first day of summer

I woke up with Rob this morning.  It was 6:30 but the sun was already up and dog was ready to go outside.  After that I went back to bed until the children (Grace) began to stir at 8.  Ahhh! One of the joys of summer.

Later in the morning Grace and I went to Wal-mart.  A torture that is more frequent in the summer because even though the math doesn't really add up for some reason we buy more groceries in the summer.  Plus we have 5 people to get ready for camp.  Today was Grace's day.  We got toiletries, bug spray, a bathroom bag and a few other essentials.  Tomorrow may be Hannah's day.  I also have my getting ready for girls camp list with something to do each day.  Prepare a talk, make hand outs, etc. It's an exciting time.

We came home and did some cleaning up.
Ethan did some moaning, he has a rash that I am pretty sure is poison ivy.  I gave him allergy meds orally and Benadryl cream.  Being itchy is miserable.  After that kicked in he went to play with the neighborhood boy gang.

Hannah is "cleaning her room".  The abyss drives me nuts!  and progress is remarkably S.l.O.W.

Grace is bored because we have thunder and she can't swim.

Tonight we are having a baby shower here.  I am not throwing it but my house is the location so that's a quick commute for me ;)

we made it!

Last day of school! Everyone did well.  Now 9th grade, 6th grade and 3rd grade are done.  Next year Grace will be moving to a different school but the other two will be where they are now.  Crazy!!

Today it's been raining all day.  This morning we had quite a thunderstorm, which the dogs and I enjoyed for the peaceful solitude of my room.  No more peaceful mornings...for a couple of months anyway.

It was my carpool week and as I sat in the elementary school parking lot (The bus hub for Ethan) and waited for the kids to arrive I watched as tons of "graduating" 5th graders and their proud parents and grandparents came streaming out of the double doors of the school.  They were all dressed up and many held bouquets of flowers or floating helium balloons that said "grad".  Excited voices carried across the parking lot and into my car as they jubilantly headed to their cars in small groups discussing where to go to lunch or what they were going to do.  It was very festive and very dumb.  Moving up from 5th grade is not a graduation.  I know these kids, many of them are barely literate and some are terrible at school.  Even the good students/good citizens aren't "graduating".  All they are doing is going to the next grade...which everyone does.  I get being happy the year is over and the excitement of going to a different school with older kids and I'm not saying that there shouldn't be any celebration at all but really we celebrate the most mediocre "accomplishments" with such pomp and circumstance that it makes the big stuff less meaningful.  Pet peeve.

For the record, yes I have attended my children's "graduations" and even gone out to lunch after but I have told them it's kind of dumb and while I am happy they are doing well and progressing we expect a lot more of them over the years and just like I don't pay for "As", which they should get regardless, I am happy when they do and tell them that and am happy to celebrate every day with them because every day is a gift.  I just don't like the momentousness of it.

I'm like the grinch of graduations I guess.  Why they bug me so much I don't know.

last week

Zoe, Grace, Madison and Julia

This morning it is pouring rain.  Such a gale that when I walked from my porch to the car I got drenched, wet like I had to change my clothes all the way down to my skin because I was soaked.  The kids will have a wet bus ride I'm afraid.

Yesterday after school I took Lu to the pool.  Ethan was off playing with the boys and they didn't want to swim.  Hannah was home "cleaning her bathroom". The pool was pretty busy, which was really fun for Grace.  I mostly sat and read while watching them but I did get in and it was pretty n ice.  It was a lot of fun to watch as kids arrived and shouted to each other in happy greetings.  Grace and her friends looked like a burst of neon energy as they ran around in their bright swim suits and with their loud laughs.

Last night we went to the Callihan's for Quayde's graduation.  It rained then too.  

When we got home I quickly put the blond one to bed then got on a  conference all presidency meeting.  It was kind of funny Rob was downstairs doing the same thing for Bishopric.  Technology is great.  There are a lot of things I prefer about meeting in person  but you can't beat the convenience of the phone meeting!

Two more half days of school until summer!

Sunday

"Children you look so nice go stand by the tree so I can take your picture"

"Stand straight"

"Don't shove"

"Put the ball down"

"Never mind"

too many good things!

We had a day.  We had more great things to do and to choose from than we could do.  I hate when that happens.

Hannah and I both read "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Greene. We both liked it and Hannah LOVES it.  She has been counting down to the movie opening since literally November and was very sad that we couldn't go on opening night.  I told her I would take her to the first show possible so we went this morning to the 9:30 am show.  It was sold out.  I cried the whole time.  It was awful. I left with a headache and sore cheeks and stingy eyes.  I knew the story and totally didn't expect that reaction.  I was not alone tough.  We happened to run into a friend from another ward later in the day and she had seen it too and said it was like watching the last little bit of Old Yeller the whole 2 hours. From now on I am sticking to violent movies, they are easier to watch! We left the theater exhausted and silent and quickly drove to do some shopping (retail therapy) to cheer ourselves up :)  We bought John a birthday present and Hannah got two cute dresses.  Then we went out to lunch.

blue crabs

In the meantime Rob took Grace and Ethan fishing.  Ethan is working on his fishing merit badge and needs to catch, clean and cook a fish.  They had a successful morning and then after lunch they went to tour Camp Winonna where Grace will go to camp this summer.  R said it was so nice and organized and she is very excited  Grace and I actually went to encampment there last year so I knew it was going to be great.

Hannah and I drove to the camp too and got Bub and took him to John's birthday.  Then we went grocery shopping.

 As soon as everyone got home the two littles and R and I went to the Blue Crabs game for Girl Scout night.  Hannah went swimming with Chelsea.

We were able to fit everything into our day except the Raiders & Invaders even in Leonardtown that I really wanted to go to. You can't do everything though.

16 years

Today is our anniversary! Rob took the day off of work and after we got the children off to school, including the one who missed the bus, we went to the temple.  It is always very nice to go.  We did sealings  and it was nice to reflect back to our wedding and the blessing we have of being together forever.

After we went out for burgers, then hurried home to get the kidlets.  We're off to Josh's graduation party now and Hannah and Shannon are going to Alyssa's dance recital.

It's been a good 16 years, and I can honestly say I am happier with him now than I ever have been.  I'm a lucky duck :)

friends

Shannon and Hannah

The end of the year brings with it many field trips.  Today it was Grace's turn.  They had a unit on Japan in Social Studies and today we went to Asahi for lunch.  Almost every child had a parent there and it was very tasty and very fun.  

After school we went to the pool and then tonight was activities at church.  We're getting ready for everyone's camps and tonight was the parent meeting for the boys going to Goshen. Ethan is looking forward to it.  He'll work on several merit badges and spend a week in the woods with his friends.

Grace and Julia