Life with Lauren: Heat Wave

It has finally, finally, reached hot summer temps here in So Cal. While others are complaining about what they consider to be a few days of sweltering weather (meaning a mere 84-88 degrees F), at our house we are rejoicing. Weather like this is the exact reason we love living here, with a gorgeous pool right out back. The water is a very comfortable 82 degrees or so (without turning on the heater, hallelujah!), and my almost daily evening lap swims have returned. We will likely only have the pool and outside temps like this for another 6 or 7 weeks, so you had better believe we will be sticking close to home as much as we can.

This past weekend was no exception.

[Lesson learned: Don't try to go down the slide with your 5-year-old; otherwise there's a decent chance you might just land on top of her]

Saturday my colleague Lisa brought her kids Ruby and Mason over for some pool time. I seriously don't think Lauren slept the night before because she was so excited to see Ruby.

After swimming and lunch, the kids raided the playroom closet for some dress up clothes, then treated us to a show, the likes of which we've never seen before.

[We tried to get Lauren to put a different skirt on, believe me, but she seemed unconcerned that her granny panties were on display for the world to see]

The performance music? The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World" and Elton John's "Tiny Dancer."

[The final pose. Stoic, no?]

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Sunday had us bowling with twins Virginia and Finley. Lauren sure has missed seeing Virginia every day in school.

[Hard work, that bowling ....]

The entire gang then came back to the house and hopped into the pool to escape the late afternoon heat.

[Go, Daddy, Go!!]

Followed by dinner and some fun in the tub for the girls.

Freshly scrubbed and in their jammies, the three friends cuddled up for a book before the twins headed home with their dad, and our little one went to bed with sweet dreams of an incredible day.

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The 4th of July dawned beautiful and warm.

Since Norm had to go into work, Lauren and I devoted the morning to starting our biggest crafting project yet: creating an indoor fairy garden/village for her Disney fairy figurines. An entire post will be devoted to it once it's completed (hopefully in the next couple of weeks), but in the meantime, here's a preview of some of what we accomplished in a few short hours.

Flower pots for the garden.

[inexpensive miniature pots painted and filled with silk leaves and flowers secured with a hot glue gun - Lauren helped with every single one]

We then ventured next door (ran like the wind on the burning hot pavement in our bare feet is more like it) to have a dip with our neighbors Kosta and Alex and their baby Sia. So cool to have such nice people in our community. Sia just inherited Lauren's buggy she was given when she turned one and loves it. Kind of bittersweet to see it go, but at the same time, it's only next door so it didn't go too far.

These two certainly have a mutual admiration for each other.