School is Out! Summer is In!

The girls had their last day of school today and so were out a little early.  They had a long hot afternoon and a longer hotter summer with endless possibilites streteched out in front of them.  So what could be better than spending it under the sprinkler? Better watch out Summertime - here we come!

Now, do you think I could talk my boss into letting me have the next three months off? Sounds good to me!!

Falling (Barrelling?) Into Fall

As Labor Day becomes a distant memory and the end of daylight savings time draws near, I have given up the fight. Resistance is futile. Fall seems to have fallen. No need to test the water, might as well jump in.

So, we did. At the Hospers Swimming Pool for a Last Day of Summer Labor Day Hurrah. THIS was my old stomping ground. I spent many a summer day at the Hospers pool. I can smell the baby oil and the burning flesh (my own) as we speak. The pool looks much better than it used to, after the town gave it a much needed overhaul a few years back. Zero entry, clear water, and an "AWESOME" (Marissa's word exactly) slide that leaves you off short of the water by a good three feet or so with a little acceleration and force. See?Here's the Captain. Like a shot out of a canon. Like a bullet out of gun. Like a movement out of a bowel. (Sorry, I'm a nurse.) Marissa voted this "the best slide ever". Maren decided she would go off the board "all by myself" (with a little help from her lifejacket) so she wiggled to the end of the board and delicately stepped off. No problems or help from mom and dad.

Then it was on to the "Barrel of Fun". I had forgotten about this marvelous piece of playground equipment until my classmate, Liz - a former Hospersite herself- mentioned it on Facebook. Have you ever noticed they just don't make playgrounds like they used too?

We rocked. We rolled. And just generally felt like a bunch of overgrown hamsters on a wheel. We did have a "Barrel of Fun" though. Come on, sing it with me and feel that polka beat, "Roll out the barrel..."
That last day of summer plumb tuckered us out.

Better stick to my day job.

And Away We Go

We finally figured it out. I like taking walks in the evening. I have tried to make myself get up in the morning and walk, but seem to be a night owl in all things. The problem was trying to figure out how to take M and M along and still feel like I get a good work out without having to referee or redirect traffic along the way. Seemed easier for me to just wait til the Captain got home and go on my own, but as the Princess Maren said tonight, "Mom, you have a nice tan, but your legs are still kind of floppy". Thanks sweetie. Obviously, I need to get out there every night, and by golly, I think we've got it.

Marissa's mode of transportation is rollerblading. Princess Maren gets the bike, and I walk. It works out perfectly. We tried all riding bikes together, but that left Marissa bored, Maren crying because we were going to fast, and me just completely frustrated in the low granny gears. Marissa has definitely inherited her Daddy's biking gene. The only speed she seems to know is full tilt. The Captain used to be a big biker back in the day, mostly mountain biking, but a some road biking too. Maren is a little more tentative on her bike. More like her momma that way.

As much as I mocked the weather in my last post, I have to admit this night was perfect. We live about two blocks from the golf course here in town. They have a nice paved walking, biking, rollerblading (how convenient) trail that once you loop around adds up to a nice 2 and a half mile jaunt. I think we saw and heard all things summer as we made our way around. The thwack of a nicely hit shot on the back nine, the reverberation of the diving board being cannonballed, and a boy's joyful noise as he pulled a nice size fish out of the catch and release pond. We saw three baby rabbits, the Howe's mini-horses were up by the fence waiting to be petted, and by the time we hit the driveway the fireflies were out. Perfect.

I was worried about the girls making it the whole way, but they did great! The trail also has three strategically placed benches along the way. The girls would get ahead a little, rest on the next bench and by the time my floppy legs caught up with them, they would be ready to go again. Hopefully the girls will be up for the adventure again tomorrow night. I need the exercise and as quickly as the girls went to sleep tonight - I think they need it too.