Life's Trivialities

Sketch Support March 2pg

Yet another fantastic sketch is up at Sketch Support this week. If you are a two page do'er, lover, person, then be sure to head over to the blog and check it out. This particular sketch would be fantastic for those of you doing Project Life. All those fantastic October Afternoon journal cards in the 2.5 x 3 spots would be perfect! Hmmm.... more ideas now running through my tired, weary head!

No, you are not seeing double! LOL! This is, indeed, a layout previously displayed before. I used this month's sketch to make a TaDa layout. This, however, is a better picture of the layout! And, yes, it is still un-journaled... Like my word? I made it up just now!

Please note how this close up picture does not feature any blobby fat in purple swim suit! I can't believe I am putting this layout out there for the world to see...

Splashy

This layout came together lickity split!! My box from TaDa arrived Friday afternoon and an hour later, this layout was complete. Having previewed the lines online, I knew, the instant I saw the Poolside collection which pictures I was going to use for my first layout. A sketch from Allison, these pictures of Nikolas on one of his first swim lessons and I was off!! It's up on the TaDa Blog today, be sure to check out the post!

I cut into every sheet and went to town! Or, rather, went to the pool!! Not that it's been all that cold or wintery around here but I could use a little Vitamin D and warmth right now. This was a fair substitute! I mean, who could resist Cannonballs, Ball of Fun and Line Dry?! Mary and Annette always come up with the cutest names for their papers!

Jam Packed

That describes our day in a nut shell. A very busy nutshell!!

We arose at the crack of dawn, piled in the mini-van and hit I-95 north. Destination; Germantown, MD for the "fast" meet. Only the top three times of each age per event were invited to swim this meet. Nikolas made the cut for his 100yard back! What an honor! The "fast" suit was purchased, an extra cap purchased, preparations made. Warm ups were abominable... Utterly horrible. Michael and I sat there fuming, shaking our heads. This was not boding well.

9 and 10 year old warm up in the "other" pool. They began here and then moved to the main pool.

Coach Brent preparing the gang for what's to come!

It is the first time we haven't sat with him at a meet. He sat on the opposite side of the pool deck with the team. He was content sitting with fellow swimmers and friends playing cards, reading his book. He had his lunch and ate it. We just observed from across the way.

Small pre-meet discussion with Dad in the stairwell. Dad trying to psych N up!

He and the 2 other NOVA 9 year old boys checked in with Coach David and went to their respective spots behind the blocks to wait. They arrived a tad early but that's the norm for Nikolas.

At the block, pre-event. Posing for Mum, of course!

And then, he was off!! He had a fantastic start. A great first 50 yards, in fact. And then, I don't quite know what happened. He forgot to finish the race... He had a time improvement! I'll be positive about that and proud of that accomplishment for him. But it could have been so much more had he put a little more race into the last 50... He narrowly missed the 'A' time he was after but he did improve his time.

Next stop, American Girl Place. Newly opened in Tyson's Corner, we promised Mia that good behaviour during the meet would result in reward. She was tickled pink with her reward! Better yet, Mum brought her Mia dolly for her to escort around the store!! A few dollars later...

The Lego store!! Nikolas endured American Girl, he was allowed a stop at a store that interested him! A few more dollars later...

Mum got to stop at the scrapbook store on the way home!! Yet more dollars later. Surprisingly, less than either of the previous two stops!

And lucky Dad got to drive us to all these going's ons!! Lucky fellow, isn't he? Thanks Michael for chauffeuring us!

 

An "A" Kind of Day!

BIG big day around the Lee-Bishop house!! Nikolas got his first "A" time!! NO big surprise that it was in backstroke. The 50y back, to be specific. He was ELATED! He burst through the front door, came booking up the stairs to share his exciting news with me. Wearing, of course, his "A" jacket. With his named embroidered on it. Of course! He killed his PB and almost got an AA time! Crazy kid. His previous PB was a 39.40, today's time was a 36.71. He needed a 36.49 for an AA. When he chooses to do something, he REALLY does it! Way to go Budz! I'm SO proud of you!!

While our boys were at the pool Mizzy Moo and I went to church and began working on our Halloween projects. We picked up some embellishments for her witches hat.

We were the Purplicious girls today. She in purple from head to toe and I with bits and bobs. Didn't have time to dye the white in my hair, sorry Michael! I saw this cute picture on Pinterest and copied it. Would be fun to do on a yearly basis to see how we both change.

And while she was decked out in her purple and light was nice under the autumn leaves, we took a stroll around the corner for a photo op. She still hates being in front of the camera. My camera in particular. But she did kind of play along. I got a few good shots out of the time frolicking amongst the leaves and trees.

After lunch we set about more Halloween preparations!! Dad and Mia headed out to pick up our weekly rations from Costco while Nikolas and I hung the ghost, spread the spider webs and other spooky apparitions. And then it was pumpkin carving time! Nikolas had his heart set on the death star so the instructions were all printed out and off we went. It only took about 4 hours. 4 hours of me on the stool, carving, scraping, measuring and carefully transforming my round orange pumpkin into a work of art. Nikolas sat beside me and read out instructions as each step needed revealing. His main task was gutting and de-gutting the pumpkin as the thick walls were thinned out. He made critical decisions as to where things would go; he was the director of operations! Dad and Mia were the creators of some Angry Birds! She had the task of pull carved pieces out of the pumpkin and transporting them to the refuse bowl.

We went outside and posed with our pumpkins before settling into a well earned dinner of chili, homemade by Dad!

Stinky Halloweenie! Dad is smiling because he tooted... We're reacting to his foulness!

After dinner, as it darkened, you got the real effect. Mia's first angry bird, the 2nd from the left, has a flashing strobe light in to add to the "anger".

Farewell 8 Swim Meet, Day 1

Day One of our last 8 and under meet was today. First meet after a nice long break. The longest we've had since the inception of our swimming days I think. 2 months and 1 week. To be exact.

Nikolas had a fantastic day! If I remember correctly, 3 PB's in all 3 individual events. He swam the 100 IM, 50 and 100 back and a leg of the 100 Free Relay. He is definitely, at this phase in his swimming life, more of a distance swimmer. He is a little over a second off of his first "A" time in the 100 back! He had some good starts today and those turns are getting better. Most importantly, he didn't DQ in the breaststroke leg of the IM. His flexibility is improving and he has really pulled that most difficult of strokes together. For him.

My indoor swimming photography is not improving however! LOL!! Despite the high ISO and fast shutter speeds with with snazzy new camera, I still need to fine tune the shots... I suppose I could put the Speedlight on but I would really like to perfect that flashless shot. So I have one good swimming action shot. One...

Breaststroke leg of the 100 IM, first event of the day

8 and Under heat 5 NOVA boys checking in with Coach David following the 50 back

The time clock with Nikolas' 100 back place/lane/time

Mr Skin and Bone checking in with Coach David following the 100 back!

 

All The Ends of the Earth!

This weekend we have been to what feels like all the ends of the earth. And all for just one of our two children! Perhaps all the ends of the state would be more accurate however!... Saturday we were up in Manassas for summer short course champs then back home. Today we were down and over in Blacksburg dropping Nikolas off at Tech for his week away camp then back home again. And through it all, Mizzy Moo was a trooper. No complaining and just as happy as could be.

Champs was good, Nikolas did well. He improved two of his four personal events. Both relays the team that he swam on won by a long shot and they improved both of those times! He didn't make the 25m back in under 20 sec as he had hoped but he still had a personal best time. And he shaved over 7 seconds off of his I.M. time. All in all, a grand effort and a good meet!

Today was a bag of all sorts sweeties... a mixed bag. He was both nervous and excited about his first away camp. I think had it been local, it wouldn't have been so nerve wrecking. But the fact that he is 3 hours away makes it a slightly different story. Being at a big college was cool to him, really cool. And I want to believe it still is. He just has to gain confidence and feel comfortable being out of his element.

What was originally going to be a room of old friends, Nikolas and Jasper, became a room of 3. The two old croonies and another camper, Tommy. Who is 2 years their senior and a seasoned camper. Another new friend! And somebody to show them the ropes!

Nikolas and his counselor, Austin, AKA Big Red;

I can't wait to hear the stories and adventures that they have! The courses sounded like a ton of fun!

Old & New Friends

So a long awaited moment arrived today!!

Some of you long time followers will remember THIS post about the slot canyons in Southern Utah... And my need for having my very own stunning shots. Well, we will imminently be returning to the region to visit Michael's Mom and Bud. And we are hoping to actually make it to a slot canyon or two this time. I didn't get my pictures last time, largely because we didn't visit any slot canyons. But we WILL (right, Michael?) this time and I WILL get my pictures. I bet you wanna know why?!! Huh, huh?

Because my "new baby" arrived today! Because, though I haven't worked all eight of the extra days I said I would work to have money to put towards this investment, I need (yes, Nikolas, need... some day you will understand) to have the capability of taking good, clear pictures at high speeds and low light conditions without a flash for this trip. Michael graciously conceded, placed the order and informed me, via text, that the stork would shortly be delivering my 11.4 lb baby. And that wonderful day was today! I owe him 2 more full days of work above and beyond what I'm regularly scheduled for...

My poor, Old Friend and Trusty Stead the Nikon D50 still sits in a camera bag. I haven't decided what to do with her just yet. She has seen me and my family through 4 great years of my children's lives, the highs and lows of sporting events, my brother's wedding, many a holiday and some fantastic trips. As a discontinued model I'm sure somebody will want her for parts. Once I'm willing to surrender her...

In the meantime, Speedy Gonzalez has zipped in with her 39 focus points, far superior speed and resolution, ISO, bigger screen and ability to shoot movies. I've died and gone to camera heaven!! The difference is just amazing. I took these pictures of The Midget at her last swimming lesson for the summer with my new camera; no flash, incredibly clear and sharp and amazing color clarity. And all indoors in horrible lighting with a moving target. Little fiddling about necessary. Sigh... Will be perfect for champs on Saturday (also indoors, though marginally better lighting).

 

 

Phew!!

Last night was meet #6 for summer swim league, the last of the "regular" meets. The weekend after next will be our last swim meet for the season; summer swim league champs. And then we are DONE!! The month of August we will make ZERO trips to NOVA. Even Mia will be finished with lessons for the summer.

Not a good night for Nikolas... Not really. Michael texted me to report that he improved his 25 free time but that's it. 100 IM he was fiddling with his goggles on the block and had a terrible start. Swam into the lane line and stopped swimming backstroke a good 3 strokes from the wall... 25 back he again swam into the lane line and God knows what happened the last half of the race... This wasn't his meet... Some meets go well, others, not so much.

Last weekend he was up in Manassas swimming B long course champs. He and Michael spent three nights up there and swam all three days of the meet. He swam his first 400m freestyle, beating the made up time the coaches gave him. He shaved 7 seconds off his best breaststroke time! Helps when you swim again older kids because you didn't race in your event... He had 4 time improvements of the 8 events he swam.

Swim Meet 3

Summer short course season is half way over with our part of meet 3 against Twin Hickory being behind us! Thank goodness!! The summer season is grueling; it's hot, it's crowded, it's... It. Is. It is what it is... Not so sure we will be repeating this with Nikolas until he can make the effort, time and need to endure it all worth my while. It wasn't a great meet for him. He just doesn't have the drive that HE needs to possess. I can want it for him, Michael can want it for him but until HE wants it, it just isn't going to happen. He didn't ask his time after any of his events. He had horribly slow starts, he didn't improve any times. And I prepared dinner and snacks for this. I got to the pool early to get a comfy spot on the pool deck. I sat in the heat and humidity with him for this. Why should I care if he doesn't?

I feel like a horrible parent saying all that... I feel like a nag. Am I being a nag? Am I taking the fun out of it? It is just so frustrating because he has talent! I see it. I know the talent there waiting to be tapped. But he doesn't seem to care. And when he doesn't "invest", why should I? As a good parent, I should help him, aide him, coax him. Help him discover that desire, that drive...

So... Nikolas swam the 50 free, 25 back and 25 fly this afternoon and evening. 50 free he came second with a slower time. 25 back he came first with a slower time. Not sure what happened with the 25 fly. So, the swim part wasn't so good but the picture part wasn't bad!

He forgot to bring his own sunnies and borrowed mine! Cool dude!

Special reflective goggles for the outdoor backstroker!! Also making him a cool dude!

Waiting... Thinking... Ready to go!

Start of the 50 Free. He is the last off the blocks giving me time to take three pictures, the last of which, I was able to change camera orientation!! An indicator of how LONG it took him to get off the block...

Early on in the 50 free

At the starting blocks of the 25 back. He was able to pull away at the end and had a decent finish. We really need to work on the speed of his starts.

We have a break from long course meets for a while. Two weeks and then it's B champs. The weekend after that is short course champs. Both meets are up in Manassas. We will be on the road again! And, let's hope he finds some motivation between now and then otherwise my motivation to be away from home will be next to nil...

Tidal Waves Meet 1

Last night was the season opener of the Wyndam Tidal Waves summer swim season!! It was the perfect night for a meet with cooler temperatures and a gentle breeze. Unlike the blazing heat or thunder storms of past seasons! We swam against The Colonies at their home pool. And won!! One down, 5 more to go!! Off to a great start!!

Nikolas did well, he had a great meet! First event, the mixed free relay. The four of them were just shy of a beating the 8&under team record!! Surely, it will happen before the season is through... Second event, the 50 freestyle. Second place with a time improvement. And, most importantly, a decent flip turn. Next up, his event of choice, 25m backstroke!! And he won!! First place finish with another time improvement. Again, just shy of the Tidal Waves record. And, last but not least, the 25m free. A second place finish with another time improvement.

He's got some great competition this year as a number of the boys are now all swimming NOVA year round. It's fantastic that they are all friends and the competition is healthy. Let's hope it stays that way!!

Tonight... PreK graduation. After church pictures... Like we haven't had enough late nights or big events!! She is so excited!! When asked to put on presentable clothing I was informed that it doesn't matter what she wears underneath, they will have caps and gowns. "And we get to keep the tassel Mummy! Can you believe it, I get to bring that home?!!"

Stay tuned... There will surely be pictures of that!! Shock, horror, I know!!