Summer Splash

The kids have been out of school for two weeks, and - miracle of miracles! - we haven't had an "I'm boooored!" whine, yet! Everyone knows my favorite thing in the world is going out for lunch, so the kids & I have done that several times, often walking around afterwards downtown:

Annelise looooves these turtles! There are bigger ones, each with a different theme, all over downtown, and we even found "the holding area" (in a parking deck corner :-P) for the ones that need to be refurbished! HA! (Will went nuts, b/c there's an M&M's turtle in there; I'm sure no one's rushing to clean them up, but Will looks for him every time.)

PS - this pic of Will just makes me grin:

We've been making granola bars like crazy. I'm serious: they're almost all I crave!

The kids have been watching "Wild Kratts" every chance I let them at the TV. :-P

And, of course, we've spent HOURS in the pool! (Check that: *they've* spent hours in the pool. I've spent about an hour and a half total. ;-)) Our temps have been HOT - over 100° all last week through yesterday - and I like it! :-D The kids can spend 3-4 hours in the pool - perfect way to keep them active & cool, (and we even have full shade over the pool for the afternoon by 2:30 PM.)

But JB is right: I'm not human; I'm a solar panel. Even when it's over 100° & the pool is over 80°, I still would rather be sitting alongside than in swimming. Esp. when there's a warm breeze = lovely! I often have zero desire to get in, but of course I do when the kids beg & drag me. ;-) I'm not saying it's not nice after the initial chill, but half an hour is all I need.

I *did* teach them about Adult Swim last week. (Who remembers that?! Adult Swim always sent me & my BFFs right to the snack bar for awesome Eastcliff Grill fries. Mmmmm! ;-)) I told them Adult Swim meant no splashing, no screaming, and time for peaceful, calm floating or lap swimming. Good to learn this stuff young. :-D

[Sidebar: OMG! The pool I grew up at in my old neighborhood, where we LIVED all summer, has a website! I looked it up on a whim after I typed Eastcliff Grill fries. :-P Awww, memories! The Breakers was the only swim team I was ever on.]

Oh, and I looove how *good* it smells to swim when the scent of my conditioner is reinvigorated by the pool water & wafts around my head... Mmmmmmm...

Daddy jumped in to play with the kids Saturday morning:

They are LOVING the cool pool basketball set Grandma & Grandpa brought! (Thank you thank you thank you!)

How cool is this?! I can't believe I snapped right as his feet touched the water!

And it's never too early to practice cheer stunting:

I still don't think we'd probably ever *buy* a house with a pool, if we could get into a neighborhood with a community one; it's A LOT of work! (Major praise that the homeowner has her pool guy come every Thursday! We ♥ Hank! Seriously, I know that - other than skimming & emptying the filter - the major pool upkeep is NOT my responsibility; but when the pool is dirty, like after a storm, I get stressed out! Hank vacuums my anxiety away along with the debris at the bottom. :-D) I think I'd prefer a neighborhood pool the next time we buy, not only for less personal expense & work, but for the social aspect & camaraderie; but I *will* say that it is AWESOME not to have any prep to go swimming! Since it's just us, it doesn't matter if I've shaved. (This is a HUGE deal, people! :-D) We don't have to pack drinks & snacks. We don't have to either walk in the heat or try to drive back w/o soaking the seats on the way home. We don't have to worry if it's open or about germs. It may be the first time I know there's not pee in there! :-D (My kids actually get out & go inside! :-O) It's nice to be able to immediately strip off wet suits & hang them up on the fence to dry before going inside. If the kids want to swim & I don't, I can still work on my laptop while watching them. (I would NEVER take it to a regular pool!) And the backyard view is GORGEOUS!!! We are really blessed & enjoying having this pool this summer.