Independence Day 2014

July 4th is always fun because we get to be with our family and swim! Dakota loved it and thinks she can swim all on her own. I told Dilan that she could not use a floatie at all in the pool and with a bit of complaining at first, she eventually chose to show us how she could swim, which we knew she could do because she was swimming at her swim lessons back in late April. Once Dilan got her confidence that first swim, she was swimming like a fish the rest of the week and the rest of the summer. What was really amazing was that Drake learned how to swim all by himself! I took his floaties off to eat lunch and when we got back in the water, I didn't point it out to Drake that he didn't have his floaties on. He tried to swim across the spa to me and then noticed he didn't have his floatie. When he started to get out to get it, I convinced him that I would help him swim in the spa without it. Sure enough, he started swimming to me across the spa back and forth. I was so excited and we cheered Drake on. He began jumping in the big pool and swimming to the steps all by himself. So exciting to see Drake accomplish this and so proud of him for being brave to try. 

 Drew, Dilan, and their cousins ran the kids' race for the July 4miler. It was Dilan's first time to run the race and she did a great job. She didn't want to run in the age 6 and under group but instead she chose to run with the 7-12 age group. Drew ran the race too and he placed first! We saw them take off running and when the first kids started to come back, they all had red shirts on. There were about four kids in front and then I saw Drew coming around the corner in his blue shirt. I started cheering him on and he started running a full sprint. He passed the three boys by taking the inside track. And then there was a girl in front of him that he literally over took to win the whole race. He was so determined to win and he did it. It was pretty awesome and so much fun to watch.

 We watched the fireworks from the front door because the mosquitoes were pretty bad. But we did go out on the porch for a bit to pop the poppers the kids got for competing in the race that morning. 

This picture is of the five big kids with their patriotic shirts