McCarter Stingrays Swim Team 2014 - LillyBean Highlights

 This pretty much sums up in one picture my thoughts and feelings on trying swim team this year.  The only requirement for swim team is that you be able to "swim" the length of the pool.  Define "swim."  If by "swim" you mean doggie paddle and hang on the rope 4 or 5 times until you make it to the end, I guess that means I qualify?  Thanks, Mommy, for signing me up for this.  Oh, and did someone say practice every day 4 days a week plus weekly meets?  Hmmmm...

 But a funny thing happened!  I liked swim team!  I had friends from school on swim team and I started looking forward to getting up and going every morning.  I even made it to my first meet and when I swam in my first race I MADE it to the finish WITHOUT stopping and WITHOUT doggie paddling!

 I got my first ribbon for 3rd place in my first race!  It felt pretty good!  I started doing some one on one lessons with my coach after practice...

 I started making some new friends on my team...  And I started to LOVE swim team!

 I thought for my second meet (and, unfortunately my last of the season) I would try TWO events: the 25M freestyle and the 50M freestyle.  I finished both races without stopping and without doggie paddling AND I GOT FIRST PLACE IN THE 8 AND UNDER 25M FREE!

 You know what was even awesomer?  I took home the Swimmer of the Week sign that week!  Remember my friend, Jackson?  He was there to support me and help me celebrate!

 Tonight at our end of season swim banquet Anna Jane got a trophy for her guppy swim lessons and I got the award for THE MOST IMPROVED SWIMMER (8 and Under Girls) and a trophy for swimming!  See that smile?!  I LOVE SWIM TEAM!

 This is my Coach Clint who is giving me lessons this summer and most important teaching me to LOVE swimming and to do my very own best!

And this is our Coach Blake who was the McCarter Stingray Swim Team Coach and taught us both a whole lot about swimming and a whole lot about loving swim team!  Coach Blake and Coach Clint ROCK!  SWIM TEAM ROCKS!
GO MCCARTER STINGRAYS!
WE ARE MCCARTER!  COULDN'T BE PROUDER!  IF YOU CAN'T HEAR US WE'LL SCREAM A LITTLE LOUDER!
GO STINGRAYS!!!!
Love,
Lilly, Anna Jane, and Jack

Around Here...

Summer!
What a GREAT Summer we are having!  Vacation at the OBX!  Swim Team!  Getting ready for Teti to get married ("Who is Teti marrying, Mommy?" - Uncle Bryan - "AGAIN!?").  We are living it up!
Last week Grandma came to visit for a few days with "Sully" (aka Ollie - but Jack can't say Ollie he says Sully and Ollie gets annoyed to the point it suits him!) and Vivienne ("Bibienne").  Mama had to do some running around last week to get ready for Teti's "Bachelorette" party (which is for grown ups only - something we DISAGREED with).  While she was gone Grandma signed up to watch us.
We thought it would be fun to jump on Mommy and Daddy's bed.
Grandma came upstairs and said, "Anna Jane, I don't think we should be jumping on Mommy's bed."
I jumped.  And jumped some more.
Grandma said, "Anna Jane, Mommy made that bed all pretty, I don't think she'd want you jumping on it."
I stopped jumping.  Sighed.  Got down off the bed and said, "Grandma, come here, I have a secret I want to tell you."
Grandma followed me into the hallway.  "Grandma, bend down a little, I want to tell you a secret."
"Okay, Anna Jane, what's the secret?"
"Grandma, around here?  I do what I want.  Don't tell Mommy and Daddy.  That's a secret."
Not much of a secret - is it?!  We all know who does what they want around here, don't we!
Thanks for the giggles, Anna Jane.  Keep 'em coming.
Love,
Lilly, Anna Jane, and Jack