Once There Was a Snowman (or two)

Today was the first time the weather and the snow cooperated for snowman making. Ken and Syd worked on it together and made it taller than Ken. When they were finished with our snowman, they played a little joke on the next door neighbor.

Good snow for rolling big snow balls.

The middle section Syd made required some teamwork to get it in place.

The finished snowman. The arm sticks were from a toy rack that used to be in Syd's room. The eyes, mouth and buttons are colored golf tees. Pretty creative I think.

Anyone who knows our neighbor, Scott, knows how proud he is that he was on the baseball team at Lakeshore High School in 1990 when they were State Champions. He lets everyone know about it. He's also a devout Chicago Cubs fan who despises the St. Louis Cardinals. Ken couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease him a little about his living in the past and adoration of his Cubbies. Just as they were finishing up the big snowman, they saw the whole family driving away. Ken and Syd built another snowman in the neighbor's front yard.

Front view, as seen from the road. Ken made the snowman short and squatty because Scott is not a very tall guy.

This is the view from the back -- what they will see every time they look out their front window. Pujols is the most well-known player on the Cardinals, and Scott can't stand him. Hehe :)

Daddy Daughter Dance

This past weekend Ken and Syd went to a Daddy/Daughter dance put on by a local radio station at a restaurant in town. They went with a group of dads and girls from the neighborhood. It lasted about 2 hours, and they both came home smiling, but worn out from all the dancing. I think this could be a new tradition for them. Ken said there were almost 200 people there, with girls every age from toddler, up to girls in their 20's.

The professional picture from the dance

The whole group all dressed up and ready to go. (I don't know who everyone is, so I won't try to give names to all the faces).

Just the girls in their dancing dresses

At home, just before heading out.

Last Swim Meet

Today was Syd's last swim meet of the winter season. This swim season has seemed to last FOREVER. It started almost the same time school did in September, and just concluded today. Everyone is ready for a break. Syd did so good today -- breaking all of her personal bests and even getting a couple medals. The motivation thing Ken started at the start of the season sure has paid off (pun intended :) Syd earned a total of $60 for beating her previous times. That's a lot of money for me, let alone an 8 year old!

Someone thought it would be a good idea to make parent shirts for Syd's team. Too bad they didn't think of it before the last meet!

Syd had a busy meet this time. Of the first 10 events, she was in 4 of them, and two were back-to-back.

Here she is (in the pink swim hat and blue polka dot swim suit) getting out of the pool from her relay swim to get in line for the 100 IM with no break at all in between.

The 100 IM is a crazy race -- 4 lengths of the pool, with each length a different stroke -- back, butterfly, breast, and freestyle. She looked very tired when she was done with this one.

We got done with swimming in time that we went to Applebee's for Syd's traditional half birthday dinner with dessert.