Summer Fun

Well, we've been enjoying a break from the frequently wet weather that plagued our area until mid-June. The first couple times in the pool were seriously frigid, and the boys were covered in goosebumps. I couldn't get into the water past my knees. Every other day it was raining, so the pool water never had a chance to warm up. Of course, that didn't stop the boys from wanting to jump in until I dragged them out once their lips starting turning blue!

It's been really hot for almost two weeks now, and we go to our neighborhood pool almost daily. It's fun to be able to run down the street for a quick dip in the pool. We've had fun being at the pool when a lot of our neighbors are there and getting to visit, and Owen has enjoyed playing with the other boys his age and borrowing their pool stuff. I'm pretty frugal, and I just can't see spending $25 on some foam "surfboard" that you supposedly jump onto and "surf" in the pool. I've watched these kids do it, and basically all they do is run and jump while trying to land on this 10x25 inch piece of foam. I've never seen anyone actually land on it much less surf, and it looks like you could accomplish the same thing by just yelling "cannonball" which would be free. So, Owen is getting to borrow the other kids' surfboards since his mother is too cheap to buy him one.

Arden likes the water but only manages to stay in the pool for five minutes at a time. She enjoys going around and rummaging through everyone's pool bags and trying on the flipflops and Crocs that are by the chaise lounges. That keeps her busy for a good hour! I apologize to my nice neighbors for my daughter who is trying on all their shoes, and luckily she is young enough and cute enough that they don't mind. Now, if she is still doing this in a few years, we might have a problem!

Yesterday, we got in the pool and discovered that there was a rat stuck in one of the drain vents. It appeared to have found its way in from the nearby, undeveloped field. So, my solution was to move the kids to the other end of the pool and patrol the vent to make sure that the rat didn't escape. If it had gotten out, I planned to yell "the rat is coming" and vacate the pool if the rodent made his move. I figured that no rat could swim fast enough to get across the entire pool to get to us before we could get out (although this rat appeared to like water!). The kids played on the steps at the opposite end of the pool, so I figured we were safe. Eventually, Owen did say the rat "creeped him out," and we left earlier than normal. It's pretty sad that I was so hot and desperate to cool off that we shared our pool with a rat! I think the rat was "taken care of" last night by the HOA Association, so all should be fine today. That's me, living on the edge -- no rodent can deter me from my pool time! I grew up in Africa!

Tomorrow, we plan to go to Jump Zone where they have an indoor area with a bunch of inflatables since I have a BOGO free coupon. That will hopefully get some of my boys' energy out because they have been doing some serious jumping on beds and couches lately. I wonder what happens in the summer that makes kids have so much energy! I'm exhausted . . .