Oh, the fun we had at Lagoon! I’ll tell you all about it. Later.
Month: June 2007 (Page 3 of 3)
Where have I been? I’ve been wondering the same thing about a few of you. Where have YOU been? Well, I’ll tell you where I’ve been and what we’ve been up to. We’re in the middle of a “stay-at-home-vacation” around here, I tell you. Can you guess by these pictures where we went on Friday?
We saw Alphonse the white aligator, climbed Rhinos,
and did some monkeying around, that’s for sure. You’re right! We went to the Zoo on Friday. Many thanks to my mom and dad for coming with us, it made it much more fun.
We went from the zoo directly to our next activity, which was nice and warm for once. 
The kids loved having a warm swimming lesson, and didn’t want to leave. But we had to hurry home so that Mom and Dad could leave on their date to go and see our favorite local band in concert. We went with Julene and Italo and had a great time! There was that small problem with Cafe Rio not having received our on line order and having to wait for it, but since they only charged us $20 for a dinner for 4 of us, we won’t complain about that. It was a great concert and lots of fun!
On Saturday we did some jobs around the house until late afternoon, when we went to a fun party. We called it “Moms work party”, since it was with the bell choir. It was worth the drive up to Kaysville and everyone had a great time!
Today, our day of rest, I am supposed to be preparing my lesson for RS this aftenoon. It’s this lesson and I don’t really have any ideas for making it fun. I know not every lesson has to be fun, but I’d sure like it to be. I’m thinking of making cookies for the treat, with chocolate chips or raisins, and bringing them out when we talk about how “most of us have vulnerable spots through which disaster can overtake us unless we are properly safeguarded and immunized….” and make some kind of comparison that we are all like the cookie. We all have these “chips”. And we need to know where our weaknesses are and safeguard against temptations there. Yeah, kind of weak, but I’m at a loss here. I hope it goes well. (No pressure or anything, but the stake people are just going to be there today. For this lesson. Ugh.)
Tomorrow we will continue our fun mini vacation at home with a day at Lagoon. There will be a great amount of picture taking there, I’m sure. It should be nice weather, too. I hope. And Tuesday, Ryan’s taking another day off work for my cousin Sarah’s wedding. So we’ll be busy busy busy having fun fun fun.
While at the pool this afternoon for lessons (cold again, by the way), I saw something new. There was a daddy in the “mommy and me” class. How cute is that? I hope he wasn’t there just to meet women.
What kind of mother takes her kids to swimming lessons when it’s 49 degrees outside?
One who paid $160 for her 5 children to have swimming lessons these first two weeks of June, not knowing that it would be winter-like weather. Yesterday, when it was still NICE weather (although a bit rainy), we showed up at 5:00 only to be turned away because they saw some lightening. The kids were very disappointed, after the fun of Monday’s lesson, so I had to take them to Wendy’s for dinner as a consolation. Today I kept calling the REC center, and finally at 4:30, I got an actual person who would tell me a definite yes or no, and they said that yes, they were having lessons this evening. Since most of the other parents did not bring their kids, they had private or semi-private lessons. And the water was very warm. They all (even John and Jenna) enjoyed the swimming part; it was the running in wet clothes wrapped up in towels to the car that wasn’t all that much fun.
Here’s hoping that tomorrow really does warm up, so we can all ENJOY our time at the pool.
Do you all know that I have a little thing for watches? Ok, you in the back, you didn’t know? Well, I like watches. Most of them I have picked up at garage sales or on clearance, so all of my watches have come pretty inexpensively (except that one with the interchangeable bands that Ryan got me for our anniversary one year. He spent WAY more than I would have spent on a watch, but that’s ok, I really enjoyed that watch. I actually got him a watch for our anniversary that year, too. That must have been back in the day when we gave each other anniversary gifts. But I digress…). When your watches number in the double digits, you have to change batteries quite often. Here’s where WalMart comes in. They have the cheapest watch batteries, and they’ll change them for you for free. I’ve been known to go into WalMart with three or four watches on my wrists so that I won’t forget to get new batteries when I go in.
So, I went to WalMart today for birdseed and a few other things, and took in my pink watch to get a new battery. I asked the guy at the counter if he could change the battery for me. He asked for the watch. I handed it over, and he said, “We don’t work on this brand.” Oh, why is that? “Because we don’t sell them here.” Wow. I feel like I’ve been snubbed by WalMart.
Now if it were Target, I could understand. I’ve asked them to change watch batteries and they’ve flat out refused when they found out I didn’t buy the watch there. But WalMart? I expected them to be more open. More understanding. More willing to give me a new cheap watch battery. Now I’m going to have to remember to take this watch with me to the mall (and how often do I go to the mall? Three or four times a year, maybe) to go to the watch repair place. Grrr. And this is one of my favorite watches. It will have to sit there on my dresser–unworn, unloved, unused. Hey, maybe I can take the kids to the mall someday this week?
–So far, the job system is working GREAT. I woke up to kids cleaning the bathroom and sweeping the floor. I thought I was in the twilight zone. Megan is the real go getter, as money is her motivator. And her enthusiasm helps the other kids at least do their basic jobs.
–Jennna enjoyed her first piano lesson. She did really well and was excited. She even drew a picture for the teacher to give to her next week.
–Swimming lessons went well, too. Jenna was very scared, and John fell asleep on the way, so he was a little groggy and grumpy, but they had small groups (3-5 kids per teacher) and they started out in the little kiddie pool. Cole and Megan and Natalie also enjoyed their lessons, although Natalie’s teacher is “a boy”, and Megan was “the only girl in her class”. But I watched the news last night and it said that it’s going to get very cold tomorrow. I don’t know how well swimming in 45 degree weather is going to go over.
–John said to me today, “HELLO, I said I wanted to watch a MOVIE.” It was the “hello” that got me. What?
–Today Megan is going with her Achievement day girls to the art museum at BYU, and I’m taking Jenna and Natalie to their little theater class. We’re also totally out of birdseed, so if I don’t get to Walmart today to buy birdseed, 5 little feathered friends are not going to be too happy.
I’ve been working on a job chart for the kids. I’m trying really hard to get them used to doing the jobs and getting things done IN THE MORNING so that we can do fun things the rest of the day and I won’t have to nag nag nag all day (only in the morning). Some of you may think I’m the ultimate cheapskate, but I think it’s about the right balance. If the kids do the absolute minimum, they would only earn about $2.00-$2.50 per week. That’s about enough for a 6 year old. What does she need to pay for, anyway? But the older kids, who think they need more money, can do more jobs and earn more money. In just the three days we did this last week, Megan earned $2.30. So, I’m hoping it will work for the summer.
Taking care of self
–make bed
–put away clothes
–fold clothes
–take dirty clothes to the laundry room
–hang up towel
–pick up toys in room
–read scriptures for 10 minutes
–practice for 20 minutes
Helping the family
–weeding one row in the garden every day
–dish job
(not paid, do every day)
All unpaid jobs and TWO paid jobs must be done and ready for inspection by 10 am. Extra jobs may take longer.
–vacuum room (25 cents)
–clean kids bathroom (50 cents)
–clean downstairs bathroom (25 cents)
–clean and vacuum family room (30 cents)
–clean and vacuum upstairs hall (20 cents)
–sweep kitchen floor (30 cents)
–mop kitchen floor (50 cents)
–vacuum stairs (20 cents)
–wash 5 windows with NO STREAKS (50 cents)
–sweep front porch (25 cents)
–weed one flower bed for 15 minutes (25 cents)
–clean and vacuum front room (30 cents)
–clean kitchen counters (30 cents)
–dust piano (15 cents)
–dust one room’s blinds (20 cents)
–clean birdcage (35 cents)
–clean bird poop (35 cents)
–clean mud room (40 cents)
–sweep or vacuum mud room floor (30 cents)
–do one load of laundry (25 cents)
–unload groceries (15 cents)
–clean cupboard fronts (30 cents)
–empty trash (20 cents)
Pay day is Saturday. Please add up what you have earned.
This is a fun weekend! I’ve spent time with friends at a yummy dinner date out on Friday night. We had good food, great conversations, and it was a time to renew long time friendships and give support. Some of my friends are going through a lot of challenging times right now, and I wish I could help. But I will pray for them and lend support where I can.
I spent a fun Saturday morning going to the American Fork Marching Band yard sale. I LOVE the band yard sale, and I’m thrilled when I happen upon it each summer. It’s about 30 kids setting up their stuff, and most of them aren’t really picky about prices. I got a lot of cute t-shirts for the girls with fun sayings on them (for a quarter or 50 cents each). They say stuff like: ‘I’m with the band’, ‘chocolate girl’ and Natalie’s favorite–‘kiss me I’m blonde’. Natalie also got an “American Girl Doll” for $4 and a bunch of American Girl books. (After reading over my shoulder, she reminded me to not forget the visor that she bought for 25 cents.) I picked up a few more books for the kids, some clothes for John, a Clifford the big red dog costume,and a brand new in the package Wallace and Gromit movie on VHS for $1 each. My great find of the day, however, was a Baby Lock serger that I purchased for $50. No instruction manual, but that didn’t phase Ryan, who figured out why the feed dogs weren’t feeding. Now I just need to buy some thread on the cones, and I can serge that skirt that I made a few weeks ago that really needs a serged edge. Did I mention the skirt I made? I bought one at Kohls that was sort of like this one here.
There it is, Natalie’s wearing it (the skirt I bought, not the one I made). Then I made a pattern and made my own skirt out of a pair of jeans and some cute fabric. But the hem just doesn’t look right because it isn’t serged. I thought I had a picture of it, but I guess not. Anyway, I’m excited.
I had a fun time with my family. My cousin Sarah is getting married, so we had a bridle shower for her at my aunt’s house. Lots of fun to chat with my cousins, my sisters, my mom, and my aunts. Megan and Natalie went with me, and Megan was very helpful in the concentration game. While we were sometimes talking through the game and not paying attention, she knew where the matches were–Thanks, Megan.
We also did a bunch of deliveries yesterday. I’ve been working on a summer fun calendar, which lists all the fun things we could do together as a neighborhood. Potlucks, a football game, bike parade,a scavenger hunt, our slide party and various field trips are all on there. I made copies for everyone in the neighborhood, and even gave them to the people who don’t have kids at home, just in case they have grandkids visiting or want to join in with the neighborhood events. So, the kids and I went around passing them out. John talked non stop during our walk, and although it was fun to be with him, his talking eventually got to me. We also delivered some ‘water bottle rocket launchers’ that Ryan had made, and took treats to Natalie’s teacher who just had a baby. Everything we needed to deliver has now been delivered. Whew.
Now we’re hoping to have a nice, relaxing Sunday. Although it is fast Sunday, and that makes for some grumpies, but we’ll get through those.
I hope you all had a fun weekend, too! Oh, and watch out for pirates.
The school year is officially over for my kids. Whew. We made it though another year. I no longer have a Kindergartener, can you believe it? Jenna had her Kindergarten graduation yesterday, and it was awfully cute. They sang songs, recited poems, showed a slide show of their art work, and they even played kazoos. Since this was our 3rd child to have this particular kindergarten teacher, I pretty much knew what to expect, but it still brought tears to my eyes. Must they go on to 1st grade? I guess they do, and our job as parents is to let them grow, and support them. I also no longer have a 7th grader, 5th grader or 2nd grader. They all did great this year, and we’re looking forward to a great summer.
And what better way to start off the summer than our annual neighborhood water party. I must admit–yes, I organized it. I’m just an organizer that way. This year it was not at my house, though, and that was nice. My friend Geanna had a WAY cooler backyard, and my friend Lisa went and picked up a bounce house this morning. We all paid $8 for the bounce house, and brought food, and we had a lovely lunch of hot dogs. Mental note to self–way too many chips and not enough hot dogs. I’ll have to try to get it evened out next year. We got there at 11, and at 2:30, I made my kids come home, as I knew they were all getting sunburned and would soon be nothing more than a little black pile of ashes if I let them stay outside any longer. My kids had a great time filling water balloons, and we took over the water bottle launcher and it was a big hit, too. John had fun bouncing, but really spent a lot of time in the sandbox. I think we might need to put in one of our own. The kids all love digging so much! My 3 oldest kids just went back to jump in the bounce house some more, since John fell asleep exhausted on the couch. I figure they can jump for another hour before dinner, and then maybe we’ll go back again later tonight (since we don’t have to return the bounce house until 10 pm or something like that.
So, it’s kick off the summer weekend, and so far we’re off to a great start.
Recent Comments