Heating up

We watch a lot of Weather Channel in this house.  I've been addicted since I took a meteorology class in graduate school.  Will has been addicted since he could see the weather maps on the TV around the age of 2.  Luke has been addicted since Will's been addicted.  And Matt is following close behind.  Poor Nate.

Each morning as we get ready for school and work, the Weather Channel is on.  We catch the day's headlines with Al Roker and Stephanie Abrams.  And every 10 minutes during the Local on the 8s, you could cut the concentration in the room with a knife.  This is Will and Luke's favorite time of the morning.

Will recognizes the voice of the weatherman reading the weather for the next 2 days.  He stares intently as bright colors move across the map of North Carolina.  He knows the music.  He is intense when his Local on the 8s are on, and he gets MAD if you interrupt him during this time.

Luke pays attention to the actual weather predicted for each of the next 7 days.  He marvels when the weather for the day is predicted to be sunny ("That's my favorite weather, Mommy.").  He gets upset when they predict rain ("I don't like rainy days.  I like sunny days!").  He makes generally funny comments ("Wow.  That weather sounds very pleasant.").  And this morning, when the next 7 days showed highs over 100 degrees, Luke again marveled.

"Wow, Mommy.  Its gonna be REALLY HOT outside."  Then he pretended to fan himself.

He's right.  It IS going to be hot.  Too hot.  Thankfully, we're about to bust our way out of town for an epic trip to the north... leaving this blazing hot summer behind for a while.  I am seriously nervous for what the rest of the summer holds.  If we're in for a summer of highs in the 100s, this Slavik family will be spending a lot of time indoors.

So we've set up Otis' old doggie pool on the backporch to aid in this trek through desert-like conditions.  Whenever anyone needs it, they take a dip.  We've decided that because of the privateness of our backyard and the hastle of putting on bathing suits, clothing is not required in our backyard oasis pool.  Luke, Will and Matt seem to like this a lot.  I took a number of photos which I cannot post online because I'd be arrested for indecently showing you my kids and their tushes.

But I can post this photo, which Luke was all too happy to help me take.  "Really Mommy... it is OK if I SPIT??"  The photo turned out pretty awesome... now I just have to figure out a way to remind Luke that spitting really isn't ok, after snapping 20 pictures of him doing it and encouraging him to do it again and again!

If you're stuck in this heat wave for the next week, I highly recommend a backyard kiddie pool.  Spitting and clothing optional.