Our Life Lessons: July 2017

Monday, July 31, 2017

Visitors, Firsts, and Fireworks - Week 45

Auntie Yvette and her children came on her way East. Auntie Yvette has made a goal to go to the 50 States before her oldest graduates from high school. They are visiting the Northeast this summer. They will have gone to the lower 48 by the end of this summer.

While they were here, we went to see the Denver Temple. Monday morning they packed up and headed East.

We started our summer jobs. We made a list of jobs that need to be done each day - inside, outside, music, homework, and reading. Once their jobs are done they get to watch an old movie. It's part of their education. The movie has to be made before 1980. So they are OLD.

In our area, a summer book group was organized for children. We went to our first one that read the book "Lucy Lady Bug" by Sharon King-Chai.

Afterward they got to decorate their own cupcake with their own spots. They had a fun time.

Hurricane had his first den meeting. He was over the moon excited and brought home a cup of dirt and a silver pail.

The cup of dirt reminded me of the Brian Regan comedy sketc h about waking up on the day of the science fair and remembering he forgot to do the science fair. He brought a cup of dirt as his assignment. Hurricane loved the evening. Underfoot and I enjoyed our evening together by talking on the front porch.

It had been a particularly hard day for me. He was very kind to be my buddy for the evening.

The sunset was lovely that evening.

Underfoot started to see the chiropractor because he has complained of his back hurting for a while. When he was being adjusted the chiropractor said it is funny how a child will react the same way that the parent does. Underfoot holds his breath. So do I. Underfoot doesn't "relax and helps" with the adjustment. So do I. We chuckled.

We attended a Concert in the Park as a family. The band was called That 80's Band. They played different 80s songs. We had a really good time listening to the music, playing cards, and dancing.

Underfoot had a play date with a friend from school. He made this friend at the end of the school year and was really happy to have someone to hang out with at school. The whole family came for the play date. The parents are from Napal.

On Saturday the ward hosted a pre-4th of July with a BBQ, a bike ride, ultimate Frisbee, baseball, and socializing. The men in the family rode their bikes. I drove the food. The men had a really good time running around and riding their bikes. They took a long time to come home in the heat of the day.

That evening we went to Four Mile Historic Park with the Eckert family.

The park is a living museum for what it was like during the settling and early days of Denver. The park was free for the evening because the city was doing their fireworks that evening.

The fireworks were fun and close.

Be Well.

*****

A Pretty Breakfast

Another View of the Denver Temple

Flowers at the Temple

Sweetheart was picking a few weeds at the temple.

Someone attacked the ice cream from the outside.

Apparently the inside was too hard to eat.

Another View of Fireworks

Friday, July 7, 2017

Day Camp - Week 44

We returned home to get ready for Day Camp and clean up from our trip.

Hurricane attended his first Day Camp.

Underfoot attended Webelos Camp.

They were at the same location at the same time. Our pack needed a staff volunteer. I volunteered for that role and was the Shooting Range Guard.

The first day at camp I hyper-extended my knee. I was so grateful that I had a job that I could let it heal. Each night we camp home and showered immediately from being hot and then filthy. We then drank and drank and drank and drank water.

On Wednesday, we celebrated Meg Bostwick's birthday. She loved birthdays and love the phrase "Treat Yo' Self." Meg's funeral had been the day before.

Cousin Susan, Meg's Mom, invited everyone to treat themselves for Meg. We treated ourselves with a Frostie.

The boys started the library reading program.

Hurricane and Underfoot participated in an Eagle Court of Honor by doing the flag ceremony. Hurricane had a lot of firsts this month with Scouts.

Saturday was busy with cleaning the church and a summer work picnic. We went to Boondocks and played all the games.

Sweetheart's favorite is the Laser Tag. He got the most points (23,000+).

Be Well.

*****

Last Day of Day Camp - Day 3

Our Pack

Hungry?

Tucson Temple - Week 43

Monday morning we got up and left the Morgan's house to go to the Tucson Temple Open House.

When we told the boys were were moving, one question they had was if we would get to see the Tucson Temple. We promised them we would go and so we did.

We met our sweet friends, the Alabi family, for a tour.

The interior of the temple is really beautiful. Each temple has a motif of the area that the temple's area.

The octotillo and pickle pear catcus and Arizona sunsets are in the details of the walls, doors, flooring and even the lighting. The best part was to see people we knew and give hugs to them.

After our temple visit, we ran errands for Hurricane's birthday party before going to the Earls house. We found a pinata and other party supplies. We of course needed to go to Eegee's for an eegee. That evening we met up with friends who were headed to Yellowstone the next day and were willing to meet us that night at Dairy Queen.

The boys were really happy to talk with friends that knew their personalities and listened to their stories.

Fun thing is we pulled in and a different car pulled up beside us. Another family we know was headed out for supper. It was a delightful surprise!

The boys invited some friends to go with them on Tuesday to the Temple Open House. Brittny went with us as well which was a welcome surprise.

We toured the temple, walked the grounds, and rode the double decker bus. I think the bus was a highlight. Afterward we went to Eegee's again. Again we went and visited different friends.

Wednesday Sweetheart was going to come. We hadn't seen our Dad in 2 weeks, and we were ready to see him, be with him, and travel with him. That day we went to Barnes and Noble and found the "perfect" Father's Day gift. The boys found a visual Bible that used Legos to tell the stories. They were so excited. That evening Rachael Nielson made arrangements for a Girls Night Out. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and had a wonderful time. The boys went to Cub Scouts, and Sweetheart's flight went through 6 time changes before he got on the flight. He finally made it to Tucson.

During supper, my parents called to tell me that Meg Bostwick, my Dad's cousin's daughter, had passed away from a brain tumor that had been diagnosed 2 weeks previously. She had given birth to her daughter before her passing. Meg was 27 years old.

I was very grateful that Sweetheart came in that evening. I am grateful to believe that families can be together forever.

On Thursday, Sweetheart went to work at the Tucson office.

We got Hurricane's party ready by making a cake, filling a pinata, and getting food. Hurricane was thrilled to see his friends and to celebrate his birthday.

Friday morning we packed up and took Lance to the temple. We had friends meet us for to see the Tucson Temple Open House.

Before we went to the Tucson Temple, we went to Eegee's of course. The Tucson South Stake was volunteering the day we came, and we got to see a lot of friends that we wouldn't have seen. We started our drive back toward home and drove through Globe, AZ.

The drive offered beautiful views and a stunning sunset.

Saturday we crossed off one our goals this year by going to 4 Corners and Mesa Verde National Park. At 4 Corners there was relatively no line to get our picture taken.

That was a great boon! Next we went on the Cliff House and Balcony House tours. We took the last tour for Cliff House and didn't have another group of people in the pictures.