Swimming Lessons and First Day of School

The last two weeks of Summer vacation was filled with swimming lessons for James and Emma. Emma moved up the the older kid lessons which takes place in the deep end. This was just the push she need to really prove to herself that she can swim on her own. She did great. James also improved by actually walking up and getting in by himself. Every time we sign him up he forgets how fun it is and refuses to go so the first day is spent bribing and begging him to get in the pool. Finally the instructor just grabbed him and took him in on his own and walked around with him until he stopped screaming. Towards the end of the lesson you could see that he really wanted to get in and do what she was asking the class to do but he is so stubborn we would not let himself have fun. The next day at lessons though he walked in himself and did really well and had a blast. I guess it was partly my fault because I made him wear a new Mickey Mouse swim suit and didn't let him wear his old worn out still dirty from Bear Lake Cars swim suit. The next day he had on the right suit.

Emma swimming all on her own in the deep end!

So proud of my swimmers.

Emma was very excited to start school and to get to have three recesses and eat lunch with her friends. She didn't quite comprehend that that meant staying at school all day long. It was a hart adjustment for her. School was very long at first and homework and reading was hard but we are getting into the swing of things now. Homework is still a challenge for her but we are finding the balance. She likes school and her teacher but she hates not having hardly anytime to play with friends during the week.

James is doing something new this year. It is an online preschool called Up Start. It is a free state program. He is required to do it 5 days a week for at least 15 minutes. It is great! It focuses on reading first and then switches to math and science. James is enjoying it for the most part and is doing so well that he can already start to sound out simple three letter words which is amazing. It goes all the way to a second grade level so we are having Emma do the program as well to help get her caught up in her reading. She has made huge leaps in reading since school started as well since she refused to do it all last year and all summer. 

First Day of School!

Emma's classroom is outside in one of the portables. When she walked up the first day she was very glad to see some of her friends from her Kindergarten class. Friends make everything so much better.