Redneck slip-n-slide

Saturday morning we got up and went to the pool, but we came home at 2:00 -- early for us, but Grayson was planning to take the big boys to Alabama Adventure later in the afternoon, and we wanted to have some time to rest before they left.

When we got home, however, I decided to water the flowers with the hose, and since the boys were already in their swimsuits, well ...

That situation just lent itself to playing in the front yard, getting wetter and wetter.

We haven't had an actual Slip-n-Slide in a couple of years, but I pulled out one of the Cub Scout camping tarps and some dishwashing liquid, and the rest is history.

If you have a tarp and a hose, generic dishwashing liquid will do the trick to make your tarp slippery and ready for lots of FUN!

Now, I'm not gonna claim that this combo won't turn your yard into a holy mess ...

But I WILL say that your kids will think you're a total genius, and there's a lot to be said for that.

It's also a great diversion for a 95-degree day.

And as dirty as the kids get as the yard turns to muddy slush, remember! They're also sliding on dishwashing liquid. SOAP!

If you're me, you might ALMOST be tempted to call it a bath.

See? Here's the rinse cycle:

We did this for almost two solid hours.

No kidding. I finally had to cut them off at the two-hour mark.

A responsible mom has to draw the line SOMETIME when her kids are hurtling through the yard toward a concrete driveway, ya know?

Totally worth the time and effort spent. Did I mention that as we headed inside, Nathaniel declared it the Best. Day. Ever?

'Cause he did.