We have visitors!!!

So far Ohio hasn't exactly been a draw for our out of state family and friends. My parents were out last year watching the kids while I flew back to Seattle to oversee the movers but that was before we had moved into the house. Then Steve arrived for a few days shortly after we had moved in which we thought would be the beginning of many more visitors. Sadly though it's been pretty bleak. All that changed though a couple weeks ago when Sean, Teagen, and Chaz came out to spend some time with us! The kids were so excited to share Kings Island, Soak City, and our community with them.

First stop repeated many times...Kings Island! What's not to love about this place? They have Planet Snoopy for the little ones and then there is the main park with all the thrill rides. Teagen's first ride was the Beast which he really enjoyed. It's most people's favorite in the whole park and Sean and I agreed it was probably the best ride we've ever ridden in the dark. Jack talked Teagen into going on Backlot which he was very hesitant to do but that ended up being his favorite ride in the whole place. So here are a few fun photos from their stay with us! I loved this first photo of Chaz with his grumpy face. He was mad that Sean wouldn't hold him in the photo (after a long day being on Sean's shoulder's)...Hilarious!




Planet Snoopy...







Chaz's favorite rides were definitely the pumpkin coaster and log ride. Every day we went to the park these were must do's!



Here is Teagen on his favorite ride...



Nothing like heading over to the park after filling up on some yummy Graeter's icecream for some night time coaster riding and a firework show!



Thank goodness we have a seasoned barber in the house because we had a couple boys arrive who were in desperate need of some haircut fixin... hmm.



Ty loved when Chaz would fall asleep on him, sometimes falling asleep himself...



My kids are quite the water kids so it was a must to share Soak City and our community center pool with the boys...



Teagen loved going to the climbing wall at the community center too!



Their arrival timed perfectly with attending the boy's championship swim meet, banquet and party!



Trying to relive some of the fun memories of summer fun in mom and dad's backyard in Utah!



Another Cincy favorite we've learned is Culvers, so after much pressure from the boys and in honor of our 'last supper' we chose here to spend lunch before taking the gang to the airport!



We loved, loved, loved having Sean and the boys with us and are so grateful they were willing to make the trip out to visit us! We'll look forward to making many more memories with them again soon!!!

just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

So this summer the boys decided to try out a sport they hadn't yet done...Swim Team! If it hadn't been for their sweet little friend Mia from church they probably never would have given it a thought but her family is big into swimming (they are raising olympic caliber swimmers) so the more time the boys spent with her and her family the more interested they became in swimming. Now I had been warned to stay away from any sport that includes the word "meet" (which advice I totally appreciate now) but I can say it is one of the few sports that the kids can really benefit from for the rest of their lives. So after a few rounds of lessons and stroke school and some encouragement from the Thatcher's, the boys decided to try out for Water Mocs and thankfully they made it. It's amazing what two hours a day, five days a week for two months can do to transform a couple Seattle boys, something their coach had assured me would happen. If only I had before and after swim videos! Talk about a transformation. They may not be the fastest kids on the team but they have to be a couple of the most improved!!! Since moving here we learned that the Cincinnati area is actually a big swim area with a high percentage of national swimmers coming from this area. We are in no way raising Olympic swimmers but I love how well run the swim programs are out here and how awesome the boys swim coach was! Most importantly I loved that the boys loved doing it! And I can proudly say I now know what a "heat" and "clerk of course" are...

So here are a few shots from the season:

Our swimmers:



Ready set swim...



Ty's favorite stroke was the butterfly and Connor's was the breast.



Practice and coach feedback was critical...



For Sage it was all about hanging out with her BFF Riley who has been swimming with Water Mocs for a couple years! Sage hopes to join the team next summer but was happy just cheering on her brothers and friend this season!



To get the kids pumped for the Championship one of the coaches hosted a "Psyche Party" which timed well with Sean and the boys coming into town...



The boys had worked so hard in preparation for the biggest meet of the summer, The Tri County swim championship at Miami University. They were pretty excited to be swimming in a college pool and to have a few extra fans cheering them on...



You gotta love that the sport with some of the most fit bodies in it celebrates the end of season with a "sweet endings" dessert banquet! We were not complaining...Way to go boys!!!



And a big shout out to the boys' Head Swim Coach, Derek! He was fantastic!!!