Taking a Break

The Dandelion had been taking a Parent & Tot gymnastics class since the beginning of the school year. Most weeks he looked forward to going, other weeks he fell asleep before we got there. Sometimes he wanted to do what the class is doing, but he almost always hated waiting his turn. I finally got to the point that it seemed like I was doing more chasing and discipline than he was doing gymnastics, so I pulled him from the class.



He still has a lesson every week during preschool, but now he waits in the lobby both of the days the Tumbleweed has her practices. It is still a challenge to keep him busy. I had really hoped that he would be sitting playing his Leapster or coloring by now, but that isn't his style. He keeps me on my toes wandering around the lobby, climbing on things, watching the bigger kids play DS and basically getting into mischief at every corner.

Level 2 Mid-year Report

The Tumbleweed is on the Level 2 team at gymnastics this year. There are 10 girls on her team, which at times seems a little too large to me. She is making steady progress though and still says bars is her favorite event. They don't spend much time on beam & vault this year, but her floor skills are improving a lot now that they are spending more time on them (they didn't have a floor rotation very often as Level 1s).

It's Showtime!

The end of the school year means it is Gymnastics Show time! Each of the kids had a chance to perform the things they learned this year.

The Tumbleweed was first. She and her Level 1 team were well practiced and started on beam, where they used the medium beams and did their basic beam complex before doing lever handstands and a round off dismount with a little spot from the teacher. Next they did bars, performing their strength combinations first. Then each girl got a chance to take solo turns, first showing a pullover, 3 casts to a back-hip-circle, forward roll dismount. The Tumbleweed was so proud to be able to do hers by herself! She had just gotten her back hip circle the previous week. For their final turn, Miss Jen helped each of them do cast handstands! Their final rotation was floor. They showed a variety of tumbling skills, including rolls, cartwheels, round-offs, one arm cartwheels and were spotted on back-bend, kick-overs. It was a great year!

The grand finale - a handstand on the bar!

Miss Jen & the Level 1 Team

The Dandelion had his show the following day. He has been in a Parent & Tot class since January, so I did the show "with" him. His group started on floor, where he (and all the grown ups) was glad to get the blue star. This was the only star he ever wanted and in previous weeks he had refused to do floor when he didn't get blue. After a series of kangaroo jumps, bear walks and forward rolls each child took a solo turn at backward rolls down a wedge and "cartwheels" (I think he is going to be a lefty, but we'll see). Then they did beam, where he had a few moments where he didn't want to cooperate by surprised us all by doing the forward roll on the low beam (with mats built up) completely straight and all by himself. Too bad he won't need that later! They finished up on parallel bars before lining up for their medals. He did very well, but I think my favorite part was later when he took off his medal and said, "Good Job Mommy. You were the star of the show." and put his medal around my neck. He is so sweet :)

Tuck hold on the P-bars

Miss Deb gives him his medal

The summer session will start in July. The Tumbleweed moving up to Level 2 with Miss Heather and the Dandelion will be able to take a Parent & Tot class at the same time as one of the Tumbleweed's practices. One less day to sit around the lobby! Hooray!

In the Gym

This week the Dandelion started his new gymnastics class. He has been begging to go in the gym since the gym show in June, but due to the Tumbleweed's practice times (afterschool, when there is no Parent/Child class) we have not been able to fit a class in. But now that he is 2.5 he can move into the "Parent & Tot" level, which has a class in the afternoon while the Tumbleweed is in school. He was so excited!


He was so excited to go in the pit that he didn't really want to stay with the class during the warm up, but once the warm up was over, he did a great job staying with the class. Such an improvement from all the chasing I had to do last year. He smiled and laughed for most of the class. It was so great to see.

The Tumbleweed is also enjoying gymnastics these days and has made a lot of progress since starting Level 1 this summer. She seems to be a strong vaulter, has good balance on beam (although loses concentration from time to time), and has greatly improved her strength on bars and can do her pullover alone consistently. She loves going and has become good friends with several of the girls. Her favorite part of most practices is the warm-up, because the Levels 1-3 teams all do a plyometrics circuit together and she really enjoys practicing with "the big girls" (I think the oldest is 7 - LOL).

Chalking Up

At gymnastics, the Tumbleweed is starting team this summer (Level 1) and will be going twice a week for 1 hour each time. So far she loved the first few classes. There are 5 girls in her group and on Mondays they even have the gym to themselves. So far they learned the team warm up routine, how to walk two at a time on the beam and pivot at the ends, and all about chalk. She was pretty excited about that!

She was also excited that they get to climb the rope every day, but got a little frustrated when she wasn't the best at it. Boy she is competitive!
Another new thing... running drills!

Marathon Day: Gym Show #2, Soccer Finale & more

Today was the first of this week's crazy days. Things started out somewhat slow...we had a recipe swap playgroup in the morning, lunch at home and the Dandilion took his nap. While he napped I took care of finishing the gift for the Tumbleweed's gymnastics instructor.

At 1:30, the plan went into action...

First up was our first CSA pickup... we got a bright, colorful basketful, with a pint of strawberries, a head of lettuce, a handful of snap peas & a bunch of Easter Egg radish. Yummmm.


Then it was off to try to get seats for the Tumbleweed's gymnastics show. Since her class was in the afternoon, the gym was quite crowded and despite our early arrival, we still didn't get great seats. I can't say if there really was a "good seat" because it seemed like there was always some equipment, other kids or parents blocking me from getting a good picture. But, even though I don't have a lot of great pictures to prove it, the Tumbleweed put on a great show!


She particularly enjoyed watching the team girls who demonstrated during the show. Afterward she said, "I want to be 10. Because then I can do my routines all by myself" (Several of the girls were announced as being 10). Needless to say, she is very excited about starting Level 1 this summer.

We had about 1 hour from the end of the gym show until the start of the Tumbleweed's final "Maroon Team" soccer game. After grabbing some Sammies at Quizno's (one of the more popular fast food choices in our family), we headed to the soccer field.

The Tumbleweed played a great game! And my concern that she would be too tired to play was unfounded as she seemed faster than ever! She had two goals, bringing her season total to 6. I think she was almost a little sad to get her medal after the game because it meant the season was over. She has already asked when it starts again - I guess we better plan to sign her up again :)



It was a long & crazy day, but a good day :)

Gym Show #1

Next up on the end of the school year calendar was the Tumbleweed's Preschool Gymnastics Show, and of course it fell on an already busy day...

The morning started with the Dandilion's gymnastics class' final show rehearsal (ie - Mommy chasing him all over the gym & trying to get him to follow the class). While he didn't really do everything, he did demonstrate some strength (on a station he wasn't supposed to be on).


After his class, we staked out a good seat (as if there really is one). Much of her show was too far to get good pictures, but Miss Ashley did help me get a few when they were on beam.













At the end, the class was given medals. I was a bit sad that she didn't call it a "Medal Winner" this year, but she still seems totally thrilled to receive it and then to take her bow - which thankfully she didn't wipe out the kid next to her with the "dramatic bow" that she had been practicing.


And since the day wasn't busy enough already, the Tumbleweed started her summer dance class this afternoon. She was so excited to dance again. The Dandilion, on the other hand, was not so happy about it. I'll have to come up with something other than toys, books, coloring, food & drinks to take for next week.

What did I get myself into?

Today was the Dandilion's first day of gymnastics class. He had to be 15 months old to start. I think moms must have to be under 25 to keep up with their toddlers running across the room around obstacles. I was pretty sure he would have fallen off of every (padded) surface in the gym if I didn't catch him. Maybe I need to let him fall, because he certainly isn't learning how to get off of things with me catching him all of the time. Despite my exhaustion, he was pretty cute learning to jump on the trampoline, hang on the rings and do forward rolls down a wedge mat. What a workout!

The Olympics are over :(

So sad that I won't have any Olympics to watch... although, I do need to get some sleep. I have been up late so many nights watching gymnastics on the edge of my seat. I am so glad Shawn Johnson finally got a gold - and it was so cool that a US man won a medal on high bar too. It really is a shame that it happens only every 4 years.

One Step Closer to the Olympics

OK, not for me personally - lol - but I went with friends to watch the girls who will be vying for spots on the team compete at Nationals. Lots of fun. We are so in sync about what we like and don't like, so we would comment in unison when something good/bad happened. I miss being around competitive gymnastics.

At the end of the meet they honored the 1988 Olympic Team. I don't think that many of the little girls in the audience appreciated it, but I sure did. They were my first idols growing up - Pheobe Mills, Chelle Stack, Brandy Johnson, Missy Marlowe, Kelly Garrison, Hope Spivey and Rhonda Faehn. Ah, the good old days.

Proud Mama

The Tumbleweed had her end of the year gymnastics show today. Now that she takes gymnastics in a class without me, it was fun to get a chance to see what she can do! I got her a new leotard and made her special hair ribbons for the special day. She looked so cute and performed so well (much better listening and following the group than last year). At the end she got a "medal winner" --- it is so cute when she says that (from the Medal Winner poem in her Elympics book)

She certainly shined brightest in my eyes.