Keeping cool...

It's that time of year where it seems like a ghost town in our neighborhood because it's too hot for anyone to be outdoors and kids can only play outside in the late evening. We pretty much stay indoors all day unless we're able to go to the pool, and if we run errands we go from the air-conditioned car to the air-conditioned store as quick as possible and even then your clothes will be sticking to you within seconds. So we've been getting creative inside and Jack has been obsessed with making forts in his room almost daily. (Funny side note--Jack uses the word "obsessed" when he really means upset. The other day he told his friends that his mom would be really obsessed if they made a huge mess in his room. I guess it kind of makes sense that way, but I knew what he really meant!)





Jack has also been really into drawing and coloring lately. I'm sure every mom feels this way, but I love how creative he is and how no matter what he draws--animals, people, monsters...everything has two eyes and a big smile.

Ryan loves to do whatever Jack is doing so that results in more than a few fights during the day, but every now and then they play really well together--usually when Ryan is willing to let Jack boss him around. When Jack doesn't want Ryan bothering him, I'll hear him say, "Ryan, go ask mom for a snack...don't you want a snack?!"

A couple weeks ago when we were at Sand Hollow, Jack caught his very first fish! He was pretty proud even though he didn't want to hold it for a picture before they let it go.

Ryan thinks he is a fish and you really have to watch him at the pool because he's pretty fearless. The other weekend when my sisters were visiting, we were all at the hotel pool and Ryan decided to just step off the edge and sunk like a rock before I hurried and grabbed him. When I pulled him up he wasn't too worried and ready to go again. In the picture below he's getting ready to jump into one foot of water and waiting for everyone to watch him. I can't tell you how many times a day I hear, "MOM, WATCH!" He'll say/yell it over and over until I tell him I am watching and then he'll do his trick--usually jump off some furniture--then say, "Did you see?" Over and over again!