Pools and Animals

Summer is in full swing here!  I still haven't decided if that's a good thing or not.  I feel like last summer my kids all got along great and there was hardly any tears or fighting.  That has not been the case this summer.  But we're making it!

One thing that has helped is this!

My parents had this pool at their house for the past few years and all the kids loved swimming in it.  But not most of the kids are out of the toddler age and growing up and the pool was just a little too small for all of them, so my parents bought a huge pool that's something like 20 feet long!  We went over there for the first swim day last week and I totally forgot to take any pictures, but all the kids loved it!  My parents were trying to decide what to do with their old pool and we are the only ones that 1) don't live in an apartment, 2) don't have toddlers to worry about getting in the pool and drowning, and 3) didn't just build a house and have a yard that is just rocks and sticks.  We were the only ones that qualified and my kids couldn't be happier!  They swim in it almost every day!

One other thing that has helped break up the summer is that we are dog-sitting my brothers dog for a week while they go to a family vacation.  They have a border collie that is so energetic and friendly and my kids love taking her outside and throwing the ball for her 10 times a day.  All of them have told me they want to keep Daisy and not give her back, but I'm not sure I could get my brother to go for that... ;)  They also asked us to look in on their cat and that has been a nice excuse to get out of the house.  They love trying to get the cat to play with its toys in a game I call "Fishing for Kitties".

I have really been trying the last couple year to attend the temple more.  I went yesterday and it was great.  Usually when I go, I try to have a question I would like an answer to or some kind of guidance I'm looking for, but yesterday I decided I was just going to enjoy the peace.  It was so nice to not have to worry about getting people snacks or being asked to play a game over and over and over or having to referee a fight.  And when I got home I was much better able to handle the chaos!  Right before I was about to leave my parents came over to pick up a tool from us.  I had told them I was going to the temple and my mom asked me if I had a name to take with me.  I didn't (because I never think about that until I'm in the dressing room) and she just happened to have a whole stack with her!  She gave me a bunch of names so now I will be able to work on those!  I guess it was just meant to be!

Starting next week our summer will be getting much busier, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.  Either the kids will be so distracted from everything going on that they won't even think to fight, or they'll be tired and grumpy and it will just get worse.  Here's to hoping it's the first one!