Water Fun

Last Wednesday we ventured out to the splash pad as per our schedule. Unfortunately the splash pad we wanted to go to was still crowded at that time (it's surrounded by baseball diamonds and games were going on too--it was crazy). So we decided to go try the new one in Kaysville. I got everyone out of the car and over to the splash pad just as the water stopped. At the Ellison one we know how to turn it on, but since this was our first time we didn't know how and my girls excitedly asked, "Mom, how do we turn it on?" When a gentlemen on the side said, "it closes at 7pm." I looked at my phone, 7:03pm. Ugh . . . now what to do. I was trying to figure out what to do and the kids kept asking me how to turn it on--it was one of those mommy moments where you feel like you can't think process everything at once. Then miraculously one of the Mom's who knew what thing to push, got it going again. Yay, I was grateful the kids could splash around for a while and I was saved from finding a new activity.

I was so happy to see Andrew finally conquer his fear of getting splashed and playing around (last year I setup a little playgroup to go to the splash pad for him in June while the girls were still in school, but he did not like getting splashed so it was not a great adventure last year). Marcus also enjoyed it. Although I couldn't get him to not run around and he would slip. He also got stuck in a section when the water rotated there and totally surprised him. I had to run in and get him. :) They played for about 35 minutes there then went over to the play ground next door to dry off. We had to leave that a little earlier than I anticipated because Andrew had an accident. I told him there were bathrooms right there all he had to do was tell me he had to go and I would take him potty. He felt bad and said, "I'm sorry Mom. I made a bad choice." He asked if we could come back after he got clean clothes and I had to tell him we were done for the night which was enough of a consequence for him.

Friday Panca was in town so we decided to go swimming with him and Nessa's family at the North Ogden Aquatic Center. We got there at 11am when it opened and stayed until 1:30pm. Andrew was hesitant to get in with his little floatie device and Marcus did not like it (glad I didn't sign up for the Parent Child swim class), but once I got Andrew going they loved the lazy river and the girls enjoyed the slide. Lila went with Panca the first three times and then was told by the lifeguard she was too tall to lap ride so she braved it by herself and then as I was gathering things up she said, "Mom, will you give me a warning when we're getting ready to leave because I want to do the slide by myself again." I told her she better go now, so she did. :) Then we grabbed some lunch at Burger King with everyone which affected Marcus's nap (he wouldn't take one), but the kids had a blast so all is well.

Right: Ellie held her hands like that the first time and went so slow the kid behind her almost caught up. Left: Can you see Panca under Lila?

Then I wanted to take the kids swimming again before swim lessons just to get them accustomed to being in the water so Monday I told the kids if they were good and helped me happily get all the chores done we would go swimming that evening with Daddy. So we went to the South Davis Rec center for their family night swimming. I tried to take pictures, but Steve's camera died and my phone was incapacitated by hundreds of calls from Mexico (no idea why). Andrew went down the slide with Steve and Marcus finally enjoyed his floatie thing in the lazy river with Steve (that boy is a total Daddy's boy if I try to take him from him I get waved off or whacked in the face).

I just found this picture on Steve's phone it must have managed to save it as it was powering off. Andrew went down the slide with Steve and Lila is right there waiting for them--actually being told by the lifeguard to move out of there.

  Yesterday I took the kids bowling in the morning. I told them if they got their piano practicing done in time we could go. They have a free game of bowling for each month during the summer. So we went and all the kids loved it. Ellie had a strike and two spares in her first four frames. Lila was determined to learn how to throw the ball without the dragon aid and she did great. Andrew would break dance after each of his turns. Marcus clapped every time some pins got knocked down. It was a nice free adventure.

Last night for our splash pad adventure I decided to let the kids color these beach balls I had bought and turn on the sprinklers in a section of the yard that could use a little extra water. They thought it was great. I ran them for 20 minutes then they laid their towels on the rocks in the play structure area to warm up and then went back exploring the sprinkler area so I surprised them by turning them on again and they came running and screaming.

Yes, Andrew has his clothes on backwards. The shorts he did accidentally and when I pointed it out he declared it backwards day and purposely put his shirt on that way.

Steve took the girls to the Clearfield movie in a park last night after mutual. They were playing Rogue One. They all had a good time. A little date with Daddy. Although Ellie refused to wake-up this morning. Finally at 10:30 we sent Andrew in and he pestered her for a minute then came out and said, "she's not waking up." Steve said, "go get a cup of water to dump on her." Then you hear Ellie, "I'm up. I'm up." Andrew was upset he didn't get to dump a cup of water on her. ;) Lila said she told her she wanted to sleep until lunch. She is seriously turning preteen on me . . . I find her doing her own thing on occasions instead of joining in on activities with the younger ones, listening to her iPod while in our presence-with the new headphones she just earned, and this sleeping in thing. . .ahh, I'm not ready for a teenager. I feel like this is my last summer with her as a little girl because next year is girl's camp and all that stuff. . .just enjoying this summer and not worrying about next. :)

Here we are out on the patio playing with fubble bubbles, trying to let everyone sleep a bit longer. I took Andrew out there when he woke-up at 7:30, right when I got home from my 5 mile run. Then Steve and Marcus joined us 15-20 minutes later. We finally decided we were hungry and started making breakfast.


Now we're just waiting for Mimi and Great Grandma Buckley and Aunt Jan and Aunt Debbie to come. They're on their way home from their big girls trip to Boston. We got to have a nice visit with them last Thursday too as they met up here and had lunch with us before taking off. It so nice to see them. I miss seeing Grandma now that she's living in Boise.