Summer Lunches (by the pool).........

So this post dates back to the Saturday pre-vacation. The same Saturday I did this post. We had a little time to enjoy the pool before I left for my massage, and I thought I would share a quick and easy summer lunch that we often do. We all know in the heat of the season, no one wants to be cooking or eating heavy meals. Ever since Jon and I feel in love with tapas a few years ago, we often adopt a similar idea at home. Just a bunch of small things that we can quickly throw together (ours are usually cold, not cooked). Not really an antipasti either, since it is not strictly Italian. It's usually a mix of fruits, bread, cheese, meat, etc..... Olives, nuts, crackers have been used too. On this day we had turkey bites, cheeses (one of which is a rosemary asiago), kiwi, cherries, grapes, strawberries, bread (from Panera) and dipping oil. It's great for kids too - Richard really likes it.

 

I mentioned in that same post how Jon made me a faux sangria with sparkling grape juice and fresh fruit. Here is another great summer drink idea: strawberry lemonade with muddled basil leaves. This is something we also tried at our favorite tapas place. Try it, you'll thank me later.

 

I apologize for sharing the following story with a food post, so you can stop reading now if you wish.

So at the end of that same post, I mentioned that Richard filled his pants. Jon gave me a smirk as he bolted out the door to go get his workout in before my appointment. If you are a parent, you know that if a child takes care of business before you go do XYZ, you are pretty happy. Whew, thank goodness that's out of the way. Even though we weren't all leaving the house together that day, it was still a relief.

 

We were done eating and enjoying the pool. Richard was more content to run around and around, purposely getting close to the edge so we could catch him and dunk him before placing him back on the patio. All of a sudden, my nose picked up a smell. Referring back to the same post yet again, I first thought it was the dogs or else the source of whatever they rolled in (outside of the pool fence) several days prior. I should probably clarify at this point too, that we have 2 chihuahuas. Based on some of my stories, you might assume we have larger dogs. But no, chihuahuas wreck as much havoc as I have described. Our male can, in fact, wolf down a plate of food that weighs more than him in mere seconds. Jon kept trying to convince me the smell was a flowering bush, whose flowers were stinky. No, no, my maternal instincts were not buying it.

 

All of sudden, I saw a brown color creeping up the sides of Richard's swimmer. I politely informed Jon I had located the source of the smell. Pool time was over - it was close to when I had to leave anyway. Someone had to take care of the toddler, and someone had to take care of bringing all of the plates in. I gave Jon a look. He knew it was HIS turn. A turn which required a bath AND a shared shower. I had flashbacks of the night we stayed at a Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park this past Winter...... water and #2's do not mix well. Yep, that's right, yet another story. Jon was conveniently off meeting a guy to pick up some car parts - after all, the entire trip was planned around him buying a new rally car in Ohio (the same car whose engine is now being rebuilt). Imagine that happening and you have to carry your child across the park to retrieve your room key off the table, and then your room is all the way at the end of one of the hallways. All the while trying not to alert anyone else to what has just happened. Because when kids are having fun, they do not give you a warning. Yeah, not fun.

 

This is why they chlorinate those places people! To the point of headache inducing chemicals the second you walk in!

 

I am sorry for over sharing, but these are the things people do not tell you about having kids.

 

Anyway, my massage was amazing! I enjoyed it very much. It was just what I needed and I hope to go back to the same lady again.

 

Our vacation was wonderful as well. There was a lot of swimming involved, but luckily we did not have any of the incidents described above. In fact, just the opposite. The last step of potty training does in fact seem to revolve around #2 and getting him to want to go in the toilet. Our bribe is suckers. He will randomly say, "I get a sucker for going poop.......... and for haircuts!"

 

Oh, to be 3 again.

 

I did not think it would happen while we were away, so I did not pack any suckers. He ended up going twice! Luckily, the resort store had suckers and while checking out, he proudly announced to the cashier, "These are for going poop!"

 

My last funny related to all of this is while running errands this week he pulled the elastic of his shorts down a few inches to announce to yet another cashier, "I'm wearing big boy underwear!"

 

I am sure there will be more, but I will spare you for a while. You're welcome.