Today's Field Trip

We visited The Arizona Science Center. We had 2 free coupons so that saved us a little money. Narnia was neat. We were at the center for 5 hours. My foot started to swell, after we got home and I iced it, it got better. I guess I should plan on taking an ice pack to school with me and ice at lunch. It was fun hanging out enjoying the center, after dinner we watched a movie together. This has just been a great week for family togetherness.

Made me feel good after turning a year older yesterday

That title is longer than some of my posts! I am on an outreach team at church and one of our outreaches is adopting 30 families from Sunrise with backpacks filled with supplies (like an angel tree but with backpacks). The church is hosting a party on Saturday for those families and 7 single parent families from our church at Sunrise. Today the music/media pastor wanted to check out the school, so he can make sure we have all the sound things we will need, I had to get up early to met him there. The summer day care program kids were on campus today. One of little girls from one of my classes asked if the pastor was my boyfriend! I should hope not, we are both married! And she's met P on more than one occasion but probably forgot. I hope that she wouldn't think I have a boyfriend on the side. But it was sweet that she could have thought a young man of about 25 would be my boyfriend. I could be he's mother, if I had him at 17 that is. Having a baby the year I graduated from high school wouldn't have been something I would have wanted to do. I'm just going to take it as a compliment that she things I'm much younger than I am.

vacation

P is on vacation this week, our last full week before school starts back. The kids have next week off still, but I go back to work next week. Today we all went to the pool. And unlike the only other time this summer I went swimming, my feet felt OK! Too bad the Phoenix public pools close after Saturday for the summer. Which seems a little early, since it will still be way hot for months. J thinks he's so strong being able to lift both girls in the water. So much fun, being all together.

I'm so hot...and tired

Today I took the kids back to school shopping today, like 5 hours of shopping. My foot did OK, it hurts but in a different way than before, and surprisingly it's not swollen! I had already started on some of the school supplies, but still needed a few things J knows he'll need. I hate middle school and high school because you never know what the teachers want until after school starts. Backpacks, shoes, a few shirts for J and a pair of shorts, a new shirt each for the girls. Back to school sure is expensive. I didn't even get the tissues, hand sanitizer and the like, I'll wait on those when the stuff that already gets donated runs low in the classrooms, before getting that stuff.

Now you're cooking

Yesterday, I had a brain storm. While I had the oven on (stupid idea for summer in Phoenix, P needs to look at the grill) I thought I should just fill the whole thing up, instead of turning the oven on 3 different nights. I made a roast chicken, pork tenderloin, roasted red potatoes, and a meatloaf. We had the pork tenderloin and potatoes last night for dinner (so yummy), we'll have the chicken tonight and I put the meatloaf in the freezer for one day next week. I'm actually pretty proud of myself. I used to one cooking day for a month, but haven't done that in awhile, I did start out the summer cooking on Monday for the week, but that required the oven and the stove use, which meant standing in a hot kitchen, which I did knowing I could cook once and be done with it for the week, (other than using the microwave to reheat)made it OK. But yesterday was great, I turned on the oven, and kitchen fans, then left for a cooler part of the house, a few hours later had 3 meals other than side dishes for a little work and no sweat(OK a little).

I knew it was bad

But not as bad as it was. The girls' room. For a very long time now, I've not had the pleasure of seeing their bedroom floor. And, if and when I did, they just pushed everything in the closet/corners/in front of shelves so it looked kinda clean. It's still not as clean/cleaned out as I would like, but after several hours yesterday and about 4 today, they are getting testy, and my back hurts. Doesn't seem that long ago I went though this with them, I must say it doesn't motivate me into wanting to do it again anytime soon (ever,if I could help it).

S camp group pictures

A whole lot of kids from different churches went to camp this year. Can you find S? Hint-she's in the middle of the pack. The adult behind her is a mom from one of the girls S dances with. (they go to CCV)

One home, one gone again

Seems like a theme from our Summer Break- J left for 5 weeks in July, S spent 2 days twice at Aunties house J spent at least 4 days there also. S just got back this afternoon from church camp. Now tonight J leaves for a scout weekend. Then there has been all the busy stuff like S's leadership camp, dance recitals, dentist, orthodontic, and oral surgery visits. Plus my foot surgery and doctor visits. I hope the last few weeks before school resumes we'll have time time to spend together all of us, as a family hanging out. Peaceful Time to reconnect with each other before, we are all pulled in different directions again.

Crazy Girl

R is counting down the days until school starts back again. I remember counting down the days until school got out, but never the days until it started again. On Tuesday afternoon she commented on no back to school sales yet, and that made her nervous. I did try telling her stores are doing back to school sales. But because she hasn't seen any ads on TV, there must not be. LOL Speaking of school, I will be working a full school day next year as a para professional, I did my paperwork today after J's dentist appointment (cavities filled) I go back to work on Aug. 7th. This summer has just flown by, I can't believe how fast it's gone. J and I played monopoly with R today. I think she won after several hours I just had to stop, my back was freaking out from sitting in one place for too long.

Camp R

Since R was the only one not going to camp this summer, we've been having her own camp this week, just her and me. It's been lovely. Lots of crafts made, baking, outings,(to see a movie, and to the library) J spent the night at my sister's house Saturday night, and again last night, he will be home tonight after boy scouts. Not sure if we'll have time to do much tomorrow J has an appointment with his counselor in the early afternoon, then we'll have to get the house cleaned up for bible study. The movie R and I saw was Kit Kitteridge: An American Girl. We finally finished reading together the last one this morning. I love all the AG books, so at first I was disappointed in some of the changes in the movie. I knew there would be changes, the other 3 AG movies differ also. But R and I think Kit has the most differences. It was still a good movie, but just like it is often said books are always better than the movie. My foot is really sore and swollen today, I really didn't do much other than walking in and out of the theater and library, so I can't figure out what's causing the swelling. I'm thinking I should keep wearing the boot for another week and see what happens. Rachel informs me it in now time to play Old Maid.

Aaaaah!

How very lovely it was to take a shower for the first day after my foot surgery. I don't think I could handle only bathing once a week, all the time. Sponge washing is just so not very refreshing, even though I did stick my head in the sink to wash my hair daily, nothing beats a full shower! J had his stitches out this morning, which took seconds. We waited longer in the waiting room then it took for the assistant to cut them out. I went to the foot doctor this afternoon, and I can stop wearing the boot, yea! But I have to keep my stitches covered and dry. I guess it's because my foot has been wrapped for 6 caused the ankle to feel like it's been twisted. I have a little brace to wear for a little support, that hopefully I wean off of it. I won't know for 3 months if the surgery worked or not. As the new cells regenerate.

Camp

S is on her way to church youth camp. She was so very excited to go. J spent the night at my sister's house, so R and I have had the afternoon and evening to ourselves. P of course is at work. R and I decided to do a camp day on our own. We made these fun visors, cutting out all the pieces with my Sizzix machine. It took hours! But it was cool hanging out with just her for those hours!!!!! Now we are going to watch a movie together.

Being a mom

Me not doing much for 4 days has left the house in a state of shock. I'm feeling a little better today but have noticed when I'm busy cleaning and picking up scattered about things, I feel yucky. So until I feel much better my poor house will be in shambles. ------------Being a mom-------------- A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was sp illed on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles o f clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls. As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, 'What happened here today?' She again smiled and answered, 'You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world did I do today? 'Yes,' wa s his incredulous reply. She answered, 'Well, today I didn't do it.'

Narnia!

Today was the last activity with the church kids. It was supposed to be rock wall climbing, but they changed it to the Arizona Science Center, and touring Narnia. The kids are were really excited. Last night I started feeling gross. This morning, I decided there was no way, I could manage driving and walking around. J did offer to push me around in a wheelchair, and if I felt better I would have let him. He didn't want to go if I didn't go. The girls had a great time. R did want to blow out the "snow" in her hair, until she showed me. Maybe we can go for my birthday, I am totally bummed, I really want to go see Narnia! I don't know if it's the pain medication, the heat, or what that's making me feel terrible.

2nd down

My foot surgery went fine. Now I pray it worked. I'll be in a boot for a week, then go back and have the dressings removed in a week, followed by another visit in 2 weeks to remove the stitches. We just got home, they girls were awake, but J wasn't. He's feeling fine. I'm really tired, I'll be going to ice my foot and take a nap now.

Dream House Flooded

I just heard from our friends who are selling their house here in Phoenix, and retiring to their new house near Roosevelt Lake. They got back from the lake to find their house flooded. The evap cooler pipe burst. The new carpet is a mess, as well as some cabinetry, and ceiling. They had a buyer for the house, but he had to pull out, do to the loan not being able to go through for him. Then there was another couple who wanted to purchase it, but can not afford the payments. Our friends are discouraged, which I don't blame them at all. But God will work it all out. But in the mean time, could you keep them in your prayers?

One down

J had his oral surgery this morning to extract his wisdom tooth. He did fine, and is asleep on the couch. It too longer for Fry's to fill his prescriptions than it did for the dentist to get the tooth out. My foot surgery is tomorrow. Hopefully it will go just as fast. I have to be at the surgery center at 6 in Gilbert. Pat has to close tonight, he will not be getting much sleep. Not that I will either, but at least I'll be in bed longer!

Happy 4th of July!

The kids and I hung out at home all day, reading and playing computer games. When P got off work he was tired and S was worried about a monsoon storm. It was quite windy. We decided to stay home and celebrate without going to see fireworks, but watch them on TV, I had glow necklaces and bracelets I got at the local dollar store. We blew bubbles, the girls and I face painted each other's faces, we had poppers, and glow worms. Then I went out and got BOGOF sundaes at Sonic for a treat. It was a fun night, even without live fire works. Look through my flikr pictures to see our fun!