The Deep End

Early Morning Lap Swimming at the city pool has long been one of my favorite things about summer vacation.

 Last year, back when I was young and foolish, I did have a bit of a fling with Water Aerobics. I was lured away from the peaceful sunrise swims by the catchy music and flashy Zumba moves. Lucky for me, Early Morning Lap Swimming took me back this June with no questions and no judgments.

Of course, at 6 freakin' a.m., it's not like Early Morning Lap Swimming can be real picky. Not many people are willing to jump in a cold pool at that time of almost-day, so really Early Morning Lap Swimming pretty much has to take what it can get.

Can I just take a second at this point in the post to draw attention to my official "Season Pass" for the city pool? Card stock and Sharpie: classy, right?

This was my fourth year purchasing a season pass, but this is the first time I actually received a card. Since I have know/have taught all but two of the pool staffers, I usually just waved at the kidet setting out the deck chairs while trying not to wake the one snoozing with his or her head on the front counter. 

I love making the three minute walk from my cute little hobbit home to the pool. I can see the pool lights when I get to the corner, and smell the chlorine as soon as I cross the street. 

I have had many swimming buddies over the years, but the constants have been Elizabeth and Pam. Elizabeth moved to Vegas a few weeks ago, so Pam and I had the pool to ourselves for the last month.

You remember Pam, right? She designed our awesome stake display booth for the fair this year. 

Pam always arrives at the pool early so she can get her serious exercising done before I show up and distract her. My pool routine consists of equal parts swimming and visiting. It's kind of like my extremely early morning walking with Diane: group therapy with a side of exercise. 

Early Morning Lap Swimming is awesome all summer long, but it is at its best in August. 

The cold water is a heavenly contrast to the hot summer air, and there is something really cool about swimming under the stars before the sun comes up.

And while watching the sunrise anywhere is good for the soul, there is something special about watching the sky brighten while swimming. 

If you ever get the chance, you should jump at the opportunity to watch the sunrise while bobbing around in a pool and visiting with good friends. 

I highly recommend it. 

Of course, the problem with an outdoor pool staffed by kidlets is that when summer ends, so does the swimming. So last week I climbed up this ladder for the last time until next June. 

Friday I stepped out of the pool and then on Monday morning...

... I jumped right into the deep end.  

Cannon Ball!

My Fair Niblets (the 2013 Horse-Scented Edition)

I love it when my niblets come to visit my cute little cowtown each year for fair.

Last year's fair trip. August 2012

This year, my sweet friends Val and Bill helped make the trip extra special by arranging for the niblets to do some horseback riding, and that quickly became the focus of the whole trip.

I brought Bentley, Maxwell, and Jonah up to Cowtown Thursday afternoon.
Bentley helped cook dinner, but what he really wanted to do was ride a horse.

The boys chose a perfect storm of junk foods for dinner, which they got to eat in the living room (gasp!) while watching a movie (double gasp!), but they really just wanted to skip right to the horses.

A Doctor Who party and late night run to DQ in our jim-jams for more junk food distracted them for a while...

... But even the adventures of a time-traveling alien with two hearts couldn't keep their minds from wandering into equestrian territory.

They got to play with my sonic screwdriver and wear funny hats, but they were counting down to horse time.

Grandma and Pa brought Ruby and Milo up from Utah on Friday morning and the official fair festivities began. The niblets ate fair food (and asked about horses) ...

...played in bouncy houses (and talked about horses) ...

...went swimming and hot-tubbing (and anticipated meeting horses) ...

...and played with cousins (while discussing good names for horses) .

We spent the evening at the rodeo, surrounded by cowboys and bulls and uncles and aunts and cotton candy and maple bars.

Where the boys spent time admiring very talented horses (and cheering for the bulls.)

And they even got to do a little shooting (thanks again Val and Spencer!) which, on any other fair trip would have been the boy's idea of heaven.

But not on this trip.
On this trip, heaven was on horseback.

They loved every horse-scented moment in the saddle.

I mean, they REALLY loved it.

They sure are lucky niblets to have an Aunt with such awesome, horse-finding friends. 

But now that aunt has a problem...

How exactly am I supposed to top this?

Thank goodness I have a year to figure that out. 

When They Grow Up...

Remember when Ruby and Kenna looked like this?

 It was, like two weeks ago, right?

But now, they are getting ready to start 1st grade. 

1st Grade!

When did that happen?

But even though it freaks me out that my oldest nieces are getting so, well, OLD, it is kind of fun to think about all of the awesome things they are going to do someday.

There is no doubt in my mind that, when K-Rae grows up, she will be a multi-billionaire businesswoman.

Kenna will be a leader in her family.

 She will also serve as the General Relief Society President.

And during her free time she will play professional sports.

There is also a pretty good chance that she will seize power as the dictator of a medium-sized country. She is a hard-working, no-nonsense type of girl who is going to go far... and hopefully support her favorite Aunt Mindy after said favorite aunt retires from teaching. 

Ruby's future is a little trickier to predict. She is constantly reinventing herself. She might be a model one day...

... and a superhero the next.

She could be a BYU cheerleader, or play on their volleyball team, or become a Biology professor.

One week this summer, Ruby gave me an awesome makeover one day...

... and then went to a t-ball game the next day. And she didn't just PLAY in that t-ball game, she also COACHED.

Ruby is very good at helping people. She would make an excellent coach or teacher.

She might even be the 13th and first GIRL regeneration of The Doctor.

(Sorry, Matt Smith. Your long hair doesn't count!)

But even though I'm not positive what Ruby and Kenna will be when they grow up, I do know what they are now:

Terrific Big Sisters!

 

A Conversation with Alton

Alton is currently my newest niblet, but will be giving up his reign as "family baby" this Friday when Becky & Wo's little girl is scheduled to make her debut and take the crown.

 So, in honor as his last few days as ruling infant, I thought it would be fun to post some of the photos I took when I was visiting his family last week. These particular photos were taken when I went in to check on him after his morning nap, and even though he can't talk yet, I think you will find that he is still pretty easy to understand.

What the heck? You're NOT Mama!

Wait a second... Don't I know you from somewhere?

Oh yeah! You're that chick who picks me up when Mama is cooking dinner.

I love being picked up!

You're awesome!

Hey!

Remember that time Jonah wanted a piggyback ride, 
but you picked me up instead? 

Did you know that when you turned around, I totally blew a raspberry 
at Joe over your shoulder? 

Just like this...

Yep. 

Being "The Baby" is a pretty sweet gig.

Wait!

Did you hear that?

It's Ruby! 

Crap!

She's gonna want to pick me up again,
 and that only ends one way:

Me covered in residual little girl kiss spit, 
sporting a very painful diaper weggie. 

I did not sign up for this! 

Somebody call my agent!

I swear, if I don't get assigned a protection detail in the next thirty seconds, 
I am going to press in the soft spot on my head MYSELF!

Seriously!

Who could be expected to live in these conditions?!?!

Wait...

Did she just...

Did she just turn around and run downstairs?

Phew!

That was a close one. 

For a second there I thought I really was going to 
have to resort to my soft-spot/self-destruct-button/kamikaze plan. 

I'm totally serious. If you had to endure diaper weggies eight times a day, 
you would feel the same way.

Hey... Aren't you going back to Idaho this afternoon?

I bet that drive gets pretty lonely and boring after  a while. Wouldn't you like some company?

Ruby is great company. 

Really. She is.

As long as you're not wearing a diaper.

UPDATE: Kristie Dawn has arrived! 

And I'm sure Alton would LOVE IT if Ruby came traveled to IF to hold HER for a few days... or months.