Thursday, May 22, 2008

It's officially winter!

And what I mean when I say "it's officially winter" is that it is officially summer. I am still trying to wrap my mind around the idea that in Texas you stay inside during June, July and August (and I would argue May and September) and spend the winter outside playing.

It is just killing me to sit inside on these days that are looking absolutely gorgeous. I tried to take Gwen to the park yesterday around 11:00AM but the slides were too hot (borderline melting) and the swings were too hot, and pretty much it was just a miserable experience. For our own safety we were forced to stop on the way home to get ice cream.

The last few days have been in the upper nineties and with the heat index (what does that mean, humidity?) the feels like temperature is in the lower 100's. Ouch. It is May. I am used to nice moderate temperatures.

I just need to adjust my mindset. Instead of freezing my buns off from October to April in Minnesota or Utah, my buns get toasted here in Texas (which really I guess is preferable).

This whole problem is magnified by the fact that I have a borderline albino infant. This kid fries up real nice with about three minutes of exposure in the sun. Gwen has never had a sunburn in her life, ever. Not one. Bentley so far has had about ten bad ones. I should post a picture of their two legs together. Gwen looks like a Hawaiian goddess and really, Bentley looks like a cute little white person who should not be exposed to the sun ever.

Any good ideas for keeping kids entertained during these hot hot hot days of May?

5 comments:

G said...

I have a similar contrast with the skin tones of my 2 kids. Poor Claire looks like me but got M's skin and poor Scott looks like M but got my "white-whiteness that's white" skin.

I think the answers are swimming and coming over to hang out (inside) with us.

kateworthi said...

No good ideas - sorry. We just go to the library and borrow lots of movies and books. I'm sure you're already doing stuff like that though. But that's kind of funny that we have the same problems/non-problems with our 1st and 2nd children too, (same as Gretchen too). Ben has NEVER needed sunscreen; the kid's a golden calf. Spence is so fair-skinned, and blotchy. it's sad. That's not fair for boys. I think if one's gonna be so white, it should be girls. They look like porcelain princesses - while boys just look pastey.... :) Hope you'll survive the summer! In July, just remember that you LOVE it there in January. In MN, I don't have that luxury!

Bart said...

I agree with Gretchen. Swimming, sitting in the shaded section of the patio by the pool (assuming you have one), hanging out with Gretchen and company, Ralphie and company, etc.

Don't forget lots of popsicles . . .

p.s. I like your banner picture.

meleah said...

I had someone tell me that for the hot car, when you have to park it outside, she keeps a spray bottle in there, so before she puts her kids in she mists it down. It is so hot that it basically just evaporates but cools it down at the same time.
The summer days here at always spent at the pool or at my house. :)

Richie said...

Haha - this is awesome :) Having been "born and bred in the briar patch" I can sympathize. Of course, after your kids force themselves to have fun in the sun (and humidity) they might end up like me, looking hispanic and wondering why must it be so insufferably dry in Utah?! I agree with the recommendations above. Pools, running through the sprinklers, popsicles (or otter pops like Grandma always had - yum), and kicking it indoors with your pals. I remember when I moved to Utah and I was looking for a car to buy that there were several people selling cars without AC - I was like WHAT?>! You people's crazzzzy. Then I realized that in some places AC is not a requisite for survival.