To All the AZ Summer H8ers

I know my last post was about all we have done inside the house to stay out of the heat, but I don't want people to think I dislike our summers.  This week our highs have been between 106-111 degrees Fahrenheit, but just because it is hot does not mean you can't have fun outside.

A few weekends ago my boys and I met up with a great friend at Mighty Mud Mania and we played in the mud and water and had a great time.

But, we spend the most time in our own weed overgrown backyard.  The thing about going outside in the summer in Phoenix is like going outside in winter in other parts of the world that receive snow, you have to get ready to go outside.  First, we have to change clothes from our everyday play clothes to rags that can get dirty.  Then we have to spray down our bodies with sunscreen and lotion sunscreen our faces and lastly we put on our outdoor/water shoes.  This may not seem like a big deal, but with 5 kids it takes a good 10-15 minutes.  Once we are outside the fun can begin.

Popsicles are a necessity.

I have had so many sprinklers over the years but this is the one my kids love the best!

And the fake blue turf that we got (okay my mom got it for us... thanks again mom!) is a must!  It does not stop all the mud and grass, but it makes it manageable.

Water tables...

Slides and little pools...

and slides in big pools make our ratty backyard a child's playground.  It is so wonderful because we live in such a little house, and then we go outside where we have 3x's the space as we do inside and I am so grateful that I no longer live in our little condo with no yard.  I don't think I could ever survive living in a house without a yard ever again.

And who can forget the playing power of the hose.  Cohen is obsessed with the hose and will not let anyone come within 5 feet of it.

Arlo and his trucks, he has been playing more and more with cars/truck lately and I love it so much more than super heros:-}

But Cohen knows the importance of staying cool in this weather, so why not add water with trucks???

From the sprinklers to the hoses most of our backyard is dedicated to our kids but...

Tim has been hard at work making it so our backyard is more comfortable by putting up misters... for anybody in AZ thinking about getting misters... DO!!!  They are wonderful!!!!

Shades to give the kids a place to play where their feet won't burn.  I use it more because I can sit in the shade and misters and still see the kids playing in the yard!

And a clothes line to hang the clothes that we play in everyday.

Besides our backyard we have also spent many days at my mom's pool and the public pool where Arlo is taking lessons.  (A blogpost on Arlo's swimming lessons soon to follow.)  So, all of you AZ summer haters look and be jealous of all the fun we can have in our summer and then continue to enjoy our beautifully mild winters as well!!!!  I will chose hot over cold any day!!!