Crazy stuff

Thanks to the super kind in-laws I am going out with the "girls" with no children. YipEEE. A few of the swim moms (as Conlan says "The ones you like') are going to dinner at a real restaurant and going to see Mama Mia. I am looking forward to adult conversation. Hopefully I will not have to explain to anyone the proper way to act and why we shouldn't behave that way! and of course I can do all those great things like be catty, gossip, use a curse word and not be hear MOM!!!!
No, I haven't started packing yet. Maybe tomorrow when Ray is home we will start a list of something. HA! 6 more Days!

BREASTSTROKE!

The Tall Girls

THE FOUR AMIGOS

They got to the leave the pool, and go to the James River to eat seafood!

Friends and Fun

The majority of the kids from the RAYS team that made it to State's.

The relay team!

Home and one more week of swimming!

Colleen did a great job yesterday. She took time off of her 200 breast but was extremely disappointed that she didn't make finals. She bounced back for her 50 fly and took off time. She had swam the 50 fly last year at state's and had not bettered her time all year. Everyone was relieved to see tenths taken off of the old time. Their relay kicked butt came in first in their heat. It got ninth overall. Colleen was exhausted (me too) and even asked to go straight home instead of stopping in Williamsburg to shop! She is planning to spend the day in her pj's.

Happy Birthday Gram!

Gram is 74 and going strong!

More Colleen Updates

Colleen made it to finals in her 100 breastroke. She got 13th. Super job! Her 50 free was okay. She added .08 of a second! Tomorrow she is swimming the 200 breast and 50 fly and a relay. She has a another chance to make finals in the 200 breast. these are super long days, but the kids are having a great time hanging out!

Colleen got 6th place!

Colleen swam the 50 breaststroke last night in finals. She was seeded 8th and took off about .5 seconds to finish 6th. Today is the 100 breast and 50 free. there is a small chance of her making finals for the 100.

Stirring up a hornet's nest

The boys are with Gram and Papa while I am with Colleen in New port News. they had hig excitement yesterday when they upset a hornet's nest while shooting the bow and arrows. Both boys and Papa got stung multiple times. ( last I heard was 6 for donavan, 10 Conlan and 5 Papa..plus one for Gram for trying to help them) D-man got a trip to the ER but all is well. All four of them sounded awful on the phone the first hour especially poor Donavan who was having trouble swallowing. But a few hours later they were laughing about the whole thing.

Going to Finals!

Colleen dropped a second from her breast stroke and placed 8th in the pre-lims. She swims around 5 for finals. She will medal b/c she is in the top eight.
Their relay had to drop out b/c one of the girls didn't show up:(

This and That

1. Jane and Tony are home from Africa. They are driving to Houston tomorrow to pick up the boys so a few more prayers that they have continue to have safe travels.
2. Marus turned 4 on Friday!
3. Colleen leaves tomorrow for her swim meet
4. Conlan's basketball team won 29-8. Conlan scored around 13-14 points.
tomorrow night is the championship game!
5. Our summer swim team won Monday night so we ended the season 5-0. Colleen was undefeated all 15 races. Finals are August the 2nd.
6. I got my new contacts! haven't been able to see for a month.
7. Colleen got new wires and bands today so she is having severe mouth pains!
8. Donavan is having his 1st official sleepover tonight! I think he can do it!
9. We are about to have a storm
10. Ray is super!

CONLAN PASSED ALL HIS SOL'S

We got the results yesterday. He had taken test in Reading, Math, and Virginia History. Very Exciting! Now the wait for Colleen's result. She did pass her US history, she is waiting to hear about math and reading also.

Going to the State Championships in 5 events!

This weekend Colleen made three more cuts for a total of 5. She has qualified in the 50, 100, 200 breaststroke, the 50 fly and the 50 free. She will also be swimming in the 400 freesyle relay and 400 medley relay. This will be going on in Newport News on July 24-27.
One of Colleen's best swimming buddies broke his collarbone this week. Peter had qualified to not only swim 8 events at states but he had worked extrememly hard to qualify for 4 events at zones( a national meet). Peter is not only a very important part of our summer team, but he is a great kid. It is sad that he will not be able to swim in these meets. It has been a good example for Colleen that one mishap can change your plans and not to put all your eggs in one basket!

Summer Swimming

Donavan is doing a great job! He is in the first year of his age group. He has consistantly placed in the top four and every once in awhile sneaks in a second. His relay team is undefeated!

Conlan is having a super season. He is usually always placing second, but he is trying hard reach 1st especailly in the 25 free. One of his teammates is a super fast short kid, but Conlan never seems to mind. Conlan knows he is the man:)

Colleen is still undefeated in her three races. She enjoys having her name in the paper every week for being a triple winner!
Our swim team is still undefeated, we have two more meets. The team has some great kids and everyone has had a great time.

Swimming, basketball, swimming, baseball and some more swimming

We have had a very sports oriented last few days.
Conlan's basketball team won 22-8. Conlan scored 11 points all in the 1st half. The second half they had him covered with at least 2 or not three players.


Donavan's baseball team finished this week. They were undefeated! Donavan did a great job! On Thursday night he tagged two guys out in a row on first, and then the next inning while playing shortstop he tagged a guy out on second. He really enjoyed baseball and wants to play again.

Jane and Tony made it to Uganda!

I checked the blog of the the youth pastor that was also on the trip.


Jason called Tuesday morning to let me know they had arrived safely in London and were going downtown to eat. He said the team was doing well and everyone was excited to have a few hours in London.

Jason texted me at 1:52am this morning to let me know they arrived safely in Uganda and were just getting off the plane. He texted me again this morning at 8:16am to say they were at the orphanage and were getting settled in. He said that as of now, they do not have any internet capabilities. I know the team took a computer and wireless router to set up for the Pastor at the orphanage, so hopefully Jason will be able to blog about what God is doing through the team in the next couple of days. Until then, I will blog for him as he requests.

POLITICS according to a 7 yr old..ie Donavan

Can anyone with a stupid idea run for president?

Young people will vote for Obama and old people will vote for McCain. I don't know if there are more old people or young people.


Why do you lie and say you are going to lower gas prices or let kids sit anywhere they want at lunch...when you know that is never going to happen????

The exciting river trip!

The Beaver family went down the Rappahannock river in the canoe and kayak. We had a very nice time taking turns in the kayak going down the class 1 and 2 rapids. Conlan was doing a great job in the kayak and doing the larger rapids. The last most difficult part (class 3) I decided I wanted to kayak. I was so proud of myself. You would of thought I had been kayaking forever(in my own little sick mind) We got to the "big" part and I watched Ray go down in the canoe with the kids and all the sudden realized that I was not going to get between to the two big rocks. I hit the rock to the left and went flying thru the air. Next thing I was in the water and the kayak and paddle were floating away. The current was so strong and the rocks were keeping me from getting my bearings. Ray was yelling at me to swim to the shore and I was yelling "I can't", but I did make it. Ray and Conlan left the rest of us on the shore while they went to rescue the kayak. Ray got the kayak but got turned sideways and whacked into some rocks and bent the canoe and lost all of his belongings. Since we were missing a paddle and had a bent up canoe, we called Papa to come rescue us.
We told the kids experiences like this are much more memorable, than if we made without any drama. Unfortuanatly, may new camera is ruined and Ray is out a fishing pole, seat cushions, a paddle and a cooler. Some one should kept track of how often Ann and I can lose or drop a camera in water. Has to be someone who can count high:)

River Trip

Donavan

Colleen Kayaking

Jane and Tony are off to Africa

Jane and Tony leave today for their mission trip to Africa. They are part of a group that is going to Uganda to work in an orphanage. Jane hopes to keep her website http://keepsavingme.wordpress.com/ up to date. Please keep them in your prayers that they have a safe trip and do the work of the Lord.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, and vacation days in the Jerse

What a busy week. Monday we loaded up the Beaver family plus the dog and headed for New Jersey. Nicolas has growing since April. He can sit up and is full of big smiles and lots of giggles. Ellie and Brooke are also getting taller, funny how my kids don't ever grow:) Tuesday morning we packed up all the kids(but Nic) and headed for the mountains of NJ and PA. We went to the Delaware Gap. It was a beautiful place. It was a great day the temps were in the 70's and no humidity. We explored an old farm village, hiked to a waterfall and then did a four mile up the Appalachian Trail to the highest peak in the park. Conlan busted his knee open on the way down, but he was tough and kept walking. Brooke and Ellie did a fabulous job hiking even though they kept telling us "they don't do this stuff". The kids were treated to swimming in the DE river for all their hard work. Wednesday we got back in the van and headed east to the Jersey Shore. We could of spent forever on the beach. It was another beautiful day. Wednesday was also a Big day for the BEAVER Family. Conlan turned 10 and Ray and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. John and Sarah also celebrated 10 years of marriage! We couldn't of spent the day at a better place! Wednesday night we had cake for Conlan. Louis and Ann were there but they both had to work so we didn't get to hang out too much with them. Louis and Ray did get to be manly and cut down a tree! We are looking forward to see them next month in Yellowstone with the rest of the Farine Family. The slide shows are of our adventures in NJ.

New Jersey Day 2

New Jersey Day 1