rain, rain, go away!

In the weeks leading up to our move, we dealt with some unpleasant weather. It was such a rainy spring! And that is alright with me. Spring should be wet, you know, for the flowers. It just makes it hard to want to do things, because it's cold and, well, wet. It was even rainy (and snowy!) on the morning that we drove out.
Z, enjoying today's storm It was a happy thing to arrive in warm, sunny Colorado. We thought we were saying goodbye to the rain. But it turns out we were wrong. Very wrong. (You know that saying about when you assume something?)

Instead of a sunny summer, it has been a

wet, rainy, dreary summer.
Today we got hail!

I grew up in a place where it was not unusual to go a full summer month with little to no rain. And even though it is horribly unpleasant and hotter than that place I won't mention...(you know...Arizona**...(just kidding AZ friends!) ha..) that is what is familiar. That is what I am used to. That is what summer is.
Basically, I am writing this post to tell you...I feel like I'm being gypped out of summer. I am not a summer fan, but here I am, wishing for the summers that I'm used to. Or, at the very least, weather that is more fitting for the summer season.
he is such a silly guy Plus, did I mention? The storms here can get pretty scary. Every time gray clouds roll in you can be sure there will be lightening. And lightning brings thunder. And some of that thunder has been loud, house-shaking, window-rattling, like I've never before experienced, loud. And the lightning... There is so much lightning. And it's dangerous! And monsoon-y...and I have 3 kids! Which means we don't go anywhere when it gets crazy-stormy. (read: We rarely leave the house.)
lightning and the ever-changing creek
I love, really and truly love, a good summer rain storm. But this every day business has got me a little burned out. Maybe it wouldn't bother me so much if we actually managed to get out once in a while. (That's my own fault, though. If I could just get to a point where I could be ready to leave the house by 10 am, we'd be fine. That, or..) I need to come up with some activities to beat the rainy-day dreariness.

What is something you like to do when the storm clouds roll in?

I blew up the pool my mom sent for C's birthday,
and let them play in it
in their room.
Z loved it!
(They all loved it.)
...now I'm out of ideas...
Help!

**I am perfectly aware that AZ summers
are much hotter than UT summers.