Journaling

- I am really loving this whole Summer thing this year, so far.  Everyday this week has been similar.  The kids get up, veg, watch tv, play computer, then we rally and get everyone to hurry and do their jobs after a late breakfast.  Then around lunch time we're all dressed and can finally call everyone in the neighborhood to come over and play.  Then the kids run around frantically trying to cover every sqare foot of the house with mud and fingerprints, all the while trying to find "something to do".  It's been fun though :).  We have some new neighbors.  The Petersons in the ward moved from a different street in our ward to next door!  They have a daughter who is a year older than Charity, one Brad's age, and a son Noah's age.  I didn't think we'd have so much fun with them because of the ages- I knew Noah and Eddie would play a little, but not everyone else- they've managed to play together almost every single day.  Their big thing right now is the lemonade/otterpop stand.  They've already made $47.8-something cents!!  I guess they're just stocking up the money.  Kinda cool if you ask me!  We apparently have some very generous neighbors driving by (not to mention all the money Nate and I have provided to younger siblings).  Here's a math problem for ya.  If the lemonade costs $0.25 a cup, and you give a 2 year old $1.00, why does she come back with only 1 cup??  hmmmmmm...... I'm totally kidding.  Just playing with Charity and Kelly.  They really have impressed me with their entrepreneurship.  So yesterday, Tuesday, our day went just like this, Nate left for work around 1:30, we had the Bates' and the Holleys' extra kids during the girls' activity day activity, Then when they got home, the girls had planned out a late night with our new neighbors and a girl up the street.  Bradley wanted in on the whole late night business and invited a friend to have one here.  His friend turned it around and decided to have it at his house.  So that left me here with Luke, Noah and Erika.  Felt a little like school days at first, and I was missing my big kids.  Noah and Erika were napping though and I realized it was the perfect chance to enjoy some time alone with Luke.  Doesn't happen often enough.  And I knew I needed to FULLY enjoy the littles' nap since they were going to be keeping me up all night because of it.  So anyway, I told Luke to find something fun for us to do :), and he came back with Monopoly!  He's so funny to play with.  He totally trash talks you the whole time, every time he gets something good, he just rubs it in your face.  I keep thinking I should start teaching him some better sportsmanship, but it's just so funny.  I like his self-confidence.  The funny thing is that he will admit it when he's losing.  And he gets nervous and starts playing really fast so he can catch up and beat you.  It's funny.  He keeps very close track of things too.  It's very difficult to "cheat-lose" (aka: let him win).  We played for a long time.  He ended up with The three best properties, and enough money to put houses on all of them.  I put houses on my too, mostly for looks (I was really trying to bring the game to an end so that we could get on with the evening and get kids in bed :) ).  He was so funny!  I had to beg him to put up houses, he wanted to just wait until he had enough to buy hotels!  Big shot!  Luckily he conceded and realized that that's how you make money.  He eventually had hotels on everything he owned and I went down in a cloud of smoke :).  It was so much fun though!  He really is such a fun kid to play with.  I can't not mention how amazing he is at math too!  Especially for a Kindergartner!  He was able to count out the money perfectly, round up if he needed to, and tell me how much I owed him.... it was SO impressive!  I think I've said this before, but really!!  He knows his numbers!  The other day when we were playing Sorry, I realized how good he is at strategy!  He has a really good, LOGICAL brain in that little head of his!  It's amazing.  I'm really going to have to harness this somehow.  Makes me proud of my little wild child (as he once was considered :).... can't really call him that anymore).  6-12-12

- Nate's had a weird schedule this week as he transitions to his new one.  So Wednesday was one of his days off.  We made our way out to SL for lunch with Uncle Dan at McD's.  That was fun.  Then we did some grocery shopping, which is actually quite fun with everyone sometimes.  I enjoyed it.  It's always nice to restock the shelves at home too ;).  We had missed FHE on Monday night because Nate had been working, so we decided to have it on Wednesday night.  We had to send all the friends home, but I was so happy to hear Bradley telling his friend that he couldn't go to his house because he had to have Family Night and he "really likes Family Night" when the friend kept begging.  What a sweetie.  Erika was very excited before it started as well.  She had been curious about what her assignment was and when she found out she was the opening song, she got anxious!  She did her slow fast leading and she just totally cracks me up with how much she loves that control :).  It is so fun to watch our kids ENJOY family night and that they look forward to it, and feel like they are part of something.  It's so neat.  I can see why it is such an important part of Heavenly Father's plan.  Charity planned the lesson all on her own, typed it up and everything.  It was about Missionary work.  She asked us several questions and led us in a discussion about when, where, why, how, we should go on a mission.  It was really well thought out and I loved that she was thinking about being a missionary now, and what we can do now.  I need to get a copy of her notes to keep in here, but I didn't.  She is growing up to be such a spiritual giant, it's neat to watch.  She did a little stand up sit down game at the end to scenarios she had made up about being a good example.  Very creative.  It was Luke's turn to do the treat and even though we hadn't really planned it out beforehand, he insisted that we go out for ice cream.  Half of us were in jammies already (it was like 9:30 when we finally finished), so we compromised and waited in the car at Dick's while Dad and Luke ran in to get some novelties.  Who doesn't love dippin dots and Fat Boys!  It was a nice Family Night.  I enjoyed it.  6-13-12

- Tonight we went to Grandpa's for pizza and TV :).  The kids have totally found their groove there.  We fall into the same patterns every time :).  It's hilarious really.  But I love that everyone is comfortable and they have a good time.  It's cute to watch my Dad play with Erika and Noah.  They're like the Three Stooges together.  It was a really nice break to the monotony I'm beginning to realize is my life, and I loved not having to cook dinner :).  Thanks Dad!   6-14-12

- Just got back from our first time at the Splash Park this Summer.  I LOOOOOOVE Splash parks!  SO low maintenance, and that is a definite plus right now.  We weren't sure what to do today and the idea popped into my head.  I think some of the kids would have rather stayed home and called friends to come over (same thing we do everyday, Pinky), but I think they realized we can have fun doing other things when we finally got out.  It was a little windy, so they got cold a lot and spent a lot of time over by me, laying on towels and eating all the food we brought.  But really, it was very relaxing and a good time.  It never ceases to amaze me how many little boys there are out there who enjoy pretending like the water streams are coming from them.  Apparently that's a popular form of imaginative play.  Luke especially.  Every fountain he can.  Pretends like he's peeing.  Fun stuff.  Erika was fun to watch especially too, she was fearless!  She just ran out into the water and got soaked right off the bat!  She's a fun little girl.  When they're this young each Summer is like the first I think.  And they feel like everything is so new and exciting :).  I love that about the little ones :).  Charity and Kelly had a lot of fun together too.  It was nice to see them all getting along.  I think Bradley gets the award for playing the hardest.  I saw him the least.  Especially at the end.  And Noah, he was adorable.  Kept doing Superhero moves into the fountains, then come running back to lay on his towel for a few minutes.  He almost fell asleep I think.  It was cute.  Steve surprised us and showed up near the end.  That was fun too.  Feels like it's been forever since we hung out.  I miss the old days when he didn't have a life like me!  6-16-12 (this is the day Kelly was actually due :) just fyi ;) )