Beat the Heat

The funny thing about summer is that you spend all year looking forward to it, and then when it arrives you realize it's too hot to do all the things you were looking forward to anyway.  It's so hot and dry, in fact, that a lot of the trees in our neighborhood are giving up for the year and there are piles of brown, crispy leaves all along the sides of the road.  It reminds me of fall and the more I think about it the more I'm ready for it to be here!

Because it's been so hot and sticky, and because I can barely walk out to the mailbox without wilting, we've been missing out on some quality outdoor time and our daily walks.  And I really do miss them.  Just not enough to brave the heat to make them happen.  So sadly, we spend most of our days indoors.  In the wonderful air conditioning that makes everything cool - except for the 5 inch radius surrounding Jude.  But occasionally we do venture out armed and ready, of course, to beat the heat.

We've brought out the baby pool once again for Jack.  Although with his current size, it's more like a giant basin.  And then he starts throwing all his outside toys in it and there's no room for him anyway. 

It's crazy to look at him in this thing and remember the first time he took a "swim" in it.

I guess I wasn't being entirely truthful when I said we spend most of our days indoors.  What I should have said is the boys and I spend most of our days indoors.  Jon has been outside almost every day we've been home working on the landscaping.  All stinkin' day long.  It needed a lot of work, and he's a pretty meticulous guy.  But our house, er our landlord's house, is looking great!  And I'm not just saying that because we happened to be located between two houses that don't do anything to their yards.  It does make our's look even better, but Jon did a fantastic job.  The man loves having a yard!

And Jack loves waving at Daddy through the window.  Sometimes we go out for a visit and to check on progress.  Or maybe a hose-drinking lesson or two.

Or so Jude can work on his tan.

And if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?  When it's not too incredibly hot we like to enjoy dinner al fresco.  It certainly makes cleaning up around Jack's spot much easier.

But I have to say, one of my most favorite activities this year came about because of my garden.  Which, although thriving, has been very thirsty.  Enter: the sprinkler!!

Jack loves it and is leery of it at the same time.  He'll only run through if he's holding your hand.

And if you go without him he'll patiently wait for you to return.

And then he asks that you carry him through.   And so I do, we run right through the middle of the water and leap over the spray!

And Jack finds this incredibly fun and funny and wants to do it again and again.  I'm sure the neighbors find us interesting. 

But hey, at least we keep our yard nice!