Squeezing...

...the last sweet and juicy drops out of the Summer before school starts, that's what we've been doing. Today I had a to-do list as long as the State of Illinois, but since we live here in the frigid Midwest and we know all too well that our days of galavanting in the sunshine are numbered I turned off my 'puter and spent the afternoon doing just so.

The girls donned their brand new swim gear in anticipation of their new season of swim lessons.



Sophie is an old pro, a regular fish underwater, just going back to hone her diving and backstroke skills.



Sydney on the other hand has always been a little too afraid of the water, so much so that she flunked her last swim placement test because she wouldn't even put her feet in the water. Well, not today. Not sure what came over her but the minute she put on that swim cap and goggles it was like she became someone else. Within 10 minutes she was swimming underwater like a cute little mermaid. She even begged me to take her to the deep end so she wouldn't accidentally touch the bottom (I seriously had to clear my ears because I wasn't sure I heard her correctly). And no, we didn't get any pictures of today's momentous event because I didn't want to chance my big camera getting splashed. In hindsight, I should've brought the point & shoot, but in my defense I never in a million years expected to be needing it for THIS!



Between you and me, this is what the power of sheer determination can do. She desperately wants to pass her next placement test so she can be accepted into Lane 1 with the other "big kids." If she flunks the swim test again, she has to go in a "nervous beginners" course with the "babies" (as she calls them, they are really kids of all ages, but she doesn't want any part of it). See. there's nothing wrong with a little pride and vanity every now & then. ;)

Oh, another good thing that happened today was that I finally got the chance to use my Sun & Surf Tote for what it was intended for, instead of traveling around with me on my WDTs. And... the girls brought their matching water bottle carriers along too.



Aren't these cool?! They were made for us by the über-talented Ariel Yoder. Get your own here. I personally think she charges too little for them, so you may want to take advantage before she changes her mind.