cousins, cousins everywhere!!

Weekends are always busy! This weekend we had youth conference for S. She had a great time. A primary activity for E and H. They had a great time. We had my friends kids most of the day on Saturday, while she chaperoned youth conference. And best of all my sister and her kiddos arrived from Utah for a long visit! We are SO excited!!! They got here Saturday afternoon.

We spent Saturday in the pool. A wonderful activity for all. E is swimming now without a floaty, which is great. Now we just have to work on G, who is fearless anyway.

Yesterday, being Sunday, we didn't swim. This is a debate for us every summer. DH thinks swimming on Sunday might be okay as a family activity. I think we shouldn't. We don't but on particularly hot days we open it up for debate. (opinions welcome)
Yesterday we chose to go on a walk to see the water towers in our neighborhood. It's just a round the block, but it's a TX size block (almost a mile). We started out with a couple kids in the wagon, two riding scotters, one on a bike and one on a big wheel. Luckily G was napping and stayed home with the big girls, who knew better than to start out with us on such an ill-fated trip. By the time we had gone 5-6 house down the road the kids were swapping spots and complaining about the heat. By the time we had made it to the end of the road many were crying and Tanner was riding ahead a few houses, dropping the bike and flopping on the lawn of who ever's house we were in front of. By the time we made the half way mark, the spot designated to stop and have a juice box to fortify them for the trek down the other side and home everyone was tired and hot and sweaty and complaining. H and M (both turning 7 this summer) chose to walk in dance recital outfits. M's vinyl pants were becoming a pool of sweat and she was crying because that feeling made her feel like she needed to whispered discreetly: poop. We stopped by the tower and passed out lemonade. Pronouned: Lee-mo-naw-day. The kids took a sip and said "this juice is boiling, wah!" SO, we finished our fun field trip. Val pulling two scooters, DH with a wagon filled with crying passengers, an empty trash box, and a big wheel tied to the back flopping along because no one wanted to ride it. Thank goodness he had the foresight to take the rope along. Me pushing the bike. And the kids trudging along, feeling "grateful" they weren't pioneers but they weren't stoically grateful they were grateful with a side of whine.
The funniest part for me was watching H and M. They rolled their outfits up to their necks for a breeze and held out the dance trunks to catch some wind. Whenever a car came by, which was seldom, they had to quickly unroll everything. I was in the back of the pack with the slow walkers so when we came up to the house that was across from ours I cut across their yard, threw the stoopid bike over the fence, lifted the three kids that were with me, "hopped" over myself and then we only had to walk the last acre over our backyard. DH and Val went the long way and finished the loop.

We then hosed the kids off and handed out popsicles. Day one of summer vacation fun, complete.