Ten on Tuesday

1. LEGOs!  Because we always love them.  E got a gold and white ninjago dragon for his birthday that has been an excellent group project.  B, E, and Brent have all jumped in now and again.  Great to have a place where we can leave things like this out and come back to them.

2.  Speaking of which,  Great Grandpa dropped by and saw the house!!  I wasn't sure that would ever happen and it was a huge surprise. I almost missed saying hi because of all the calls I had, but broke free long enough to talk for a bit. I think he liked it? Hard to say, but glad we got to show him our home.  That also makes two times seeing him in less than a month with two more scheduled in the next month.  Hooray!

 3.  Love this photo - we close down the pool one evening recently. We're not swimming two times a day EVERY day any more, just most of them :)

 4.  M is having some swimming confidence issues that ended her swim meet early on Monday with just full body sobbing. Her coach is doing great with her and we have a joint strategy going in to Saturday's meet.  I believe she will swim two different races Saturday morning... if the plan works?  This "balking" tendency of our kids is super frustrating and nearly inexplicable, but we continue to try and work through it.  B has made it largely to the other side so we know it is possible!  We'll keep being positive and encouraging, but also keep making them try "hard things."

 5.  This guy is loving pool time and getting slightly more adventurous.  Overall, he is kind of emo.  Lots more tears than a few months ago, but also amazing snuggles.  We're hanging in there as snuggles always win.  The otter snuggles in Finding Dory are basically E & my spirit animal so we're good.

 6.  The oh, so comfy, best reading couch ever has arrived.  I realized at some point that I built my own blue room, just like my grandparents, but this one encourages using the furniture and curling up on the couch a bit more.  The kids and the baby sitter spend most of their time in this room as it keeps the noise away from the office.  They seem to be having a good time and I'm glad it is finally pretty much furnished and very comfortable.

 7. E went to VBS with Zane last week.  He "might" have been two young, but I think had a great time and occasionally tells us random things he learned after the fact even though he wasn't very forth coming during the actual week.  Zane, however, went also and was full of information so we got the gist.

 8.  We did a lot of things for Zane's birthday including dinner at Tucker's, the Finding Dory movie, and the big Harry Potter party.  it was tons of fun and their party decorations were, as always, completely on point. I feel we may need to step up our game slightly for M's party.... or have Audra and Zane just make us some decorations?

 9.  I had purple hair for my Tonks costume and kind of loved it.  This is also pretty much my face while my job has been trying to figure out whether or not I should come to DC and where I am most needed.  Just hanging in there and rolling with whatever.  Looks like no DC this month, just San Francisco beginning on Saturday as planned.

10.  Yes, one more swimming picture.  Here, B is lined up to begin the breast stroke.  He hadn't thought he was competing and maybe kind of hoped he wasn't as he isn't very confident in this stroke. The coach told him at race time that he was in and gave him a quick reminder on the pool deck about how the stroke works.  He did great! He went right ahead, jumped in, and won his heat. I am so insanely proud of him for pushing through his fears  and doing it anyway.  Such a great life skill.  Swim team is being very good for him.  He isn't the fastest by any measure, but is getting better every day, trying hard, and conquering his nerves to just go for it.  Great moment for him and for us.