Learning to swim

We went back and forth on whether or not to sign Max up for swim lessons. When sign ups came we were still trying to get settled in the new house and new city with new routines, etc etc so at the time swimming just got put on the back burner.  Well I finally decided that Max needed to take lessons because its the perfect age to learn and he's at the point where he is tall enough to stand in 3 foot pools pretty easy, so he needs to learn how to swim and become more familiar with the water. At first I thought I could just teach him, but I'm so glad he is learning from someone else with other kids his age around, I think that really helps.  He's quite the chatterbug on the steps while he waits his turn, we know he is enjoying them.

Well I started trying to find a good 2 weeks for him to take lessons - because that's how most lessons are here in NWA.  I finally found a class at Walton Fitness Center. It actually is perfect because it just meets every Wednesday for 30 minutes throughout the whole summer and was only $31.  The class I looked into at Rogers was Mon-Thur for 2 weeks for $70.  Plus Max's class only has 3, 4, or 5 kids every week so he gets a lot of one on one time with the teacher.  He is showing so much improvement and we've only been going for 3 weeks.  Here are some pictures of his first lesson.  We get to sit up top and watch him swim.  This is his first time learning to swim no being in a mom and tot class (like last year).

Its been great because he is reminded every week over the summer how to swim and it's not crammed in a 2 week session where everyone gets worn out.  Also the last 2 wednesdays it has rained, and since it's inside we don't have to worry about it being canceled.  I think I'm going to sign him up again this fall, and even sign Alex up too.  After all....we're suppose to have a neighborhood pool soon and I'll feel better once these two are swimming like a fish :)

Alex enjoys watching his Bubba learn to swim (back in the bottle days!)

Father's Day

I think Mike had a pretty good Father's Day.  We tried to spoil him as much as possible.  One thing Mike wanted to do was take the boys on a nature hike.  We went to Tanyard Creek in Bella Vista and had a lot of fun. 

Max found a baby turtle on the trail!

Beautiful waterfall on the trail

We walked down to the creek, sat on a bench, and listened to the waterfall.  So peaceful

Look at the big fish!!!

I couldn't believe how long the fish were

After Tanyard Creek we headed back home but found another creek on the way back.  We want to go back to this one soon.  The water is so clear and would be fun to swim/wade in. 

Sunday morning we went to church and had the VBS week where the kids lead the worship service.  Mabry, Mary Frannie, Max, and Laney sang the songs.  It was a fun church service for Mike and my dad for Father's Day

The girls spent the night with my parents and gave their Grandpa a Father's Day card!

So apparently below is the only picture I got of us out to eat on FAther's Day.... My mom and mike both took more. We first tried shoguns, which doesn't open til noon.  We had 5 kids and it was 11...so that wasn't an option!  We tried Kobe down the road which is very similar to shoguns, and so good.  The kids actually did pretty decent.  We were glad we all got to go out to eat and no one cook.

After Mike got home from playing 18 holes of golf with his best friend (also a dad) we had some gifts to give him.  We found him some Razorback shorts, a weighted jump rope, and we made him a scrapbook of his last 4 years of being a dad.  We also got him the miter saw last weekend that was his big gift

I think we all had a pretty good Father's Day weekend. The main goal I had was just to tell Mike as often as I could how good of a dad he is to the boys and how thankful we are for him - I tried to have the boys tell him the same.  We are so lucky to have Mike.  I don't say this enough.  He is the best husband to me and father to the boys.  simply the best.

Below are pictures of Mike the day we gave him his miter saw ( am I spelling that right?) It was the weekend before so we could make the boys a sand table. I foudn the table for $20 at a garage sale, and we just spent a few turning it into a sand table.  the boys love it.  Glad Mike enjoys his present - plenty of projects to come.