On Wednesday afternoon, Jordan came because his parents both had to work. I took the boys swimming and they had a good time. They asked if we could go back today and we did.
When we arrived there was no one in the pool. I couldn't believe it. There was one family there but no one else, so the boys had the entire pool much to themselves. Here are a few photos:
The boys weren't long getting into the water. They had all the water toys to themselves. Jordan loves to ride in this little boat, as he calls it. Brandon loves to push him in it.
They have a lot of fun doing this and they laugh when Brandon gives it a big push. He was ready to do that in the photo above.
They also love to float on the mat. They take turns and get along really well in the water. They are both becoming much better swimmers, as they have been in the water a lot this year.
The park bench in the above photo is where I hang out while the boys are swimming. I can't swim a stroke but do go in with them sometimes. However, it is my preference to sit on this bench under the beautiful shade trees and read a good book, just as I did yesterday and today. It's very relaxing and both days there was a lovely cool breeze. I am nearby and can keep my ear tuned for the lifeguards yelling. I always check to make sure the boys are okay. Some parents just drop their kids off for the lifeguards to babysit. That is not my way. Lifeguards are to keep children safe, not to babysit.
I had just taken the photo of the beautiful park area and turned around to see the boys filling the boat up with toys. They were helping the lifeguards clear the pool. They always volunteer to do this and I'm quite proud that they do. It is a big help for the boys, who are already in the pool and wet, to gather up all of the water toys. The lifeguards appreciate it and always thank them. Once that was done, the boys got out of the water, changed into dry clothes and we headed to my place. All fun and no work isn't good for any boy.
So I put Brandon to work doing the weed eating. He enjoys doing this and is getting better at it each time. That is a big help to us. He does a fairly good job on it too.
Jordan got the task of watering the flowers, though they didn't really need to be. When I told him to water the flowers, I meant the ones on the porch railing and in the baskets. So when he finished here, he got to do those as well. All play and no work is not good for anyone and I firmly believe these kids need to learn to have a good work ethic. They both try hard and the only thing I've ever expected of them is that they do their best.
Grandma is tuckered out after having the boys pretty much all week. They are active and keep me on my toes, but we do have a lot of fun together, whether we are working or playing.
Take the time to spend a few hours with a child. Teach them something new, let them help you in the kitchen or garden or play a board game. It's a great way to bond and makes many wonderful memories. ~Blessings, Mary~
Sure enough, the creature stuck its head out of the water and stared at us for a few minutes. Just as I tried to capture it on my digital, it dropped back under the surface. It only stayed under a few seconds and came up to take another look. I snapped the photo and you can see it above. It was a good size, but snapping turtles do grow a lot bigger than this one. It's been years since I saw one and this fellow freaked Jordan out. 
When we got to the the van, we saw this Monarch butterfly resting on the gravel. It was probably enjoying the moisture that was trapped there from yesterday's rain. We watched it for a while and then headed home. Jordan really enjoyed the fishing trip. Tonight Brandon is staying over, but since it's raining we don't know if we will get to go fishing or if we'll have to make other plans.
