Aqua Benefit AKA "Are we having fun yet?"

I have been taking water aerobics for a few months through my county parks and rec department. And on Saturday, the aqua society had a benefit for The American Cancer Society. They told me that everyone was invited. That there would be a short work out, food, and play time in the outside pool. Like my children, I can sometimes have selective hearing. Kinda like how you all read my post about our visit to the Alamo. You read "blah, blah, blah...Johnny Depp...blah, blah, blah."Did we really need to go there again? Come on...back to the benefit...

So, I heard..."blah, blah, blah...bring kids...blah, blah, blah...food...blah, blah, blah...play." I even convinced the girls to give up their monthly American Girl meeting at Borders. We'd have fun at the pool. We'd donate to the American Cancer Society. We'd all be happy. Famous last words.

So, we get there...make our donation and go down to the smaller of the two indoor pools. First step is to get partners to keep track of your laps. The girls and I decide to be a team. Half of the team is supposed to get into the pool...do a little water aerobics to warm up...and then jog back and forth across the pool for ten minutes. I tell the girls to go first. And they freeze. They stand there on the steps to the pool and look at me. That deer in the head lights look. And Madalyn says "this is not fun." Katie refuses to get in the water.

What? They don't want to participate? They don't want to give of their time? Their effort? My money? So, in my best mommy fashion, I give them my own look. The look I have perfected over these 10 years of being a mommy. I smile while all the seniors "glance" at us during their warm ups at the scene we are creating on the steps. And through my fake smile and clenched teeth, I inform the girls that they will participate...and that they will do it gladly...and that they will like it.

I went to put my camera back in my bag...and got into the water with the girls. I'd missed the warm up...and now we had to keep track of our own laps...but Katie seemed to relish the idea that it was now a competition. We started to walk across the pool...just a shade over 3 feet deep...but really too deep for Madalyn to jog across. She sort of tried to swim over. And then informed me again that it was "too hard" and "not fun." So, I carried her. And now, this she thought was great fun. And great fun to let her legs drag along...off to the left. Imagine trying to row a canoe. And someone else in the canoe is rowing in the other direction. This is not great fun.

I had a friend tell me today that jogging for one minute in water was the same thing as jogging for three miles. I don't know if it's true or not...but I like it. I ran a marathon. I kept going after I crossed the finish line. Dragging my 7 year old anchor along with me.

And Hallelujah, the ten minutes was over. The girls and I follow all the seniors over to the bigger pool for the cycling portion of our "ironman" benefit. We are all issued noodles...and we have to cycle back and forth, the length of the pool. And remember, no hands allowed. And for some strange reason, someone else decided to join us in our lane. I can't believe they didn't see the girls and just know they needed a wide berth. So the four of us and our noodles begin making our way down the length of the pool. Madalyn immediately declares it too hard and starts using her hands. Even with my cries of cheater pants encouragement, she does not relent and keeps telling me it's too hard. So, I abandon her put her in charge of keeping track of how many laps Katie and I do.

(wait...Katie got bucked by her noodle...)

The final leg was swimming. For 10 minutes. Madalyn was estatic. Finally something that she liked to do. And our senior friend abandoned our lane rather quickly after the cycling was done. So, it was just the three of us. On your mark. Get set. Go! And we were off. Until we go to the half way point. When Madalyn stopped. And informed me that this really wasn't fun. And that the deep water made her "uncomfortable." Huh?! I guess because there wasn't a dolphin there to save her, she was done. So, I appointed her to be the lap counter again while Katie and I continued our swim. And we were done.

Well, we were done...but everyone else had to start over and switch places with their partners. So, while all the seniors moved to the other pool for jogging, we stayed in the big pool to play until they all arrived for the cycling portion. And apparently swimming without rules, is great fun.

After everyone had finished their parts...we all headed to the outside pool playground for some fruit...and then playing in the water. First thing the girls had to do was to go down the slide.And somehow they managed to get some of the other ladies to join them.

And then they did it all again.

And again.I managed to drag the girls off the slides to the kids splash area so that we could channel our inner Jennifer Beals.

Just seeing if you were paying attention...

And while we are here...let's have a lesson in physics. What happens when you stand under a tipsy bucket of water?And just a few more pictures from our playing at the pool (and yes - that is Madalyn holding her sister's foot):