New Year changes

Taryn sure didn't waste any time making changes this new year. Yesterday she started her swimming lessons with two other girls about her age. They practiced kicking, blowing bubbles, holding their breath, floating on their back, floating on their stomachs, and doing the crawl stroke. Taryn's instructor told Taryn that she was a natural! I was very impressed watching her swim forward with her head under water, when she ran out of breath, she rolled over to her back, took another breath and rolled right back over with her head under water and kept doing the crawl stroke! Her instructors kept her in the shallow end of the pool to build her confidence. Taryn loved the swimming, and can't wait till tomorrow when she can go back for her next lesson.

Taryn was excited to go back to school to see her friends and to see her teacher Mrs. Sandoval. Mrs. Sandoval is a wonderful teacher and really pays attention to needs of the kiddos in the class. I was a bit worried last night when I received a call from Taryn's teacher; I immediately thought that something bad must be happening in class or Taryn was having some type of problem, but that was not the case at all. Mrs. Sandoval told me that she had discussed Taryn's academics with the Principal and felt Taryn was being held back in her reading and writing by staying in the First Grade. Mrs Sandoval and the Principal felt it would be in Taryn's best interest to jump up to the Second Grade for at least part of her day. We agreed; and so, begining today, Taryn will spend the first part of her day with the second graders and then come back to her regular class for Math, Health, and Science. Taryn was a bit nervous about having to make some new friends, but we trust that she will have no problem doing so.

We feel so blessed that Taryn has a teacher who cares enough about her to look for ways to continue her education in a way that is challenging. We are also so proud of Taryn and her accomplishments, she never ceases to amaze us!


I can't post this without adding something to help cure the winter blues. It has been so coooold! With night time lows dropping to -23 F and day time highs at only -3 F this past week I've been warming my spirits with memories of last summer (like this nice Kenai bow) and by looking forward to next summer. Felicia is looking forward to trying out her new 5wt on a place I like to call birthday creek (because the creek is full of so many gifts). Taryn also got a new spinning rod, she was dissapointed she didn't get a fly rod like Mom's...maybe for her birthday I told her.

-Jer