Dog Days of Summer

Okay so I lied.  It has been over a month since my last post.  But in my defense, when the temperature hits 100 degrees, I have no motivation or desire to do anything, even the simple task of moving my fingers.  It expends too much energy.  So, I have pretty much been in that state off and on for the better part of the month, and since we have been having highs of 102-111 the past four days, you can imagine what my productivity level has been around here.  I'll give you a glimpse:  Wake up, sit in the pool, take a nap, repeat.  My tan is looking pretty good if I do say so myself!

Anyway, things are going pretty well.  Mark hit his rhythm with his pool route and has been consistently finishing by noon every day, so his boss gave him more pools today.  I feel bad that he has to work outside in this weather but he says it doesn't bother him.  If things continue to go well with this job, we are hoping to be in our own TWO-BEDROOM apartment by mid-August!  I think only my San Diegan friends can share my enthusiasm for square footage, especially given the fact that we will be able to have so much more room for less than what we paid for a run-down studio apartment in beautiful San Diego!  But, then again, it is Sacramento.  Waaaa Waaaa.  Oh, how I miss the 75 degree weather, ocean breezes and palm trees galore! 

One thing I can't complain about its the fact that Jagger is absolutely thriving here.  I think all of the constant conversation around him and the revolving door of people that is my parent's house, aka Grand Central Station, is really accelerating his progress when it comes to speaking.  He has a little vocabulary now:  NO! (he says this while simultaneously shaking his head AND his arm back and forth at you), Ball, Meow, Baby, and Ni-Night (he lays his head down when he says that).  Whenever he sees food or is hungry he says "Nom Nom Nom" and his new thing is to say "Whaaaaaaat's Thaaaaaaat?! and point at anything and everything.  He says it with such awe and enthusiasm it is hilarious.  It's somewhat reminiscent of those old Budweiser commercials where the guy says "Waaaazzzup!" all the time, but when I pointed that out to Mark he emphatically told me not to teach Jag that phrase.  He has also begun nodding his head yes when I ask him a question and I am trying to get him to say "Yes" or some variation but he likes "No" better.  He hears it so much I can't really blame him!  My Dad likes to speak to Jag in a Donald Duck voice, and now every time my Dad walks in the room Jagger tries to imitate that voice.  The other day at the Kingdom Hall a bald brother wearing glasses walked by and Jagger made that same Donald Duck noise at him.  So I guess every balding guy wearing glasses can be a stand in for Grandpa :)

One saving grace during this heat wave has been my parent's swimming pool, which on the average day is a balmy 85 degrees, but being a good 15-20 degrees cooler than the air it is surprisingly refreshing.  Jagger is always in his element when in or near the water, and he especially loves watching his cousins splash around.

Also, he has been running all over the place and those of you who frequent Facebook may have already seen this video but for those that haven't, here is one minute of his walking skills:

 

Once again, I will try to update this thing more often.  I am not the best about keeping in touch but I'd like to say that we miss all of you so much and think about all of our wonderful friends all of the time.  Hope to see you soon!