First Full Week of Summer June 4-10

We started our first week of summer vacation.  It was just as we expected, a few activities here and there like baseball, playing with some friends, and then some major times of "I'm bored! What can I do?"  Which didn't work because since dad works at home, he finds the boys much harder things to do than I would if it were just me.  They are slowly learning not to complain, SLOWLY.  They have done a lot of weeding. The older kids have also worked for Sister Vance a few times.  

Laura Lee is still trying to find a job, even though she is moving pipe.  Moving pipe is just so sporadic that she needs a little more.  She only has two full summer left before she starts college so she has to get working.  She had basketball tournaments this weekend and last, so the job finding has slowed down.   

I had to take the Webelos to day camp this past Friday.  One of the moms, Liz Lyon, came with me.  Our group was very small and they were very good. We had three red-heads in the group! The boy with the hat on is the most mischevious of all the boys.  I also teach him in piano.  His name is Garrett and he drives all the kids crazy.  He can be extremely mean to the kids by making fun of them.  For example, we left early (the day camp was LAME) and went to get a shake at Zipz since we were in Bear Lake.  I asked them what size shake they wanted, and Garrett says to the smallest in the group-- in a super annoyingly mean voice, "You should get the mini, Kade!! You are a mini! hahahaha!!!" Liz promptly whips off Garrett's hat and says "How would you like it if someone made fun of your most distinguishing feature?  What if they kids all called you carrots all the time??"  

I was trying to go a little easy on him Friday, because on Tuesday of that same week I had given him a major "do better" talk about piano. He has taken from me for three years now and he is a pain in the butt.  He thinks he can talk his way out of anything by being "smart" and "cute". He just won't take the time to practice or review his notes. I have many other students who all know the notes just fine!  He is not dumb, and he doesn't have any learning problems-- just an "I'm super special, and everyone tells me so" problem.  Other than that, I have learned to love him, even though I am not always very nice to him. I treat him like my own kids, I guess!! 

Garrett, Audrik, Nathan, and Kade. 

Sitting in the boat at Zipz.  They have yummy shakes! 

I am a little out of order, but here are some pictures from Memorial Day.  Lisa's kids are with ours (Cora, Kate, Isla).  They are all getting bigger every year. 

Spencer and I went on a walk before the start of one of Luke's games.  We were at the baseball park in Wellsville, and it was really pretty.  There was a lake nearby and we saw all sorts of animals: pelicans, turtles, muskrats, and ducks.  He had a great time, and of course wanted to catch a turtle and take it home.  They were the size of dinner plates-- and NO.  He is such a tender heart for animals. Spencer found a little bird this week that had been injured. He took in it, placed it in a box with grass, water and strawberries.  Unfortunately, it died the next day.  He is determined to get a turtle one of these days, and he keeps searching KSL classifieds to find one.  I really don't want another animal for us to remind them to feed.  

The boys in their matching "Sandlot" shirts.  They are either best buddies or best enemies.   Spencer just idolizes Luke, so he is super sensitive if Luke says anything that makes Spencer feel "less than" or not as cool.  They are learning, I guess.  For the most part, they are super great together.  

We really want to sell these adorable rabbits, but haven't had any luck.  Maybe there are too many moms like me out there that say, "No! We have enough animals already!!"  We need to advertize more in Logan near the university-- so the snowflakes up there can have a therapy pet when life gets hard.  One of my Chinese students told me that other day, "I like rabbits! They taste good!"  Of course! Most of the world eats rabbits, we need to advertize them as food! We should concentrate our efforts in the Mexican communities.  They buy goats to eat all the time-- I am sure rabbit is pretty tastey, too!  These bunnies might have more fur than meat, though.