How $20 Has Saved my Sanity This Summer.

I knew when school got out in May that this had the potential to be a bad legislative year-a new govenor combined with a HUGE budget defecit- which ment that our vacation plans were in total and complete limbo. We don't do too much in the way of vacationing. We take one trip each year, almost always up to Huntsville, Utah, usually over the 4th of July. So with the melt-your-face-off heat of summer on our horizon and no break in sight, I had to figure out a way to survive the summer hibernation with 4 kids.

We've tried to go swimming at Nana and Papa's house 1-2 times a week, and that's helped. We bought our first (and maybe last) ever summer movie passes-10 movies for $7/person. But the real saver for this summer has been the dollar crafts from Michael's and JoAnn's. The kids have loved having a craft/art project to look forward to each day. From glueing foam to more foam to painting watercolor dinosaurs/pirates/butterflies to folding paper into cars/balls/boats to play-doh, it has been well worth the $20 investment.

It has gone so well, in fact, that we have a few crafts left over. We plan on taking those with us to Hunstville for the kids to do next week. If there's time, of course. The weather forcast calls for lows in the mid-50's and highs in the mid-80's, we plan on spending every waking moment outside for the next 9-10 days. We'll be really easy to spot, ours will be the kids in jeans and sweatshirts at the park. Hey, our temps last week were lows in the mid/upper 90's and highs in the 115 range, that's a 30-50 degree temp change. I can hardly wait.

Did you know that Home Depot sold headware, in addition to hardware?

After 15 1/2 months in our home, and countless improvements, we decided to invest $12 in two new toilet seats. They were pretty old, and I don't know why we didn't do it earlier with many of the other projects around the house.




So, of course, Eric decided to have a little fun before making the change. And if daddy is having fun, why not share the experience with everyone? Davin thought the seat in the middle of the living room was funny. Aidan thought we were all a bit odd, which is true.




I, however, refrained from wearing the new seat. Eric thought it was a shame to waste the perfectly new, and clean, seat by not wearing it. Because once it was on, he told me, I'd never be able to do it again. Unless, of course, you have a high school algebra, and trig, teacher (Mr Albano) who used a toilet seat for his bathroom pass.












Really though, what did I expect from the man who used his magnifying glass to burn paper in our backyard.

I Know What We're Doing this Weekend, How About You?

Thanks to my friend Emily for this heads up. This weekend many US National Parks are fee-free. So we are going to escape the heat for a few hours and head up north to explore our state; which, by the way, has the most this weekend at 16. Sorry Utah, you're at 3rd with 11, California took 2nd with 12.

We should have gotten out sooner to explore our state, we've been here closing in on 6 years, and have yet to get out there. I blame this on my husband (and to a lesser, but very practical, extent on having 3 children in those 6 years). He grew up here, and has subsequently gone and seen and explored many of these Parks. But now with this great opportunity, we are going to start something with our family. Poor Eric doesn't know what he's getting into. But we're going to get back to nature, so to speak. Hiking, camping, adventuring, my kids will learn to love it all.

I'm totally excited! So my question is: Where are you going to go this weekend?

What?! 9 is Half-way to a Mission!

Happy Birthday my dear boy! Today was all about Aidan. He requested waffles and bagels for breakfast, I suggested we substitute bacon for bagels, to which he readily agreed.

Eric and I decided to give him his "big gift" at breakfast, so he'd have the time to play it today. We got him Lego Indiana Jones for the wii. I'm not sure what made him happier, getting his "very first wii game ever" or getting this particular game. Either way, he was loving it.

Davin could hardly contain himself, and had to give Aidan his gift at breakfast too. So out came Jenga Fett. And Aidan was just as excited to get this new action figure as he was to get a game. I'm not sure who was more excited, Davin or Aidan.

After a day filled with wii, star wars, legos, and books (including a magic book), Aidan was ready for some dinner, cake and more gifts. Dinner was Firehouse Chili, and for dessert: alien cupcakes. They weren't quite what I was hoping for, but they turned out well and Aidan loved them. It was fun to have Aunts and Uncles and a horde of cousins over to celebrate with cake. Aidan enjoyed opening his gifts from Nana and Papa with quite an audience.

I had that terrifying realization in Sacrament meeting this past Sunday. In honor of a missionary returning this past week, our special musical number was an acapella quartet singing Ye Elders of Isreal. I can't believe how fast 9 years has flown by, it makes me more than a little scared for how fast the next ten will go by.

Cow Appreciation Day...or, a craft, a free meal, and public humiliation

With that combination, how could we go wrong? As soon as I heard about this promotional from Chick-fil-A, I decided to give it a try. We've never eaten there before, we rarely eat fast food, but with the prospect of free food, I was totally in.


Not only was it free food, it was also a craft that the kids totally got into. The boys asked if they could be bulls, since they are boys after all. "Sure, and since you're both already wearing red shirts, you can be red bulls." So they cut out horns to wear with their ears. I made Eme, and me, udders, since, you know, we're girls. All of us got yarn tails, and the kids wore ears, hooves, and black spots. Maddie only wore her tail, I didn't even try the other stuff on her.


I did feel a bit silly dressed up to get free food, but since 98% of the people in Chick-fil-A tonight were dressed up, it wasn't too bad. There were just as many high school kids dressed up as little kids. The kids each earned a free kids meal, and I got a free entree out of it. It was a fun, crazy, cheap way to beat the blaghs of summer. I'm glad we did it.

I really have no words...

Early April, Mom and Julie were visiting:

Christmas in July

Santa Lucia, minus the wax in the hair.

This is what she was up to while we put up the tree.

Poor Eric...or is it poor me?

While Eric has been working uber-late (he's already put in well over his 40 hours this week alone) dealing with a massive budget fiasco, I've had a pretty tough run of it here at home. Here's a brief run down of our misery:

• In the last week Eric has come home once in time for the kids bedtime, and once more in time for mine.
• The day he was home for the kids bedtime, was also the day Eme spent throwing up (thank goodness my mom was here!)
• Our dryer decided to stop producing heated air, so I had to do our laundry at Eric's parent's house on Saturday and Tuesday. As it is an all day long ordeal, the kids have made sure that I knew they'd rather be at home. (and I'll be back again tomorrow)
• Eric had to work all day Saturday, and was thus unable to check out the dryer problem.
• Three of the four kids made our summer movie trip today a nightmare. Eme loved the movie.
• We didn't make it to the library yesterday to pick up a book on hold, so now I owe them 2 bucks!
• Eric got in at 3 am this morning, left by 9 am, and I have no idea if I'll see him tonight.

The downside to all of this is that the governor vetoed the budget. As our state doesn't have a continuing resolution, the legislature had been furiously putting out contingency bills to fund the essentials. So for us this means that we are no where near done yet. We're hoping that Eric will have Friday off (it is a Federal holiday), but there are no guarantees. And if this messes up our one vacation, which we've already moved back, I'm going to be very put out.

Poor Us, post script

Lest anyone think that my last week was nothing but trials, I've added this post script. Like in all trials, some good can be found in those rough moments of this last week.

Firstly, my mom was here for a day and a half (Thursday & Friday, she left Sat. am.). It makes such a difference to have company, even if the kids are crazy. She was here the day Eme got sick, and was able to take care of the other three so I could take care of Eme. This was also the day Eric got home by 8:20, and by 8:25 Mom and I were out the door for some retail therapy. We got back around 10:30 loaded up with books (I love Barnes and Noble).

Since Eric's parents left for their annual 4th of July festivities in Huntsville Saturday morning, I was able to spend the day at their house doing laundry, without feeling like a burden on them, or in their way. And since Heather had the day off, she came over to keep me company, and help me hold onto my sanity, since Eric was working.

Eric was home on Sunday. He took the girls home mid-Sacrament meeting because Eme was fading. He also came back to get me and the boys, so I didn't have to walk home in my nice heels (we're not too far). Our home teachers came over just as Eme woke up from her nap with a raging fever (again). They were able to help Eric give her a blessing.

Ashlee made me dinner on Monday, just so I could get out of the house. It was delicious! And I borrowed a chick flick to occupy my evening.

And last night, Eric was home for dinner, baths, wii, and bedtime. We spent the evening reading next to each other on the couch. I'll enjoy it while I can, special session starts Monday.