First, Tom gave me the hot tub as a Christmas gift. Generous and sweet of him, yes...except that I don't like hot tubs. I don't even like bathtubs. I just can't wrap my head around soaking in water that's slowly getting dirtier, and, as you know, I can't stand being hot anywhere, at any time.
Second, the hot tub was ugly. It was big and green and looked like a giant inflatable pool toy that we forgot to put away. I don't need our house and surrounding areas to look perfect all of the time, but I do need them to look nice most of the time. The hot tub just didn't fit into my vision for our back yard.
On the positive side, Tom, the kids, and the kids' friends LOVED the hot tub. With the exception of the hottest summer months, Tom, Will, and Hallie enjoyed the tub at least a few times a week. During the late fall, winter, and early spring, Tom went in almost every night.
The hot tub ran solidly for about a year, at which point it began needing more and more maintenance. (It needed some maintenance anyway, as it required chlorinated water that needed to be regularly tested, frequently adjusted, and occasionally emptied and refilled.) Tom did his best to keep it running, but eventually and at the ripe old age of 18 months, the hot tub died and received a ceremonial
Good riddance, at least for me, yes? Except that I couldn't stop thinking about how much the other three Ferri loved and missed that jolly green giant...
So for Valentine's Day, I bought my family a new hot tub. I had to let Tom in on my plan because I refused to set it up myself, so he took care of that step a few days before Valentine's Day and then covered it with a tarp. Shockingly, despite the fact that the tarp screamed "I'm covering something the exact same size and shape as the last hot tub!!!" neither Will nor Hallie noticed the new hot tub sitting on the back porch. (Should we be concerned about their lack of observational skills?)
Last Wednesday night, Tom and the kids embarked on our annual Valentine's Day treasure hunt. Per usual, the treasure hunt "ended" with their small gifts, but then inside Tom's (somehow always a surprise) photo book was hidden one more clue...that led to the hot tub.
This is my favorite picture from the surprise - even though Will is blurry, you can see the jubilation on his face as he realizes what's happening. |
Hallie, not so much - she couldn't figure out my drawing. (I draw all of the treasure hunt clues myself and I am clearly NOT an artist.) |
"No way. No.Way. NO WAY. NO.WAY. NOWAYNOWAYNOWAY!!!" (That's an actual quote from Will.) |
Time for a quick dip! |
I have now earned the title of coolest mom or stupidest mom on the planet. Maybe both.
Tux is also a HUGE fan. |
"Fun" twist: the new hot tub has a leak. The company is sending us a new new one, but I feel like the universe might be trying to tell me something...
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