"Warm it's not"

Two Saturdays ago, we decided to fill up the pool and start the spring opening process. Why would we fill up a 10,000 gallon pool? Shouldn't it be filled up all the time, you ask? Well, the water looked like pond water, so we used a sump pump to get all the water out and into the garden spot. It took all of that Saturday and some of the following Friday to fill the pool.

Then it was time to do a little vacuuming and get the filter going. There is some air going through the system, so we have to work that out, but that didn't stop Eric and the girls from trying it out last Friday, April 17th. It was warm outside, 70 degrees, so they decided to see how really cold the water was. Now you can put your feet in and feel the chillyness, but submerging the body is different. Here is a video of Eric and and girls voluntarily getting wet.

The girls looked like they were enjoying themselves, so Nate decided to take a dip.

"What kind of father are you?" his face seems to say. He obviously didn't take to the water that Eric at one point called "refreshing."

Graigry was asking for his floaty. I didn't want to go down to the basement to get all the swim stuff so he found an old floaty that has a broken zipper. He got that one on and I put two safety pins to hold it together. He was in about as long as Nate, actually probably not even that long. Eric literally dipped him in and he was done and then blamed it on the floaty and that he needed one that zipped up. Whatever, Graigry, it's just cold. Be a man and admit it.

On Saturday afternoon, we were going to have a cookout. I hadn't showered since Thursday afternoon, didn't have time to really shower, so I decided to jump in the pool. We used some tax money to get a solar heating cover, which looks like blue bubble wrap that you put on the water. It's supposed to help warm up the water and retain the temperature at night. Well, it hadn't warmed up much in 24 hours. I put my suit on, moved a part of the cover and stuck my feet in. The kids came up the ladder to watch and asked to get in too. I told them no and that I was just dipping myself, once I got the courage to actually jump in. I jumped in and right back out. COOOLLLLLDDDDD!

Xela said I hadn't gone fully under, so a musterd up my courage again and fully dipped again, jumped out, wrapped myself in a towel and went inside to get dry clothes on. I wanted to put on sweats and wrap up in a blanket, but I'd look kind of silly when it was 70 degrees outside. We can't wait for the weather and water to warm up so that the chill of the pool is truly "refreshing."

Strike a pose

Unlike today, yesterday was beautiful sunshine and sixty degrees. I mowed the lawn, enjoying every minute, with a new lawn mower. Our new one was stolen two summers ago and the old one we used last year, the last time I mowed the lawn last fall, sparked flames as I finished, plus the tire has a hole.

Anyway, I've wanted to get new pictures of the kids as I haven't had any since Neta was about a month old. So, my friend, Emily Cooper, was willing to take an hour out of her afternoon and snap some shots of the kids in her backyard and in her neighbor's tree. Ro moved around almost as much as Neta. One of the pictures I'm posting, I just had to laugh when I saw it because it's as if Neta has had it with her sisters and the time it's taking to get a good picture: "Good GRIEF! Can't you just sit still for just one picture!! SHEESH!" That's the dialogue I put with this second in time.

Here are some other pictures from yesterday:

Hairspray

Graigry thought it would be fun to do his OWN hair and this is the style he came up with. He had to take a bath later to get all the hairspray out.

Sunday, before conference, Eric was reading to the girls (they've been reading the Nancy Drew mystery series) and they decided to do his hair. Now he didn't want me to put this up (we had to hold his hands down to get the picture actually), but the father daughter bonding is something that I just can't resist displaying. He's such a good sport.

The girls are great at hair too, don't you think? Ro "finished" her hair yesterday for school. I had two little half ponytails with some hair down in back. She decided to make a third ponytail. I was going to fight her on it, but then decided to not waste my energy. I wonder what Mrs Rago thought. I bet Ro told anyone who asked, or didn't, that she did her own hair.

Spring Break comes to an end

Spring Break was this week and we've had our outs. Monday we went to the library, which doesn't happen as often as it used to or should.

Tuesday, it was a cloudy, rainy day so we got Patrice and Jayden and, with everyone else in Indianapolis on Spring Break, went to the Children's Museum. We were in the car for at least 15 minutes waiting to move one block to get into the parking garage. Inside was busy, but there weren't lines to get into playscape (the toddler area) so that was beneficial. When we decided to leave (after having misplaced my eldest son, rather he misplaced us - he knew exactly where he was) the line for tickets (thank you membership) was out the door, after making a very curvy 's' inside, and was winding back up towards the door. I've never seen it that crazy before.

Wednesday was a relax at home day, as far as I can remember. I did a load of laundry, dishes and sewed two simple skirts (thanks Amy for the links!) minus the drawstrings. It was nice so the kids played outside.

Thursday, we spent three hours at a large park on the northeast side of Indianapolis, Holiday Park. Dunahees (five kids) and Sorensons (five kids of seven) came too. It was quite the crew. The park has three large sets of playground equipment for various ages and a "spider web" for kids and adults to climb up. I was exhausted after that. We got home and then at 5:30 went to Dunahee's for a cookout for Morgan's birthday. We brought along one of the girls' friends, Madison, who spent the night and didn't leave until about 2 o'clock today. She blends in really well with the kids so it keeps them busy and having fun.

Today, we went to Patrice's house and the kids played. Jayden observed for a little while and then merged into the play and then Xela decided they were going to chase around their circle in the apartment. Jayden was just laughing and Trice became his mode of transportation. Good afternoon exercise.

We settled and read some books and then Jayden turned on Toy Story 2. Like a magnet, the kids who weren't immediately within earshot, were drawn toward the "story box" and finished the movie while Trice and I cleaned up. It was fun to watch them get absorbed. Then it was time to go and the complaints began. Nate: "I stay here" as he continued to play with the green garbage truck. Graigry was hungry, etc.

By the time I got home, Thing 3 and 4 were asleep and Things 1 and 2 were tired enough that after a snack, scriptures and prayers, they went up to bed with books. Neta is tired and will hopefully fall asleep her momentarily so that I can watch a movie and scrapbook, like I did last night. (Eric is out of town tonight again; it's what I do unless I'm totally exhausted.)