Father's Day Weekend

Todd's been gone on a few fires this year so it was nice to have a weekend together as a family. We took a quick trip up to Yankee Meadows and did a little fishing. The weather was perfect and we actually caught something. We ended up bringing home four fish for our dinner the next day (which was Father's Day). When we got home that night, Todd got a call to go out on another fire to New Mexico. There are three GIS Specialists on Todd's fire team and they are supposed to rotate around on the fires. Luckily, it was Todd's turn to sit out so he got to enjoy his Father's Day at home.

When we went to work Monday, he received phone calls throughout the day from his team asking questions and needing help with certain things. When he came home Monday night, he let us know that his team needed him and he needed to pack and hit the road the next day.

It's hard for him to be gone but at the same time we really could use the money so I don't want to complain too loudly. Our family has actually started getting into a routine (some not so good) when he's gone and we seem to manage just fine. I guess it just makes me glad that we were able to take a weekend and do something together as a family...and we all actually enjoyed it!

Mother of the Year Award

Last night before she went to sleep

While she was sleeping I snapped a quick pic

  One eyed Willie. Cyclops. Sloth (from the Goonies). Mike Tyson. Call her what you will but she doesn't look like my cute little Julia.

Todd is gone on another fire and I had tried so hard all day Sunday to keep the kids from playing with friends. Every time we would go outside, a new friend would show up and we would end up going into the house because it was easier than telling the friend(s) to go home. That evening, after the third attempt to go outside and ride scooters on our own property, I caved in and let them ride scooters with their friends. It was just easier. The scooter riding turned into a game of tag on bikes--well to be more specific it was cops and robbers with the big neighbor boys (dad's) being the cops and all the kids were robbers.

Julia was being so good to just stay on our drive way and ride her scooter but after she saw all the chasing and fun in the street she thought that was the place to be. I went and got her once and brought her back home but once was not enough. I shouldn't have been so lazy and should have really enforced her not being allowed in the game because soon after I gave the boys their 15 minute warning that it was almost time to come in Julia and one of the neighbor girls had a head on collision. I would love to blame it all on Julia and the lack of her watching where she's going but the truth is that it's my fault for even allowing her to be out there with the bigger kids at all. 

After the crash we picked both girls up, inspected them and I noticed blood coming down from Julia's eye and it was very swollen. I tried to stay calm and walked into the house, followed by three concerned men and what felt like 20 kids. I quickly put some ice on her eye and then the men began their diagnosing. Once said, "I think she's got a broken cheek bone". Another said, "Her eyes are really dilated". The third said, "I think it's all just swollen". I only wanted to agree with dad #3. I can handle scrapes and bruises but to think she had a broken cheek bone was NOT what I wanted to hear.

We got all the kids back to their homes and my kids into their PJ's and were about to say our evening prayers when my neighbor came back over with his wife and an ice cream cone to share with Juls. They even offered to give her a blessing if I wanted. I really thought the swelling had gone down some and it looked better than it had when it first happened so I thought she'd be alright. It was still so neat that I am surrounded by worthy priesthood holders that are willing and able to assist if needed.

I'm so grateful that it wasn't her eye that got hit or hurt in any way. It was extremely close. There's probably a reason we shouldn't play with friends on Sunday...or ride scooters/bikes in the dark. Maybe both?

This morning while in the tub. She did not want her picture taken.

Pictures were more fun when she could make faces

Ain't I a beaut!

Summer School

Porter got to attend Kindergarten earlier than we expected this year. He was accepted into the Cub Academy which is a summer school program held for two weeks at the Elementary school. I was so excited because Porter doesn't want to have much to do with mom teaching him letters and things. Thus the reason he was accepted...he knows NOTHING about the alphabet (with the exception of the letters in his own name). He has been loving going to school in the mornings. His first day I asked him what his favorite thing they did was and he replied, "Playing with toys and riding the bikes!" Hey! I wanna go to Kindergarten if that's what they're doing!

It's great that he's getting this opportunity to see what Kindergarten will be like in the fall. He can't wait to ride bikes with his brother to school.