farewell summer

Last night as I was leaving mutual and getting into my car - about a quarter to nine - I noticed that if felt a little cool. It was the first time in months that I had actually noticed a drop in temperature. And then this morning as John and I were leaving the house and heading to the temple - about half past six - we noticed the same thing...the air was noticeably cooler than it has been. Although it felt nice, at the same time, it made me a little sad. I am just an Arizona girl through and through. I really should have been born here. I love the sunshine. I love the heat...yes even the 118 degree heat. I love walking outside on a really hot day, and getting goosebumps from the sudden rise in temperature. I love taking my kids to the pool...and how warm the water gets from just the heat of the sun. I love popsicles and cold drinks and the healthy glow of sun-kissed skin. Everything about summer, really - I love. And this summer was no exception. Actually this summer may have been even better than some from the past. This summer we got Big Surf season passes. I heard about Big Surf for the very first time when I was a little girl. Mom was showing me the photo album from her and dad's honeymoon, and several of the pictures were taken at Big Surf. Back in those days it was pretty much just a giant wave pool, surrounded by sand. Dad told me that the day they were there, it was 110 degrees, in the shade, and that they burned their feet on the sun scorched sand. Quite a lot has changed, actually since the 70's. They've added additional slides, kiddie areas, and replaced all the sand with grass and concrete. The wavepool is the same in that it is just one giant wave that goes off ever 3 minutes, rather than sporadic and random waves all over the pool, which is not at all what the ocean is actually like. It's probably the oldest and smallest water park in Arizona, but for our family, it was a little paradise that we were able to enjoy together almost every single weekend.

Some of our favorite things were:

• Chanting "Big Surf, Big Surf, Big Surf!" every time we pulled into the parking lot
• Our orange wristbands (That was asher's favorite thing. He would proudly hold up his left hand while they secured the band on his wrist, and then he would admire it for several minutes.)
• Racing everybody to get a shaded tikki hut
• Friday night...staying up past bed time, swimming in the dark, and dancing to the loud music
• Hours in the wave pool
• Catching a wave and riding it all the way in
• Double tube slides
• Nachos
• Naps in the shade
• Labor day with the Costello's
• Staying from open to close
• Mcdonald's ice cream on the way home

Some of the things we'd just as soon forget:

• Asher's blowouts
• Asher's temper tantrums
• Asher getting stung by a bee

Other than that, it was a pretty fun and unforgettable summer for all of us.

I made the mistake of letting Asher take a few pictures all by himself (see below). He did an ok job on the first one. And the others?...Well, maybe he was going for more of an artsy look.
It ended up being a mistake because of what how he reacted when I took the camera away from him...
He looks about how I feel, seeing it all come to an end.

Farewell summer.

Farewell Big Surf.

...until next year.