It's the final countdown!

Our days at the pool are limited and our schedule is so packed that our time to visit the pool in the limited time it's still open is also limited. Miriam had a babysitting job this afternoon, so we decided we'd visit the pool after dropping her off. 

We had it all to ourselves...if you don't count all the salamanders. There were four dead ones and two still-alive ones. We collected the dead ones and the live ones and moved them off into the woods (returning the salamanders to the little pond/stream area we assume they originated).

Here's Benjamin fishing them out of the pool:

This was a bit of a gross project...but far better than the one time Zoë found a dead and bloated salamander in the pool and insisted it was (a) alive and (b) her best friend and "played" with it the entire time we were at the pool. This was several years ago...but it still makes us all shudder.

The kids checked all the skimmer baskets—and a good thing, too, because this particular basket had one dead and two live salamanders:

These ones are alive:

Here's a picture of me with the kids—I love how Phoebe is also trying to make a peace sign:

She has always been an unconventional finger-counter. And she still doesn't quite get it. But she was happy to get two fingers up and then realized her palm should be facing out rather than in...so this picture is better:

She nailed that peace sign!

Oh, we also found a toad. 

Phoebe had the honour of carrying the toad to the pond and she was very excited about it. Here's a little belly rub for the toad (her words; poor toad):

Here she is carefully walking it across a speed bump (we were the only ones in the parking lot):

Much to the relief of the toad, Phoebe dropped it just after we cross the parking lot. It landed in a mud puddle and then quickly hopped away under a prickly bush. Phoebe was distraught...but I think the toad was okay with the arrangement.

The kids had a good time swimming once they decided on a game to play (which unfortunately didn't really happen until about 15 minutes before we needed to leave). Hopefully we'll make it back a time or two before the pool closes...until May. 

Phoebe is already talking about May. 

The kids are already looking forward to summer swim.

Hard to believe that summer is over!