I know, I've slammed the public pool in the past, but I was really excited to go today. After this long summer of knee trauma and oddball calamities, I just wanted to take the kids somewhere by myself and do something normal.
I'm using my 7 quick takes to give you some tips to make your next trip to the pool a little bit easier.
************** 1 **********
When you are driving to the pool, and your youngest child yells from the back, "I've never worn this babin' suit before!" stop the van, pull the kid out, and see what he is actually wearing. If he is your youngest, he is most likely wearing a hand-me-down. A hand-me-down that might have stretched or gotten a hole or dry rotted. And if you have a youngest, we can infer that you have more than one child and are probably really busy and might have forgotten that one of those old, worn out hand-me-downs was even hiding in the back of the drawer.
Just pull the heck over and see what the boy is wearing! Trust me.
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| I couldn't post the more spectacular wardrobe malfunctions. |
************** 2 ************
Have a major injury before going to the pool. When the little kids want to jump to you (which we all know is really jump ON you), you can say, "Oh, I would loooove to, Honey, but I can't because of my knee. Hey, I bet he will!"
**************** 3 ***********
Bring a teenager or two so you actually have someone to point to when you make such a declaration.
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| See? Even Star knows he's going to get walloped in this scenario. |
************** 4 ***********
Bring lots and lots of towels for those kids who want to swim, but really, really don't want to get their faces wet. As in, if a drop of water gets within 6 inches of his eye, he loses his ever-lovin' mind. Position those towels strategically all around the pool deck to cut down on the running and the yelling and the crying of, "MY EYES! THERE'S WATER ON MY EYES!!" and the stares from strangers and the whistles from lifeguards.
Lots.
Of.
Towels.
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| a hundred times in 2 hours |
****************** 5 ************
Be ready with a cool name to loudly proclaim as you walk back to the car when your child puts his shoes on the wrong feet. 3 times. Just shrug and make him a new super hero.
Meet "Wrong Feet Man"!
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| I cannot take credit for the super hero name. Three times he put his shoes on incorrectly, and three times I told him to switch them. The third time he changed tactics and yelled "I'm Wrong Feet Man!" Loudly. Over and over. The entire way back to the van, in fact. |
***************** 6 ************
Lounge close to the kids' pool and watch closely. You will get some of the best laughs you've had all summer when you see unsuspecting children getting a gigantic bucket of water dumped on their heads. Sometimes I even yell (in my head) "That's for smearing poo all over the bathroom!" as I laugh and laugh and laugh.
Once dunked, though, it turns into fun for them. While I still enjoy it, it's not quite the same when they do.
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| Wait for it... |
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| Wait for it... |
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| And keep waiting for it... |
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| Ka- |
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| POW! |
*********** 7 ***********
Have your camera ready. You never know when your youngest will learn how to swim. Sure, it looks like a really bad dog paddle, and it takes him 30 minutes to go 3 feet, but by golly, when he grabs that wall and says, "Are you videoing me??" you can say, "Yes, Sir!" and mean it.
Looking for a videographer for your special occasion? My finger and I are available!
Now git yourselves over to the pool and have some fun!
After you head on over to Jen's to join in on the 7 Quick Takes.
Or leave a comment with some tips of your own.
Have a lovely day!
FRIST!! lol
ReplyDeleteLooks and sounds like the kids had a great time. The photos of the water bucket are brill, and the video of Cuckoo - awww, sweet.
They were very happy to finally get to go. Thanks! He made me video the entire 25 yards, but it took a long time. I cut it down for you. :)
Delete(curse you! Tigermouse!!! again!!) lol
ReplyDeleteas a fan of ' cinema telephonique… I enjoyed your video (as well as the stills)… nothing says 'Summer' like swimming pools that do not require inflation!
Lol! :) :)
DeleteIf it makes you feel better, Clark, she lives in England and has a 5 hour lead on you. :)
DeleteThanks! and lol to "swimming pools that do not require inflation". Ain't that the truth!
Ugh, I'm on my phone so I can't see the pics of your kids in the sidebar, but I love the photo in which one of your middle boys is running straight out of the spray. With our free pass to a local pool still burning a hole in my pocket, I'm going to remember these tips!
ReplyDeleteThat would be Turken. That photo makes me smile, too.
DeleteGet thee to the pool! This is the last week ours is even open all day. Since so many kids are back at school already, the hours drop next week.
Can Cuckoo make me love him MORE? Man I love that kid!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to go to the pool...looks like a nice one (which you'd told me it was...I never doubted you for a moment)
Each day, I think "This is the most I can love him" and then he does something else. It will break my heart when he is bigger and loses that voice.
DeleteIt is a nice one, but I know you will never go when you have a free pool at your disposal. :)
Great photos and great tips too. We need to get to our pool,back to the beach and have fun - its almost over it'll be sad - i'll be sad- we are planning a a stay vacation soon and i warned hubby that we are vacationing that week like we rented a house let's see what will happen. your little ones are adorable so are the teens quite patient and great brothers. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Good luck with the staycation! Does that mean no laundry and no cooking, too? I know you like to cook, but a week off cleaning dishes would be nice! Have fun!
DeleteIt looks like Wrong Feet Man and the rest of the crew had a wonderful day! Love the tips, love the photos.
ReplyDeleteThe most certainly did. Thank you!
DeleteBwahahahahahahaha on pull over and see whats he's wearing. Oh so true.
ReplyDeleteI could have used that giant bucket of water yesterday. We're at the boat and it's HOT.
Loved the video. So cute.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. :)
You would think I would learn. For crying out loud, it's not like this is the first time it's happened.
DeleteCan you not just jump in the water? I guess I don't know what kind of boating you do or where you do it.
Me, too. :)
Thank you!
What a great fun time. And the knee was a thankful, I think. Lot's of good photos. Hope you kept cool.
ReplyDeleteVal
It most certainly was a thankful. I've gotten way to used to using this bad knee as an excuse. I'm gonna be a little bit sad when I have to go back to normal and able to do everything.
DeleteThank you!
I was able to keep cool, thanks to all of the splashing water.
Speaking of having injuries at pools, I once slipped and stubbed my entire foot on the grate covering the drain at the side of the pool. painful!
ReplyDeleteOUCH!!! That had to hurt! Were you down for long?
DeleteLooks like a great pool you brought your tribe to visit--and that is so impressive, those water shots of the kids getting dumped!
ReplyDeleteIt is a great pool. I had to make myself sit down and stop taking photos. It was fun, but enough already! :)
DeleteAw, I love summer fun! Those pics are awesome - love the waterfall dump thingy. Looks very refreshing! and what a swimmer you've got there!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Deleteyes, a "swimmer" indeed.
Wow your public pool looks like a water park! I haven't been to the public pool for so long. (I accidentally typed "pubic pool" just now but luckily I caught it! That would be a completely different pool!) Would I look weird if I went by myself? ;)
ReplyDeleteI know. They did a huge reconstruction of the pool last year and added that gigantic gym thing to the kids' pool. It's fun, but with the construction, the price of admission went up. Big bummer.
DeleteHahaha! Very different pool indeed.
You would not look weird at all if you went by yourself. No one would even notice.
You brought back some ancient memories Christine! When my mom would take me to the pool. Except our "kid's pool" looked nothing like that! How cool - slides and bucket dumps and such! And life jackets for the little ones!! When I was a kid you took swimming lessons and if you couldn't cut it in the big pool off to the "baby" pool with you. LOL
ReplyDeleteLooks like you guys had a blast:)
I know. Our kids' pool was just a big oval filled with water. They built this gigantic thing last year, and it has changed our pool experience for sure. They added the life jackets, too. We never used them with the older kids, but since they are provided by the pool for free, we're taking advantage.
DeleteWe did have a lot of fun.
Skip doesnt even dog paddle that good!
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, it could be because Skip is as old as dirt. Don't tell him I said that. I'm sure, in his mind, he's still a young pup.
DeleteLooks like a whole lot of fun! Your kids are so adorable....although I'm not sure that your older ones would appreciate that. I love the waiting for the bucket to drop and Wrong Feet Man...I think you might just have Halloween figured out for one!
ReplyDeleteThat pool looks EPIC!
ReplyDeleteA fun, summery, watery day! But the best, BEST part, aside from your finger in front of the lens, is Cuckoo's swimming technique. Reminds me of a duck. Above the water, they look so serene; under the water, kicking like crazy!
ReplyDelete