Busy, Busy Times!

Wow, time is flying by! I'm feeling the end of summer panic that I feel every year when August comes around. I always know that school, homework, and snow---ugggh are around the corner. This is me not being my normal "positive" self but rather seeing the glass is half empty side of things for a minute! But---if you really think about it----summer is really only 2 months. Once July is over you might have a week or two left but that's usually consumed with school shopping or getting ready for school, etc. So here's to making the last few days (15 to be exact) good ones!

Ok I'm back to the glass if half FULL attitude-which really is a happier place to be :) A few fun things to note that have happened these last few weeks----and some that are considered "growing" experiences:

1. We went to Raging Waters for our annual trip with AirBound Gymnastics. This was probably the funnest year I have had for a few reasons! I had left Maecee home with my mom and sis because that water park is not for youngsters (Heidi and I learned that the hard way one year when we tried to drown Kaidin and Ethan in the Wave pool). In fact I'd say it's really best if the kids you take can swim pretty good! So.....I got to do whatever I wanted (or was forced to do by Ethan and McKenna). Eth had me all to himself for most of the day because McKenna was with her friends. We tested out some of the smaller water slides, did the double tube ride and he laughed because I had to go backwards in the tube (so we didn't tip over) and I was scared cuz I couldn't see anything, floated and goofed off a couple of times in the lazy river. Went in the wave pool, watched him in the kiddie pool climb the ropes and try to climb on the crab thing. We had a great time just hanging out. Then McKenna wanted me to watch her do all her "tricks". So she did a backflip off the diving rock, swung across the Tarzan rope, rode the HUGE slide that you fly off of, and had races down 2 of the slides with her buds. Then I decided to surprise her by being "fun". I raced up and surprised her on the slide that drops really far, so we could race each other down. She talked me into going down the racing slides that you sit on the yellow sleds. She was so excited that I would hang out with her and show my fun side to her because it usually gets lost in chasing Maecee or wrestling with Eth. It's sad because I told her the "fun" side really is me and I will get better and being that way.....we had a blast. p.s I forgot to take my camera!!

2. FINALLY painted Ethan's baby blue room although it's not quite finished. I promised him we would do it before school starts. I used an incentive for myself that I could not buy his loft bed (which will totally organize his room), until I got it all painted. So now hopefully I can get the bed I saw forever ago and get things organized. Then we'll move to painting Maecee's room which I already have the paint, and some decorations for. I just wish you could paint---the prep work stinks!

Before-baby blue minus the wallpaper border we took down months ago in prep to paint :)

McKenna wanting in on all the action. Note to self don't paint w/o someone watching my kids :) This color looked brownish/grayish/greenish when it went on, but it dried the color of wet pavement (gray-which was the color I wanted).

I then painted the top part red...which is really hard to do! If you look closely I didn't go all the way to the ceiling. I still need to do that part by using a trick someone in my ward taught me. Also, we're going to put up some sort of horizontal stripes as a border but I just can't decide what to do yet. So everything is still in the center of the room, but Eth can sleep in his bed.

3. My dad FINALLY got his hip replaced after letting it go for probably 10-15 years. Once he decided he wanted it done he called the dr's office on Monday, talked them into squeezing him in on that Wednesday, asked his nurse what was something he could bring the dr so he could get (bribery) his surgery done ASAP (as in the day after he met with the dr). The nurse gave him an idea so he asked me to go to the appt with him. The 1st dr came in and said there was no way they could do it the next day---that they were scheduling into October. Well that dr went out and the one we had an appt with came in. The "bribery item" was sitting on the table by the dr's computer and let's just say....I'm about 90% sure that is the reason he got his hip done THE NEXT DAY!!! The kids and I had a good time trying to take care of him :) He's not a very obedient patient! But I am really glad that is over with and he is not in so much pain!

4. Speaking of my dad's way of getting things (like a new hip) he wants/needs, I just finished this book and it was awesome. It really made me think about life and what I would want to say or do if I knew I only had a few months to live.

Some of my favorite parts/quotes were:
Don't Complain, Just Work Harder (I hope to teach my kids this), Showing gratitude by sending thank-you notes (the old fashioned written way), If you want something bad enough never give up, ask for things that you want (ex. he wanted to ride in the front seat of the monorail at Disney World...so he asked...and they said sure!) Kind of the principal my dad taught me which was the squeeky wheel gets the oil. Make a decision: Tigger or Eeyore...Each of us must decide: Am I a fun loving Tigger or am I a sad-sack Eeyore? Have fun no matter what is going on in your life, People are more important than things (LOVE THIS!!), Brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people. They give us a chance to show how bad we want something.

Hopefully I haven't spoiled this book, but it was a great, easy, fun, fast read. I highly recommend it!

5. Helped my mom move out of her house and clean it up. Made me grateful for my air conditioner and all my family and their help. Also, made me seriously consider what a task it would be for us to move! We have so much JUNK! My sister mentioned that if I ever moved she would be buying plane tickets and getting outta here fast-----can't say I blame her!!

6. This one made my whole year. We were getting ready for bed and I was laying down by Ethan. McKenna came in his room and said "love you Ethan", he said "i love you too.....finally you told me that! That's the first time ever!" It was a cute moment. They have been playing better this past week and realizing that it's kind of fun sometimes to have a bro/sis to play with all the time. We'll see how long this lasts!

7. I got my hair cut/colored. Always gives me a little boost!

8. Got a good chunk of my office cleaned up but still have a ways to go.

9. Had a reminder of how much I appreciate my hubby! He was gone last week from Tues-Sun night and it was sooo hard without him here. Tough McKenna was crying about him leaving even before he left. Maecee kept saying "were daddy do?". Ethan just kept bugging his sisters---I told him he was the man of the house and he took that job pretty seriously. We just tried to stay busy by doing some of the above things. I have gained a great respect for single parents. I did the church thing by myself and sacrament was a nightmare. I felt bad for Brett too because he was in the middle of nowhere trying to do a huge job and ran into almost every problem you could imagine. He made it home safe though and we could not be happier!

My cute boys! Hard workin' daddy

10. Did all the normal 24th of July activities. Parade, hung out at willow park, went swimming, etc. Fun times!

Ethan and Maecee waiting for the parade to start

11. Bought the last book in the Twilight series Breaking Dawn yesterday but haven't had a chance to start it yet. I've heard once you start you can't stop....so who knows when I will get to that one...hopefully soon. My goal was to read the 1st three again so it was fresh in my mind, but that didn't happen.

12. Got a chance for my calling in RS to go visiting on Sunday. It felt good to go out and visit, show concern, and serve others. A good reminder to me that I the more I serve others, the happier I feel! So if anyone is feeling down, go serve someone else.....it's like a boost to your mood and I think your family benefits from it too.

13. But most of all I've just been chasing, feeding, comforting, referring, taking care of my kiddies. As you can see from the picture below---it's quite the entertaining job. I feel like I'm running around in circles all day doing things like trying not to have anyone end up in the hospital :)

Well back to business for me...this post took a long time to write. I am just grateful that I get to have so an awesome family. I love them to pieces and wouldn't trade them or this time with them for anything in the world! We are all blessed to be alive and have each other to rely on everyday! Hope everyone gets all their summer things done before school starts. Good luck!