Summer is for swimming

We have always loved swimming in our family. It's something my girls have done since before they could walk. They love being in the water and this summer is no exception. The best thing about living in our townhouse is the swimming pool. It's big, heated, well maintained and usually fairly empty of people. This summer, we've already had a friend party for Gwen there and a family party. Plus, we've been by ourselves at least three or four times a week. Gwen has been swimming independently since last year. She's as good, if not better, than me. Emily has started not using any floatation devices this year.  She is good where she can touch and can swim to the side of the pool if she jumps in where she can't reach. Gwen has been watching a lot of synchronized swimming on the computer and has been practicing back flips, handstands, and having me throw her. She's so fun to swim with.  A week ago, she punctured her eardrum with a q-tip though, and has to wear silicone ear plugs to keep the water out. They work well, so she's excited to get more swimming in this year. I'm glad they work because I cannot imagine a summer without swimming.

So, Let's try this again.

I got an iPad. Yup, I don't own a smart phone, but when my beloved Kindle Fire stopped charging, I decided to splurge and get the iPad. It's been nice to have. It should be great to get back and do some blogging which will be easier now that I can upload directly from the iPad without having to wait to use the laptop and find the cords for the camera.

 So, it's 2013. Things that are new: we adopted a kitten last September. Her name is Zelda and the kids love her.

We love having her in our family. She's fairly tolerant of the kids and the dog. She loves to play and sneaks outside every chance she gets. Sometimes we put a leash on her and drag her around outside to let her explore.