Elliot - Swim Instructor

Elliot taught swim lessons to the cutest little 5 year old this summer. She was a fish and learned so much. He had her swimming across the pool and diving off the board in 10 lessons. The last day of her lessons we caught some cute pictures of them learning and playing.

Christmas 2009 - Tricks on a Teen

Elliot has always slept with us on Christmas Eve. He can't be trusted. We realized he can't sleep with us until he's 21 (creepy) so we let him sleep in his own bed. I Christmas wrapped him in - I'm not a complete idiot! (He got the decorative side of the paper.)

The answer is "book." The answer is not "a-", as in go find an old report card. I thought it was obvious. Kept him out of my hair for most of the morning.

Scouts

It's blurry, but it's the photo of Elliot receiving his last two Eagle required merit badges. Yippee!

Halloween

You're never too old to trick-or-treat -- you may be too tall, though!

Elliot's Viola Trio

Elliot, Spencer and Mike performed Irish Melody at a recital Friday night.

Our Summer Vacation, or. . .Swimming Pool Blues

The pool looked like this when we opened it in the spring. The cover had caved in the last two winters due to snow, the coping was missing chunks and looked bad, the tile was sooo dated, the water, well yuck -- so, we decided on a little do it ourselves pool facelift, or rejuvenation even. We drained the pool, sending 20,000 gallons literally down the drain.

Mike and Elliot start jackhammering away at the old stones.

Mike worked at it for a couple of weeks and was making some pretty good headway, until the ladder fell and plunged him into the deep end, sans h2o, and he fractured his shoulder cuff. Ouch. Four weeks with an immobilized arm, no pool repair, no golf, no sleep. ugh.

We hired contractors, we waited for weeks for them to show up and/or for it to quit raining, although it seemed they only did come by on really rainy days, and eventually the contractors finish and Mike and Elliot gave the pool a really good acid wash.

It took 55 hours to fill it, but Squirt got some great swim time in unchlorinated water in the meantime,

and it was clean, warm and open for the 4th of July!


Mike's arm is healing, he's hopeful he'll be able to golf this summer, we've had kids in the pool by the dozen, and that is the end of our pool story.
Grab a towel and come over for a dip (just be sure to comment on the new look)!

Elliot's Spring Viola Recital

Elliot performed Humoresque by A. Dvorak at his spring recital last night. He nailed it. I love that he accessorized with his skull leather bracelet. He takes private lessons and also plays in the Concert Orchestra in school. He's worked his way up to fourth chair in Concert Orchestra and hopes to be second chair in 9th Grade. His favorite part of last night's performance was Grandpa taking us to dinner after the recital. Elliot said his prime rib was fabulous and realized he does like pie -- at least banana cream. We are proud parents. It was a fun evening.