7.14.2009

Swimming Lessons Intensified.

Last Monday we started all three kids on swimming lessons. This time around we decided to go with one-on-one training. It's every day, 5-days a week, for three weeks at 15 minutes apiece (although the 15 minutes sounds so little, it actually works out well). The swim teacher came highly recommended. Although it cost significantly more than if we enrolled them in class, we figured when it comes to safety and the kids getting intense training, that there would be no compromise. The kids were getting all geared up last weekend (before lessons). They were discussing who was going to go first. On the first day of lessons, both girls cried their little heads off. Jadon did well. That night the girls told us that they didn't want to go to swim class anymore. We sympathized with them but in our heads we were thinking "too bad, you're still going to go." The next day both girls still cried but it got less and less. By the end of the week, they were begging for more. The swim teacher is that good. The kids' progression is going quite well. They are able to swim with their head in the water for a good five feet unassisted.

7.06.2009

Quite A While.

Wow, it's been over a month since I last blogged. Where do I begin?

Last weekend we set out on a two night road vacation up to Monterey Bay. It's about a six hour drive. We headed out on Sunday and got back on Tuesday. The ride up wasn't so bad. The kids were good. It was the following days that weren't so pleasant. Fiona booked us at the Embassy Suites which was nice. She was really into their free full breakfast and late afternoon complimentary snacks. Plus the room itself had a separate living room space (separate from the bedroom).

DAY 1

So we arrived around 3:30 pm at the hotel, checked in, cleaned up, and headed to the Denise The Menace Park. That park was pretty sweet. No admission but it was like a little themed park. There was life sized train where kids can climb, a huge bridge with slides, a neat little maze, more slides. Probably one of the cooler parks out there. After that we headed back to Fiona's much-hyped afternoon snacks back at the hotel. It ended up being animal crackers, goldfish and some mix. Woohoo! Then after that we headed to the Fisherman's Wharf. It's a mini-version of the one up in San Fran.

DAY 2

The kids woke up really early and so we headed out to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was good. Just that there weren't any big fishes. We were there for a total of 3 hours. Jadon and Vanessa kept asking to go back to the hotel because they were tired and wanted to take a nap. Natalie was getting tired as well. So because of that, we ended our Aquarium excursion short. So we take the kids back and settle them for their naps and they ended up just yapping their little heads off. That was aggravating. It took me an hour of going in to tell them to be quiet and go to sleep. Then they woke up 30 minutes later. I just lectured them on and on about how momma and me wanted to stay at the aquarium longer and that we brought them back because they were so tired.... So after that we went out on the 17 mile drive which takes us through all the famous golf courses, coastline, and landmarks. It cost $9.25 and it would have been worth it if it wasn't for the overcast weather and the whiny kids. There were 21 stops/points of interest and we only got out for about 5-6 of them (most of them were of the popular golf course like Pebble Beach). There were also some gorgeous looking houses too. So we hurried and grab some dinner and went back to the hotel.

DAY 3

Our ride home was about 6 hours (plus an extra hour for breaks). It was pretty much a tiring one with the kids a little whiny. Although we ended up playing a game. Vanessa has this ambition of becoming a FedEx driver when she grows up. So we played "Who can spot the FedEx trucks." We must have spotted over 30 of them.

All in all the trip was OK. Most of our road trips have been good but this one was below our norm. I would like to go back to Monterey Bay perhaps without the kids and hit up some of the golf courses.