My friend Julie Olpin and I go way back. I mean WAY back. I mean dinosaur way back (just checking to see if she reads this.) Well, after college, we lost track of each other and couldn’t find the other one. Then, with the miracle that is facebook, I found her. It is one of those cosmic friendships that picks up exactly where it left off and it is like not a single day has past.

When we reconnected, her husband Rod was deployed and would be returning shortly. However, since he was gone, we would spend hours talking on the phone and reconnecting and filling in the missing puzzle pieces. Rod came home and jumped right into the swing of things and is now one of my best friends as well.

Well, a few years have past and Rod was being relocated for a year. They took a month off and took a long vacation driving across the country to drop Rod off. I knew that this was going on, but also knew that seeing them on this trip was not going to happen. Well, as things tend to happen, she found some extra time and we were able to spend a whole afternoon with their family. We got to go to lunch and spend the afternoon at the pool.

If I am lucky, I get to see them once a year, so for us, it was a treat!

Nena and her BBFF (Best Boy Friend Forever.) They are like peas and carrots.

You have to look closely to the left side of this picture. Toad and Julie’s niece are riding on Rod’s back as he is swimming around the kiddie pool. This was the highlight of Toad’s week and talked about it for the rest of the week.
Rod took time to teach Bear to swim. He said he followed directions to the absolute T and then promptly forgot everything that he was taught. Gotta love Bear.

Toad loved chilling in the inch high water.

Bear was happy this day, although the pictures don’t prove it. He was just absorbing everything and loved every minute of it. Not to mention that he is a dang skinny stick and is constantly freezing!

Toady riding on Rod’s back.

I took her to glamor shots before we went to the pool 🙂

She loves to pose. I find it a blessing and a curse!

More of Toad enjoying the ride.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture. The five amigos.

Not so serious from the front side.

Cutie Pie!

This is Bear’s BFF!
Toad is working on the moves to pick up on the ladies. So far, picking his nose is not working for him.

He was so chill. It is good to see him like this.

Toad on the other hand was a firecracker.

Skinny Minne! He is constantly freezing.

Splashing around.
Pondering what his next ladies moves will be.