Exciting Events at Yeronga State School!

Every year, as part of the PE curriculum, swim lessons are taught at the Yeronga Pool.  I absolutely LOVE this! There are 2 sessions of lessons each school year.  Last year we caught the Spring session (in October/November) and this year we will get the Summer session in February/March before we have to move.  At the end of the year, there is a school swim meet for the upper grades.  Competing is optional but you do win points for your house (yes, schools here have "houses" just like in Harry Potter at Hogwarts!)  So Parker signed up for all events.  He had a fairly good swimming career in Albuquerque before we moved, but I knew in Australia, they take their swimming a little more seriously, than we used to do in the arid southwest.

 I tried to prepare him for a more intense experience than what he was used to.  Telling him, "swimming is their thing here...they are very good at it.  So just do your best and have fun."  I was so proud of him for even signing up.  He's so much braver than I ever was at that age.  They were all 50 yarders and he ended taking 2 3rd places.  One in breast stroke and one in butterfly.  I was so dang proud of him.  And he scored points for the Patterson house!  We were shocked at how fast the swimmers were at freestyle and the backstroke.  They looked like they were just sailing over the top of the water.  They were really good.  When Park did so well in his events the lady next to me said, "Wow, he did really well for not being

an Australian.  We start our kids in swimming lessons here at about 6 months.  They have infant lessons on swim mats.  And they take all year round, most of them."  I understand the drive for kids to be proficient swimmers here.  They have so much more exposure to water.  Spending time in the ocean like they do, they would have to be very strong swimmers.  Soooo we were excited he took a couple 3rds.  In the other 2 races he was about in the middle...maybe 9th or 10th overall.

They handed out awards with all the kids and house captains cheering their houses and classmates on.  Sports are HUGE here.  They really make a big deal of school competitions.  It's so fun to see so much school spirit as the kids from all grades cheer on their respective houses.  I love it.

 What a good sport Oaklee is!  Always there to cheer her siblings on!  And dance on the sidelines all the while!



Congrats Park on a great swim meet!

Another great school event was the Crazy Hair Disco!  We had fun making Syd's hair look crazy, and Oaks decided to join in on the spray color.  That night I dropped Sydney off at the door (parents and siblings weren't aloud in) and she boogied it up with the junior years (year 1-3).  She said she and her friends got to go on the DJs stage and sing and dance to Katy Parry's "Roar"!  Wow, what a night!!!  Then after her disco ended the senior grades got their chance.

Syd, Oaks and our favorite year 2 teacher--Ms. McGuire!  (with her hair tied up in pipe cleaners) 

Parker was not planning on going...until he went to school that day and realized EVERYONE goes to the disco!  Even the cool boys!  So we threw some color on his hair, spiked it up and in he went!  It was a blast.  If nothing else a chance to be at school with your friends and NOT wearing school uniforms!  Yay!  We love Yeronga State School!