Fun in the Pool...But Not Ours....

Heather and I had planned a day of lazing about in the pool today. Marty worked at his mom's, building a shed. Erica and her family had plans to spend the day with friends who will be moving away this week. Unfortunately their friends became ill and they've had to postpone their plans. Erica called us to see what we were up to today. Marty had just called me to tell me our pool was still not ready for swimming because the chemicals are still not right and that his mom said we could come swimming in her pool. When I told him Erica and Jason wanted to do something with us he said bring them to his mom's too. Jason and the kiddos went to town to pick up dinner to grill later and Erica joined Heather and me in the pool while they shopped. Marty worked all day on the shed and never did get to join us all in the pool!

Erica catching rays.

Cameron and Riley sure enjoyed their day in the pool!

This is how Erica and I spent our whole day!!!

As soon as I abandoned my air mattress the race was on to see whether Riley or Cameron would claim it!

Jason and Mathew wrestling in the pool. Thanks Jason for doing our shopping and our cooking today!!!

Doesn't Riley have a sweet expression on her face in this one??

Mathew and Cameron chased each other round and round the pool.

Silly Cameron! :0)

When Billie and Freddie arrived home Mathew and Heather ditched us to play pool in the game room.

Heather

Mathew.




I am sure I should have gotten out of the pool much sooner than I did! (Either that or I should have applied sunblock! Ouch!!!) Guess I will be peeling in a few days.....sigh....

Which lobster is redder????

Marty on top of the shed he spent the day building. Next time, take a break and join us in the pool!!!!

We sure enjoyed our day playing in the pool. Thanks for joining us Erica and Jason! Thanks for the use of your pool Billie!

SPLASH!!!

Nope. That wasn't the sound of the first body landing in the pool. Unfortunately it isn't quite ready yet, but maybe tomorrow!





After work today there were still a few sunny patches in the back yard so Heather and I decided to don our bathing suits and lay outside for a while.





When Marty arrived home he went right to work hooking up gadgets and filters. Now it SOUNDS like we have a swimming pool as there is a foreign "hum" in our yard. As he worked Heather asked, "Can we get in yet???"






"No. Not yet. Maybe tomorrow."





Uh oh. I know that look. What's she up to?





I should have known!







This means WAR!!!

Later this evening Marty set out to build our fire ring. He showed me a long sheet of metal that he planned to shape into a ring. I didn't grab the camera from the house soon enough to get any photos of him using the trees to shape it but did get a few of Heather trying to help him finish off the circle shape.

What Day Is It???

This week has just been a blur of late nights and early mornings. Marty's still working on the pool, making final adjustments, filling it with water, hooking up filters, etc.

Look E, it's almost full!!!!

I'm still plodding right along on the painting project:

Today was Heather's last day of school. She is now a junior! (??? when did this happen???) She will have a slightly heavier load next year as she will be taking a dual credit social studies/history class (dual credit means she will receive high school credit as well as college credit for the same class). She will once again be a member of the Wind Symphony Band at the high school, as well as a member of the Starsteppers Dance Team. In addition, she has applied for and she just learned yesterday she was appointed as Photo Editor for the school newspaper for next year. She is so excited about it and she will be attending a journalism conference next month where she's hoping she'll be able to sit in on some photography classes. She also recieved word this week that she scored very well on the history portion of her TAKS test and was commended for her score on that test. Way to go Heather!!!

Nothing Between My Ears??!!

I'm still spending evenings/late nights working on this painting project. Tonight I finally have all of the white space filled with color!

My friend Jim told me today the reason I can paint is because I have nothing between my ears! Gee thanks, Jim! Actually.....he may be on to something. Either that or this terpentine is affecting my brain! Since I paint almost every night I sometimes leave my brushes sitting in the terpentine. Unfortunately, when I began tonight I discovered I'd also left a palette knife in the terp. A plastic palette knife! You know what terpentine does to plastic???

Some of the detail work is getting finished.

Kelle, the woman who's hired me to paint this picture, left the most touching comment on my last post of this project.

Kelle, I didn't know you've been watching the progress but I'm so glad you like it so far!

On to more detail, highlights, shadows, camoflauge...................

Memorial Day....Work Day???

You'd think after all the posts last summer of the progress of taking down a friend's old pool and readying our yard to install it here we'd finally have an installed pool to enjoy this summer. You'd be wrong. We finally had another work day today to work on it some more. It finally LOOKS like a pool and is starting to get water in it!!!! Yay!!!

It was a long hot day, especially for Marty and Jason who worked on putting it up all day long. Erica and I helped too, but we didn't start till later when they needed our help holding the walls in place and installing the liner. And of course we got another long break when it was time to pick up Heather from school!

I've noticed with this group, we even make hard work fun. And who knew a pool with only an inch of water in it could be so entertaining?!?

Erica. (We worked hard holding up those walls, didn't we???

Until the ladder was in place we had to have help getting over the walls getting in and out of the pool. Marty gives Erica a leg up:

I was just standing, watching and waiting for my next task and apparently someone had my camera for this is what I found when I downloaded photos:

Erica and I were each given power tools! We each had drills and were given the task of unscrewing the bolts, then after Marty and Jason got the liner in place, we rescrewed the bolts in place.

In the foreground I'm helping Jason with a section as Marty and Erica work on the next section. Riley or Cameron were usually nearby and were great "gofers!"





Jason and Marty working on the liner.

When we first got in the pool to begin working out the wrinkles and bubbles in the liner as the pool filled with water, we were continuously getting soaked with the hose, getting splashed, etc!

When Jason helped Erica back in the pool he spun her round and round. I was just waiting for him to get dizzy and fall in the water with her, but of course since I had my camera ready that didn't happen!

I got my revenge for all the spraying and splashing!

Thankfully Marty did not spin me round and round....although with my graceful landing on the other side you'd have thought he did!!!

Erica and me just chillin' and relaxing over dinner.

The kids had a ball playing in the pool with only a tiny bit of water in it! Cameron was really loving his boogie board and it did look fun!!!

Heather taught the kids to play "Ships and Sailors" and they had a blast. Here Heather and Riley landed together!

More Ships and Sailors. From the front: Heather, Riley, Mathew and Cameron.

Doesn't Marty look worn out? Thanks, Babe for all your hard work! Thanks to you too, Jason and Erica!!!!

A Great Beginning for Summer!

Because it's Memorial Day weekend we did not have church tonight. Jason and Erica had been trying to coordinate an afternoon/evening fellowship time for all the younger families that attend church. We have several young couples that have just begun attending and we all wanted a chance for them to get to know all of us and each other in a setting outside of church. Our pastor, Mitch, and his wife Reva have always encouraged the use of their home on the river for such events. It was decided that this afternoon would be a perfect opportunity for such an event. I believe they said 38 people were present this afternoon and what a fun time it was for all. I do think the kids enjoyed themselves most of all!!! Thank you Jason and Erica for putting this all together! And thank you Mitch and Reva for the use of your property!!!

Riley, Jake, and Maggie playing in the river.

Riley, relaxing on a raft.

Erica among all the girls. Every time she'd get on a raft the girls would all swim over to join her and she'd have a lap full of kids!

Once when I looked up I noticed Marty and Chandler just sitting on the edge of the dock watching the kids. How cute!

Just hangin' out on the dock and visiting. Shannon, Susan, Erica, me and Cheney.

Our "fearless leaders" Bill and Denise. They teach the Adult Sunday School class we are all in, or that those of us who teach children's Sunday School classes, are affiliated with.

Heather swimming with Chandler.

I am absolutely smitten with this little guy and his big brown eyes. You've met Roby here before.

It appears Erica is just as smitten! Aren't they cute??!!

How many kids can you fit on a tube??? All the little girls think Mathew is the greatest!

Reva set up a kiddie pool for Chandler and Roby. I just love the expression on Chandler's face here!

Heather played with the little ones for a bit, and sprayed them with the hose! The kids didn't seem to mind! It was hot out!

Roby and Chandler with Susan looking on. I think Susan got almost as wet as the kiddos!

A bunch of us enjoying the river!

Jim and Erica.

Dean and Terryn. When Dean told her it was time to go, she begged for just one more jump into the water. So, when she didn't go for it, Dean helped her along.

Doesn't Katie's pout just melt your heart???

Riley as she jumped off the dock.

Me, Jake, Tara, and Bethany in the river.

Marty.

Not even a squeal out of Maggie when Mathew scooped her up and simply stepped off the dock with her!

Mathew and most of the kiddos.

Cameron on his way off the dock.

Check out Erica's blog for more pics of today.