My name is Carol and I might have a problem...

I am addicted to Photo Shop. Oh my goodness, I can not stop! We had watermelon on Tuesday. I naturally, took photos. And I say naturally, because if you know me you know I don't let a moment go by without snapping my camera...

The photos make me smile and remember eating watermelon in my Aunt Flora's backyard in summers long ago. I could smell the memories -- but alas I don't have photos of those watermelon-eating afternoons. So, when I was looking at these of my crew, I decided to make them look a bit old...not completely old...just a bit (cause, ya'll know I'm not THAT old!)...and oh the fun...it almost makes up for the lack of photos of my cousins and I salting our watermelon on Aunt Flora's picnic table. Almost....

There is a blessing in sticky fingers, salty-sweetness, and wonderful memories! What are your favorite summer memories?!

Are these the dogs days of summer?

Pluto seems to think so...

And while our dear Golden Retriever/Poodle mix (Yes, he is a Golden Doodle!)...isn't technically a helper dog...

He helps us all...in so many ways!!

That he is a blessing, for sure!!

If you need us...

We'll be at the movie...enjoying Buzz, Woody and the gang...we can hardly wait!

And family fun that doesn't involve therapy of any kind....well today...that is a blessing!

Mason, I know what we are going to do today...

There are ways to distract a boy in a cast with 14 incisions healing on his legs...but it requires baking soda, vinegar (a lot of baking soda and vinegar because you probably won't get it right the first ten or so tries...), and if the Mommy could say "dang it" and make her kids laugh...well, that would just make it better!

And if the boy could then edit the video (leaving the "dang it" of course...cause good grief WHY would he not edit that out?!) and add some totally appropriate music....well he'll probably forget his pain for an afternoon or so...

You can see what I'm talking about by clicking here....I think it might make you smile.

Ah, who knew that vinegar and baking soda could be such blessings!

Aquatic Therapy

First you need to know that these are MORE swimming pool shots. Sorry. We are extremely limited as to what we can do right now as a family -- we tried an outing of sorts with Mason this weekend. It was not successful. So back to home base we ran and that is where we will stay until he is feeling better.


So, we do what we enjoy the most. We swim -- or for Mason and I, we watch the others swim and take silly photos. A lot of silly photos. And then we post them. Cause really, do you ever get tired of silly pool photos?

OK...just trying the settings on my camera again...

She is completely posing -- the little ham. After this shot she looks at me and says, "Oh Mommy, that is going to be a good one. You should put that on your Facebook." She's uh, four!

Our dog. Pluto. Protector of the infirm (last summer he guarded Benjamin with his life...this summer...you got it...he rarely leaves Mason's side. Ever!). Lover of all. Just when you are convinced that YOU are his favorite, he moves over to convince the next family member of the same! Not-so-fierce guard dog...unless licking someone to death seems fierce. We love this dog!

Two weeks out from surgery...knee immobilizers off and feeling the pain. A bit less happy then last week. Oh sweet boy, you possess more strength than you possibly know. Hang in there!!

My littlest fish -- underwater, her absolute favorite place to be!

And the crew -- minus dear Mason -- being completely silly in the pool. And by the way, that IS a Millennium Falcon they are floating around in. What does your family use?

And finally, Mommy therapy always involves tickling tootsies...or at least photographing them. This is the cleanest you will ever find this four-year-old's...she takes her shoes off at every opportunity...which may be why the pool is her most favorite spot.

We are doing what we can to cope with recovery. We are leaning on the ONE who promises to make his grace fresh every morning. We are making the most of our time huddled in this house (and/or the pool!).

We are counting our blessings.

Poolside musings...

It is true that life in Phoenix, Arizona does not offer a huge change in seasons. What we call Winter hardly passes for Fall in most parts of the world; and our Spring is most assuredly Summer in the mid-west United States. But for our little family, the seasons are just right. I like to call them: Football Season (which does not start for few more months, ya'll!) and Swim Season. And while I love the first, the latter is my definite favorite and is has begun!


This year our swim season is in a new house and a new pool and we are loving it! Yesterday, we got our umbrella for the little table that is IN the pool...this is my view from the shade of the umbrella (I was dry by the way...keeping Mason company!).

And this kid is a trooper. We sat poolside (not a bad place to be AT ALL!) laughing at the antics of the pool crew.

Isn't he a cutie?

I am still playing with my shutter speeds -- doesn't it look like Claire is controlling the water?!

And our favorite pool toy...well, that is Uncle Len! (What is yours?) Here Claire is "falling" off his shoulders!

And I love Cate mid-air...and Uncle Lenny's expression (he is a goofball...but we love him!)! She is a fish and loves to be in the water!

Again -- our favorite pool toy!

Cate's turn to "fall" off Lenny!

And Benjamin was missing his brother being in the water but still managed to have some fun!

Life pool-side is just where I want to be -- feeling the blessing that the carefree joys of summer bring!

Not back to school...

School started yesterday in our neighborhood. Even when I came home from the gym (at too-early-thirty), the teenagers were standing at the curb waiting on the bus for the high school. I knew in houses all along our street first-day photos were being taken and backpacks loaded.

And for the first August ever...we were not among the ones getting lunches packed and children loaded. Our first full home school year won't kick off until after Labor Day (giving Benjamin some needed-healing time!) so I had some time to think about the day!

I couldn't ignore the fact that THIS year, I am not stressing about educating everyone who comes into contact with my boys; stressing about making sure all their needs are being met; stressing about the logistics of moving from room to room without Mason being trampled; just stressing period.

So, while I know stress will come as we begin work...do you mind if I relish the joy and excitement of starting our first year together at home?! I am so excited!! The curriculum makes me smile -- and I think we are going to have an outstanding year!!

Ah, and the blessing of a few more weeks of summer break...that one surely shouldn't be forgotten!!

Celebrating Benjamin as he recovers...getting everyone and a dog to look at the camera simultaneously...not so easy!

Until then...

I love a three-day weekend as much as anybody. But Labor Day is just NOT my favorite holiday. I am always loathe to bid farewell to my favorite season of all -- long lazy days of laying by the pool (or ocean) enjoying an engrossing novel and listening to my children's laughter -- ah, Summer!

So, I won't say good-bye...I'll simply say, until next time...the chairs will be waiting and so will the water!