Swimming Lessons

Joel happy at the pool.

Joel has had swim lessons all this week and he is doing better each day. He was terrified of the water on the first day and clung to me with his arms wrapped around my neck and legs around my waist. He cried as we tried to do what the girl was teaching and slowly got more comfortable by the end of the first day. Every day since has been better than the day before. On Thursday, we went in the afternoon to the outdoor pool at the Rec. Center with Caitlin and Chris. He was very cautious of the new pool, but warmed up rather quickly. Caitlin and Chris had fun with him too. He kept a death grip on my hand or whatever he could grab, like my swim suit top. By the end of the 3 hours swimming, he wanted to jump in off the side of the pool (with the life jacket on, of course) for me to catch him and get his head under water. GO FIGURE? At the very end of the afternoon, he was jumping off the side to me and I was letting go of him and he'd doggie paddle to the ladder and go again (with a life jacket). I am so proud of him for the progress he's made in the 4 days he's had lessons!

They have taught him to float on his belly and his back, while mom holds on and NO floatie. He has learned to go under to get his head wet, he loves that part. And, he has learned to circle his arms while on his belly and do the back stroke while floating on his back. The motions for the back stroke are chicken (imagine the position you'd do for that), airplane, soldier. Joel loves airplanes when he sees them on TV or in the sky. He calls an airplane a "air-paney". It's so cute to hear him say and do the "chicken-airpaney-soldier" motion as he practices. He really thinks he's a big boy now.

Well, that's our first week of summer! Caitlin had her first two days of Color Guard practices this week and Chris went with us to the Rec. Center to play racket ball twice and just vegged out the other days! They get to go to Grandma and Grandpa Landin's for this next week. We will go to Corpus Christi to pick them up and celebrate Joel's birthday, Father's Day and Ilan and Eliana's 6th birthday. It should be fun.

Chris's final performance of the 2008/09 year!

Christopher Landin, 12.5 yrs in 6th grade


Today we had the Band O Rama at the high school. It's when the 6th through 12th grades from the area schools play their final performances of the year. It was like a big city wide pep rally with 2 middle schools, a Jr. High and the High School playing. It ended with the marching band for the 2009/10 school year playing a few pieces and the Bucs (high school) fight song. The Lake Jacksonians LOVE their BUCS (Buccaneers which are pirates). It was awesome. Caitlin got to watch the Color Guard girls perform a dance routine using flags. It was so pretty. She made Color Guard (Flag girls) and is so excited! The have won a lot of awards at contest in recent years. 2 of her closest friends are going to be in marching band next year so they were in the final performance. She will get to be in band with 2 of her best friends which should make it exponentially more fun!

Chris plays the Baritone. He is going to be in 7th grade band next year and maybe choir too. He tried out for the choir and Mr. Hill the music teacher that Caitlin has had the past 2 years wanted Chris for his Base section because his voice is so deep now. Last summer he had the raspy hoarse sounding voice and he could barely talk! Now he's got the deeper voice of a young man. The fun thing tonight was seeing how the kids improve each year. Chris's 6th grade did great tonight. It was so fun! When he is in 9th, Caitlin will be in 11th. They will be at Brazoswood together for 2 years. We will be going to A LOT of games now! So fun. I got that teary eyed, goose bumps all over my arms excitement. Joe said for us it was going to be almost like being back in high school!

The year is coming to an end already??? How did that happen? It really feels like they just started the school year a few months ago. I hate it that time is moving so fast. I know it's inevitable that all my kids are going to grow up and out of the house. It's just too fast. I know you know how that feels. Anyone who is close to kids, and sees them grow, knows how fast they change. On September 3rd, Chris will be 13 and that will put 2 teenagers in our home. God help us! Please pray that we remain sane and we still have our hair. Oh, I mean I still have my hair. Joe lost his a while ago, literally!

Recipe for Strawberry Cream Freeze: Three Ways

I got this recipe from my Martha Stewart magazine in this May 2009 issue. I made it for Caitlin's birthday. She helped me make it. I think it is great, but next time I will put a little less Cool Whip because I'd rather taste more cream cheese than Cool Whip. Everyone loved it and the whole pie was gone in minutes! Glad I made two!

What you need:
(1) pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese
(1) cup cold milk
(1) pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
(1 1/2) cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping
(20) Nilla Wafers, coarsely broken
(1) cup sliced fresh strawberries
(1/2) cup strawberry ice cream topping

Make Filling:
(prep time: 25 min)
1) Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer until creamy.
2) Gradually beat in milk.
3) Add dry pudding mix; beat 2 min.
4) Stir in Cool Whip, wafers and berries.
5) Swirl in ice cream topping

To make (1) 8 inch pie: Spoon filling into 6 oz. pie crust. Freeze until firm. Serves 8

To make waffle bowls: Freeze filling 6 hours or until firm. Scoop into 8 waffle bowls.

For mini pies: Spoon filling into 12 muffin liners. Freeze 4 hours and remove linings.

OMGosh, I have a teen daughter! Caitlin turns 14!

Caitlin (Kay Kay), 14 years 5/17/2009 Caitlin at 9 in 2004
born 5/17/1995

Well, my sweet daughter (step-daughter if I have to be specific) turned one year older and will be in high-school in the fall. Look how beautiful she is!!!! It's so hard to believe that 5 years has gone by since she came into my life. She was 8 1/2 when we married. Just a little girl. We have grown so close. I'd like to say that we are friends too, and I think she would say so. It's been such a privilege to see her developing into a young woman and to be an important part of who she is becoming. I know it must be so hard for her mom to know someone else is influencing her daughter and knowing all the experiences she is missing out on by not being there every day. I know, because I missed out on these very years with my sweet Tyler. He really changed and became his own person after going to live with his dad. I felt those were such "crucial years" and I was so afraid I was going to lose that bond we had. But, so far, I don't think we have lost too much. I know that is why I am so careful to teach Caitlin how to be sensitive, kind, gentle, caring, loving, generous and thoughtful. I would hope that her mom in some way will be relieved that I am trying my best for her daughter (and mine). Sharing family is hard on everyone, especially the children. You can make it work, but it is just that, a conscious effort to do so every day. I am so blessed to be a mom and Caitlin is my only girl. I guess God put me in her life for a reason and I hope that I fulfill my purpose as her mom.

Captain Underpants!

SUPER JOEL/Captain Underpants!

Protecting the galaxy with his might and his speed!

Sleep Over's, Camp Out's and "Sleeping in my belly"

Joel has been interested in having "sleep-overs" and "camp outs" lately. He has been asking about having a friend over from his preschool. He wants to be so big! A couple of weeks ago his twin cousins who are 5 were supposed to come over to visit and he was super excited about actually having someone to sleep over with! It all started because a couple of months ago, I let Caitlin and Joel have a camp out in the living room when Chris had a sleep over at a friends house. I took a huge blanket and made a tent/fort over the sofa bed in the living room and they read library books and had a great time. Joel had his little rocket flashlight from Loews to keep him safe and when I checked on them later, his little light was still on and his legs were draped over his sister. His feet always have to touch you when he sleeps. I was the same way when I was little. It's so funny how things we do or did, come out in our kids behavior too. Anyway, Joel has been having a "sleep over" with Chris some nights during the week and I try to save it for the weekend cause they get ROWDY before they finally settle down and sleep, but sometimes dad overrules mom and they enjoy it. Chris loves having Joel sleep in his room and Joel of course thinks he's so big. It's very sweet. Notice in the picture that Joel has no shirt on like his brother! He has been insisting on "sleeping in my belly" which took me a while to understand what he meant, but it means sleeping without his pajama shirt on like Chris. If it's too cool, I don't let him. Since he was an infant I have had the hardest time keeping him covered at night. I could not keep him swaddled cause he would kick his legs to get the blanket off and then he would get cold and wake up. Most of the time, I still have to put him in full long sleeve and long pant pajamas because he won't keep a sheet or blanket on himself. Not tonight, though!