WICKED Wednesday

It was a wicked Wednesday. I woke up with a wicked headache and the weather matched - rainy all day. The plans for the day kept shifting.
The original plan for the day - Visit a friend's farm. But with the rainy, muddy conditions along with 15 kids (her 7 and my 8), it wasn't a great idea.
Plan B - Take the boys to the friend's house to play while the girls continued playing house downstairs. Z wasn't sure he wanted to go without the whole gang.
Plan C - B suggested swimming. With Z's broken wrist, I had decided it wouldn't be fair to him. However, Z said he was happy to just hang out and watch . . . of course, with his sister's DS games to keep him busy. With our spring breaks often filled with rainy days, we are happy to have indoor swimming pools.

Watching the kids at the pool, you could see each kid's personality. EJ walked up to the lifeguard like a pro so he could put on her lifejacket. She loves swimming and bobbing in the water like a cork.

A favorite at the pool is the swinging rope. W didn't hesitate to ask the lifeguard for their turn on the rope. On the rope and diving board, JJ worked on the style of his plunges. W tried contortions of every angle, often hitting the water face first, getting up and going again without fear. B is a fairly fearless adventurer joining the boys on the diving board first thing. A and WR liked to splash and play and giggle watching the kids dive, then deciding the swing rope looked pretty cool. Meanwhile, ER kept S and her friend busy.

I think that is B taking her turn on the rope.

Meanwhile in the stand, Z hung out with me. I love spending one-on-one time with this guy. (He also went with me to a missionary homecoming on Sunday.) Once he gets going, he has lots to share. It reminds me of his dad when he was little and I wish my brother and his family lived closer.

Z. did a great job playing his game or just watching the kids. Once in a while, he would say, "I wish I could go swimming."

I would anwer, "Yeah, that would be fun."

Then he would smile and return to playing or watching. After an hour, I did buy a treat from the vending machine because he was such a great sport about it.

Z was pleased to create his own little table in the bleachers.

In spite of a rough start, Wicked Wednesday turned out to be a very good day.

We celebrated S's 15th birthday. Can it really be 15 years since she was born? (Her big brothers are a little freaked realizing S can get her driving permit soon.)

The kids were excited for S to unwrap her presents at lunchtime. (W and Z masterfully wrapped the presents. Thank goodness for gift bags!) The main present came later . . .

S, along with her parents, went to see the musical Wicked. S and I know the music and loved seeing how the puzzle pieces fit together. There were a few great surprises.

We stopped off at Burgerville for smoothies, ending a great day for S .