Miss Rita's Swim Class

 

Jack has wanted to put the twins in swim lessons all summer but I've been kind of hesitant -- lots of excuses, but no good reasons why not.  But after having a dinner out with some girlfriends, I was convinced.  Our friend Hilary took her little Ruby to Miss Rita's swim class in Grandville (she is known by some as the Swim Nazi) and said we should try it.  So, on a whim, I called to see if they had any openings for this week and they did! 

On advice from Hilary, I didn't watch a minute on Monday.  On Tuesday, they both cried on the way to swim class, but I watched from inside the house and they were getting chucked into the deep end and swimming to the ladder.  On Wednesday, I sat outside and watched while they learned some more.  Today, Daddy came along too and look at what they can do! 

 

Fun at the Raredon's

Last Sunday afternoon, we went to the Raredon's to play at the beach.  Their new house isn't quite ready yet (but I did get a tour of it all framed in, which was fun) but the beach and the water were ready for fun! 

At Duncan lake with the Raredon's

Ty & Sam having a riot with Noah

Lukie in the sand.

Fourth of July Fun

The Fourth of July is a tradition with the Ploegs: the men go golfing in the morning while the women take the kids to the Grandville parade (thankfully, this year it was only upper 70's to low 80's at the

Sorting the loot.

parade -- compared to upper 90's for the 5 minutes we were there last year).  The men join the ladies at the parade and we all go back to sort the loot, grill some burgers and eat potato salad and chips.  Then the real fun begins: an epic game (or 2) of wiffle ball.  Every year, there are tears involved.  Every year, there are fights over rules.  Every year, the outs and runs are meticulously tracked.   And then the winner is announced and we slip and slide and eat popsicles to cool off.  Sam and Ty got a few hits in this year but I think mostly they were spent from the parade and the slip and slide so we just kind of laid low inside.  Their time will come.


Ty & Sam - ready for the parade to start!

Mommy & Lukie at the parade.

 And then, in what has become another annual tradition, we join Brenda's parents at their cottage soon thereafter (the next day this year) for a day of fun in the water and sun.  I was a little nervous, given our Camp VLugt 2012 disaster of a vacation (Ty wouldn't touch the sand, Sam wasn't much better ... among other things).  Sam took to the sand like a champ -- which I expected considering he's done great in sand boxes this year.  Ty took about an hour to warm up to it (complete with screaming, crying, etc.) but once he got it, he LOVED it.  They were jumping off the doc into the water.  They were playing in the sand (for hours, uninterrupted).  They were having FUN!  And ... to top it all off, they caught some fish!  We bought some new "fishin rods" (what Mickey calls them) and used them + a little hot dog to catch some "whoppers" (what Tasha - Backyardagains - calls a big fish).  It was a day full of new experiences, smiles, laughs, a few tears, and happiness.  It was wonderful. 
And dare I be hopeful for Camp VLugt 2013? 

Paul, Lukie & Tony -- chillin' at the lake.

Sam & Tyler caught their first fishies!

It's a miracle!  Tyler (plumber) is in the sand!