Sammy's Summer Activities: Round 1

Brad and I decided early in our "children and extra curricular activities" discussions that we would limit the number of activities our kids did each year and also limit it to one activity at a time. It is CRAZY the number of things you can register your child for! During the first week of school alone, Sammy had SIX handouts giving information about 3 different area dance studios, karate classes, private ice skating lessons and fall soccer teams!

HELLO! These children are only FIVE YEARS OLD!!!

Seriously! What are some parents thinking!!!

Okay, I'm done.

Anyway, for the last 2 summers, Sammy's been able to take a short summer gymnastics class put on by the Brainerd High School gymnastics coach and team.

I also decided that if I was the one running all of my children around town, that I should plan to do that activity with a friend. Last year Sammy did gymnastics with her friend, Izzy (and I got to hang out with Izzy's mom, Amy) and this year, my friend Nickie and I registered our girls for the same class.

Even though Nickie and I didn't get to chat as much as we would have liked during those six, 45 minute classes, our girls had a great time together and our boys played a lot of cars!

I like how they all struck a pose!

I can't remember what Sammy was doing in this picture, but she looks like she was having a lot of fun!

It still amazes me how many skills they learned in only six classes! Just look at that concentration!

Sammy and Lila's favorite thing to do was to jump into the "cheese."

(a.k.a. - large pieces of foam that look like cheese)

I love this one of Lila!

At first I was a bit embarrassed of my husband (imagine that) that he jumped right into the "cheese" so he could get better pictures of the girls.

But Jeremy (Lila's dad) also joined Brad and they both received permission from the coach to do so. The coach was actually thrilled that there were parents wanting to get so involved and take these kinds of pictures of their kids.

Oh, and what were Caleb and Hannah doing while Sammy was learning how to pull herself up on the uneven bars and do tumbling? He was racing several cars and trucks on the bleachers and...

...jumping off any and every mat along the edge of the practice room.

We totally need to sign this kid up for gymnastics class next summer!

Oh, and one of the reasons Nickie and I weren't able to sit down during each class was because I was chasing a darling 14 month old (and her purple bunny) around the gymnastics room.

All of us got our exercise!

I'm so proud of you Sammy! You did a great job and learned so much! Nice job sweetie!