So Friday morning, the last day for the kids to get in their compressed course of swimming before the big test day on Sunday! A lot of kids will make it and a lot of kids won't. This compressed course doesn't guarantee the child or parent they will move up, but everyone gets to test for their next level and see if they can complete the tasks to move up. I was early today as usual. I took a seat with my coffee.
Another empty pool waiting for the kids to jump in and start their day.
Trying to help you guys some and provide a good visual. All mom's and families get to sit on these little benches and watch through the glass. I was first up there and the lady in the apron in the background is the cleaning lady. I make a habit of ohayo gozaimasu-ing (sp?) her every morning, just to be polite and all you know, and she always gives me a smile and tells me good morning right back! Ha ha ha : ) About 2 minutes after I sat down all the other mom's came in, so I was only a bit early. Oh and if you are late, you might not get a seat and you will have to stand or sit on the floor, which happens to a lot to people. It happened to me a few times last year and I learned my lesson, which is why I try to get there a bit early.
You can see the coach standing up with her hands behind her back. She gave them a sorta pretest, to the test on Sunday. She was watching very closely. And during this compressed course, she would write notes to each family every day and tell the parent what your child is doing "right" to pass to the next level and she also tells each parent in writing every day, what your child is doing "wrong", in helps to correct it and help your kid move onto the next level. One day this week she told us in writing B wasn't breathing correctly during each stroke. Okay, we read that and told him and he corrected it by the time the next class. In Japan they really do teach kids to be fantastic swimmers. Very spot on with things. They do have fun, but it's not a place to just go and blow off and half pay attention, if you know what I mean. You gotta really love swimming and really wanna be there to get anything from it. And no, they won't let you coast and move you to the next level, unless you can actually pass the test. I know a kid who has been stuck on the same number of swim level for the past 6 month's or so. The kid doesn't wanna be there and he just floats there every class, poor kid. but yeah, they seriously won't let you move on, until you know the stuff. Anyways... : )
Friday afternoon, we did some yard work. We dug up the dirt around this stuff and threw weed killer down a few days before, today we leveled off the dirt and sheeted it up and put the edging around it in the shape we both liked. Bark will go on top. And as a final, we will be putting up like a white picket fence type covers over the mechanical things on the side, to sorta beautify them a bit. But that will be left to the last part. And grass will be all around when we lay down the sod.
OMG, that's seriously a lot of bark!
This size is small and the small size will fill in our play ground area, a nice cushion for the boys! And it will be all edged in and stuff.
This size is medium and it will be for the edging! And around the tress and flowers and stuff.
And now the one side is nicely filled in. Keep in mind it will look 10 times better with the grass, and covers and such. But, it's a work in progress. The man who has been hired by my husband, who will do the yard, said he will be here on Monday providing it doesn't rain. Which is good, because we have a ton of work that needs to be done back here! Ha ha ha. : )
After lunch and an hour of relaxing on the couch. Branden and I made some Toll House cookies together! Noah was napping! : )
Branden was chopping the pecans. And I do love how helpful they are in the kitchen and I am so proud, he knows the correct way to hold the knife and such. When chopping stuff like this, he has to use 2 hands and one on top and sorta rocking back and forth is easier for the wee ones (Obviously I would never let Noah even hold a knife until he was maybe 5 years old that's off limits for him). And yes, I always keep an eye on them and they help under my supervision. But, they learn heaps by getting to help me cook and bake and I love that! Plus he loves to help and he's not clueless around the kitchen and I love that! : )
Yummy looking cookie dough. : )
Noboru and I made the stickers for the math set on the computer today with the math set stickers and computer CD we bought at the store, they came out wicked! So, while B and I made cookies, Noboru was just sticking the stickers on the math pieces. It took Noboru forever by the way, poor guy! Branden would come and peek at daddy every once in a while between cookie stirs.
Okay cookies are all nicely done and ready for me to make in little balls and bake them in the oven.
2 and a half dozen, of some chocolate chip pecan Toll House cookies! Yum definitely a good thing to be munching on this weekend!
See the cookies are done, it's still light outside. Noboru is meanwhile still at the math set. And since I was done with the cookies, I helped him, so we could finish faster! PS, do you see Noah playing outside in the window? The boys were playing like maniacs out in the backyard! We also had to go to the school today, the elementary school to find out which class Branden will be in. There is only 2 first grade classes. And we were hoping that he and Genki-kun would be in the same class this year. His parents were hoping for the same. So we drove to the school and saw the results on the front of the school and. Yes, Branden and Genki-kun will indeed be in the same class this year!!!! I was very happy for both of the boys, I know how much they wanted to be in the same class! Talk about a huge happy sigh of relief! *sigh*No worries now at all! : ) Friday night, Noboru made me dinner and I relaxed all night. : )
Saturday: We did nothing, no yard work, no housework. Just relaxed. All day and all night. However, only thing I can think to add is sorta a semi bummer! Converse comes out with colors they sell just for a season. And the 2 new colors this year are orange and purple. Anyway, Branden will need new shoes for elementary school anyways. So, we just bought both boys a pair of the orange. However and I do say however....
Noah's were perfect sized, size 15cm (he's normally a 16cm these days, but Converse sorta runs big). A pinch of room to grow and stuff. But Branden's were absurdly too small. So now, we have to send them back, contact the seller/shoe store we bought via Rakutan. Which we love Rakutan, remember we got their summer towel blankets from there last year. But returning is always a huge pain in the ass. And, why buy online? Because we live in the country first thing, but second thing, if we drove to the bigger city it wouldn't necessarily guarantee us to find both the boys sizes anyway, sure maybe they might have one of our kids shoe size but they could be sold out of the other. And it would be a huge waste of gas if they didn't have them. And sure we could call place after place. But for us, it's easier to find the place online, and order and that way we don't waste or lose a whole day driving all over Japan looking for them. So, that's why we buy online. Anyways, I am sure we will get Branden's shoes all worked/sorted out. Noboru sent them an email already explaining the problem. Ah well. : )
Noah's cute little converse! : ) Anyway Saturday was a nice lazy day and night. It was nice to just enjoy it. : )
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