Tom took Owen down for the night swim again.
Ice cream time!
🙂
Category Archives: Pool
Last day swimming with friends
We’ve been going to the pool every afternoon with our guests. Today was the first day I remembered my camera. Owen and Katie have both gotten MUCH more comfortable in the pool…
Katie had borrowed another girl’s toys but the girl eventually wanted them back. This is what happened.
Ruth and TJ taught Owen how to blow in one end of the noodle to spit water out the other end.
Katie likes to float on a noodle now, too.
And try to climb up on it.
I wanted Owen to show me a big jump like he’s been doing but I just got this little one.
Katie has started saying “Oh yeah! Oh yeah!” (from Despicable Me) and she was doing it in the pool.
Our little mermaid
She wasn’t sure about it at first but now she likes it. Owen even wants to “wear the mermaid.” 🙂
Family pool time!
Another day, another afternoon at the pool…but today, Owen got to wear his new goggles (like all the other kids have!)…
…and Katie got to test her new “puddle jumpers” (a life jacket that keeps her perfectly afloat). THEY WERE BOTH IN HEAVEN.
She wasn’t thrilled about this hooded towel, but it is dang cute (and a hand-me-down from a friend!).
He wanted to pull her so who am I to argue?
On our way to the pool…
Owen’s nighttime swim
The community pool has two “night swims” a month where they open the pool from 8-10 (it normally closes at 8), turn the pool lights on, and serve ice cream for the kids. It would be past Owen’s bedtime, but I knew he’d love it—and I knew Tom would enjoy taking him, so I strongly suggested they go. 🙂
This was our exchange:
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I’m pretty sure he didn’t really talk to anyone (ask names or anything) but it’s so cute that he calls everyone his friend and he’s so excited! Tom said he was REALLY glad he went and loved watching Owen. And they’re both eagerly awaiting the next night swim in two weeks. 🙂
Owen made a friend at the pool!
So we were at the pool again today and Owen was having a blast in the big pool (though he typically still wants to start in the kiddie pool). There were a few kids playing around and one had water guns and diving rings—which he noticed IMMEDIATELY so of course he zeroed in on him and wanted to play with the gun. I told him he had to ask—which he did. And they played for a bit. Then we went back to the kiddie pool for a bit (for 10 minutes every hour, kids have to leave the pool and it’s adults only—so we just go to the kiddie pool because they’re still young enough). And while we were in there, the kid with the guns/rings came in saying “My dad said I should come meet you.” 🙂 So I had them introduce themselves and then I asked a few questions—his name is Eli and he’ll be in first grade. It was so cute watching them together.
Then it was time to go back in the big pool and they had a blast throwing and chasing the rings. Eli is quite a good swimmer and Owen started mimicking him—it was hilarious! He pushes off into the water like he knows what he’s doing and he kicks his feet…but his arms just flail madly and he doesn’t really go anywhere but he’s trying so hard and he’s having so much fun and he excitedly says “I’M SWIMMING!” 🙂 So then Eli’s dad came over to the edge of the pool (where I was with Katie) and introduced himself and we chatted for a few minutes (he’s familiar with Michigan—his family had a cabin around Grand Rapids). So the kids got along and Eli let Owen borrow two rings when they were leaving. I said we’d be back at the same time the next day!
Introducing our community pool!
We finally went to check out the pool today—and wow is it ever nice! It’s about a 10-minute walk (twice as long as at the last house), but it’s definitely worth it compared to the last pool. They have nice attached bathrooms and showers (which you have to walk through to get to the pool area), two lifeguards at the main pool, a kiddie pool, tons of lounge chairs and tables (some even with umbrellas) and a basket of pool noodles! Most of the pool is 3’6″ deep with the very center section being deeper (not labeled but I’m guessing about 5′).
We started in the kiddie pool where Owen tested out his new goggles and snorkel (he did really well!) and Katie splashed around (she was a bit peeved that it was too deep to walk around on her hands like she likes to do). After about a half hour, we moved to the big pool where Owen slowly but surely (but actually quite quickly for him) got comfortable in the deeper water—he clung to the edge for awhile but then was out and about away from the edge playing. There were some older kids (guessing 12-14ish) there that had brought water guns and Owen was having a blast just watching them…so imagine how excited he was when the kids started spraying him! The moms were in the pool, too, and warned their kids not to get him but I piped up and said “Oh no, he’s loving it!” Then they let him use a gun and he was in heaven! Katie loved being in the deeper water, too, because she likes being carried. She also liked “jumping” off the steps—which really means leaning forward and falling into my arms. 🙂 Owen was doing so well on his own that I actually left him in the pool by himself for about 10 minutes while I went back to the kiddie pool with Katie (I could still see him, of course).
I am sure we’ll be back quite a bit in the next month before it closes September 1.
A Wet Day in Kalkaska
We took the kids to the Kalkaska Kaliseum for open swim. Owen was there last year (and I wasn’t) so this year we ALL went. 🙂 Grandma Marsha came to watch and Uncle Rob came with us in the afternoon (as did Papa and Grannie, who happened to be in Kalkaska meeting people for dinner).
Katie had no fear of the water and kept wanting to go into the 3′ deep section (which is, of course, over her head). She’d hang on to the edge or bounce up and down to keep her head above water. Or Tom would hold her and she’d do this. 🙂
Owen likes to float (he’s about two inches above the bottom here).
Back to Grandma Marsha’s for lunch…and a nap before the next open swim time.
Grannie and Papa were arriving and the kids were excited to see them!
Pool and playset time at the hotel!l!
Papa and Grannie are staying at the Ramada so we took the kids over to play today!
And then it was time for the playset! She has NO fear—she climbed right up! She was a little wobbly and didn’t make it all the way to the top before daddy rushed in. 🙂
And someone was NOT tired and did NOT want to take a rest. We MADE him lay down…and this happened.
Swimmers Ear
So over the past few days, Owen has mentioned that his ear hurt and that he had a headache (though not at the same time). We didn’t think much of it and just gave him Advil. This morning he complained that his ear hurt and his head still hurt…and still nothing clicked. Bad mom. It wasn’t until Tom got home (early) and we were talking about something and AHA! I thought he had an ear infection. I immediately called the sick clinic and got an appointment in an hour.
She asked if he’d been in a pool recently and I said just our tiny splash pool on the deck. She asked about any other water. Nooo. Then it hit me—AHA!—two days of the waterslide! But that was five days ago?!
Then she diagnosed him with Swimmers Ear—basically an outer ear infection. She said it could happen quickly (same day) or days later…which then it all came together…he’d been complaining for a few days.
So now he gets drops twice a day for 10 days. He doesn’t love them but he’s good about them.
I’m going to miss naked pool time.
Another hot day, another day in the pool.
I’m letting the kids spend every possible moment in the pool since we won’t have it quite so convenient when we move… It was SO hot today I even got in! 🙂
And a sleeping Katie. 🙂
A showing + a pool + daddy = FUN!
We had a showing today for a potential renter, so we just took the kids out back in the pool. Of course, they had a blast.
Then Owen was being crabby about something so Tom decided to do this and more fun ensued:
I then posted this still on Facebook with the caption “I love this man.” 🙂
Dancing & A Shark Attack
Intrigued by the bubbler
From May 18. 🙂
My mother’s day do-over!
Since Mother’s Day was spent house hunting/traveling, I officially declared MY Mother’s Day would be this weekend. 🙂 So our day started with a trip to Costco, Owen’s face-painting at the farmer’s market…and then since it was a GORGEOUS day, time spent outside using the deck/pool/yard/playset (we’re trying to use it as much as we can since we will have NONE of it at the new house)…
We were playing music outside.
Owen: DJ Shuffle is in the house!
Us: Whaaaaa?!?!
Owen hurt himself with that jump/landing, but felt a little better when I showed him the cool picture I got of him in mid air!
While we were outside, Tom went and got the mail…and my mother’s day present (that I ordered for myself!) had arrived! I LOVE IT SOOOOO MUCH! (It’s an 11×14 wrapped canvas.)
Then Tom grilled super yummy BBQ chicken (which Owen tried and liked!) and I made a huge batch of our favorite tomato and basil bruschetta and we ate on the deck!
And even though I got these from Owen awhile back (done at school), I forgot to post them, so there’s no better time or place than right now!
I love his answers! And he didn’t do too badly…though I can’t believe he said salad instead of any other number of things! 🙂
So overall I had a GREAT mother’s day do-over!
Brrr! Cold!
A small pool is still fun
Poor Owen, the pool is just SO small for him…but he still manages to jump and swim under the water!
Watee please?
We were outside and Katie wanted to use the pool but it was empty. She was smart enough to know the hose needed to go in the pool and she kept asking me to turn it on.
After playing in the pool:
Our new temporary pool!
The kids love water so much that we broke down and got a cheapie $10 pool to use until we move. I had to help Katie in the first time, but she quickly figured it out for herself and she was in and out, in and out, in and out. 🙂
I asked Owen why he was sitting like this and he said “Because that’s how the kid on the box is sitting!” He even put the box up on the deck box so he could see it. 🙂
Jumping in! Normally he lands on his knees—I don’t know how he doesn’t get hurt.
Washing off her feet…but then liking standing in the bucket.
Just like big brother did in the big pool! 🙂
She took the chair into the pool and this is what happened when I told her no.
One last cute picture before I took the chair away!
I’m about to get passive aggressive.
I’m about ready to leave a passive aggressive note in our neighbors mailbox… They’ve left this pool out for garbage pick up for a month now. After it wasn’t picked up the first week, you’d think they’d realize it wasn’t ever going to be picked up. It’s really getting annoying. And it’s unsightly.
The day the pool came down.
I’ve been waiting for a stretch of nice days to take the pool down so it can dry out nicely, but it’s been raining for a week with rain forecast for the next week, too…so I decided to just start since I had help (both for the pool and the kids) and we had a few hours of sun.
I actually started yesterday by draining about half the water (to hopefully lessen the muck around the yard by letting it dry out for 24 hours). So today when I let the water start draining, I told Owen it was his last chance to get in the pool. (Papa had hoped to go swimming with Owen, but it just didn’t stay hot quite long enough.)
Helping me drain the water a little faster.
Then someone else joined the party…
Almost empty…
Hanging it up after a quick scrubbing…and Owen helping rinse it off (he even went inside/underneath to rinse the inside!).
Katie and the emptying pool
He asked for the police car!
He actually asked yesterday…but it was dead. So I charged it overnight and it was ready to go when he got home from school today. It was Katie’s first experience. She liked it okay at first…but then Owen jerked it a little and she wanted OUT.
Rocking Owen’s shades:
Left to her own devices…
Water!
You can kind of see how she floats around…legs just trailing along behind her!
Backyard Fun
The weather was cool enough today to actually want to go outside…so we did! The kids managed to stay on the deck for awhile, but then Owen got interested in the hose and wanted water…
He’s helping her put on his shoes. 🙂
Pool work and fun collide
It was one of those days when both kids were trying my patience (even though the morning was fun at the playground) so I just decided we were all going to go out in the pool. I was hot and cranky, the kids were cranky, and the pool needed attention because I’ve been neglecting it. (It doesn’t ever need a lot of work, but it does need to be cleaned out now and again.)
Katie’s new (used) size 2T suit (which is none too big). (I can never seem to find both pieces of her suit when I want them and I don’t always want her to go nekkid, so I just bought a $3 suit from the resale shop.)
So I stepped in the pool and started cleaning out grass and bugs and whatnot when I realized WOW the water level was REALLY low—like below my knees low (it’s usually quite above my knees). By the time all was said and done, I had put about 5″ of water back in! FIVE INCHES! I’m sure some loss was due to evaporation, but I’m sure the majority of loss was from all the kids playing in it, hanging over the edge and letting water pour out, using squirt water toys outside the pool, etc. (We have rules, but honestly they’re somewhat hard to enforce when there are six kids under six running wild—though we do try!)
So while I was “working” (skimming the whatnot out), the kids had fun, too…
After an hour or so in her floaty, Katie wanted OUT. She did pretty good walking by herself (and only slipped under once—which barely phased her) but I was a nervous wreck so we didn’t do that for too long. It would have been better to let her do that when we first got in and the water was 5″ shallower!
A blast from the past + kids = surreal
I had a good time visiting with a high school friend today—and our kids had A BLAST in the pool and playing hide and seek (he’s 4, she’s almost 7). It’s very surreal to me to remember all the times she and I spent together in middle and high school…and then be sitting there watching our kids play.
The kid crew
It wasn’t until just now when I went to post this picture that I realized that Owen isn’t even in the picture (you can just see the top of his head)! But this is the main group of kids that Owen plays with—I didn’t even try to ask for a posed shot!
