It's official...

In one month, we'll be heading to Maryland for the 35th NBAC Annual Christmas Invitational. Hosted by the North Baltimore Aquatic Club (Michael Phelps's swim team!), this meet is one of our team's favorites.  Each participating team is asked to bring its 60 best swimmers to compete in both individual events and team relays, and yesterday, Bub received his invitation!  Over the course of 3 days in December, he'll race against the best this region has to offer.  We are all terribly excited and oh, so very proud of him!  Naturally, Noh-man greatly desires to compete as well, but since there isn't an "8 & under" category, he won't be able to attend as a competitor... this year.   Instead he'll cheer his big brother on from the sidelines with the rest of us, and hopefully next year, he'll be swimming, too.

So... this weekend get-away has suddenly become the highlight of our Christmas season.  In addition to watching our eldest compete, we'll get to enjoy a tour of Hubby's old stompin' grounds.  The Annapolis Boat Parade is also scheduled for this same weekend, so there should be tons of exciting activity around the harbor.  Of course, the boys don't care about that one bit; they're just thrilled to be staying in a hotel (it doesn't take much to impress my crew)!  So, swimming, boats, a tour or two... and the grandparents are all coming with us!  We may even get to catch up with a few extended family members who live in that neck of the woods. It should be oodles of fun, and to think... Bub will get to swim in the same pool his daddy swam in all those years ago (face it, Hubby... you're getting old!).  

In the meantime, we'll keep moving forward-- schoolwork, housework, swim practice and the like.  But soon, very soon, we'll hit the road and have a grand time away.  We're all looking forward to tons of excellent swimming (last year, Katie Hoff competed and Mr. Phelps himself has made an appearance on more than one occasion) and time together as a family. And who knows, we may even see a famous face or two!!