It's a Thursday Tradition!

For the last 40 years while I was raising my kids it has been a tradition to go swimming on Thursday! When Summer and Jesse....both now in their 40's...were growing up we went to the local public swimming pool every Tuesday and Thursday! I remember lying in the sun reading my Reader's Digest Condensed Book and listening to the happy sounds of children's laughter and splashing water! Good times.

Then 20 years later I started raising children again! Jesse was 19 and Summer 21 when Amber was born followed by Benjamin 3 years later. (They are both now in their 20's!)  We STILL went swimming on Thursdays but now we had season passes to Wet 'N' Wild...later renamed Hurricane Harbor. Our neighbors Beth on the corner and Stephanie next door would all come with their kids and we would stake us out a spot and stay all day and into the night! Connie and her kids moved in across the street and joined the party many times as well! More Good Times! Amber was a synchronized swimmer for 11 years and ALWAYS had practice on Tues/Thurs after she joined The Pirouettes of Texas in 1992. We would often come straight from the water park to North Lake pool. (Watch for a Pirouette of Texas swimmer, Jessica, in the new Pirates of the Caribbean 4 movie to be out in 2011!)

Now I no longer have children living in my home but the lovely Thursday Tradition continues and in yet another new location....my son, Jesse's, beautiful new pool! I had supper cooked and ready to take over when Summer picked me up after she got off of work. A HUGE T-storm was right in our neighborhood and stormed for about an hour before disappearing as mysteriously as it arrived. We loaded up the pinto beans, homemade cornbread and peach cobbler and headed to Arlington. We arrived at the park up the street from my son's house to watch Sam practice ball. No rain over there and we enjoyed sitting out and visiting with Leigh Ann, Faith, Levi and Jesse!

My daughter, Summer, and daughter in law, Leigh Ann!

My son, Jesse!

I LOVE this picture of Faith! I am so NOT a real photographer but every once in awhile I do take a nice picture!

After practice was over we had our supper and was ready for the pool!

Levi is not afraid of the water....or anything else for that matter! Sam had opened a round filter hole to get some toys out of it. Levi walked right into it, said, "Oops!" and pulled his foot out and kept right on going! When I offered him some Peach Cobbler he said, "Is it GOOD?" I said, "Yes." "Then I'll HAVE some," he said! He is the cutest little thing!! Makes me smile to just look at his picture!

Faith enjoys the water and is as graceful as a little swan!

Aunt Amber may teach her a little synchro routine! She loves to twirl around in the water and, of course, she LOVES the attention, calling out, "Watch me, MiMi!!" Music to my ears!

My man, SAM!! First born grandson and so far the only one of the 3 who can really swim well yet! He is so special....reminds me SO much of his dad! I guess that would be the natural way of things, huh? Sam takes after Jesse in SO many ways!!! He has an advanced vocabulary just as his dad did early on! Faith is probably much like Leigh Ann....and Levi is just out there! Summer said Levi reminds her of a Benjamin (my youngest son who is 21).

So Thursday Traditions continue.....GOOD TIMES!!