Swimmer of the WEEK!!!

So tonight we were so excited -- Gunnar was awarded with swimmer of the week! The coach giving the award said "we didn't know who this new rock star was".... She has had an awesome start to the season. To be 3 feet 11 inches and a swim dynamo is kinda cool. She was beaming from ear to ear. They really did say some great stuff about her and it is so refreshing to hear, since we feel she is working really hard. Our team did awesome again last night, pulling out another win against the Apex Breakers. The score was 308 to 187 and this was with quite a few of our swimmers missing. We have got a really strong group from the 10 and unders. Our young portion of the team is swimming year round and it is really showing and really paying off, obviously!!:) Also, tonight Gates won the raffle after being entered for having a personal best time. Gates lives for the ribbons!!! He thinks that is the coolest thing ever and he has them displayed neatly all around his room. I know this is only summer league swim but my kids love it and I love cheering them on:) Go Devereaux and keep up the AWESOME work my two G's!!!!!!!!!!

Spider Man!!

Yup, we still love spidey!!! Or should I say Gates does:) Every now and then spider man comes out of the closet and puts on a little show. He chose to come out at the pool this Sunday and entertain us on Fathers Day. Todd wasn't here to be graced with his presence but every one else thought it was a hoot. Unfortunately for us Todd was coaching at camp. We did go up and have dinner with him to celebrate a little. I guess we will have our true Fathers Day celebration when camp is all done. It was nice though because Gunnar got to be with him all weekend, participating in camp and just having some daddy time.... OK all for now, more to come soon!

SOS Party

Friday June 19th: This evening was our start of summer party for the neighborhood. This party is all about the JUNK food!!!! Each family is responsible for bringing goodies to share with everyone. Of course the kids love it! They get to swim, hang out and eat lots of good stuff, well not really good, but the best to them.... This year they also had a kids Bunco game. Every one really seemed to have a blast. Gunnar won a gift certificate to Goodberry's--so we are excited to go and eat ice cream soon:)

Such a helper!!

Thursday the 18th of June: Tonight was a work night and as usual I was running behind. Gunnar came in from school a little grumpy and she and Todd weren't quite seeing eye to eye. I woke up from a nap and some how ended up in the middle of it, but anyway. Todd took Gates to the pool and Gunnar and I worked on homework. I ran up to shower and to my surprise, my sweet little girlie made a special lunch for me to take to work. She was so proud of herself!! She ran up and told me she knew I was running late so she did me a favor and packed my lunch. At about 2 in the morning I finally got a break and went to eat my "special" lunch.. I had to laugh because while I was in the shower she had come up to ask me if I wanted the crust cut off my bread--I said "nah, it was ok" so ironically when I opened my lunch bag, my sandwich had one heel of the bread and one regular piece of bread. It made me giggle a little, I also had a bag of Doritos, two oreos, and two Hershey kisses and the sweetest note ever--it said "have a great lunch mom, I love you, Gunnar". That was the best lunch I had ever eaten and packed by the most special girl.

Devereaux Devil Rays vs Glenridge....

Tuesday June 16th: Today is our first official swim meet. Gunnar and Gates are really excited and a little nervous. It is raining cats and dogs. As long as the thunder and lightening hold off we will continue on with the meet as planned. I can personally say I'm not super excited about sitting in the rain but I am excited to watch my little fish swim. Lets hope the outcome points in our direction.....


Wednesday June 17th: We won!!!!! Devil Rays 337 and Glenridge Gators 177. What an awesome night. The rain fell most of the night and we all looked like we had been in the water, but I guess the win was worth it. The kids were freezing and a little grumpy but it didn't show when the competition was on. Gunnar finished with 2 first place in her relays, 2nd place in breast stroke, 3rd in freestyle, 3rd in fly and 4th in backstroke. Not a bad start if I do say so myself:).. Gates got 4th in freestyle and 2nd in breast stroke, no backstroke for him --he was too cold and ready to be done. We didn't finish the meet til 10:15 and we had to get up for school--YIKES. Actually everyone got up ok. Gunnar was off to school and Gates was off to camp and me, well, it was off to the gym--ugh!! I was tired toooooooo. Until the next meet that's all for the Devil Rays for now..... check out the website at devereauxdevilrays.com...

Growing Pains

Gates woke up complaining that his legs were hurting for about the 3rd day in a row. We had been to the doctor on Thursday last week for an ear infection. Today he told me he thought his legs had a fever and needed to go to the doctor, because doctors make every boo boo better. He also ask if I thought his legs had an infection... HMMMMMM, I seriously doubt it. I told him he'd be fine, he is already on antibiotics and if there was an infection it would help it go away.. He said "ok as long as my legs don't fall off--- I need them to swim"... Heehee, to cute that little man is. Boy their little brains never stop thinking. Maybe that's why kids are so smart, because they use their brain constantly to absorb every thing they hear, see, smell, feel, taste and touch. I truly think he is having growing pains though--that is my explanation for achy legs. We can only hope:)

Backstroke!!

This is a quick clip of Gunnar's backstroke--- she was in first place til the bump against the rope. It threw her off and she ended up 3rd out of six.. Oh well, you can't win em all!!!

Devereaux Devil Rays

Gunnar and Gates had their first swim meet for the 2009 season yesterday.. So hard to believe Gates is old enough to be on swim team. Well, actually he isn't but sometimes there are exceptions to the rule. Since he can make it all the way across the pool they are allowing him to be on the team. I don't know what you call the strokes he does but, he does make it:)..... Gunnar is a fish. She is doing wonderful and loves the water. She got 2nd, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the meet. Her favorite stroke is butterfly but for some reason she was a little off yesterday and that was the stroke she got 4th in. She was winning back stroke til she hit the lane rope and popped up to see where everyone else was. She was able to pull a 3rd in that one. The best part for both of them was ALL the candy they got to eat. Free doughnuts and ring pops. Who doesn't love all that junk at 8am.. Oh well like I said before rules are made to be broken. They are having fun and that's what matters most.. Here is Gates in his swim team debut:)

Beach Bums

Over Memorial Day weekend we went to Carolina Beach. We rented a house with some friends for a few days. The weather was perfect, warm, but breezy. From what I understand everyone else had rain, so we consider ourselves lucky. We had a 5 minute rain shower one evening, but that was it. The kids had a blast. Gates and Dominic played great, they lasted all day without naps. Poor Gates was exhausted by the end of the day. It was all we could do to shower him and get a few bites of dinner in his mouth before he was out. He was literally in bed by 7 every night and slept til the next morning. Gunnar and Isabella were great too. They played in the water most of the time and even swam out to the sand bar with the dads.. We put up a tent so the kids could have a shady retreat when they needed a break. Lots of snacks, Popsicles and plenty of drinks kept everyone happy, including the adults:) We didn't do anything extraordinary. We just relaxed and enjoyed our days on the beach.

Roller Skating Mania

Can you say skate queen??? That is my Gunnar Grace. She is quite the little skater. For her birthday this year she decided to invite a few girls to go roller skating and then sleep over. We had to have the party a few weeks late due to scheduling conflicts and then silly me didn't realize Todd would be out of town the weekend we planned the party. Gunnar was insistent that we follow through with the party even though Todd was going to be gone. Of course he was fine with it because they had just gotten back from Vegas a few weeks before and that was kinda his birthday celebration with her. However, this left me to deal with 8 girls and a 3 year old on slumber party night---ugh!! Everyone was really good. I truly have no complaints.. I'm not sure I want to do it again by myself, but it really was a fun night. Gates got in on the skating fun too, as you will see in some of the pics.. I love birthdays, but most of all I love seeing my kids with their friends having such a great time:)

Mothers Day Fun

This year I got to spend Mothers Day with my mom and my daughter. I haven't spent mothers day with my mom in years. We had a great day. First it was off to have a nice relaxing pedicure, some yummy lunch at Jasons Deli and then off to see the wizard, literally. We got tickets to go to the Wizard of Oz Broadway series. Me, mom and Gunnar went and we loved it. I think there are probably no bigger fans of the Wizard of Oz than us. I grew up watching it as did my mom and now so is my Gunnar Grace. She has loved it since she was 2. Most kids are afraid of it at that age, but she quickly fell in love with all the characters and the story behind it. We had a wonderful day, and I was so glad to be with two of my most favorite people in the world.

Gates in his Jammers

So our newest and youngest member of the swim team is our one and only GATES!! He is the absolute cutest thing ever. I don't think he will be breaking any records this year, but watch out next year because he will be a force to be reckoned with!!! We have time trials/mock meet this Saturday. It should be interesting, we have to have them at the pool at 8am, and as everyone knows --- no one is up at our house that early on Saturday. Lets hope the early morning doesn't cause an uproar before the first big performance. Here are a few pics of Gates in his swim team jammers:)