Brant tackles swim lessons

A few weeks ago Brant said he wanted to take swim lessons.  We agreed, having meant to do it last summer, but you know how those summers with newborns are...things tend to slip by.   We immediately started asking around, and had heard of Janet Flemming already, so, coming highly recommended, we signed him up. 

First of all, she's an elementary school teacher, who does this during the summer (you know we love teachers!).  Second, she's done this for 33 years.  Third, she's Christian and not afraid of it. It's on her website, and they start each lesson with Philippians 4:13 and a prayer for safety.  Yep.  We really liked that. 

For one week, we dropped Brant off at the pool.  She uses her friends' pools, so it's different each week.  There were about 12 in his class, and 3 additional helpers.  Brant was one of the older ones, and defininetly one of the tallest!  In the words of another student, "Brantley was number one swimmer!"  Makes us proud that he was a good listener, and used the time wisely. 

Now, most Moms will tell you, the kids will hate the lessons up until about day 3.  Brant was nervous, but didn't hate them.  He was really worried about going off the diving board.  Can I blame him? no.  You see, this Mommy hasn't gone off one either. I know, I know!!!

Anyway, the week ended today and we got to go out for a "show off" lesson.  Janet had the kids show us all they had learned, and helped us to see how to continue to help them.  So proud of that boy!

Playing Ring around the Rosy , "splashes splashes we all fall down!" and they go underwater

Henry really wanted to get in the water

the water was "really really cold" according to Brantley

off the side....

and across the pool!  the deep end, may I add!

Proud of this boy!

And his moment of triumph!

He kind of just bounced off, but off none the less!

Splash!

look at that face in the water!

Listening about pool safety

tell me that isn't a teacher face! :-)

Showing us how to rescue someone who fell in

Rescuing the instructor

And another student

And the instructor out of reach...throwing a kickboard

and the raft

Fear, not this boy.  Just cold. 

The safety part was really stressed to the kids. How to help, how to look for the signs, what to do.  And those with siblings were especially reminded to help pay attention to them in the water. 

A great week, full of nervous tummies sometimes, but Brant tackled them. We are proud of him for doing something that he decided he "really didn't want to do now."  And so, Daddy and Brant decided that since he had to go off the diving board, so do I.  To be continued! :-)

Our weekend adventure to Charleston: Sunday

Sunday morning dawned gray and humid, with the promise of sun later on.  After picking up the boys (actually, they walked half the way because I didn't get their phone call), we headed out to Ft. Sumter.  With the boat trip easing us into the day, we enjoyed exploring the remains.  But with only an hour on the island, you have to keep an eye on the time.  But really, it's more than enough time.  Even with boys exploring every nook and cranny.

This was the face he made when I said smile.  sigh.

The black monstrosity to the right was Battery Huger, built in 1898 during the Spanish-American war.  It was camoflauged during WWII.

Brant checked out all the flags

Again, an air conditioned museum.  The humidity was brutal  that weekend.

The flag that flew over the fort during bombardment.  The flag pole was hit by a ball, and soldiers, running through volleys, retrieved the flag and nailed it to a post, to fly again. You can see the nail holes on the left side of the flag.  

While the rest of us read up on our Civil War history, Henry became an expert at flipping his paci around in his mouth with no hands!

His salute...actually keeping the sun from his eyes too.

 And just like we remembered it from our first visit, and hour is MORE than enough time to explore.  We headed back to the boat.

Castle Pinckney, the last round sided fort.  

The Yorktown from the river

 Being our anniversary, we had planned a nice family dinner out.  But seeing as the family was pooped, we opted for a lunch instead, choosing Page's Okra Grill.  Bellies full, the sleepies set in.  We had planned to head back over to Charleston for some shopping, but when your 7 year old says he'd rather lay down, you do it.  We went back to the hotel for an hour nap.  That turned into three.  That all of us woke up from.  And we missed the market.

So we decided to explore. First stopping by Trader Joe's, as we'd never been there either, for some snack, we headed out to Sullivan's Island.  There, quite by accident, we stumbled on Fort Moultrie.  Already closed for the day, we explored the recreational walkway that surrounded the National Park.

Another of the ugly batteries, Battery Jasper.

More cannons!  Brant was checking out their plug, and discovered they had USB cables attached...I guess for  a reinactment?

Ft.Sumter from Ft. Moultrie

A piece of history we didn't know...a name that was familiar, we didn't connect that he was held here.  And died here, of a throat infection. 

Before heading back to Mt. Pleasant for dinner, we had one final stop, the Sullivan's Island lighthouse.  odd. just odd.  Especially for North Carolinian's who are proud of their lighthouses!  But worth a picture, just for the sake of proving it's oddity.

Our weekend adventure was drawing to a close, as we had to head back on Monday, my birthday.  A stop at IKEA, and birthday dinner out wrapped up a fantastic weekend with our family and scout friends.  We can't begin to say how blessed we feel to be involved with such a wonderful pack.