Bomb Cyclone

Bomb cyclone:

I needed okay, wanted to go to Target before it really hit to get things like cardstock to print some curriculum pieces, locks for YMCA lockers, etc. Target decided to be like Walmart and misdirect me all over the store, have empty shelves, and no price labels. So I decided to screw it all and go home to shop on Amazon. Love wasting my time trying to shop locally and then just go to the internet anyway because I can get what's on my list. Anyway, getting back to my van was a bit of a schlepp. 

I brushed snow off my van, only on the passenger side because that's how the wind was blowing. Then I walked back to get in the van, buckled, texted Shad to let him know what the weather was doing...and I needed to brush off the van again.

Complete sideways snow.

It's not that we got a lot of snow, or maybe we did and just didn't know it. It blew away! Wind gusts up to 70 miles an hour! And around 45 otherwise. Actually, not all the snow blew away. When I shoveled off my trampoline the next day, there was at least 18 inches of snow.

Inside:

"Look, Mom! I'm a turtle!"

I could still see grass in my neighbor's yard.

Day after.

Thick ice.

We've taken up watching musicals with the kids. This is how enraptured Thora was with Into the Woods.

#teamcinderella

Saturday morning cartoons and cereal? Nah. Egg sandwiches and Crazy Russian Hacker on YouTube.

The bomb cyclone happened on a Wednesday, so we had to make up a day of swim lessons. Even though all 5 of my kids take lessons at the same time (two different classes), they were rescheduled at two different times. That meant that I actually got a chance to watch Katie a little. Here she is jumping into the 6-foot water.

I'm typing the instructor comments because I loved his commentary on Katie so much!

(All wording is exact to how David typed it.)

Tommy started scared. He did not do well on his front or back. However, when he started to see that he could float on his back and that swimming on his stomach was not a lethal adventure he started to relax and his skills improved quickly. I do not know what mental process got him over his fears but it happened and he now swims the three strokes we start with without any need for me to be in the immediate vicinity.

He also is a great brother. He is constantly trying to help Katie. A few positive words from Tommy and Katie tries things that may have taken me minutes to coax her into. Katie is doing much better thanks to Tommy.

Tommy has a positive attitude and displays a great desire to improve. He is a wonderful asset to the class and a great person.

Poor Katie tries so hard. She is scared much of the time but she does not quit. Katie's skills are not that good but I believe it is mostly because she is afraid. There are times (like when she knows she is in the shallow end) when she will relax her stroke flow better and she moves through the water rather well.

Through the classes Katie has gotten surer of herself. When she jumps in for rings she forgets about her apprehension and has fun even in water well over her head. However, the next time she swims over that very spot the apprehension returns. I am sure that one day it will dawn on her that jumping in and swimming to the wall not different than swimming over the same spot.

Katie is always trying to improve. I have tremendous admiration for her tenacity. Most "scared" students just quit but not Katie. She really seems to want to learn to swim and she is not going to let anything stand in her way. Time in the water should help her mitigate her fears and realize her ambition.

It is great having Katie in the class. The more capable swimmers watch and think, "If she tries that hard so can I." Her ambition helps her improve and motivates others. Impressive!

On the last Wednesday Katie swam lengths of the pool using the three strokes we have learned with almost no assistance at all and she did a sitting and a kneeling dive on her own. YEAH!!!