Oxygen Is Overrated...SWIM

This is the saying on my favorite swim shirt. Actually "Put Your Balls Down and SWIM" (with pictures of a baseball, football, and soccer ball) is my real favorite, but it's probably inappropriate for a post title. Anyway, on Saturday, all three boys competed in the SWISA championship meet. Even little Brady. And he kicked butt. For real. In fact, all three boys swam their hearts out and all of their hard work really paid off. Scott and I are the head timers for the team. Worst. Job. Ever. I have to coordinate all volunteers and believe me, when I walk into practice every morning, parents hide from me! This job also means we are in charge of the stop watches. Over thirty watches...all with alarms set for different times. They go off every hour throughout the day...winter, spring, summer, and fall. We hide them in the basement during the off-season! When I pulled the watches out of the bag Saturday morning, they were in this huge knot. Mike and Chris (pictured) worked on them for TWO hours and finally freed them all. THEY ROCK!!

Carter was not thrilled about the 7:20AM warm-up

Noah and Bennett before the meet (Noah won high point in the 8&under age group!!)

Swimming is a great sport but it's often misunderstood. Takes a special person to love competitive swim and it takes their crazy parents to agree to it and take them to meets :) Our team practices five days a week during the summer season. Three different practices based on age groups. It takes a great amount of dedication and a real desire to be part of the team. Carter has only missed maybe 7 practices in his eight years on the team. We make it a priority and they don't ask to skip because they know the answer. In fact, swimming is not an option in our house. You do it, or you don't live here. End of story. The benefits from swimming are huge (and so is the appetite after practice!) and Scott and I both feel it's well worth the time we sacrifice.

Brady did awesome for his first year on the team..and being only five years old! He is just seconds off the 25 free record (held since the early 80's) and still has three more summers in the 8u age group!

ALWAYS a smile on his face :)

He swam great in both of his races. He had to fill in for an injured teammate and swam the 50 freestyle race in the 9-10 division!!! Top 10 finish too. BEAST.

Being dragged to baseball and soccer games is easy stuff...they have time limits. But swim meets...especially SWISA, is not an easy day for a 2-year old. Did I mention we were there from 7am-3:30pm, and it was 90+degrees? Cate had a great time...she's so laid back and just happy to be anywhere.

Bennett asked me if his jammers met the school dress code guidelines since they're red and black. I didn't have the stomach to ask him if his question meant he would actually wear them to school?!?!?!? I'm afraid I already know what the answer would be :)

Bennett swam two relays, 25 free, 50 free, and 25 backstroke. His relays finished 1st and 2nd and he placed in the top 6-9 in his individual races (out of 18+ swimmers in each event). They earn ribbons through 12th place, and that's all that matters to him!

Photo finish in Carter's butterfly race! Carter's in the white hat...winner :) I love to watch him swim butterfly...he's always been a very natural swimmer.

SWISA marks the end of the swim season. Makes me sad :( Time for soccer and fall baseball to start. Then, maybe, just maybe, we'll have a break during the winter.

I'm trying to upload videos of their races, but so far, no such luck