Those Summer Days

Well, it's been a long hot summer of being cooped up inside.
But, it appears it is beginning to come to an end because we have gotten outside a couple of times recently!
Here's a glance at the start of our slow venture back to the outdoors...

We tried out the little water play area underneath the water tower in Downtown Gilbert!
So much fun! We never knew this little treasure was here!
Here are the kids, giving it a whirl.

James LOVED this. He loved running through and being surprised as to when the water would pop up and get him!

Ben was more hesitant. Here we all are, walking around the water, trying to get him to warm up to it.

Bethany and James also enjoyed playing in the fountain walls they have there.
I'm not entirely sure they're supposed to do that. Anybody know? Haha...

JC, standing in the middle. The kids all scattered at the last minute and it ended up being a picture of him standing in the middle alone.
In front of Hale Theater.
I love Hale Theater.

James was pretty brave, flying like an airplane through the giant spurts of water!

Ben still preferred to watch from a safe distance away!

And run up and down this hill. I may have done that too.

Whee!!!

We will definitely go back there soon. It's about two miles from our house and if I can keep the kids from running toward the street nearby, a pretty easy outing!

On a Saturday not long after that, we ended up spending some time outside in the morning when it was a bit overcast.
First matter of business - - sadly remove the plum tree.
Didn't make it through the summer.

Bethany gives it some final loves.

Then the whole family gets into helping remove it.

Luckily, we'll have a new one come October. Since it died within the time it was still guaranteed. Feels a bit disrespectful to speak too much of that just yet. For now we'll go on mourning this one.
Actually, this tree was a little sad from the day it got put in the ground. I had a sneaking suspicion that it may not live...maybe I killed it with karma. Who knows?

I am also a little worried about our apple tree.
Isn't looking so hot.
Then again, at one point, I thought the peach was dying too but turned out it was just sunburned. So, maybe this one will get a little more lively once cooler weather rolls around.

JC brought "Bubba" out on this fine summer morning.
Bubba is the name of his giant keg-like water glass.
In fact, I think it is actually called the Bubba Keg.
Don't get me started.
But anyway, the kids took it over and it became their entertainment/refreshment.

This used to be their entertainment.
Now it is the Land of Desolation.
It basks in the morning sun. Way too hot to play on for the rest of the day.
Oh Autumn, where art thou???

But back to our refreshment on this hot morning...

Well, their refreshment. Once they've claimed it as their own, you don't really want to be drinking from it as much.

A pretty picture of thoughtful Bethany:

She leaves the boys to all their splashing and wanders, shirtless (it got wet), over to our lovely pomegranate tree.
Which I still call Queen Anne.
Isn't she lovely? (both of them)

Then, this happened.
I guess they all got too wet and decided to abandon their pajamas.

Ben was having some trouble and Bethany wandered over to help/make fun of him.

Ahh...too bad we can't all get away with this in our backyards.

Free!

Free!

And refreshed.

I gotta say, I am glad this summer is ending. I am learning that the key to a happy summer is preparation throughout the rest of the year! I'm going to try to be more ready for next summer. Or maybe we'll just become snowbirds and find somewhere up north to spend our summers! One or the other. :)

Either way, it's almost fall and I can hardly stand the wait!!!
In the meantime, we'll keep venturing outside more and more and enjoying a few more red-cheeked, thirsty, naked mornings outside before the more coveted weather hits!