summer fun

I feel like this has been our first official lazy week of summer. no more packing, unpacking etc...we've survived our first week without Ryan. Tried to keep really busy. The kids started swim lessons and are doing great! Jake is in the cutest class with 6 little girls. he also loves his new goggles, that look like giant eyeballs.

notice Trent's teacher is in a wetsuit? it was raining and so cold this day.

fun in the tub. still loving those goggles.

the cheat day/treat of the week. mmmmm.....

Trent has been practicing really hard and can now ride (wobbily) about 100 yards. I think a ripstick purchase is in the near future. (because of our previous deal)

I've also been reading a lot. It's so nice to have a public library again!! in Japan, I could use the ASIJ high school library, but it was a small selection. Now, I have a few weeks with no husband, and 54 books on my goodreads list. let the reading begin!! Most nights, after dinner, the kids go outside to play till dark and I sit on the porch reading/watching them. I love it.

fun with the neighbor's sprinklers.

went to enrichment--a class on canning/freezer jam and everyone in the class got to take home a jar of jam! how nice. It's inspired me to make some jam maybe next week.

and last, but not least, I joined the gym down the street and got a trainer! I love it. I have never been in a gym before last week and was a little nervous. not sure how to work all of the weight equipment. not sure if I'd like a bunch of people in there watching me. But everybody just does their own thing and I never feel like anybody is staring. and I have a trainer just for the next month to help me learn how things work and give me some workout ideas for strength training.

I have always been a big fan of exercising on your own. I love to run and also have tons of DVD's I can do at home. Tae bo, pilates, the Firm, abs of steel, etc. my rule has always been, do something 5 days a week. and that's always worked for me. until I turned 30. something changed. my metabolism? how sad to get old!!! somehow the pounds keep creeping on, even though I exercise all the time!! so I've decided that maybe it's the weights I'm missing. maybe cardio isn't enough. so that's why I'm giving the gym a try. and I've also found that my eating habits are much better. b/c I feel like, if I'm paying for the gym, blowing it by eating the wrong foods is like wasting my money. anyways, wish me luck!!!