Feeling Hot Hot Hot!

Man, we are good at summer around here. Other states might be good at winter with all of their snow and fires crackling in the fireplaces and whatnot, but man, when it comes to summer: we win.

The kids and I wore ourselves out at the pool yesterday. We spent the morning getting lunch packed and suits on and getting out the door. C went to swim lessons (and had a blast) and I was "that mom" who pretended to be sixteen and took off my coverup and lounged in the sunshine reading my book. It was glorious. Other moms sweltered in the heat and humidity chasing their kids and trying to find shade and all that jazz. I decided to embrace it and it was pretty heavenly. A book, a bathing suit, a ton of sun screen, a drink. I got half an hour all to myself to just lounge by the pool. Hmmm... maybe C needs more swim lessons...

After lessons we picked up N and headed back out to the pool. One of my bff's (Megan) and her kiddos met us there and we picnicked and played for hours. Hours!

When we got home Nils walked straight into his room, closed his door, and went to sleep (that guy) while C and I snuggled into my bed to chat and giggle. An hour later I woke up to find C and I had dozed off as well. Heaven.

We ate popsicles for snack. Homemade chicken nuggets for dinner while we watched The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version - love it). Then we had to all spend time pretending a lizard had climbed in our mouths (Nils' idea). Bedtime and books.

Today, let's do it again. And we need to go to the grocery store... because tomorrow we're going to visit our friends who (wait for it...) run summer camp! Woo!

Yeah, we know how to do summer.

Summery Summary

I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that there is nothing in this world cuter than a happy little Nils wet from a pool, wearing a puppy hooded towel, and eating a zebra cake.

Nothing. Nadda.

You'll have to take my word for it because our pool doesn't allow people to take photos.

We've been spending our mornings at the pool as C is in the midst of swim lessons. It's been a joy this year. It took three years of misery, but finally this year has been great. Evidently 1015 is a perfect start time for us. We can have a leisurely morning and get there with enough time to check a protesting Nils into the kid's club. C swims. I chat with other moms or lounge around reading. Then we pick Nils back up, change him into his suit, and head back out to the pool for some more fun. A picnic lunch in the shade and we're ready to head home for naps.

Like how easy that all just sounds? I left out the part where dropping off Nils takes a lifetime because we have to crowbar him off of my leg. And the part where it takes an eternity to get everyone and all of our stuff into the car and then out of the car and then into the car and so on. And changing diapers in the midst of everything. And sunscreen. And stopping for various things like reading signs and checking out bugs and getting stamps from the front door at the pool. Oh, and neither kid can swim. It's a circus. A wonderful crazy circus. Swim lessons are thirty minutes long. Getting ready, getting there, swim lessons, a short swim, lunch... it takes our whole day.

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Carolena wanted to introduce two of her girlfriends (one of whom has two sisters) so we hosted a luau this weekend. It was a genius idea as the parents totally would be friends as well (duh, why didn't I think to introduce them?). As per the usual party planning was put into motion and C and I enjoyed making decorations and hitting up the dollar store.

We had a house full of little girls and they all had a blast... that is... until 830 when they all simultaneously started melting down and we realized the party was over.

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Luau decorations are staying up as they just scream summertime. Plus, they will fit right in with where were going with Carolena's birthday theme. C is getting giddy as we made invitations yesterday. I won't ruin the surprise, but excitement around here is at an all-time high.

Happenings of Late

What have we been up to? Oh, besides going to the beach, and whittling, and crafting, and playing, and general running amok merriment?

Well, C has actually been enjoying her new dress

And we've spent time at our library getting books and playing and picnicking and feeding ducklings. In the words of Nils "baby ducks soooo cute! Me want to pet them!!"
Yes, Nils. Exactly.

Recently we introduced Carolena to the game 20 Questions. It went swimmingly. She and Chris had narrowed my item down to a movie character (it was Buzz Lightyear) when C asked, "Iiisss it someone who turns into a bad guy when you get him wet? {pause} Cause I'm talkin' bout GREMLINS!"

That kid so belongs to me and Chris.

We've also spent some time enjoying tea parties. Nothing like a tea pot full of sparkling coconut flavored water with some cut apple and a zebra cake to really hit the spot

Uh oh, I've just been alerted that "the bad guys" have "captured" C & N and "chained them up and the hot lava is coming!" Looks like it's time for She-Ra to go save them.

Becoming Clyde

So it turns out I like to whittle.

That Tiki was a birthday gift for my father (and as seen on the right above) now resides in my parents' beach house. A weekend at the beach means I came home with more driftwood. To whittle of course. 

The possibilities seem endless...