Swimming at the Blackhurst's

After a very negative swimming lesson experience (more on that in another post) I quickly signed Trey up for swimming lessons with the Blackhurst's. I have heard many great things about the Blackhurst's, and thought it wouldn't hurt getting Trey into another round of swimming lessons. My sister in law Tina has taken "the cousins" to the Blackhurst's for years, and my friend Annabelle has also used them. Swimming lessons takes place in their beautiful backyard, and is either taught by June, the mother, or one of her many kids. (I think they might have 8 or 9 children.) Trey was given the opportunity to work with Christi and Brian, and I was so impressed. Very professional, very energetic, SOOOOOOOO positive (sooooooooooo opposite from his prior experience at the other "nasty" place!) and encouraging.

06.08.09
Trey's First day of swimming lessons with the Blackhurst
-this is basically the only picture I got of Trey at his first day of swimming lessons. Why might you ask? Because, I sat on the edge of the pool, with a screaming Trey in my lap, and Tian, in a stroller, being cared for by a perfectly nice stranger. Yes, Trey was bawling, kicking, screaming, NOT wanting to get into the pool. This boy LOVES the water, but after a terrifying experience with a nasty, mean, degrading swimming teacher just a few weeks prior, he was quite nervous.

Tian looking a bit confused. "Where were you mom for the last half hour?" Just a thought he might be thinking. I am sure he heard his brother screaming and knew I was busy!!!

06.9.09
2nd day of swimming lessons.
Trey was so excited to be going to swimming lessons for a second day. After entering into the waters on the first day, he realized it was a positive experience with lots of fun. On this second day Trey blew bubbles in AND out of the water, pretended to bake cookies, blew out birthday candles (all activities to get the kids faces in the water and blowing bubbles), he layed on his back and kicked, kicked on his tummy with his face in the water, and walked along the wall of the pool. Tian slept for most of the lesson, and we also walked to swimming lessons, which was about 5 miles!
One of the neatest things that happened at this swimming lessons was getting reaquainted with an old friend, Briana Moses-Ord. Briana and I grew up in West Linn, Oregon together, and our husbands served in the North/South Dakota mission. We saw eachother 9 years ago at a missionary reunion and haven't seen eachother since. She has a son that took swimming lessons after Trey. I was on cloud nine after seeing her!

Christi ALWAYS has a smile on her face. ALWAYS!


06.10.09






A little cute trick the kids enjoy! Christi and Brian pretend they know "magic" and use the kids as their disapearing "rabbit." "Ala Kazam, POOF" and the kids duck their heads into the water! The all love it, and when the teachers aren't watching, they try their "magic" on each other! A funny thing about this video is watching the way Trey wipes his eyes. As you might have noticed, the goggles are gone! The goggle strap kept sliding down (even though the goggles were FITTED to Trey's head prior to purchasing those spendy suckers!) and bending his ears forward. The teachers were always trying to fix them, and so finally, I "lost" the goggles and he had to go without! (not to worry, they were at the bottom of our stroller basket, but he didn't know that little secret!) He was so brave without his little "security goggles!"


The kids get to choose a duck or a shark to throw into the pool. After it has been thrown, they "swim" and "kick" over to the animal and pick it up. Blowing bubbles along the way. Trey always chose the shark.

Some silly sites from our walks to and from Swimming Lessons. The sheep and noisy, barking dogs are two of Trey's favorite sites. Tian just giggles and screams when he sees the dogs!


Tian making a silly face for the camera. He was really watching swimming lessons today!

06.11.09


Tian showing off his bruiser of a chin. Now that he is pulling himself up, he has started bruising and injuring his cute little chubby face. This shirt is thanks to Auntie Sommers who spotted it for me on one of our many shopping adventures! THANKS SOMMERS!



Look at how happy Trey is with Christi and Brian! He is all smiles and is always anxious of working with the sibling team. Today they learned the "Superman" float.

All done with the first week of swimming lessons and it ended on a very happy, positive note!

Miles on foot traveled to and from swimming lessons: 16! (I was pushing about 50 pounds of weight and I couldn't have done it without the encouragement of Trey! He would often cheer me on, "Mom, you can do it. Go faster. Run Mom!" Thanks Trey!)