Summer Swimming

Shelly, Rick, and Ciearra came to visit us for a weekend.  It is really great to be so close to family that we can just bips over to see each other for a day or two.  Tam and Jude were so excited to see them!  The downside was that it rained, and rained, and rained on Friday and Saturday.  This totally ruined the plan to go the beach or blueberry picking. Luckily the kiddos didn't mind just playing with each other and all the toys and books for chunks of time (with minimal fighting).  We did get out for a while to show the family downtown Vermilion.  It was Christmas in July, so many of the little shops had sales.  I totally let the kids have fun...flavored popcorn at the farmer's market, sugar candy at the candy store, late night watching movies.  It was great. 

On Sunday, we found the local community pool.  Back in Grand Rapids, we visited a few of the huge pool facilities and the splash pads...but now we are in a smaller town.  The weather was warm so we suited everyone up and headed for the water.  The beach was out because of the storms the previous day.   To our delight, the pool was a decent size and not crowded at all...and it was salt water!   The shallow end was only a little over a foot deep, so Jude could touch the bottom.  Everyone went in, but Ciearra threw a fit and sat in a chair for a chunk of the time.  We put arm floaters on Jude, but just let Tam have at it in the shallow end.  I was fully prepared for Jude to throw a fit, especially since he has only recently sort-of enjoyed going into Lake Erie while being held in our arms.  But, that stinker, surprised us and LOVED the water.  By the end of the swim time, he was jumping into our arms from the side and bobbing around on his own.  His grin stretched completely from ear to ear.  Tam loves the water and had no problem swimming around in the water...well, kind-of swimming...he isn't quite coordinating the kicking and the scooping but he tried when we reminded him.  He also jumped in from the side of the pool into deeper water.  He attempted to jump off the dive board, but stalled on the edge.  Maybe next time.  Brian's grin was also huge because he was so proud of his boys and how well they behaved in the water.  I swear his chest was so puffed up with pride :-)  If we can swing it, I would really like to get both boys into swim lessons when possible at the YMCA.

Overall, it was a blast.  One of the nicest things Shelly commented on was how great it was to all be sitting around the table just chattin' and chillin' and laughing.  I agree. It was awesome to just to hang out as a family.

Can't wait for the Reunion coming up in a few weeks.

Someone got a haircut . . .

So a few weeks ago I buzzed down the boys' hair for the summer...

Someone else in the house decided that they needed a haircut too...

One more hint... This person decided to trim as short as it has ever been in a bazillion years...

Yep...
Brian decided it was time for a major hair cut.  For reference, the last time his hair was this short was way back in 1998 (maybe 1999).  He is heading out for job interviews in the upcoming weeks and wanted to trim it up.

I wasn't sure I would like such a drastic change, but we have always said that it is only hair.
I can't believe how much YOUNGER he looks with this haircut, not that he looked old with the long hair.  I love how neat and trim it is and his head feels so fuzzy.  It is a little longer on top so he can have a few options for gel if he wants.  He likes it and has said how much lighter his head feels.

The boys still call him daddy, so I guess it wasn't too much of a drastic change.