1st dip in the new pool on Travis Green

There are so many reasons we love Austin - the sites, the sounds, the Tex-Mex, the memories, UT events, great friends and now we have one more reason - Uncle Jason's new pool! It is always a treat for us to go stay a night or two with Jason and Bruce. They take hospitality to the next level and I secretly love that I never have to lift a finger. Jason is a natural in the kitchen and cooks amazing dishes from scratch so we always leave a pound or two heavier. The kids now expect blueberry and cherrio waffles in the morning and they know exactly where to find his giant box of fruit snacks.

Last summer we stayed a few days at their house and to get some relief from the heat, we went to their neighborhood pool. Even though the pool was in the neighborhood, we still had to do all the pool prepping and loading - floaties, towels, extra clothes, swim diapers for Caleb, snacks, drinks, etc.... You moms with kids know the routine and how exhausting it can be. Well, Jason and Bruce both love to lounge by the pool, but prefer to do it without 45 neighborhood kids splashing around them so they took matters into their own hands and built a pool about 5 steps from their backdoor. I admit when they first discussed the idea, I was a bit skeptical about where they would put it and how it would look. That's what I get! The pool is perfect and totally completes their botanical garden. There will be no deep water diving as the pool only gets 3 1/2 feet deep, but it is perfect for cooling off, lounging, and playing with the kids. There backyard is a quiet little retreat now, one I hope we escape to often.

On Friday we headed to Austin and it was 8:30pm before we pulled into the driveway. The kids, who had found there swimsuits packed in the suitcase and insisted on putting them on for the drive, had one thing on their minds - swimming pool!!! They were held back a bit as Jason and Bruce made it known that they'd have to eat their supper if they wanted to swim. It was late before we ate, but time does not matter to 3 determined toddlers. 10:30pm was the perfect time for an evening dip. The water was a brisk 78 degrees - too cold for my blood, especially since the sun was already asleep. Wes and Jason were troopers and got it with the kids while Bruce and I supervised from the top. Austin, Avery & Caleb loved every minute of it and thanks to the cold water, the dip in the pool was a short one. They got to swim a little on Saturday too after the UT baseball game. I have a feeling there will be many more future swimming opportuities.