D - Swimming Pool Advice

Our family has yet to invest in one of the bigger backyard swimming pools, but I'm thinking this could be the year. I'll just have to talk Mike into being willing to mow around it and having a big dead spot in his yard. Wow. That just sounded harder than I had thought......... we'll see.

Anyhow, if I DO manage to talk him into it, I would like some advice. These pools have been out for a few years now, so I want your opinions on them. Are they worth the effort to keep them clean? Are they fun? Do they hold up for more than one year? Which of these two styles do you think is better? I'll take any advice you've got. Thanks!

D - I Should Have Mentioned It

Here's a funny conversation I had with Noah on the way home from school today.

D: When we get home we need to be quiet because Daddy is taking a nap.

N: Why?

D: Because he stayed up ALL NIGHT LONG last night driving home so he could make it in time for Katie's Olympics today.

N: Cool! (Actually, there was a lot of "I can't believe Dad could do that" before we made it to "Cool," but I'm trying to keep this short.)

D: Not really. It really wasn't safe.

N: Why not?

D: Because when you get tired you don't drive as well because your brain slows down and you can't think as quickly.

N: Really????? Is that why I don't read as well at night?

D: Yep.

N: I mean, at school I'm just zooming through the pages, but at night I can sometimes not even keep my eyes on one line.

D: Yep. That's why.

N: (Thoughtful pause and then in all seriousness): You really should have told me about this before.

D - Arguing, Mopping and Toilet Paper

My friend Audrey blogged not long ago about why it is that her children argue all the time. For the longest time I counted myself as so lucky because my kids really seemed to enjoy each other. Unfortunately, I have to echo her thoughts today. Mike has been travelling A LOT this year, so I've had the pleasure of spending A LOT of time with my kids lately. AND THEY ARGUE ALL THE TIME!!! About anything and everything. They're driving me crazy!!!

Actually, a funny side note is this. Remember when I blogged about how Katie always notices when I mop the floor? Well, Noah and Mike read that blog and didn't like how I portrayed the men in our family. Since then, Noah races in the house on Tuesday afternoons so he can be the first to notice that I mopped. Funny! and not funny. Katie always winds up upset because he's stealing her thing. Ugh. (Another side note - yesterday she noticed that I put a new brand of toilet paper in the bathroom. She noticed the pretty flower pattern that wasn't on our old paper. So far, the boys have yet to notice that one. I'm pretty sure it's a girl thing.)

Anyhow, I'm open to reading suggestions. I've tried Siblings Without Rivalry and had no success. They have no interest in working things out themselves and would much rather come tattle to me. They're still good kids, and I think I'll keep them, but I could definitely stand some advice!

PS - I think I can hear my parents laughing right now.

D - Horses!

Because Katie and her friend Claire share a common love of horses, my friend Amy called a couple of weeks ago and invited the kids and I to go along with them to visit her sister's horse at their stable. I wasn't about to miss up on taking Katie to see real horses, so we slipped into our oh-so-western-wear of too short, old jeans and whatever could pass for "boots," and jumped in the car and headed that way.

The kids had a great time. They really liked this little guy named Scooby.







All smiles when it was time to ride!

New gal in front because......well, that's important.

The boys got to ride too!

Strutting his stuff....

Ummmmmmmm, feeding a horse we didn't have permission to feed. Come on! If you don't want kids to feed your horse, you shouldn't leave the hay right there!

Funny guy that kept sticking his head out this window and calling (LOUDLY) to his friend out in the pasture.

Feeding Abby carrots

Brushing Abby!

We had a great time, Amy! Thanks for inviting us!!!!!