Dollar Store and more swimming fun! 7/22 - 7/28/2018

We went shoe shopping and ran some errands and I told the kids if they were good they could pick something out at the Dollar Store.  Kaylee and Chris chose huge lolli-pops and Jenna chose some gum.  They did pretty well at the shoe store - I really loathe shoe shopping.  Jenna was pulling a fit because she didn't need any (she got some new ones right at the end of the school year) so she was feeling left out.  Anyway, we survived, but just barely. :) 

 We invited friends to swim with us at the pool.

 We went to Splash Town on Saturday so that dad could join us.  We decided to get our 'free' mug that come with our season passes and the kids were excited to drink their root beer and powerade.

Update on my parents: After their doctors appointment on Monday they went home.  It wasn't quite the welcome home from their mission that they had imagined but there was a sign put out and some neighbors had been over to help in the yard.  Family had gone to the grocery store to stock the fridge.  Dad was doing ok, but not feeling well.  Now it was just a matter of waiting for test results and waiting for more test to be taken.  They had some other taken on Thursday.  The diagnosis was indeed cancer and plans were being made as to what treatment would be used.  A new drug was what the doctors wanted to use, then they were trying to deal with their health insurance to make sure that it would be covered.  

Marcus and Richard drove mom and dad's car from Boston to Smithfield and made it there on Thursday.  Richard left pretty quick but Marcus stayed and helped until Friday or Saturday.  

Lemonade Stand and summer routine, with news from Newfoundland 7/15 - 7/21/2018

So at the beginning of the summer I asked what the kids wanted to do and most said a Lemonade Stand.  I wasn't really looking forward to it, but Monday we decided to do it.  I made cookies - the kids helped a bit and made a sign - the kids painted it.  Then after dinner we went out to the entrance of our subdivision and tried our luck.  Looking back we picked a bad spot.  There is a lot of traffic, which is good, but it is going by fast and there isn't a good place to slow down and park.  So if we try again we'll pick a different spot.  But still we did ok.  I think we made $20 so the kids each got $4.  I guess I just donated the supplies. :)  We were grateful to a few friends that came over to support us.  It was sooo hot!

 Puzzles are always fun!

 We finished up swim lessons this week.  They all passed their level and did a great job.

Summer is starting to feel long.  Having our trip right at the beginning was fun, but we are getting a bit bored now.  Our normal routine in the morning is doing centers.  We have 5 stations that the kid rotate through: typing, school games on the iPad, math worksheets, piano, and reading.  Then they have to do their morning chore and a service to earn their screen time.  Then they have to play with a sibling and sort legos, or do more typing to earn their second screen time.  I think we are all getting tired of being in the house together.  There is lots of fighting, whining, crying, and bickering.  It is hard for me to stay patient.  Chris is really having a hard time.  He gets angry so fast and then lashes out at whoever is making him mad.  He has really hurt Kaylee a couple of times now.  I am trying to figure out what to do with him and figure out what is the best way we can help him learn to control his emotions.

We have been going to the movies when we can, and usually go to Splashtown once a week.  The kids are getting tired of it though - I don't think we'll get passes next year.  The boys like to play poisonball and I try to play games with the kids when I can.  I just feel like I am on constant referee mode and I haven't gotten anything done this summer.  Oh well - at least sleeping in is nice. :) I still have been working out a bit -not as much.  But a friend in the ward has been doing a dance fitness class that is a lot of fun and I run with Kari most weeks and I still lift weights with Haley and Laisa on Wednesday mornings.

So on Tuesday evening July 17th, my parents called us and told us that they had taken my dad into the doctor because he hadn't been feeling well.  They had spent the day there and had a bunch of test taken.  The end result was that they found a bunch of growths in my dad's liver and that his kidneys were too large.  They advised them to go home as quickly as possible and get treatment done.  I think we all new it was cancer from my dad's eye melanoma - but of course the doctors couldn't say that until they had a biopsy done. 

So my parents made quick arrangements and left their mission 1 month early on Friday.  They drove out of the country and met Richard and Marcus in Boston on Sunday July 22nd.  Mom and dad flew to SLC on Monday and had a doctors appointment lined up for as soon as their plane landed. 

Swimming Lessons, LEGOS and a coconut 7/8 - 7/14/2018

We started swimming lessons this week.  This was the girls first time with lessons. They did so well.  They followed directions and picked up on the strokes quickly.  They have a hard time floating - too skinny I guess, but they did very well for their first time. The boys did well too.  It is so fun to see them advance and learn more difficult strokes and techniques.  

 Kaylee was very excited to buy her first big Lego set.  It was Mia's Treehouse.  She loved putting it together and playing with it.

 Jenna didn't have as much money so she bought a smaller set that came in the mail later in the week.  She was excited for Stephanie's room.

 I don't know what it is, but the kids all wanted to buy a real coconut.  So we did and watched a Youtube video on the best way to crack it and get the meat out.  It worked fairly well.  The bummer is that most of them didn't like to eat it, only Damon and myself.  Oh well, they had fun cracking it.

Hair Cuts and Fireworks June 24 - July 7, 2018

So I didn't take any pictures the week after our trip, guess it was just back to normal life with lots of laundry.  I did take Chris to the orthodontist just to let them know where we stand.  On Chris's last x-ray we could tell that one of his lateral incisors is coming in turned sideways, so that will need to be taken care of at some point.  

Damon and Tyler also had some blood work done.  Our pediatricion has them do a basic lab when they turn 11.  I never did it for Damon, so we had them both do it together.  Damon got a bit light headed and had to lay down for a bit, but he was fine after 20 minutes.  We went and saw the dollar movie after that. 

Monday July1 the girls and I got a hair cut!  Jenna was going to cut hers short, but then decided to go with just below her sleeve.  Then Kaylee wanted to go short too, but then decided on the same length as Jenna.  I would have been ok with Jenna going short, but I would have missed Kaylee's long hair. Kaylee took off quite a bit, but it looks so much better now.  

Kaylee: 

Before:

After:

 Jenna:

 

Before:

 After:

Two cute girls!

 I got a small trim myself to round out my layers, but I didn't lose much length.

 

 We were invited to a neighbors house for FHE treat and swimming.  I was feeling patriotic at the beginning but by the end I wondered why I chose to make decorated sugar cookies!  Such a mess!  But they turned out cute and the girls had fun helping with the sprinkles.

Tuesday July 3rd our neighbors were out doing fireworks, so we joined them with our sparklers and snaps.  We didn't buy any this year, they were left over from last year.  You can see how much we don't really get into fireworks.  But the kids enjoyed watching our neighbors light off some of theirs.  They had some rockets that went high and then the stick part would fall down, the kids would follow it and try and find it.  

 Wednesday the 4th of July.
The ward decided last minute to do a pancake breakfast.  Doug went early to help and do the flag ceremony.  I still went and worked out and then put my muffins in the oven that I had prepped the night before.  It was fun to visit with the ward.  It was raining on and off, and really started to pour by the time it was time to leave.  So all the parades were canceled.  We came back and played poison ball and then went to another friends for hamburgers and swimming. 

I was busy and made a Kale salad, veggie tray and dip, rolo drops, and I brought some kid drinks.  We were grateful that the rain stopped just in time for dinner and swimming. 

One of the families in the ward is moving and they wanted to do a temple trip before they left.  These are three good friends of Damon's: Aiden Chandler, Isaac Smith, and Drew Shurtliff.