18.6.13

The Lazy Days of Summertime

Well.  Lazy meaning we don't have to wake up to an alarm clock, we can sleep as "late" as we want to (because anything past 7:00AM is late!), we can do what we want to without having to be somewhere at a certain time everyday and some days five different places at once at the same time (we actually get to stay at home!), we can stay up as late as we want to.  And that's exactly what we've been doing!  And I. love. it.  LOVE. IT.  So many people have asked, "So what are yall doing this summer?"  And I tell them, "Nothing!"  That's true and not true all at the same time.

I decided this would be the summer that I tackle several projects that have been on my to-do list for two years.  One of the said projects was rather big.  I started the week before Memorial Day with the goal of actually finishing it on Memorial Day.  That was nearly a month ago, and I'm still working on that project!  I knew it was going to be a lot of work so I should've known.  And, just in case you're wondering (because I'm sure you are), said project is stripping and re-finishing four of the French doors on the front of my house.  The whole problem is I didn't do them right to begin with.  I was so tired of painting and building a house that I took a short cut, and I was never happy with it.  The process of stripping the finish off the doors was nearly a nightmare.  It's not perfect, but I do like the doors better now that I used to.  They actually look pretty good from the road!  Just don't get up close.

In between stripping and sanding and staining and sealing, we have been playing, playing and playing some more.  It's hot now, real hot, but not near as miserable as it's going to be come August.  So we spend a lot of time in the water.

Ellie is not a fan of the "big" pool.  She looks happy in this picture.  But it was fleeting.  Very fleeting.  I spent the rest of this afternoon sitting on the steps with her.  She didn't want the water above her waist.  I'm not sure why that is.  She loves her bath and doesn't have a problem scooting all around the bathtub.

This year Mason wanted to perfect his flip and land feet-first in the water.  He's already done just that and spends most of his time flipping off the diving board.

This year Hannah Kate wanted to be confident and comfortable enough to jump off the diving board and swim in the deep end without her floaties.  I'm not sure why, but she thought using only one floatie would help her accomplish her goal.

Apparantly it worked!  In less than a week she was jumping and swimming all over the place without her floaties.  But now she holds her nose when she jumps.  She didn't used to do that.

Beau was in town a couple of weeks ago.  He rigged up his float for a water gun fight with Mason.

And here's Mason's rig.

Hannah Kate wasn't much for a water gun fight.

And since Ellie doesn't care for the big pool, I got her a little kiddie pool to play in while the big kids go swimming.  She loves it!  (Yes, she has a mohawk.  Compliments of big brother.)

Every once in a while, she has company in her little pool.

On the days we don't go to the pool, the kids hit the waterslide.  This has been one of the best investments ever!  Not to mention I found it on sale.

Don't let her fool you.  Ellie isn't a big fan of the waterslide either.  She's looking happy in this picture only because she thought I was going to pick her up.  So we use the kiddie pool at home, too.

We spend a lot of time outside, especially in the mornings and again in the evenings after supper.  We spruced up the play set a bit, and the big kids love swinging and hanging all over the place.

One of our most favorite things to do is ride bikes.  I have a seat on the back of my bike for Ellie, and sometimes we'll spend nearly two hours outside riding around.  She loves it, and Mason and Hannah Kate love riding their bikes, too, especially when I'm riding mine.  We've done a lot of work in the flower beds.  And I've worked like crazy in my vegetable garden, but I'm just not having a whole lot of success with it.  Thank goodness for neighbors and in-laws who share!

So far that's been our summer.  And it's all just perfect and fine with me!  Things are about to get pretty crazy though, and the lazy days will be given to busy days.