Sailfish Swim Team

The girls joined the neighborhood summer swim team this year.  They practiced 5 mornings a week rain or shine as long as it wasn't thundering.  They enjoyed it on the hot days but a few days were a little cold.  Every Monday they participated in a swim meet at various pools around the area.  Both Natalya and Raquel did great, improving on there times all season and both qualifying for the Champs swim meet in August. There team The Coventry Sailfish also was 1st in their division.

The boys and I spent many hours watching and cheering on the girls this summer. Marcus learned to swim this summer so hopefully he will be on the team next year.

Natalya ready to swim free-style

Raquel on the blocks

Every Tues. after a meet was fun swim with donuts.

Marcus was a big helper carrying chairs and snacks.

Showing off their new team swimsuits.

Hanging out between races.

Raquel and Daddy

Enjoying the last meet of the season

Part of the swimmers fan club

Sammie

While the kids and I were in Blacksburg finishing up moving Mike stayed in Yorktown to work.  The day before we were to come home I got a call from Mike saying he was locked out of the house and we needed to come home early.  Luckily I had started packing up earlier because I wasn't getting the trailer that I thought I was and so I packed up the back of the truck.

A short time later I get another call saying he is locked out without his wallet and so had no food and to hurry. I was just about done but still needed to finish cleaning the house. I then get a 3rd phone call much worse than the previous two.  Mike called to tell us that Sammie had died.  Mike had taken the dogs for a walk while he was locked out and took them to a pond near our house.  Sam was thrown in the water but didn't make it back to shore before he drowned.

Poor Mike had to carry Sammie on his back all the way home.  The kids and I hurried home after that news.  We did get a 4th phone call with some good news. Mike was able to get in the house after all. The car door was unlocked and he was able to use the garage door opener to get in the house.

It was a bit of an exciting day and now we are down to one pet. Ranger is a bit lonely without his friend and has now started sleeping inside.

Sammie was a good dog, he had just turned 10 yrs.old.  We have had him since he was a few months old and Mike and I were first married. He was great with our kids, loved any kind of people food, and loved to go on hikes and walks.

June 2004 - July 18, 2014
A few pictures of Sam since we moved to Virginia

Massanutten and friends

My best friend from childhood along with her family came out to vacation in Massanutten, Va. Its only a few hours from where we live so the kids and I took a trip to visit with them for a few days.  We enjoyed catching up, swimming, hiking, The Children's Museum in Harrisonburg and eating good food. All the kids loved playing with each other and it was fun for me seeing Julie's family that I haven't seen in years.

Playing at the Children's Museum

 

Julie and Andrea

Playing in the water with Julie and Ryan's kids

Picking wild blueberries on our hike

After enjoying a few days of vacation we headed back to Blacksburg to finish packing up and cleaning the house. Getting ready for it to be sold.  While in Blacksburg we visited with a few friends and stayed at Ann & Wes' house. The kids had fun with the dress-ups.

July 4th, 2014

The 4th was very low key for us this year, no parades, fireworks or BBQ with friends. We just spent the day hanging out together at the pool, swimming and enjoying free hotdogs.

Hanging out at the neighborhood swimming pool

Eating lunch

New Bikes

The rental house we moved into is very close to lots of things. A couple of blocks away is the kids school, the library and YMCA is about a mile away and 2 neighborhood pools are a few blocks another way.  With everything being so close we have been able to ride our bikes most everywhere we want to go. 

Coming from Blacksburg the kids didn't have very good bikes. We were in the mountains and it was so hilly and hard to ride. When we got here we knew it was time for the kids to get better bikes they would want to use. Natalya, Marcus and Erik all got new bikes to use on our neighborhood bike rides.  It took Natalya no time at all to feel comfortable on her new bike and we ride to swim practice every morning. Marcus is still learning to ride his bike but he is speedy on Erik's new balance bike.  We are enjoying our family bikes rides and love that is it so flat here.

Watching Marcus' new bike get put together.

Natalya on her new Bike.