Backyard Planting

We decided to spend yesterday planting plants in the back planter box. On one of the hottest days at the hottest time of the day we decided to plant in the backyard!! It was 97 degrees here yesterday! Actually, it wasn't that bad once we were out there and started digging, there was a nice breeze and there was the pool of course (1)! The plants make such a big difference in the yard. I was feeling like the backyard didn't have much character to it and now it has a definite start in the right direction... besides the amazing view of the mountain (2). We planted two pygmy date palms on the ends (4), asiatic lillies, a bush with white gardenia flowers, a hydrenga, a philadendron (sp?) and some other stuff I can't remember the names of! (3) I put two of these garden butterflies in random spots among the plants and later in the day the sun cast like a halo around one of them in the coolest way (5).

Anthony and Aidan hung out in the pool for awile cooling off after a hard day in the yard (1) and showing off their tattoos (6). If you can't see it in that picture look a little harder in picture 7. After Alec woke up from his nap we finally came in the house to get out of the heat and Alec was just too cute in my hat (8, 9).

Quick swim update... We went to the pool in our neighborhood on Thursday and spent a good two + hours swimming, the kids loved it! They were doing really well with their water wings again. It didn't take long before Aidan was jumping off the top step by himself and then even off the side of the pool. After about an hour or hour and a half he decided he wanted the water wings off... so off they came and he was still jumping in all over the place! Of course someone had to be there to catch him, he can't quite get himself up to take a breath but he didn't lose any of his confidence just because the water wings were off. I was so proud of him and totally encouraged that the water wings were the way to go.

(Be sure to click on the image above, it will enlarge it and make it easier to see each picture)