Beating the Heat Wave

The past week has been filled with over 100 degree days. I think it was 7 days of 100 to 111 degree forecasts, although I think the high for the week was 108. It really doesn't matter, over 100 is hot and hot is HOT. We normally have lows in the 60's over night, and are able to get up in the morning and open windows, but this week it was 90 degrees before the sun went up.

I'm not much of a hot weather girl. As a kid, I remember playing all summer, and LOVING any time I got in a pool. As an adult, I'm not great at braving the heat, and I burn easily. When you have kids, though, you have to get out. This week, it was hard to keep all the Sweetie P's occupied and happy, so I had to be a bit resourceful.

First, you have to have water play! The Sweetie's love to have the sprinklers on and the lawn was rather thirsty, so a few extra cycles were welcome.

Mr. Sweetie had cut PVC pipe and drilled holes in it so the kids could make their own water fountain creations to play in. Littlest Sweetie P thought it made a great drinking fountain.

But sometimes, just the hose is all you need to cool off and have fun. 

Now Mr. Sweetie can be rather creative with play. When we moved into our home last year, the previous owners left behind a slide. It is the type that would be attached to a play structure, but it was alone in the dirt. Mr. S cleaned it up, propped it on a latter, and made a water slide for the kids. 

While the Sweetie Ps thought this was great fun, I have to admit, I was a bit leery about safety. No accidents, only happy kids.

And of course, no summer with little ones would be complete without swim lessons. Not so great for Mom, since I had to brave the heat and wait for class to be over. We actually skipped one day because I could not take sitting in 108 degree heat. But learning to swim is important!

In the afternoon, we mostly stayed indoors, praying the the A/C could keep up with the heat. Staying inside means Mom has to come up with something to do or the Sweetie P's will watch Dora all day. 

I remembered seeing a pin on pintrest about an air fort.  It seemed simple enough, and the Sweetie P's love to play in forts. I simply weighed down the sides of a king sheet with anything I could grab in the play room, and then put a box fan on the open end. Turned it on, and the kids were amazed!

They grabbed pillows and blankets and loaded up the fort with all kinds of comforts for a few hours, off and on all day.

I took another pintrest idea, and had the kids drop colored vinegar in a tray of baking soda. I had picked up the baking soda at Winco in the bulk food section, so I got a bag for little cost. I scooped about 2 cups in each pan, and gave them droppers to drop in the colored vinegar.

 I asked the kids to mix colors and see what they came up with. Some how, brown was a favorite.

I had not planned to give the littlest Sweetie a try, but she was interested. She did, however, get more soda into the vinegar than the other way around! 

I had told my oldest it was a science/art project, so when he was done, he asked how long it would take to dry. He was not at all disappointed when I told him we would take a photo to save and dump the rest in the sink.

Over all it was a successful project,  fun for the kids and not too messy. They enjoyed the bubbles and fizz and watching the colors mix and change.

Now last, but not least. One of my favorite ways to cool off. Popsicles!
A few years back Mr. Sweetie invested in a Zuko Quick Pop Maker.

At first, I thought it was a lot of money for popsicles. I mean, you can just pop some juice in an ice cube tray and get some toothpicks, right? But I have to admit, this thing is fun! And, the kids only have to wait about 10 minutes for popsicles. I make them from juice, pureed fresh fruit and yogurt, so when they ask for a second, not only do I not mind, but I have it done before they finish the first! 

Something about popsicles and kids that screams summer! 

So, how are you getting along in the summer's hottest days?