We went camping with friends last weekend, right before school started. It was fun, though the weather was a bit uncooperative (cool, damp at times). Was great fun watching all the kids doing kid things... some of them tried new things (Phoebe and Isabelle tried body surfing and boogie boarding), and we found a couple of geocaches.
We just had a pretty good heat wave - strangely it got even hotter on the coast than here (which is completely backwards - I'd love to understand how that happens). We went to the beach yesterday - it was 99 degrees F in Santa Cruz, but perhaps 10 or 15 degrees cooler right on the beach. Was a great day for going in the water... except for the jellyfish that stung Eli. Scared the hell out of me at first, because we're all in the water having a great time, and all the sudden he just completely loses it. So I kind of snap at him and tell him he's got to stop and tell me what happened. He did a pretty good job at that, considering he was in a lot of pain, so I tell him not to worry (while I'm worried) and walk him over to the lifeguard (because I have no idea how to treat jellyfish stings, or even if I should be worried). The lifeguard asks him about it, and gives us a spray bottle of vinegar to spray where Eli's stung. Yup, vinegar. I do this, and Eli says it helps.
The lifeguard says the jellyfish has little stinging cells that break off and embed in the skin when the tentacle brushes on you. He says not to mess with skin where it's stung, because it will irritate it more, unless you're going to wash the area with soap and water (to remove the stinging cells). He tells us once he got stung in Costa Rica and tried scrubbing his skin with some sand. He says Eli should feel better in about an hour, but to watch for allergic reactions - if Eli has shortness of breath or anything like that, to take him to the hospital or come back. I ask him if he has Benedryl, and he doesn't, but they have oxygen and stuff. He says allergic reactions are rare, but to be careful.
Eli is feeling a little better, but still in pain. We go back to our beach blanket and he lies down, and I try to distract him by talking to him. His stung areas welt up a bit, but after a bit (about an hour), he feels better. He's not keen on going back in the water, but we all build a huge sandcastle, complete with moat, tunnels, and turrets.
Then, we come home and play in the pool for a bit, and read Harry Potter before bed. I try to put them to bed, but it's too hot. Eventually we all come sleep in the living room on the floor in front of the fan.
Today it was much cooler - high of 85 maybe. Played in the pool, did chores, and tie-dyed shirts with the tie-dye kit they got me for father's day.
Oh, and I should mention they started back to school last week and that seems well. Ben has Mr. Hill, who Eli had for second grade and we loved.
