Backyard Blow-up Pool Fun

*UPDATE September 2, 2019 and two years ago today we discovered our dream house in Peculiar, MO with a pool in the backyard that stays open until October! See blog post here!

We love summer. We love the pool. We get a $100 pool pass for our entire family for the whole summer ... such a great deal for 6 different pools open from 12-8. There are times when we don't want to pile in the car to go to the pool, and there are times when the kids would like to play in the water before noon and after 8 p.m. Enter the annual blow-up swimming pool. Well, it's plural (pools) this year!

Yeah, it cost too much and it's teeny tiny, but the little ones like it and it keeps them busy! It's two different pools connected by a hippo slide!

I originally bought this one, and we decided to return it because it was too small. In July, though, it was hard to find a big rectangle one, so I broke this one out while Aron was traveling so we'd have a pool fun center.

The McLoughlin Pool Fun Centre. Notice how the grass around it where we drain the pools is high and green and the rest of the yard is dying :-)

Why don't we get a big old pool for the patio that's like 4 feet deep? Well, for one we don't want our entire patio taken up by it. And maintenance is a horror. And water freaks me out since I only have 3 who can swim currently.

Thankful Thursday: ANY Costume Review

Are you ready for Halloween?

Okay, so this women's costume came in the mail recently from Anytime Costumes for me to review. I got to pick the costume I wanted, and figured I was getting too old to dress all sexy like a go-go girl like I wanted to. So I went with the more refined Jacqueline Kennedy First Lady costume.

Here's the deal: I NEVER dress up for Halloween. It's a miracle that I get all 5 of my kids in costumes for Halloween, frankly. I always WANT to, but getting away to go shopping is a pain, plus I don't like shopping. Plus what could I be? I'm a slightly overweight mom ... what to wear? One year I was a clown, but that was when I was super pregnant and I borrowed that costume from a friend. So here is what came in the mail for me:

I have not had time to go get gloves and the purse and the sensible shoes, but that will come in time. I'll post me in those later. For now, here is me in the costume because it's always good to see a  real person with a costume on versus a model on a package.

Photo taken by my professional photographer 11-year-old son Joel

The only thing I don't like about it is that the skirt is so thin that I'm going to need a slip, just like they used to wear in the olden days. The front is covered fine, but the back is thinner so you can see my undiepants. I think if I drop a few el bees (lbs. = pounds) that I can pull it off. I also need to dye my hair black and cut it off. Nah, ain't gonna happen. I'm pretty sure no kid is gonna know who I am, but that's cool. I know I am The First Lady.

Wordless Wednesday: Ladykiller

This is Samuel. We call him Samwich sometimes because that's what his siblings wanted him to be called when he was in my belly. Funny how we ended up calling him Sam when he was born. Here is his birth story, the little poop. He was born with poop in his lungs and was swept away from me pretty fast. He could have died. He has been a daredevil ever since and gives me mini heart attacks daily. I think I have my hands full with him. Then you toss his sister into the mix (Eva) and you have a real mess-making, trouble-making tornado. So much for WORDLESS Wednesday! I don't think I could ever BE wordless!

Tackle-It Tuesday: Swimming Stuff

Every Tuesday, I tackle a different project around my home that's been bugging all of us!

YIKES! This has gotten out of hand. This is the cardboard copy paper box that we use to cram all things swimming into. It lives at the bottom of our linen closet, which is in the main bathroom. Over the years we have acquired many swimsuits and other items. It's time to clean it out. Sure, we need to keep some extras on hand for growing boys and girls, but the trunks that are too small for Sam need to go. And the suits too small for Eva need to go. I mean, if we do have one more kid, people will give us this stuff as hand-me-downs or else we can probably afford the $7 to get a new suit at Target, you know? I have to learn to let things go!

Anyway, this situation gets as out of control as our Winter Situation (boots, hats, scarves, gloves, etc.), which we will tackle on another Tuesday!

Here is the finished product!

Do you like how it's by the toilet brush and plunger? I have to be breaking some sanitary laws or something. I think a nice Target basket it in order for the swimsuits!

Here's the giveaway bag:

These were hard to give away. Michael and Joel had twin trunks, so I only saved one pair for Sam.

Also hard to give away because I got these for tiny Sam.

Also hard to give away. A teeny little hippie bikini my girls wore.

Okay, are ya'll happy now? I'm cleaning this mess up! I know my husband will be thrilled. Let's hope not TOO thrilled or you'll be seeing the I'M PREGNANT post in a few weeks ... haha!

UPDATE: October 10, 2024 and we moved to the country-ish in 2017 to a HOUSE WITH A SWIMMING POOL! So now we have swimming TUBS of floaties, towels, much bigger swimsuits (they just stay in their rooms in their drawers now), etc. I used to keep a bunch of extra swimsuits and swim trunks around for those who would come over but forgot their swim things. I don't do that anymore because I just don't have the room, even in our much-bigger home!

Freaking Friday: Fifteen Minutes of Work, Then Play!

Thanks to my friend with the 5 kids (you hafta visit her blog now since I installed her Sitemeter so she can see that she's getting traffic from me), I have another blog post for you on Freaking Friday. I was doing her dishes and saying I felt guilty for sitting around her kitchen table entering giveaways online right before doing the dishes. She asked why did I feel guilty? She said work for 15 minutes (dishes), play/break for 15 minutes.

You could also do 5 minutes at a time.

My thing is I get overwhelmed by bigger tasks like helping a kid tackle their bedroom. But if we set a timer for 15 minutes and then know we'll go get some water and a snack after the timer goes off, it makes life a little easier. Then 5 or 15 minutes later you get back to the task til it's done.

My kids always gripe about cleaning up spaces, especially since most of the damage is done by the Littles (2-year-old Sam and 4-year-old Eva). I set the timer for 5 minutes and tell them to do as much as they can in those 5 minutes then they are done. I'll pick up the rest since they are my spawn lovely precious children.

PLEASIE ENTER MY GIVEAWAY of the Copy Kids DVD to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies AND the Littlest Pet Shop 8-pack for your next birthday party! It's over on the 31st and I need lots of entries. I'll probably be not seeing you this weekend because my husband is coming home on Friday and we'll be busy all weekend, so just keep coming back and reading the vintage (4 years old) posts from back when I ONLY had 4 kids :-)