We’ve had a busy weekend around here. Yesterday, we threw a little get-together at the lake for Oldest’s birthday. We set up the blow-up water slide, which is really just a hamster wheel for children. After weeks of rain, and rain in the forecast, I was terrified that my perfectly planned, laid-back party was going to get washed out in the never-ending deluge. After five years of hot, dry Mays, it would be record rainfall the one year I actually try to throw an outdoor party.

But, we got lucky, and had a perfect, wonderful day with three really awesome families, and happy kids all around. After going up and down the water slide about 6000 times, those kids were falling asleep where they stood. I bet all us parents had pleasant evenings with practically comatose children!

This morning, we woke up to perfect weather, and as soon as my children had rubbed the sleep out of their eyes, I shoved them out the door to play. During most of the summer here, our outdoor time can be pretty limited by excruciatingly hot weather. In the heat of August, early morning and evening are really the only times the boys get to be outside, and even then, the mosquitoes are lying in wait to cart them off. You can just imagine how much fun these boys are after being cooped up all day…they eventually start fighting just to have something to do. I’ve learned the hard way that boys NEED to burn off some energy, and if you don’t let them, it’s your own stupid fault when they start acting like demons.

So, when the weather is nice, I try to keep them outside and active as much as possible. Today was just such a day.

We’ve played badminton (the one sport that I am good at, which is to say I am not harming myself or others when I try), did yard work and rode bikes:

(What is up with Oldest and these weird hand poses?)

We had plenty of room to run:

And after about 8 hours of fresh air, I have two kids who are quite, sedate and most importantly, not trying to kill each other with light sabers.

Enjoy it while it lasts, because they will remember that they are arch enemies soon enough…