The Ballard Bunch: Summer Shenanigans, Part 1: Splish Splash

I have just one question - - WHAT is going on here???
I am pretty sure the summer break started like, a week ago.
And now it is coming to a close. I can no longer count down to Bethany's first day of kindergarten in years, semesters, or even months. It has to be weeks. (just under three) Or (gulp) days. (right around 18)
WHAT is going on here? How did time start to move so fast?
Okay, I'll spare everyone the dramatics but boy oh boy...nobody was kidding when they told me the days that my kids were babies would be gone before I knew it.
So, life moves fast. But right now what I'm marveling at it is how fast the summer has moved! I had all these plans, a whole schedule-o-fun to follow to keep our days busy and our brains stimulated (this gets harder during the summer due to being inside-bound every day from noon on...at least!) but guess what? We managed to float through the summer without the schedule-o-fun and still managed to enjoy ourselves.
Now, I know we still have some time left...and definitely plenty of hot weather! But, with the school year sneaking up, it feels a little like it's time to reflect on the summer and how we've spent it. And since I have not been a very faithful blogger, now will be a good time to do so! (Even if it is in a little less detail than is normally my style.) :)

And so begins the recap of our summer shenanigans...

Many of our days began with some outside time right after breakfast. After we downed our smoothies, we would scamper into the backyard, still pajama-clad. We would swing, slide, and shade-spot-hop around until someone begged for WATER, PLEASE, WATER! Then we would find some way to water play. (sometimes in swimsuits, sometimes still in our pajamas!)

This one particular day, in swimsuits, we filled up the little pool.
We like to put it in the sandbox for a beach effect.
Plus, there is a shady spot in there.
Ben loves getting sprayed with the hose!

They ALL love it when I 'make it rain.'
I attack the tree above the sandbox with the hose on full blast and then it rains down on them and continues to drip for a while after.
Sometimes I wish there were another person around here to operate the hose so I could go play too!

They also love 'the rainbow.'
All this means is I shoot an arc of water and they run under it.
Yes, I know we're in a drought, why do you ask?

Ben loves nothing more than the whole stream of water straight from the hose right onto the top of his head. I imagine it would be painful but...I only aim to please.
He especially prefers to get soaking wet when fully dressed and when I only intended to water the sunflowers.

Check it OUT! Sunflowers a-comin! Next year I will know to start them earlier so we can enjoy the Sunflower House during the actual summertime! But they are doing great! Grow, little sunflowers, grow!!!

Our backyard is not the only place we have come to expect a grand ol' time, splashing around.
Gilbert has the best splash pad (as these things are apparently called. Now that I know that I feel like a hip and in-the-know mom)
Anyway, it's under the water tower and it's awesome.
We've gone there two or three times this summer.

It always takes Bethany a little while to warm up to getting wet (where does she get that) but she is always happy to be there!
Such a pretty face!

James always runs in to play right away but does his best to avoid getting wet! It is his little game to try running through the fountains without actually getting hit by any!