Dog days of summer

It has got to be at least 300 degrees outside right now. Our little a/c unit is the little engine that could. It stopped working one night and it was definitely a sweat fest. But thank goodness for a quick fix, it was working by 8:30 the next morning! God put me in this generation for a reason. He knew my little whiney pansy self couldn't handle it in any other.

So besides packing up the kids with 10 floaties, towels, and sunscreen and heading to the pool, what else can you do to survive this heat that just takes your breath away? You slap a $10 inflatable pool in your backyard and let them run wild. I swear my kids love our $10 pool more than our neighborhood pool. It's like how they love the packaging and wrapping paper more than they love presents.

This had to be one of our most comical nights of backyard play. I hate wasting swim diapers just when they're playing in our backyard, so I just put Campbell in his swimsuit. I don't know what it is about this boy and playing in our inflatable pool that makes him have the urge, but it's almost just expected now. Last time though we caught the "warning" face first and ran him to the bathroom. It was a milestone...first poop in the potty! This time we tried to do the same but no luck. Sure enough, minutes after having him go try, we were busy filling up the pool. Suddenly, my poor baby looked like Pigpen from Peanuts but only with flies all around him. We did what any other normal parent would do…

This photo makes me laugh out loud…everytime. This poor boy doesn't even know what kind of blackmail I'm stashing away for his girlfriends.

So after we dealt with Mr. Poopy Pants, we went on with our fun. Which included giving the dog a bath. Poor Bandit hasn't had a bath in probably a year (or more).

First things first: get wet!



Then start scrubbing and rinse again.



Uh oh, here comes big brother who wants his turn.


And don't you just love how comforting big brother is…

But wait…it's time for the shake off!

And just like that, all is forgotten and life is good again.

Looks like Dad worked up a sweat. Nolan decides to cool him off.  I love how he's "cooling" him off but the water is going on both sides of him.



Pool time!

Our all-star doesn't take a break and practices his swing.



And it doesn't even matter if he's hit it or not because he looks like this when he does it.

Once again, I forget my troubles, the sink full of dishes in the kitchen, the blistering heat and all I can feel is the warmth of my heart.