Early Labor Day

Since it was 98 degrees today, and Monday is only supposed to be about 60, we decided to have some "Early Labor Day" fun. The older kids played in our blow-up pool this afternoon while Big napped. A lot more fun today than it would be in the much colder weather on the real Labor Day, that's for sure!

Bud's hair looks like he's part of the cast of "That 70's Show". I really must find someone who knows how to cut his hair the way I want.

I had a funny conversation with Pen while she was hanging out on her towel after getting out of the water:

Pen: My legs felt kind of weird and scaly when I was in the water.

Me: Your legs are probably dry. You'd better put lotion on them when we get inside.

Pen: No, it wasn't that.

Me: Maybe you had too much sunscreen on them.

Pen: No, it wasn't that either. (pause) They were just scaly feeling.

Me (as a light bulb appeared above my head): Are you trying to get me to reveal to you that yes, indeed, you might just be a mermaid? That it runs in the family, or something?

Pen: Nooo! (but I can tell she's lying)

Me: I hate to break it to you, Pen, but you're part fish...a really ugly catfish with long whiskers, actually. Sorry!

Pen: Mah-um!! (that's supposed to say Mom with that sing-songy pre-teen inflection)

I can't believe that Pen is almost 10 years old! I'm glad that she still hasn't lost that certain part of her that hopes the make-believe things she reads about are really real. Even though she knows better, she still hopes to attend Hogwarts, stay young forever in Neverland or become a mermaid while swimming. 

(I used to be kind of the same way-- I would try to deliver the newspapers for my paper route before I got up from bed, using only mind-power. I was always a bit disappointed when I went upstairs and saw the bundle of papers still there, waiting to be folded). 

Hopefully, as she gets older, Pen will be able to maintain those characteristics of hope and optimism (maybe a bit more realistically). They will serve her well.