{Day to Day}

{Swim lessons}

Tanner and Gavin finished their swim lessons this week. Gavin passed his level ONE class and will now move on to level TWO. He can now swim all on his own in the deep end of the pool. He jumps off the diving board all by himself too. It's really cool.

Tanner was in a private lesson. He was doing extraordinary. His teacher said "wow, he is really smart and follows my direction REALLY well. The stuff i was teaching him isn't stuff i usually teach them until they are about 8 years old, but he was catching on so well that i am going to teach him. I am really excited to teach him." She was teaching him rotary breathing(freestyle swim) and also teaching him how to swim on his back. Not the actual backstroke, but the elementary back stroke. "up , out, together". Anyway, he was doing that ALL ON HIS OWN! And he is jumping off the diving board too. It's so fun watching them.

Swim lessons are more money than i planned on spending, BUT its worth it, so i am signing them up for more for the month of october. AND they now have a new one for preschooler's, so jaydon gets to start his first swim lessons as well.

{Walking and walking}

I like to walk gavin to school in the mornings as long as it looks like i won't get poured on. And i decided that if i have to make small errands, i am just going to walk or RUN when i have to do those. It saves gas money, and it keeps me in shape. :) I really enjoy walking. AND i went to my first walking group with some friends the other morning. We go to the Habu Trail. It's a trail that's about 3 1/2 miles long, full of steep up and down hills. Imagine doing that at a fast speed , pushing the double jogging stroller with about 70 pounds of boy in it. It's a toughy. I would say it was definitely tougher than running. The next day my bum was sore. I need to make sure i do that each week. :) It was fun.

{Biking and snorkeling}

Tomorrow, shane and I and one of his dental buddies are going on a 20 mile ride tomorrow. We are riding to the Xanpa lighthouse and back. I am excited to ride my bike for the first time since we have been here, but also nervous b/c we are riding mainly on busy roads. The only comforting thing about riding on these roads is that the speed limit is no more than 50 kilometers per hour. So, they have to drive at a decent speed. Then shane and i will go do some snorkeling after the ride. We are excited. We truly love snorkeling and can't wait to get scuba diving certified.

{BUGS}

There are tons of loud bugs here. I hear locusts, but there are many other loud bugs just like them. These other bugs have different sounds than locusts though. There is plenty of jungle like areas around the base and when i walk right by those, it's just an orchestra of music. They are so loud. It's so cool b/c when i listen and close my eyes it sounds just like a real jungle of noise. I love the sound.

{Temperature}

It's mid 80's here. The weather here doesn't have major ups and downs like it does in the places we have lived...where one day it's 80's and the next day its 60's. That does not happen here. It's always mid-80's with high humidity. I would say i am used to the humidity. AND to the heat as well. Texas prepared us for that. We keep our home at about 69-70 degrees because shane gets so hot in the night. His body is a heater. Seriously. I should call him "Jacob"...hahah! I am ALWAYS freezing in our home and sometimes have to walk outside just to get warmed up. When i do walk outside it feels sooooooo good. It's such a relief for me. If we move the temperature up to about 73 degrees in our home then i am pretty comfortable with that. It's so weird how our bodies adjust to our surroundings.

{Settled}

We are settled in well enough now. Church finally received our records, which means we will be receiving callings soon. AND considering we are in a branch, we will have at least TWO callings at a time. The Branch President and his counselor came to our home last night to get to know us a little bit. A little bit turned into a 1 hour and 45 minute visit. Shane and the branch president wouldn't stop talking. I think shane just asked for it. :) If you know what i mean. haha!