It's heating up outside but we're in a competition with three other couples to see who can go the longest without turning on their a/c! It's already reached 101 degrees outside in the past week and our thermostat said it got to 88 degrees inside the house yesterday! It's definitely been toasty.

Chris and I love trying to save energy by using our a/c as little as possible in the winter and summer and by turning down our hot water heater. Saving energy = saving the earth AND dollars. Win/win! Last year we made it to June 5 before turning on our a/c and we were pretty proud. But this year with the competition on the line the stakes are even higher - this year it's about energy savings and pride. And that is a powerful force. Chris even casually mentioned, "Maybe we can make it the whole summer without using a/c." I do love saving energy but I think that's taking it a bit far for me...

All this hot weather is making me want to escape to my favorite place in the world, Barton Springs, in my hometown of Austin, TX. The water is 68 degrees year-round because it's spring fed. It's so cold I just have to jump in to get in at all. It's so cold but so worth it!

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