Swim Lessons

Well it's that wonderful time again for swim lessons. In Torrington, WY they do them a week at a time. 5 days straight and 1/2 hr classes. It was kind of nice though because the lessons I signed them up for weren't until 10:45 so it gave the water and weather a chance to warm up.  Last summer in Barstow, CA the lessons started at 9 am and even in the desert heat 9 am is still pretty cool.Still didn't matter both of them still shivered and shook and said they were cold. It was usually mid 80's. Go figure. Both Cassidy and Statton did great and as usual loved the water and were usually willing to try anything the teachers asked them to do. Statton for some reason doesn't like floating on his back. So that was usually a little bit of a challenge for him. There were 3 kids in the class total and 3 teachers. 

 This was the first day and they were just having the kids do the basics of getting into the water using the ladder.

 They had a fun game at the end of  class the kids would play called "Mr. Shark" One kid would be out in the water and the other two would yell "Mr. Shark Mr. shark what time is it" and the person out in the water would yell a number and the other two would hop towards them in the water however many times the number was that was yelled. They would keep repeating the phrase and hopping with whatever number was called until they were right up behind the person in the water and after they repeated their phrase the person in the water would then respond with "It's lunch time!" and turn around and chase the other two back to the side of the pool. They each got a turn being Mr. Shark. They loved it.

 The third day of class they gave them a life jacket and took them over to the diving board and helped them jump of the diving board. After that they needed no assistance and were happy to walk the plank and jump!

 One of the teachers stayed in the water right by the diving board while another lowered them down for the first time.

 These were my best attempt at trying to get a shot while they were jumping into the water.

 Just them waiting their turn to go off the diving board. The other girl in their class who is a year older I might add. She was more hesitant of the diving board and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to jump by herself. After jumping into the arms of the teacher for awhile they finally just let them jump off without catching them. (the teacher was still within arms reach) They loved the diving board!

The 2nd to last day they took them over to the big slide they have and let them go down that as much as they wanted. I didn't get pictures but they absolutely loved it too and had no fear. The last day of swim lessons was a free for all. They could do whatever they wanted. Jumping board, slide, or play games in the water. The kids went off the slide for awhile and then wanted to do the jumping board. They did not pass their swim lessons though. Not because they lacked skills it's just that their still so small they can't  quite touch in the 3 foot section without being submersed in water. They just need to gain a little height and they'll be fine.

Reptile Gardens and Alpine Slide

Reptile Gardens Revisited- Monday

Well most of the group had to get heading back to Idaho that morning but we didn't need to head back to Wyoming until that afternoon and my parents were going to head back with us. Lyann and Evan were also spending an extra day so they went into the Keystone to do some more sightseeing and we decided to hit Reptile Gardens again with my parents since they hadn't been yet. So we hit Reptile Gardens again early that morning.

 Just some more fun pics of petting the snake. Ellie and Kensie both petted the boa and I even got a shot with Grandpa Darrington and Cassidy petting the snake.

 Just a few fun shots of the kids inside the underground lookouts in the prairie dog enclosure.

 Statton and Madison posing in front of the alligator/crocodile enclosure waiting for the demonstration to start.

 It was so fun seeing the alligator and crocodile show. I actually missed this show when we were here before.

 They even brought out a baby one for all the kids to pet. It was pretty fun.

Alpine Slide


After a few hours at Reptile Gardens we met Lyann and Evan in Keystone at the Alpine Slide. You ride up a big chairlift and then they have a giant slide you ride down on little sled. The sleds are the blue things you can see on the back of the chairlift.

Grandma Darrington and Ellie.

 Kensie, Cassidy, and Grandpa Darrington

 Tarren, Cameron, and Evan waiting to go

Blair and Statton getting ready in their sled

Madison and I all ready to go. You can see Grandpa and Cassidy getting ready.

 Just another fun shot with Evan and his boys.

 Kensie, Ellie, and Grandma Darrington all ready to go.

 Kensie cruising off the slide.

 Ellie cruising off the slide.

 My mom coming off the slide. My dad was right there trying to help get Ellie off the track. After the slide we said our goodbye to Lyann and Evan then went and grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed home to Wyoming. It was such a fun trip and there was so much to do and see. We're so glad that so much of the family was able to make it over and play for the weekend. Even with all the instability of the life were living and how much we hate not being settled somewhere it has given us lots of opportunities to go and see things we might not normally plan to do. So I guess sometimes our crazy road life has its perks.