Sleeping on the Tramp and Putting Up the Pool!

Well, we did have plans to go camping this weekend, but with the weather being so unseasonable cool, the people from the campground (which was up North) called us to say that there was two feet of snow there and no one could even get in.  We had been worried that it might be a little "chilly."  That is an understatement!  So we postponed our camping trip until July.  It was actually nice to suddenly have the whole weekend free.  We got a lot done.  Friday Rick picked up Jase and Jared and bribed them with lunch if they came and helped him move Seminary buildings (moving from the middle school to the high school).   Then Rick and I went out to dinner (I ate, Rick didn't since he was still full from their all-you-can-eat-buffet lunch).  We discussed the questions for our parenting tele-seminar that we are doing Tuesday night. 

Saturday I got up early and pulled weeds for a couple of hours.  Our flower beds look a lot better!   Things were humming around our yard.  Jase mowed the lawn and Rick did the edger and all of the kids helped clean the back patio and pitched in to put up the swimming pool!  It has been cooler this year than in year's past which helped everyone to stay happy working outside.  Usually everyone is so hot and tired by the time the get the pool up that everyone is starting to snap at each other.  But this year everyone helped and things went quite smoothly!   Rick had to patch up a couple of holes and then we had to wait until the glue dried before it could get wet and so there wasn't a lot of real swimming going on today.   But the kids did have fun splashing in the water as it started to fill.  That is usually the only time Josh will get in the pool the whole year.  He has always been afraid of pools (unless they are VERY shallow or have steps that he can sit or stand on).  Jenna was excited about getting in and splashed around right along with everyone else (even if the water was freezing!)   When we went to bed we left the hoses on so that the pool would be finished filling up by morning.    

Sunday evening Rick and I went to visit his sister Julie and family who recently finished renovating a house in the area.  It turned out absolutely gorgeous!  The kids asked Rick if they could all sleep outside on the tramp.  Janika and I opted to sleep in the house.  We went to check on everyone at 11:00 p.m. and were amazed to find everyone sound asleep!  Not wanting to be alone, Janika asked if she could sleep with me.  We stayed up for a while gabbing.   About 1:30 a.m. we were awakened by everyone coming back in. Apparently our allergy sufferer (Jared) kept sneezing and Jaiden kept whimpering in her sleep.  These two things woke everyone else up and they decided that they were cold and came inside.  Soon everyone was back in their regular beds.  Ah, well it was fun while it lasted!