Summer Fun!

I love Summer! Grilling, swimming, water balloon fights, parades, family reunions, and lots of great memories created. We came home from England about a month and a half ago and "dove right in" to all the summer things we do. Pun intended! Laura signed up for swim team even though it was only for the second half of the season, Jacob signed up for diving and swim lessons, and Daniel signed up for his first swim lessons. We are also finishing up homeschool. Heather has all her classes, but is rapidly completing them and is getting straight A's. The others just have math and will be done in time before summer ends. (I hope!)

Daniel loved getting in the water everyday and playing the little games they play for preschool swim lessons. He did well and passed, but needs to work on getting his head ALL THE WAY under. He was just a bit timid with that. I should mention that he is reading now too. But we need to practice more. Things will calm down when school starts. That doesn't have anything to do with swim lessons, but I thought I would throw it in:)

Jacob did well and passed swim lessons. Diving is another story. It was challenging for him and he never really got it. The poor kid had a red tummy after each lesson. (belly flops!) He never wants to take it again. I want him to learn, but not if it lowers his confidence even more. He seemed happy during the lessons though. We'll see.

Laura has done really well with swim team. She hasn't placed in the top three yet, but considering her circumstances, she has done well. She came into the season midway through completely out of shape and she aged into a higher level and longer workouts. Normally she is playing softball when swim starts and has played basketball and soccer during the year. She hasn't mastered all the strokes yet though. She excels in the Freestyle and is improving with the Butterfly. She has a very strong upper body (Like the incredible hulk strong! She helped Scott move our furniture) and seems built for the Butterfly. She says she doesn't like it but I think she just doesn't like being told to do it by her coaches or whoever. Stubborn.  For the final county meet this week she is only planning on swimming the Freestyle. She has so much ability, natural strength, and talent. I hope she changes her mind as she matures. The main coach this year is all work no play. Not a good strategy when dealing with kids--even teens and the coaches are just high school grads themselves. Laura has become bored, but still likes to swim and plans on signing up next year. It's hard to take pictures of kids swimming, but here are a few. There are also some pictures of Jacob at Pack Night and having a water balloon fight.

Laura and Ryan all wet.

Jacob and some friends filling water balloons.

 Jacob in a flag ceremony at Pack Night.

Jake reading to Daniel.

All hot and sweaty after rough housing.

Daniel and his swim friends waiting on their# for their teacher.

Ring Around the Rosy.

 Jake practicing a dive. He did well when he knelt.

Laura diving in during a relay race.

 A different race.

Freestyle

 

Saying Goodbye to London

*sigh* As I went through my pictures of our last week in London it was hard to not get emotional. In some ways it still feels like home. We have lots of great memories--and lots of pictures! Here are a bunch.

Coming home from somewhere. This is

our street.

Our flat. Laura is on the steps.

They're kind of mocking the students. The

students always point and pose.

Mailing a postcard near our flat.

Just inside our entryway. Stairs up to classroom and dorms.

formal dining room on the left.

Formal dining room where the professors and their 

families ate. Some of the students ate here too.

The parlor. Our boys played chess here with

the students. They also played Pokemon here!

Looking down to the entry way, dining room, and parlor.

Going upstairs to our flat. (four flights)

The classroom.

View from the Thames.

There were painted elephants all over London.

They were being sold for charity.

Trafalgar Square with the National Gallery and

St. Martins In The Field's church in the background.

St. Martins In The Fields.

Trafalgar Square

Whiteleys. The oldest mall in Europe.

Where I lived:) The grocery store near us. Without a car

it was hard to stock up for a family of seven. I was here

all the time!

On the corner of Bayswater and Queensway streets.

Across the street is Kensington Gardens Park.

Our favorite Gelato!

The girls are mocking me! They were tired of getting 

their picture taken.

Mmmmm. Chicken Shawarma's from Taza,

a hole in the wall. So yummy!

Bayswater street near our house.

                                                                        Lots of pubs!

Hyde Park Ward

Playing in the "red forest," as my kids call it, in the plastic

area of the science museum.

Portabello Road shopping. They also sell antiques, clothing

music, kitchen and housewares, etc.

Portabello Road.

Potabello Road in high season. This is why

I left!

OK I couldn't resist. This was taken as I left Portabello

Road at a Rock store called 'Be Famous.' For those of 

you who are wondering...This is an autographed picture

of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant from 

Led Zeppelin. Cool.

The entryway of our house with all

our luggage. 14 bags not including

back packs. Scott showed his talents as
he packed and repacked all of our things
so they weren't over the weight limit!
This was around 2 or 3 AM.

Heathrow Airport. Our four oldest had trolley's

with our luggage. Laura is second to the last in line. 

What a site. Yes we were stared at!

Now...if we could just finish getting unpacked here. We're not good at it. It's like we came home in a tidal wave where life is so busy all the time. We have also lost a room with Laura and Heather no longer sharing, so we don't have a place for everything. We're getting it done slowly but surely though. 

I really miss London. More than I imagined I would. (Except I don't miss the politics at the center!) But it's so great to be home.

Kew Gardens London

I'm  sorry this has taken so long. All the "stuff" involved with us moving out of London and moving back here has taken a lot of my time so I haven't even finished blogging about London! So here is our last official trip. We went to Kew Gardens in London. What a beautiful place! There were several Victorian green houses, a Japanese garden and pagoda area, the Princess of Wales indoor gardens, and lots more. We all really enjoyed it.

I still have one more London post of our last days there. Maybe in the next day or so:)

 Thinking of Grandma and Grandpa Cooper in AZ.

This guy was just sitting there watching everyone.

The butterfly house was really neat. I have never seen so 

many different kinds of butterflies. The pictures don't

do them justice. 

This butterfly just emerged out of it's cocoon. Look at
the different kinds. Some where teeny tiny.

These are caterpillars! I have no idea what kind though.
It was cool to watch these white fluffy things crawl around.

The Queen's Beasts. Each one of 10 was used
as an heraldic badge by Queen Elizabeth 11's ancestors.
Together they symbolize the various strands of royal ancestry.
(I copied that from the sign near it:))

Tree line walk.

They had these pretty areas to sit and relax.

Japanese garden.

 Heather writing in her journal in front of this Victorian greenhouse.