Vacation in the Heart of Kansas!

When you tell someone you are going on vacation they always want to know where.  When I tell people we are going to Kansas they always look a little blank.  And just a tad bit sorry for me.  As if to say 'that really doesn't count as a vacation'.  I mean, it's in the middle of nowhere right?  It's flat and dry and hot and boring right??  WRONG!  Well, it is hot, and this year Pratt County has been more than a little dry.  But flat?  Not so.  Boring?  Definitely not.  NOT NOT NOT.

Just look at some of the fun we had! 

Water parks are just the best.  This was the first one we went to.  The second one a few days later was even more fun but I didn't take my camera in with me.  And I kept so busy going down super fun water slides and swimming in the big pool to even think about taking pictures.  We had a ball.  No way would a 'typical' vacation spot have been better.  AND we were with my sister,  brother-in-law and their kids, and my brother.   Can't get any better than that(unless of course my Mom and Dad had been along too). 

Break time.  Snacks.  Sunblock.  Water.  Rest.

My sister kids.  So wish we didn't live so far apart but oh so thankful we can get together as much as we do. 

Little Sister was her normal self:)

A good friend of Big Sister and R. went along with us.  The more the merrier!

Middle Sister got to not feeling so well on our first day in the water.  I think she was exhausted (it was the day after we got there) and just a tad dehydrated.  I got her some Gatorade and sat in the shade with her for awhile.  She was back in the water and playing before we left but was still glad to leave.  She got a good nights sleep that night and was fine the rest of the week.

On the ride home. With the temperature at over a hundred a vehicle gets a little toasty inside.  So we always had the a/c blasting.  The kids always got cold way before we were ready to turn the fan down so they pulled out blankets and bundled up.  Every single time.  Cracked me up.

We had a total blast the whole 6 and a half days we were there.  It was NOT long enough.  Next year I'm pushing for 2 weeks.  And I don't care what we have to miss here!

And just in case you wonder - I LOVED the hot DRY weather.  I love to swim and it's so much more enjoyable if it's hot:)  I don't especially love the humidity we have in Ohio, so the hot, dry weather was just great to me.  I'll take 110 and dry any day over 90 with 90 percent humidity!

Anyone ready for Summer?

I know some of you who read this like winter and snow and all that. That's fine, I like it too - for Christmas! Then I'm ready for warm weather and sunshine again.
And after being sick all week and doing nothing but sleep and what I absolutely had to for the kids I am REALLY REALLY ready to see some scenes like this:

I'm Cold & Missing Summer!

I am sooooo missing summer already! I wish my kids were still doing this!

The last couple of days I've had a lot of appointments too keep and that means dragging everyone out IN THE COLD! Sorry all you cold weather lovers but getting all the coats, hats, gloves etc. out and zipping everybody in and making sure everyone leaves the coat on till everyone else is ready to go and THEN going out in below freezing temperatures with a wind blowing is not my idea of a good time. I still can't get warm this evening!! I've said before and I still believe it, that I get cold in November and don't thaw till June! I'm so wishing for swimming weather again. Sigh.

Summer's Last Hurrah!!

The girls were finally able to spend a whole day swimming again after a couple of cool weeks. They lived in their swimsuits today! They need to be enjoying it, the pool comes down in about 2 weeks or less!
Little sister has really learned to love the water. She has been getting in without Mommy lately. She always stays in her floaty ring when I'm not in with her. (these pics are from earlier in the summer!)
It has been really hot today. T is working on putting the upstairs shower back in - yay!! Little sister now tells me when she needs to go potty - even in the middle of the night! If I'm going to be getting up with her for that I'm hoping the upstairs bath is soon back in working order!!!
I'm hoping to soon have the wedding dresses finished and will post pics of them early next week. (I know, bride-to-be, you are waiting on pictures!)
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Wonderful summertime!

This is what we have been doing a lot of this summer! My girls have learned a lot and had a lot of fun with this Christmas present from Grandma! Middle Sister took swimming lessons for the first time this year and she has come a LONG way! When the pool first went up she was wearing a life jacket all the time. By the end of the first week of swim lessons she had ditched the life jacket! Just yesterday she finally started putting her face completely in the water and swimming several strokes! Amazing how fast a child catches on! Little sister started out clinging to Mom the whole time and just yesterday she went out with just her sisters with Mom checking out the window now and then! Big sister thinks she is pretty cool now that she can do the backstroke!School starts in 3 weeks so our 'lazy' summer is rapidly ending. I'm sure we will pack in as much as possible! Happy August!