Diggin' for a topic

When do you pick your nose?
In your car?
When you think you are alone?
'Cause everybody does it...even if they say they don't.
It really helps if you blow your nose every morning, and blowing it really does a pretty effective job most of the time. But, realistically speaking, sometimes the residual snot really needs to go. So, especially if you have nose hairs, check your nose regularly. Mostly because it's just not pretty to see a hanging booger.

Ouch!

Do you think it hurts more when you get hurt as an adult? I tripped last week outside and along with a couple of deep brusies on my legs, that cut up there on my hand was the result. It hurt so bad for a couple of minutes that I had to just sit and refrain from screaming. Now it just itches...A LOT! Sam, on the other hand, fell onto the same kind of rocks...and had multiple cuts and scrapes on his face. (That was at the end of June though, and all of his wounds have healed nicely. And yes, that is birthday cake from his sister's b-day on his chin!) The funny thing about my cut is that it made me really grateful for running water...and the ability to clean it out well. No wonder our ancestors died from infection. A simple cut like that one up there, full of dirt, would have almost certainly become a serious infection without proper cleansing and covering. Can you imagine washing an injury in week old bathwater you had saved because your water was so rationed you didn't have any other to use? I honestly counted my blessings that I could take care of my injury properly.

Puddles

I love this absolute joy. And it comes from being able to get messy...without getting in trouble. We had huge puddles all over outside...and as you can see, we live on a dirt road...so any jumping means mud splatters up the wazoo. But look at those faces...they make me smile just seeing them again! (Nathan in orange...and Thomas in blue).

You can do that?

A scheduled outage?
On my blogger dashboard, it lists this notice: Scheduled outage at 4:00pm.
I may take my cue from this.
The sign for my door will read:
Mom's scheduled outage
Effective Immediately.
The only problem I forsee?
Only 2 of my kids could read it.
And neither one of them would know what it meant.
Shucks.

Abnormal

Yesterday was not fun. Pat went to help someone pour the foundation from 6:30Am-1pm, and I had a houseful of grouchy kids. Driven mostly by Stephen (11 almost), who was ticked off 'cause Pat had left him here instead of taking him to help with the job (the future homeowner said it would have been too hard for Stephen, and Pat left him here). Add to that equation t-ball closing ceremonies which Nathan (7) did not want to attend, and a 15 minute tantrum from Thomas (5) because he was woken up, and the morning did not start out well. We did make it to the closing ceremonies, about 15 minutes late, (just late enough that Nate would NOT join his team already on the field). So I spent the next 30 minutes trying to keep 3 kids from screaming and hitting each other (Sam, Bekah and Thomas), and convincing myself it was important to return those t-ball pants to the coach. (Nathan did get a cool USSSA medal out of the whole thing, though!) When we left, I decided we would go see Pat at the worksite and see if he had eaten and/or had something to drink. He was happy to see us, but was well stocked, so we headed on our way. My kids started begging for Sonic, or some other "treat". Unbeknownst to them, I had been planning a rare treat of doughnuts from our local mom and pop doughnut shop, Daylight Donuts. After grabbing some cash from the ATM (they only take cash), I drove into the parking lot just in time to see the SOLD OUT sign be placed in the window. At that point, I was set on doughnuts enough that I volunteered to take my 6 cranky kids to the closest grocery store to pick out a doughnut. Things actually went okay in there until we had to wait for 15 minutes in the checkout line. We made it to the car and I got Sam and Bekah buckled in. Happy to be on our way home, I went to the driver's side door and pulled it open to the sounds of Sam crying, really crying, a hurt cry. When I asked what happpened, Stephen hung his head, and admitted he had hit Sam on the head, hard. (Sam is hitting people periodically, and thinks it's funny--he had hit Stephen, and Stephen reacted by hitting him back. Never mind that there is a 10 year difference there!) I came home, grouchier now than before, and resigned myself to just a little while longer before Pat got home. Two more issues with siblings came up with Stephen before he admitted he was really upset about Pat leaving him home that morning, and made me really hopeful that puberty is a ways off for this kid. (I can't deal with the emotional rollercoaster!) Pat finally made it home about 1 and I headed out to do my major, bi-weekly grocery shopping. Not necessarily a bad trip, (I stayed in budget!), but with no extra to play with, it was a very uneventful trip (no surprise purchases to spice things up a bit). Home to unload some, then give up, tired, and sit in the chair while my family finished the job of putting groceries away. From there, the kids went a little wild...not listening well, etc...until I was way frustrated. My dear friend Susan Ludwig called about bedtime and just laughed that it was so crazy. Finally, a little peace at the end of the day, 3 loads of laundry to fold, a visit with a dear friend on the phone, and a nudge to remember that this isn't the norm here, and everyone has a bad day now and then. What a good way to end a hectic, harried, abnormal day! Thanks Susan!

Complaint

My vacuum is dying. It was fine until I took it in to be repaired. Now it sounds like it's going to lose a part, it's clanking so loudly. There is a vacuum store in town, but I'm a little nervous to take it back to the same guy. Do you think he sabotaged it? It sucks to have dark green carpet that shows every speck of dirt or food. What did our ancestors use before vacuums were invented?

Happy 4th and farewell to the cousins!

What a happy, fun time we have had over the past 4 days...
*Scones Friday night (always a reason for a celebration here!)
*Geocaching Saturday and a great birthday party with pizza (Thanks Grandpa!) for Angel Face
*A calm, enjoyable Sunday with a talent show, given by all the kids and parents
*Girls' day out Monday (shopping and lunch included!)
*Boys shot the BB gun while we were gone
*Parade (2 hours in the sun made everyone a little sick, but...), Silver City Museum, ice cream, Ward Party, Karaoke, and fireworks...what a wonderful Fourth of July!

The cousins (Hyrum Lunt family) left today...we were sad to see them go. It was a wonderful visit all the way around. Drive safely...and quickly!

Sunday's sacrament meeting was powerful, due to the fact that everyone focused on the upcoming 4th. We truly are blessed to have so many freedoms. I love this country, and the fact that it is sustained by God.

(side note...I had a friend visiting Silver this weekend...it was nice to see and visit her...she even came to see us head into church Sunday morning...Hi Susan Ludwig!)