Birch Bay 2012

Mom and Kids Only Camping trip! Looking back over the other 2 trips we've taken, I realized that we have steadily increased our stays each time (Deception Pass - 1 night, and Ocean Shores - 2 nights), soon, we may be up to a week! This year we decided on a shorter car ride up north and stayed at lovely Birch Bay State Park, right across the water from Canada. We nabbed a great site complete with it's own forest trails. E spent most of her time in a huge climbing tree with Asher, and N and Mini were great companions. The 3-night trip (as you may imagine) presented itself with its unique challenges; a burst of rain on our ill prepared tents, a tick lodged under Mini's eyelash, early wake up calls, raccoons bumping around in the night, mosquito bites, uncooperative children howling in the showers, and a table full of picky eaters. None were so terrible to deter us from planning another trip again next year. Here are some shots from our time, none sadly from my actual camera, all via Instagram on my phone.

2012 Shark's Picnic

To say that swim team was a good experience for E this summer would be an understatement. She shone; our family was incredibly proud of her hard work. She was up every weekday morning for a 8am-9:30 workout and practice and she really swam her hardest at each meet. Her times vastly improved over the corse of the summer! Good work Sweet Girl!



In League Champs, the final meet of the season which included 5 or 6 teams, she placed 2nd in the 25 yard Backstroke and 3rd in Mixed 100 yard Freestyle for her age group (that's out of 30 or 40 some odd kids in those events)! We're already looking forward to next year!

Fourth Swim Meet

E's coach has taken a special interest in appropriately pushing E's quickly growing skill set in the lanes. It was decided that she be placed in an event rated for 10-year-olds (she's 7). She was entered into the 100-Yard Individual Medley. This requires her to swim 4 lengths of the pool and a new stroke for each pass. It was exhausting just watching. But she pushed right on through and finished 4th, we were so
proud.

Here's the video:

 

Last minute instruction from Coach Monique

Backstroke

Freestyle

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And her best event; the 25 Backstroke was another success! She improved her time by 2 seconds and brought home another blue ribbon!