Watering the family

I Love water. So do my kids.. I love that it wears them out too! We finally put the sprinkler under the tramp( Classic fun!) I have been promising for mo. and it never seems to work out. They had a blast! Jameson the fearless of course figured out he can slide across the tramp with out getting tramp burn.. Zoey wouldn't put her tongue back in her mouth I was afraid she was going to bite it off every time she jumped Or when Jameson bounced her. Ethan likes it too. But as always more timid. so he skirts around the edges and sticks a hand in.. until Jameson grabs him and throws him right in the middle.. where all the water is!!! they all thought this was great.. hey, It works. Cheap easy entertainment! kids get worn out.. Everybody wins!



We finally took Paul up to Potato Creek, which was a well needed break for him, Between case study's and test etc. well lets just say the stress was building. . . . So after 3 days of Mr.Hyde.. I decided enough is enough and we ALL needed a break. SO Friday I had all the kids swimsuits on. Towels packed and Paul's Shorts out and ready for him.. He walked in from work. and I told him he has 10 min to change. . .(He knew better then to argue with me) and he complied. We took the drive to potato creek and hit the lake.( well, first we had to show him where the kids got all mucky and make all the frogs jump in the algae covered pond.) Then we hit the lake.

I was content to sit on the beach and take pictures.. Paul I think was happy to play with his kids. You know as I sat there and clicked away.. I realized how long it's been since Paul has really been able to get down and play with the kids. And how much time he doesn't really have to play.. If he isn't working . . he is at class. . . if he's not in class. . . he is studying. I think I don't give him enough compassion for his schedule and stress level. I think he needed this play time as much as the kids did. They had fun together and I was happy to have a break from the kids and just be in charge of snapping the pictures! It was so peaceful up there ( since we went up around 6p.m the crowds were basically gone.) and nice to just Hang out and have some play time.

The kids had a good time.. Well Ethan didn't at first.. he was unsure about Lake water...refused to get in it.. then he refused to go past then ankle.. he kept saying he wanted to go home and sleep. .I set out a towel and told him to lay down. But he just whined and complained( sigh) Paul came to my rescue and talked Ethan into going into the water with him.. a few minutes later he was fine. but wouldn't let Paul go.. or go out to far.. When I said It was time to go.. he just kept saying." no!no! I changed my mind I like the water!! I changed my mind!"

Jameson is just a fish. He went out to about his chest and started figuring how to swim. ( I was not allowed to help him.) Paul was. so he helped him a little bit.. he is getting it!!! TRUE Jameson style! He was ( as always) a good sport to help Zoey around the water.

Zoey loved the water and has no fear. She'll just keep heading out until you pull her back.!
I think it was exactly what Paul needed.( okay, me too!) After that we splurged and went out for some Barnaby pizza..It was a good Friday night. And we all felt much better by the time we got home.
What I'm laughing at is all of Paul's facial expressions I caught on camera. This is classic goofy Paul. But still I didn't know he had so many!!
Next time we are going to take Vedah up since they have a segregated beach just for the dogs!

I think we are going to be up at potato creek alot for the rest of the summer. I love it up there!( and it does amazing things for Mr.Hyde too!)