Run It's Course

I get to go hang out at the hospital tomorrow morning. Blood work and imaging, YAY LIFE!

As usual, I need to fast before hand. I always make my appointments as early in the morning as possible for this very reason. And I also always think about sneaking a sip of something, because really, what harm can it do? But then I don't, because ultimately, I want my tests to be as accurate as possible, whatever they are.

I'm crossing my fingers that I have gallstones or something. You know, because I like to have REASONS for things to not feel good. It's why I hate viruses so much. I feel like, if I am sick, I would like to take an antibiotic or a magic pill, or something. I very much do NOT want to wait for anything to "run it's course" Those are three words I hate to hear, because it takes me so long to recoup from anything. Currently, I have a itchy, scratchy throat, and a super sexy voice to match. But there's nothing WRONG with me. It's just a cold. That has to run it's course. That has already blessed me for the last three weeks of my life.

In other news, we started our Summer Schedule today. Well, as much as we could. We had to do a Wal-Mart run, and that always takes a long time, because it's a long ways away. Plus, when we go into town, we tend to stay awhile and go lots of places, because we already drove all the way out there.

Anyways, we needed composition books because my kids have to write in their journal every day. And we got paracord to make some cool jewelry. And we got a new pond pump, because our pump is half dead and keeps shorting out the breaker. We also got new swimsuits because someone "accidentally" threw hers away. For the record, there was no accident about it. Both girls were convinced their suits were too small, because they were tight. I said, it's a swimsuit, and it's supposed to fit like that, because when it gets wet, it stretches. I didn't know that Taylor had tossed her suit until AFTER we were back from the dump and Troy asked me why there was a swimsuit in the garbage. Of course, this is the kind of question one must ask before one throws garbage into the huge bins at the dump. Oh well. Everyone got a new suit, because I was feeling generous, and they were cheap. But they had to try them on so I could see how they fit first. It's hard to find a good swimsuit for little girls, especially when they have long legs and short torsos. A V-Neck suit on my daughter is QUITE revealing.

Plus, we got the girls tankini's because it makes going to the bathroom so much easier. It's hard to pull a wet swimsuit back up!

Lastly, my sister will be here in less than a week! We're super excited to see her!

Good times in Tappahannock

We forgot to take garbage out to the street on garbage day, so we had to go to the dump today. Most of the people that were there (okay, both the people that were there) were tossing their regular garbage, and I though, MAN, I'm glad that we make enough money to pay the garbage man because this stinks. 

Then we went off to clean the church. In the branch, we have cleaning teams, and they were trying to coordinate with us, but all the suggestions were making my head spin. I told our team leader that there were six of us, and that we are good cleaners, and to not worry about it, because we got it. This made her very happy. (I get the feeling that maybe some people say they will be at the church at such and such a time to help clean the building, and then don't show up... she was very relieved to hear my offer.) It only took us about two hours to get the entire building cleaned up, which I think is pretty danged good. 

Then since we were already in Tappahannock, we decided to check out RivahFest. We'd never been before, because we just moved to the area, so we wanted to check it all out. It was good, except for the fact that everything to DO cost money. Which is lame. Especially because it wasn't advertised anywhere as needing wristbands or tickets or anything like that. So we walked around and looked at all the booths. (My kids saw a huge booth selling paracord bracelets and necklaces. Daniel really, really wants a boy necklace, and I said we could totally make them this summer.)

At any rate, we headed out early, but told the kids we'd go out to lunch. 

They've been begging to eat at Bella's Pizza, because it's the restaurant that our neighbor owns. We figured, hey, we're right here in Tappahannock, and hey also, we're starving, so we finally got to try it out. The kids were thrilled to see their friends, and Taylor, our little chef, kept sneaking peeks inside the kitchen. She solemnly told me that when she is a teenager, she is going to work in the kitchen there. Anyways, I don't know what I was expecting the food to be like, but my sandwich was SO DANG GOOD. It had fried onions and hot peppers and green peppers and some delicious sauce. I was a happy girl.

Two of the kids ordered hot dogs, and when they came out, they were hot dogs, wrapped in a soft pretzel. My kids gobbled those things up... for REALS. 

Then we came home and set about getting ready for Sunday. No matter how much planning and preparing I think I've done during the week, Saturday afternoon hits, and I have some project that I needed to finish up for singing time. Most of my preparations have been going into singing time, because I'm the branch Music Leader, and I think it should be FUN. 

Plus, the first few times, before I was the official leader but was standing in every week, I noticed that the kids didn't know some songs that *I* thought they should know. So I've been really working on teaching them new primary songs and church hymns, but also still reviewing the songs they do know. I just wish I had more time! It's my favorite part of church, not gonna lie. I have always wanted to be the primary Music Leader, and now I AM and it's MAGICAL. 

And on that note, I am going to get my stuff together!

Summer Plans

Summer is officially here and  I am READY.

I have a plan, and it might not be fancy, but it will work for us, which is the most important part.

Every day, the kids will have to read, write, do something physical, and do their chores. If they got up and just DID IT, they would be done with their to-do's by 10 o'clock, easy.

Then, Mondays are going to be our making and baking day, Tuesday will be a take a day trip, Wednesdays will be our swim days, Thursday is the library and other errands, and Friday is movie night.

I also have printed out a list of Mom-Approved Activities, aka the I'm bored list. These are the things that I am totally fine with people doing, and also, they do not require any help on my part. This is especially important because I am not the entertainment committee. So far, on the list of Mom-Approved activities, I have:

• play a board game
• read a book
• play in the front yard
• put on a play or skit
• read your scriptures
• make a FHE lesson
• play-dough
• coloring
• dance party
• watch the clouds
• build a fort
• play hopscotch
• play badminton
• bird watching
• bug watching
• frisbee
• have a nap
• do an extra chore

I'm sure I'll add more things to the list as the summer progresses, but it's a good starting point.