Dog Days of Summer

"Dog Days" (Latin: diēs caniculārēs) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of July and August" (Wikipedia)

Somehow it switched from summer until the end of summer.  But before the last couple of weeks where you could start to feel the switch, we certainly had plenty of "dog days".  I always loved the fall, but the last couple of years with my kids, I think of come to love the "dog days" of summer most.  (As a kid, I'd hear that expression on a Country Time commercial, with a nostalgic shot of kids running in yard and using a tire swing.)

I've written already about the kids and their love of our little urban yard water park, but these photos from a couple of weeks ago make me smile, the Saturday before my eye surgery, probably the last super hot stetch.  Their favorite part is the hose.  Abbey out right wants me to spray her and Adam pretends he doesn't then runs through it.

And they want me to push them down the slide into the water.  When Daniel came over, I had to remind them that not everyone plays the way they do.  They were pushing each other...and hime down the slide.

Abbey was into pulling leaves off the bushes that day.  I like this photo.  I mean, what a kid thing to do and she was VERY intent.  My kids can't get enough of sticks and Abbey just loves leaves and picking flowers.

And one of my favorite photos from the summer...capturing the "dog days" of summer.  Even with going to the lake in future years and even if we move somewhere with a pool, I will never forget how much my kids have loved a kiddie pool and tiny slide the last couple of years.  Another example of how what kids need is love, fun, and imagination to really enjoy themselves no matter what.  They spend many 90 degree days running through a hose and jumping into a tiny plastic pool on our four feet of lawn and loved it.  And Abbey taking off down the back of the house.  That's what she's contemplating in the background.  At least she stops before she hits the road now.  Sigh.

Tell me this isn't the cutest smile ever???  Even though it's not as hot, I'll have to hit up the urban water park some more....after everyone is feeling better of course.