sunburn, fever and other hot stuff

we made our first official trip to the pool on monday. it ended on a high note and a sunburn. the kids did not burn, though they did come away sunkissed. i, however, was not able to reach my back and between my shoulders with sunscreen. this has made for a bit of discomfort the last couple of days. we decided not to go swimming today to let my burn heal. micah made huge strides in learning to swim without floaties. he has always been so easy. on his 3rd birthday i told him three year olds were not aloud to wear diapers or pull ups anymore. he said ok and after never had another accident. monday reminded me of that day. i told him that once you graduate kindergarten and can read you are no longer allowed to wear floaties. he said ok and we took them off and he figured out how to swim!!! last summer was almost impossible to teach them to swim without floaties because they were 1, 3 and 4 and only one of me. this year i can let them go and work with them individually. now we can hand micah's floaties down to bekah! anna had to be reminded of the properties of floaties and water. it did not take too long. i have realized in parenting that once the fear of something is less that ne desire to do it, you can really start to go somewhere. she fianally baled in with floaties and began swimming to me. i ever so devilishly walked backwards slowly until she had swam the entire length of the pool. i had her turn around to see what she could do. she was proud and content to be on her own after that!!! teaching them to swim is very important to me since i never really learned! i can swim, but i really do not like being in water that i cannot touch the bottom. that's why i love this swimming pool. it is huge, but ony goes to about 4 ft. 6in. i can save my children in that kind of water!

rebekah started running a fever last night. i gave her some ibuprophen and put her to bed. when she woke this morning she was burning up with bright rosy cheeks and bright red lips. i knew it was high. 102.4 after a bath. she lay around all morning in my lap. finally she ate half a sandwhich and went down for a nap. when she woke she was soaking wet from sweating and her fever was gone. yay!! she said she was "aw beddah." i just checked her temp again and asked her if she had a fever. she put her hand on her head and said "noPe, i hot!" she is so adorable. i am enjoying her soo much. we never really noticed any symptoms. she said her mouth hurt. oh well, hopefully she's truly is "aw beddah!"

my sisters arrive two weeks from today! i can't wait. we will have so much fun. i am so looking forward to their visit.
we leave for denver for the international barbershop contest the day they leave to go home. bret's quartet hopes to make the top twenty. i decided after last year being apart during his gold medal winning experience, i did not want to miss this. we decided to drive and take a little more time getting there. i am kinda excited about that, too. it will be fun to see new things. i have never driven further west than fort worth. i've also never been in oklahoma. we almost decided to fly, but we decided last night that driving would probably still be the most fun way to fully experience the trip. we will have alot more family time that way. and our kids travel well, so hopefully they will enjoy it, too. i am excited about so many things coming up.

working as a music teacher at the preschool/mothers day out is going well. i am enjoying it. i need more resourses and ideas, but i like what i do. my kids are enjoying it, too. it makes me proud that they love to bragg that THEIR mom is he music teacher. that makes me feel good. i know--enjoy it while it lasts--right? i am.:-)

love you all,
s