Sunday, July 31, 2011

July 31

Underfoot says this week: I played with trains this week. I built the train track with my dad. We got a new  train set to add to our collection. I got a surprise at the library this week. I got a book that I can keep about Abraham Lincoln. I saw the dentist. I had friends come over on Friday night.

We’ve been getting over sickness this week. Mama had pink eye (She probably picked it up from Hurricane.) Both boys completed their summer reading program and received an adventure pass from the Library. Early in the week Mama started teaching piano again. The local schools are back in session, so people are done with family vacations and such.

On Friday we went to The Gila Valley Temple in Central, Arizona. Afterward we came home and hosted a get together with some friends.

On Saturday we took it easy and didn’t do a whole lot. Mama took a nap (a very rare event indeed!) and I installed some new software on one of the computers. I also assembled an automatic temperature controller for a fan we have in our garage. I’ve had the parts for about a year, I just never took the time to sit down
and put it all together. That evening around supper time we got a quick, brief, but very powerful thunder and lightning show that lasted about 20 minutes. It was so loud that it woke Mama up from her nap- which is another rare event in and of itself.

It has rained so much the last few weeks that we have volunteer green grass in our backyard. We aren’t hopeful that it will last. It is probably just weeds.

Be Well.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

July 24

Underfoot says this week: I got my jobs done. All week long. I love to see the temple. I did the scripture in Primary today. It talked about returning to Heavenly Father. I read lots of books this week. I got a world balloon from the library reading program.

Hurricane provided a few firsts for us. He came home last Sunday with weepy eyes that developed into goopy eyes. On Monday morning we made an appointment with the doctor. At the doctor’s office, we (Hurricane, Underfoot, and I) learned that Hurricane had an ear infection that had gone into his eyes causing an infection. The doctor said that it wasn’t pink eye. He prescribed an antibiotic and saying that the infection in his eyes might be viral and not bacterial. So I waffled on getting the antibiotic. Later that evening, Underfoot and Hurricane were launching projectiles at each other before supper. (I was learning how to cook and use rice noodles for the first time.) A projectile hit Hurricane in the eye and cut open the top and bottom lids and under the eye. Since Hurricane had an infection and was bleeding from the eye, we decided to go to the emergency room. There are 4 hospitals here. We went to the one with a pediatric emergency room. We were seen quickly. The doctor was great. Hurricane got his eye cleaned thoroughly inside and out. He got to have drops put in the eye to make sure the cornea wasn’t cut. We were told that he had pink eye and to start the antibiotic so an infection wouldn’t come from the cuts. So our firsts were pink eye and the emergency room. Pretty amazing if you ask me that we haven’t visited before now.
We laid low this week. No social engagements. No going to random stores. We did go to the library briefly to change out books. We have been tackling the 100 books of summer suggested by a friend. I think we have made it through about 30 or so. We started about 2 1/2 weeks ago so I feel like that is good progress. Joy School starts for Underfoot in 1 week. We will continue the book reading until we finish.

For L4 and I, summer caught up with us, and we developed sore throats and a cough. We are too stingy to go the doctor. We saw what happened to Hurricane this week for going to the doctor and didn’t want to end up in the emergency room ourselves.

Underfoot helped me pit cherries. He did a great job and earned extra points for his daily jobs.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

July 17

The heat is on and our brains have turned to mush. Here is a quick update.

Monday- Underfoot was so tired he fell asleep at the dinner table.

Tuesday- Mama cleaned the Maud Room and the boys painted.

Wednesday- Scouts was canceled but no one told L4. L4 had a long board meeting. Mama finished cleaning the Maud Room. She started reading a book that night and didn’t go to bed until 4 a.m.

Thursday- Mama invited some friends for an indoor picnic because it was too hot to be outside.

Friday- L4 went in to work to make up some hours. Mama finished the book. L4 worked on Fred while Mama did Bountiful Baskets paperwork in the evening.

Saturday- We cleaned the front yard of dead plant and tree remnants. We did Baskets in the morning. L4 finished replacing the water pump and timing belt on Fred. L4 made some adjustments to the irrigation system. Everyone but L4 took naps. We did a lot of shopping and errands after the naps.

Sunday- In church today a number of people commented on Hurricane’s new found personality and language. He seems to have lost his shyness. He is a chatter box and tells everyone that he fixed Fred Ignatowski (the car.) We had some friends over for supper and Mama made some delicious salmon.

July 10

After almost 19 days away from home, we have returned. In that time we failed to write a letter for last week and will make it up this week as I have finally downloaded the 925 pictures from our trip. I will tell stories with them hopefully over the next few weeks about what we have learned and are growing to become.

The 4th of July was a great day spent with my maternal side. We came together to honor my Grandpa H. for his birthday which he refers to as “Groundhog Day.” The best part was to be together and how well the planning and food came. We did a tribute book for my Grandpa. Each was very excited to see it and read their part. We played (swam at a Cottonwood Heights, had a campfire at Millcreek Canyon, participated in the last 30 miles of the Mormon Trail, went to Temple Square, lit fireworks, and flew a kite), worked (did a clean up at one of the chapel’s in the SLC area), and attended church with my Grandpa. We had to leave before the kite was up. It was a huge American flag kite. We drove into Page, AZ for the last 10 minutes of their fireworks show before bedding down for the night.

We arrived home on Tuesday and cleaned up suitcases and the car before collapsing into bed. The one  miracle of the day was that we were not taken out by a tow truck on the freeway in a monsoon downpour. The driver nearly clipped the front passenger side of our car as we were literally 15 minutes from home. L4 worked the rest of the week. I cleaned up the loose ends of keeping house. The boys played. Our neighbor who is 13 gave Underfoot 4 light sabers. Earlier that day, he had asked me if for Christmas he could be given a real light saber. He said he would even buy one for him and Hurricane so they could play together. We have all enjoyed a few light saber wars.

Saturday was our traditional work-like-mad. We volunteered at our HOA community service day by painting. Underfoot is still sporting orange colored paint in his hair. L4 started to take Fred apart to repair him.  Remember Fred is a car. I started to dejunk a closet. Each boy helped us respectively. In the evening we harvested grapes at a friend’s home and shared them with neighbors.