Swimming, Biking, and the Park

Swimming, biking, and the park are pretty much what our life has consisted of since returning from vacation. I mean it is true we do other things like grocery shopping, cleaning, sleeping, and stuff like that, but our adventures have mostly revolved around the pool, bikes, and the park.

The park is a pretty cool place for us. Before we left for vacation I bought some shovels and buckets at the dollar store and that made the park just that much more fun. The girls love trying to build castles, fill buckets, bury their feet and hands, and just dig holes. Tia loves to feel the sand on her feet. As the summer wears on she wears her shoes less and less. I am pretty sure if I didn't make her wear them to places she would never where them. For some reason she just really loves feeling stuff with her feet. Anyway, the girls of course love the slides and swings too, but sand toys is kind of a new thing for us. Also our Relief Society is doing park days, and to be honest they haven't been too successful , but at least one person comes almost every time and so its great for me and whoever else comes. My girls totally love the concept of friends at the park.

Swimming is another great thing. I love the pool and I am so lucky because my girls love it to. Kylee has turned into a real shallow water fish. I would say fish, but she wont go into the deep end and by deep end I mean like the 2ft 8in deep end. She dives, and floats and jumps and does all kind of great water things in about 1 to 1.5 feet water, but if we go farther she becomes sacred. I don't get it really, but you know at least she is in the water, going under, kicking and trying to move her arms as if swimming, and floating. We will work on water depth during swim lessons. Tia loves the water as usual to, but I think she loves the freedom of getting out and walking around without her mom and every lifegaurd wondering if she is going to jump into the next pool. I love the pool because it is just so freeing. I love swimming, floating, diving after rings, and when I get the chance the slides and diving boards. It is so great. There is just something about the water and me. I think that we just kind of go together. I say to people that I am pretty sure that God made outdoor water and especially pool just for me. Seriously it is awesome. I really can't thank my mom enough for teaching me how to swim.

The craziest new adventure is biking. About a week and half ago, I convinced Kylee to take the training wheels off her bike. Oh man, the first day was awful. She had a melt down, didn't want me to let her go, and wanted her training wheels back on. However, the few time I could get away with letting her go and she would pedal and not just slam on the brakes she could do it. So, being who I am I told Gaupo who was ready to put them back on to give me two weeks and if it didn't get significantly better I would put them back on. So, we have worked on it diligently since then. We had a neighbor tell us he taught his cousins how on the grass hill across from our house. So, I decided to give it a try. Once again not thinking as a cautious person, I just took Kylee to the top of the hill well that terrified her to (of course). However, that same day our neighbor came out and very nicely hinted that we should start closer to the bottom. Well, that was the trick. I only took it up to were Kylee said and we worked on it. Yes there were still tears and frustrations, but it was getting better. Oh man, my legs have been sore from climbing that hill a ton of times, but we are getting. She is still really not ready to trust herself going down the driveway and turning, but here are some videos of what we can do, and a reality check video of our not so successful attempts.

Kylee Trying.

Kylee success on the driveway.

How Tia rides a bike.

The two of them going down the hill.