Busiest Day of the Summer

In our final full week of summer, we were looking forward to another lazy week. But wouldn't you know it...Monday turned out to be the busiest day we've had in months.

First of all, we had to make a nearly-two-hour-round trip to the allergy doctor so Sam could get his shots. I thought, no problem...it's the only thing we have to do today. We'll go 'whenever.' But then we got a last minute invite to a pool party! The kids were so excited. And then it turned out we had soccer practice in the evening for both boys.

                                      

We set the alarm.  I hauled everyone out of bed.  We drove to the doctor, got the shots, and waited the required thirty minutes.  (they want to make sure there is no reaction to the shot.)  Then we drove home, arrived with exactly five minutes to change into swimsuits, and then sped off to the much anticpated (and far away) pool party. 

The kids had a blast seeing friends they haven't seen in three months.  That's Benny up there, doing a flip off the diving board.

There were water guns, a slide, a diving board, and lots of running and shouting.

More flips, more running and shouting and splashing and tumbling. 

And then there was lunch.  Don't you love kids this age....you can take a group of kids who do not know each other, sit them at a poolside table with hot dogs and ice cream, and for a short while, they are the best of friends?  There is chatter, laughs, and total comfort.  No awkward smiles, no self-consciousness, no uncomfortable silences or painful attempts at conversation.  Tell me, if YOU were asked to sit at a table with strangers, in your bathing suit no less, soaking wet, would you be at ease?  Would you be able to do anything besides stare at your plate or feel stupid?  I know I'd be miserable.  But not these guys. They had a lively time!

They didn't want to leave, but we had to move on, so after a few hours, I pried them away.  They were greatly sad to leave (and to be the first to leave, too...such an awful thing to walk away from your buddies still having a good time.)  But we had more to do!

Then it was a race back home, with exactly thirty minutes to change into soccer gear, grab a snack, and head back out the door.  Benny's practice was at 5:30, and they were all under "heat restrictions" by the rec park. They could only practice fifteen minutes at a time before taking a required five minute break. I kept the AC running in the van and the boys were glad to climb in and cool off.

After Benny's practice was over, Sam's began.  So while he started a two hour block of drills and such, Benny and I walked to the park next door and stared longingly through the fence at the FAIR.

Yep, the county fair is back.  Yesterday we watched the crowds ride the rides and plotted the things we'd ride when we got to go.

It was unbearably hot but nobody skips the fair because of heat, of course.  Benny just watched and watched and I finally had to pry him away and back into the air conditioned car.  We will be at the fair tomorrow and I'll be sure and post about it!

This is the much awed Ring O Fire, which the boys are enthralled with, but too scared to ride.

I love this picture, though it's not technically great.  Little boy, examing the huge mystery of a carnival ride.  Already he's wondering how long before he's 'tall enough' to ride the great Ring O Fire!

And as if the day were not eventuful enough, driving home we saw the most spectacular PINK sun.  We had to pull over and take photos. This picture does not even come close to what it really looked like.  But it's worth sharing anyway.

So pretty!