6.10.2011

Summertime

The temperatures have topped 90 degrees for a couple of weeks now, kids are finally out of school, and the ice cream truck is making rounds in the neighborhood.  It's official:  summer is here. 

It's a long-standing fact that I wilt like a delicate flower in the heat, so we are almost always hiding in the house during the nearly-unbearable peak of the midday heat.  Luckily, the girls don't seem to mind right now. 

Giggles
Hiding from the heat in the air-conditioning and watching The Wizard of Oz.

We bought a large inflatable pool for the backyard (big enough for mama to sit in too...yes, we are rednecks!), but so far it has provided more hassle than fun.  Why on earth would a pool of that size not have a drain hole in the bottom??  When it's full of water, it is impossible to move, and thus, impossible to empty the water.  Since the water doesn't last long here in mosquito paradise, the pool has not seen a lot of action.  Jeremy keeps suggesting we look at putting in an a real pool or a nice above-ground, but I'm not convinced yet.  Though I confess I did google prices on one of the hottest days last week!

We may hide from the heat of the day, but when the shadows grow longer and the sun starts to sink a little further in the sky, we are ready to get outside for a little action.  This past weekend, the girls and I went to a summer kickoff party at a friend's house, where they had a great time splashing in the pool (a real, inground one, hallelujah!), jumping on the trampoline, and being chauffeured around with their buddy, E.

Don't you love his fake smile?

Mackenzie


Mackenzie

Our town also opened a brand-new splash park last week, and it has been a huge hit with the kids around here.  We finally went last night, after I got off work so it wasn't quite as crowded or hot.  It took a few minutes to warm up, but Addison quickly decided she loved it.  She was all over the place, bravely sticking her head down in the cool spray of the water attractions.  Mackenzie was not as sure, darting on the outskirts of the mist before asking to go next door to the dry playground.  I am hopeful she will warm up a little more next time, and it will definitely be a place we frequent this summer!

picnikfile_zTHZJD

My sister has been here since we got home from vacation a couple of weeks ago, and the girls have loved spending time with their Aunt Laura Jo.  We will be sad to see her go next week, but hope to see her again before she moves to Louisiana sometime in August.  I want to share all about what she will be doing next year, hopefully in an upcoming post.

So, has summer made it to you yet?  Do you love the sunshine and heat of the day, or do you thank the good Lord for air-conditioning like I do?  I am trying to plan some fun stuff for us this summer...what's on your must-do summer list?

9 comments:

  1. Your sister looks SO VERY MUCH like you :)

    And yes, I also thank the good Lord for non-extreme temperatures and a lovely summer house - our house is open plan and long and thin. I open the back door and the front and the breeze is DIVINE!

    In winter it's impossible to heat but at least the cold is only about 4 - 5 months.

    The girls are gorgeous!

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  2. We are cut from the same cloth! The first thing I did in the new house was buy blackout drapes for all the windows! We hibernate in the summer. :)

    Advice on the pool? Fold one of the sides down and let the water drain that way.

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  3. I wish I could find a splash pad close to us in Oneonta. I bet the trioux would love it!
    I'm with Ashley, fold down one of the long sides and let the water run out. Stand on it if you have to.

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  4. YES! Your sister does look a lot like you! :)

    I am not super happy with our dear friend Mother Nature this year. We're not in Alabama, Lady...but it sure seems like it right now!

    We had a very cool spring, and then one day - seriously - it turned 92 degrees, and hasn't budged in the last two weeks!

    It just melts me to get out with the girls in the stroller, and that's usually one of my favorite activities. We are still going for walks, just as early in the day as possible. Even at that, our girls still come in all hot and sweaty. And if we miss that early morning window? Forget it! :(

    Unfortunately, our backyard faces west, so it's hot in the late afternoons there, too.

    So...not much outside for us right now. I'm hoping Mother Nature will remember we're not in the deep south, and at least award us some 85-degree temps! :)

    I'm looking forward to getting the backyard pool out (it's a little one, but I can still wedge in), and taking the girls to the splash park downtown...fun stuff!

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  5. You need to freecycle that pool and upgrade! My mom got a cheapie at one of the marts (K.mart or wal.mart) for $40! Not only does it have a drain, it's big enough for 3 adults and has two sprinklers that come out of 2 of the 3 animals! It also has a ring toss! You can bet I was 110% redneck this week! Baltimore is not made for 100 degree weather! A pool without a drain, crazy!!

    I'm personally trying to find a giant tarp shade that I can hang from the trees in my neighborhood to shade my entire house. My energy bill is going to be CRAZY next month! I would highly recommend a pool if you're going to use it everyday. I love my tiny above ground pool, it get the job done, but it's a P.I.T.A.! The skimming and chemicals, and EVERY STORM leaves it full of leaves, sticks, and debris! I do like above grounds because you can change your mind later and even sell it! It's also less of an expense all around and doesn't require as much prep work as an in ground. Plus no safety fence!

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  6. I can't stand the heat. If its above 90 I'm done and go inside, and thankfully the girls are willing. Its always so humid here too, so it makes it even worse. So yea, totally with ya. =)
    We are getting an Intex pool this year, probably something around 10x30 or 12x30-its gonna be small, but we have to have something they can touch the bottom in, and still room for a couple of rafts. ;)

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  7. LOVE fake smile pictures...I just enjoy them and I'm sure I'm in the minority on that. They crack me up!

    Oh, and if that's you in a bikini on a trampoline, that's fair game for me to be envious of you!

    We're always out in the morning, but once it hits 1:00/1:30, we're inside for the remainder of the day...I hate bugs, so that works out pretty well!

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  8. um....is that you on the trampoline??? omg! :)

    we go out in the morning, but then it gets too buggy. and hot. i'm so anal about the kids drinking water when we're outside in the heat that i think it makes everyone happier to just stay inside. the big problem is that the kids still go to bed at 6:30 and the sun doesn't set here until after 9pm. i think it's totally confusing to them :)

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