some of the leftovers for Baylor because he loves them!  He squealed when he saw them on his seat and ate them on the way home. I had more for his lunch the next day.  

Tuesday was the last day of swimming lesson for the second graders and Gloria and I were able to go together to watch him with the other parents (the last day is Parent Day) He surprised me on the second day of class when he told me he was going off the diving board. He faced his fear he said and did and it was fun!!  It was fun watching him!! 

He swam on the deep end of the pool, something that scared him during his last swim lessons.  Apparently the 12 foot water was going to suck him down before but he is no longer afraid.  

There were six kids in the advanced class.  They were all amazing.  

After almost an hour in the really hot pool room we had to say good bye until pick up.   I really need to get him back into swimming classes, he does enjoy it! 

Round Up

11-28

I worked from home because school was out and we invited Kartikey to come spend the day with Baylor.  They did a craft before lunch time, reindeer faces with handprint antlers. 

I worked in some gingerbread baking between emails and making sure the boys were ok.  Only 10 to make this year!  

Sadly Baylor is not impressed with my snowflake light projectors.  I love them though. 

We took Kartikey home and stayed for a visit.  The fun never stops for these two!  We were there for nearly 45 minutes.  

11-29

Another gorgeous sky after raining all day. 

On the way to get the mail we found the Jolly Fat Man had fallen and could not get up.  Baylor helped him out but may have punched him or the gingerbread man in the nose as well.  

He helped me roll out some dough after dinner.  Apparently it was very serious business!  

11-30

Jack came into work with me today.  And before 2:30 they had eaten all the peppermint patties I put in there at 8 am.  

12-1

Baylor was so excited to start his Advent Calendar he leapt out of bed at 5:30. I am glad he looks forward to them!    

Someone crashed on the couch tonight, well before bedtime. 

So I played on Snapchat for a bit before waking him up to go to bed.  This was frightening!  

12-2

I always love a good sign, some being better than others.  This was a good one. 

I was working in the kitchen, Gloria was already in bed and Baylor was lonely so he came up and helped me chop olives.  He even tried one and said it was better than he remembered.  I miss having him help me and love it when he does. 

Round Up

11-14

I knewo he was tired tonight. Homework was a bear to get through.  he wanted to read on the couch and fell asleep reading to me. 

11-15

I do love this time of year because I get to see beautiful sunsets 

We missed the Supermoon last night because of overnight clouds but it was still a beautiful full moon the second night. 

11-16

Seven years of Baylor.  I cannot believe he is eight today.  I found myself reliving that day hour by hour all day long.  

He posed for me and said it was his college pose because he looks like he is old enough to be in college.  I may have nearly fainted at the very thought.  

So I asked him for a schmarmy love face to bring me back to eight.  

It was also wacky clothes day and he picked out two pairs of socks. He wore jeans for only the second day this year and we just rolled up his one pant cuff because he looked like he was in a gang all pulled up to his knee.  

And then he did his hair, the messier the better. 

Mommy and eight year old wacky selfies.

He did not know it but I was volunteering at school today and also having lunch with him for his birthday.  My jobs today included stapling finished projects in the hall but I also got to see the finished project that I started the first day I volunteered last month.  I helped two of the classes paint the paper plates black.  They made masks out of them.  

After I was done stapling (about 10 minutes) I got to put rice in snack bags,  I have no idea why.  But there was a stationary pedaler there at the desk, I guess for more active/fidigity kids.  After the rice project they did not have anything for me to do so I ended up helping a classmate with her test.  She was in the hallway because she was no where near done on her test and was pretty aimless out there.  Mrs Failla asked me if I could help just to keep focused.  Once she stopped complaining and focused, could not finish and was almost late for lunch!  

Last week was a food drive and Baylor's class one.  They graphed how many items they brought in with each turkey representing two items.  Baylor brought in enough for six turkeys.  

I was told to sit across from them at lunch and next to Landon.  OK, I guess that will work.  

They cannot sit three in a row so Peyton had to sit one seat away from Landon.  

He said he grew a beard, a flour tortilla beard.

Obligatory selfie. 

These two! 

Especially this one!  

We surprised him with dinner at Tokyo Diner which he loved ( I had my hair cut after lunch, can you tell?)

We went home, sang and blew out candles but did not eat any cake; too full from dinner!  

We gave him a Rouge I Nerf gun and Harry Potter Lego Dimensions as his gifts. I think it was a happy birthday!  

11-17

I was back at school for Turkey Day lunch as another surprise for Baylor and his friends.  I had to sit on the other side of the table again.  

I like being selfie mom! 

After work I nearly tripped over this little, OK not so little, spider on the side walk.  I let it go of course.  

11-18

I think I have a pallet problem!  But they are free and amazing wood if I can get myself to work on the projects in me head!  

11-19

Here is a before of one of them!  

Mom and Dad came over to take Baylor out to lunch.  We went to Red Robin because he wanted burgers and we love their onion rings!  

Then we went to the big Aldi and Baylor had fun playing in the shelves.  Here he was only $1.79!   Good deal on a gently used eight year old. 

We brought out the cake again, sang and below out candles again and this time we ate some cake!  

Part of Baylor's Thanksgiving homework was to play a board game so we took care of that one.  

I did not get photos of it but Dad helped me to cut three of the pallets into trees!   Little guy passed out on the couch early.  He is too big for me to carry up the stairs but will sleep walk up for me and into the bathroom to brush his teeth.  Good boy!   

11-20

Saturday morning was really nice but the afternoon brought in a cold and windy front that below over the trash cans.  I had to work outside in the cold garage all day because I had to get the trees done.  

And I did get all three done!  My fingers were freezing by the time I was done though.  

We put lights on two of them and I love them.  Maybe I will get around to painting one of them.