Since you've been gone...

Just a few things that have been going on around our house as of late...

Girls spend every day at the pool that it's nice outside. Luxury of being home with a nanny in the summer.

Iz & Lane love to play out on our deck...too cute.

While I was away in Mexico two very big things happened in the McCulloch household: Izzy learned to swim independently across the pool (& dive for sticks!). Huge win for Izzy, as we haven't had her in swim lessons for over a year. Mike said it'd happen organically and it did. And every waking moment she now wants to go to the pool. Love her and how she is growing up!

And the other thing that happened was that Mike finally installed his outdoor shower. He's been talking about it for a few years and decided to pull the trigger while I was gone. Per his usual style. I have yet to see him (or any of the girls) use it. Hope he likes it. And the cold hose water that comes out of it.

A rare snuggle that melts my heart. They have a love/hate relationship. I get it...as I've been there.

I've been making some pretty big gains in the gym as of late. Coach has us on several week cycles to gain strength and the work is paying off. Got 4 pretty big PRs over the last 2 weeks. Starting a pretty intense pre-competition cycle starting this week...going from working out 6 times a week to now 8 times a week. Will be tough to maintain but after seeing the gains as of late, I'm pumped to see more. Bring it on!

We have discovered a local polo club near our house and Friday nights they have matches. Pretty much the most fun family night we've had in a while. Going back this week to do it all over again.

In between quarters (even though they're not called that) you can go out and play on the field and even stomp divets!

Sunbathing Izzy while her sister naps

Got a long run in with the Perfect Strangers (6 miles for me is now considered long, my oh my how times have changed!)

Spent a day with our old friends the Moosebruggers. We toured their new house and many acres, watched hours of the CF Games, dined outside and made s'mores by their campfire. Was so enjoyable to spend the day together like old times. My talks with Meg are good for my soul.

We spend almost every night (weather and schedule permitting) at the pool. Gets our sillies out and is quality family time for us. We pack a cooler and our jammies. Showers are taken there instead of baths at home. We have it down to a routine and I'm sad this will be coming to an end soon with Fall approaching.

Can't get this little diving diva out of the pool. She throws, retrieves, throws, retrieves, swims a lap, throws, etc. She's turned into a little fish and I love that it all happened organically. Not forced. On her own timing.

Izzy bought a jump rope (among other treasures) with her piggy bank money. She's been slowly getting the hang of jumping with it. We turned it into a family affair...gave me some good double-under practice.

Had special Feller family time a few weeks ago. Spent an entire day with them and it was so much fun. We laughed. We swam. We replenished an empty cooler. Was perfection. And long overdue.

The diving duo: Izzy & Luke

Love bugs: Jacob & Laney. Two peas. One pod. Melting heart.

And here is a picture of the school supplies we had to buy for Izzy's kindergarten year. She and I had fun hunting for everything on the list. Not sure what she'll do with 16 dry-erase markers and 8 glue sticks but I'm positive it'll be amazing. Sister started kindergarten yesterday and she LOVED it. Will post on that next. Until then, enjoy these last few weeks of summer!