There are two things that we have consistently done all summer long and I had not taken pictures of us doing either of these things. So this week I made sure I grabbed my camera to document two of our favorite summer activities. The first is going swimming in our neighborhood pool.
Ben and I have added to our list of "things we want in our next house if we ever move" the neighborhood pool. Hatcher affectionately calls it the "neighbor pool" and always asks if we can go swimming in the "neighbor pool".
We have gone a couple of times pretty much every week of the summer that we have been in town. It surprises us how little it is used. There is hardly ever anyone else there. We have met a few couples here and there from our neighborhood, so that has been nice, but usually we have the pool all to ourselves.
Hatcher is a little fish. He started out in swimming lessons at the end of May (for 2 weeks) and he hated going under water. Now we cannot keep him from going under and swimming around. He gets the biggest grin on his face right before he jumps in to swim to mommy or daddy. He loves it!! Once he swims out to us, we give him a little push back towards the steps in the pool and he swims over to them and stands up and jumps off again, right back to us with the great big grin. I love it!
Elsie has gotten a lot better at going under water too. She does really good holding her breath and going under for a little bit. We just had to figure out how to let her know she was going under so that she could hold her breath before she went under. Now she knows a little routine and Ben and I send her back and forth under water and she usually does really well with it.
Her favorite thing to do in the pool is to stand on the steps and then pull herself up on the top step, which is still in the water, and crawl from end to end and splash along the way.
Of course she also likes to be in her float for a little bit and be carried around in the pool by mommy and daddy.
We have had such a good time at the pool this summer with these little ones!! They love the pool and Ben and I love it because it is so easy with the kiddos since they are greatly entertained and there is usually no need for any discipline. Very fun times! I'll tell you about the second thing we have done consistently this summer next time. Thanks for stopping by!
Mine is very large because Ben doesn't really want banana on his, so we ask them to add both bananas to mine. My dad would especially love this "bringing your own banana" part because you get to pick the ripeness/condition of the banana that gets added to your ice cream. No worries about bruises or getting all of the banana ends thrown in your dessert. :) And the kids get an awesome free ice cream with a cute face on it since they are under a certain height. 
Elsie gets to taste a little bit of the italian ice, which doesn't have milk in it, but really, all she wants is the spoons and the tasty cone all by its yummy self. 
Our Bruster's just happens to be next to a Sears, so Hatcher always gets the added fun of riding on the lawnmowers or go karts that are sitting outside. 
Usually Bruster's has a huge thing of sidewalk chalk out and that entertains him alot, too. Very fun summer memories!
