D's Got Mad B-Ball Skills

Deacon started basketball mid-November & LOVES it.  For his age, there is not a competitive team here at Fort Irwin, but they spend practice each week learning various skills & drills associated to the sport.  I value that they get to take 2 years to learn about the game rather than just competing against other teams weekly so that they can actually learn skills related to basketball rather than just run around with 9 other kids trying to touch a ball.  I think to date this has been his favorite sport so far & he is doing really well with it!

Pre-Warm-Up Toss with the boys

                   Dribbling Practice                          The Girls Sharing Their Ball    

GOAL!!

 So proud of his shots!

Running Suicides

A Pool Rite of Passage

Upon moving to Fort Irwin, we put Deacon in swim lessons as we thought it would be something he could excel in & it was a sport offered year-round here.  In lessons, they were able to jump off of the diving board in the deep end & swim to the side or to the coach.  Well, D was super disappointed when we went to the pool over the summer & learned that he could not be in the deep end (or on the diving board) without passing a swim test.  At 3, he had a hard time understanding why he could do it in lessons but could not when we went just to swim for fun.  The swim test included him swimming the length of the pool alone & treading water for 20 seconds to earn a "deep end swim bracelet".  This has been something that D has worked on through the summer & this week he finally said he was ready to take the test -- I think he just got tired watching all of the diving board fun!  D did his lap & treading & earned his bracelet & he was SO STOKED!!  I did not realize that this meant I couldn't even be in the deep end with him (gasp! it's 10 ft folks!!) but he still took off fearless & ready for the rite of passage that sort of separates the little boys from the big dogs in the pool. 

The much-anticipated bracelet!!!

D so happy to be going solo in the deep end

And he's off!!                                   He can walk on water!!

 K laying out with Minnie -- this deep-end stuff is overrated!

Tiny Tumbler

Gymnastics started again this week for the fall & K couldn't be more excited.  The post recruited a new coach as the previous person moved away, but K cared less about the coach replacement & more about just seeing the equipment out in the gym.  It is fabulous way for her to burn off her energy & she loves going & running her laps around the various stations.   And following directions is something she is learning to do well all for the princess sticker at the end of class. Our tiny tumbler is back in business!

K on the platform

Doing her jumps off the platform

And the balance beam -- her personal favorite

Last Days of Summer

Even in the desert the summer comes to an end.  Shocking, I know, but it happens.  I can tell most when we visit our neighborhood pool.  We have been going almost every other day to get lots of pool time in before it is incredibly cold, but I think our outdoor pool has seen the last of us for this season.  The shivers coming from the crazies as they dry off sort of confirmed it for me today.  It has been fun & the crazies have become little fish, but adios until next year.  

Here are some pics of our last round at the pool.

K jumping in... so fearless.

K swimming to Dad

D taking the plunge

And D  making his way to Dad

K, our pet fish.

The ladybugs came out to join us -- we even had to take this one home.

 My water babies

What fun is drying off without some wrestling action?

D's Soccer Camp

It's summer time here & on a military installation that means all kinds of camps & programs are offered to keep the kids busy & the parents sane.  I put the crazies only in a couple of them because most of our time will be spent with family, but D participated in a soccer camp this week.  The 8:00 a.m. start time nearly killed us everyday because while we are up nearly everyday by that time, getting everyone dressed, fed, picked up & where we need to be by that time is a whole different ballgame.  But we did it, & D has been able to learn some new things.  The coaches are from England & travel across the U.S. throughout the summer teaching various kids in various places -- luckily Ft. Irwin scored them for a week!  So, here are some pics of D doing his soccer thing -- he may be a natural!

A little pre-clinic pep talk with Coach Dan!

Playing Chase the Tail -- a great way to get the kids running fast.

 Kick practice

Learning some more strategies

 Gotta get our water in... like every 10 minutes, seriously.

Little soccer man D.

My Dancing Queen

 Kennedy started her first dance class in February upon moving here more or less in an effort to give her an extracurricular activity to do since Deacon was involved in a couple.  So, when her teacher approached  us parents in the youngest class about allowing the girls to be in a recital I laughed out loud.  Really?!?  How could 2 year olds be expected to retain the dances they are taught good enough to go on a stage & do a performance... 3 in this case.  But I agreed because it would be fun, cute, & really, at 2 they could smile & look pretty & the crowd would cheer.  Well, K did AMAZING!  She had a recital Thursday as well as one today & she knows how to work that stage!  She was the youngest girl in the group, but LOVED the experience & is already asking "Dance again?" wondering when her next performance will be.  Her age group did 2 numbers during the performance to allow costume change time for the older girls in the actual show PLUS a number in the show, Alice in Wonderland, where they danced & fluttered like butterflies around Alice.  It was a hoot but below are some pictures between the 2 shows.

K dressed up for her first 2 numbers before the recital... she felt like quite the diva!

Dancing Queen

Coming out for #2 song

Work it K!

Twirling around

Costume change for the butterfly number

Out to be a butterfly

Flying around Alice

Out for the finale & bow... probably looking for mom!

A shot with my Dancing Queen!  She was soooooo excited!

 Aunt Lala came in from Vegas to see the show so K was giving out kisses!

 And getting a rose from her Daddy... she went in for his drink though first, it was super cute!

Daddy's little girl, always!

Tumbling & Twirls

Thursday are Kennedy's day to shine -- she has both gymnastics & twirling class during the morning.   She doesn't stop moving.  The whole time.  In either class.  Gymnastics is set up with various stations where she rotates from one activity to the next learning different tumbling moves along the way.  She loves the balance beam the most & tries to hurry to it as quickly as her feet will go.  Twirling class is an introduction to dancing class where she does all types of dancing with her instructor who she LOVES.  She loves watching herself in the huge wall mirror -- her expressions are priceless. It is an entertaining couple of hours for me watching her move & I can't wait to see how she excels in both!

Working the beam.

Listening to her instructor about tumbling.

She sticks her tongue out when she concentrates. Hard.

Learning the handstand.

Time to twirl -- she gets so excited!

Learning some ballet move.

Practicing the twirl around.

Love this little face.  It's priceless.