Deck camping

Our ward's camp out is this weekend, but we have a bunch to do tomorrow so we had to stick close to home.

The kids were sad until we told them we would camp on the deck.

They are still awake. Who knows if we will ever get to sleep. Everything is too exciting to sleep when you are camping on the deck.

No jobs = no fun and something smells fishy

Today we had plans to meet with my cousins and their kids at a splash pad and have a picnic. I excitedly told the kids this and reminded them that we had to have jobs completed before we could go.

Beckham had a nana night scheduled and wouldn't be joining us, but I told him the same rule applied to him. No jobs = no fun.

It was so surprising to me that we still had the same battles over jobs we have every day. EVEN with the added incentive of something extra fun at the end.

We were an hour late to our play date.

I'm glad we went. They had a wonderful time.

We came home and just hung out reading and playing the Wii for awhile.

Then one of the school board members, Larry Smith, called me and talked for 45 mins about reasons behind the board's decision, well the maintenance manager's decision, to take out all the permanent goal posts at the schools...except for the ones on the soccer fields that the soccer club, Forza, doesn't use...because they claim they were safety hazards...except for on those fields Forza doesn't use. Apparently, those goals they are willing to take a risk with. OH and the board also claims they don't care about the soccer clubs. They only care about the kid's safety during school hours. Except, what about those permanent posts they've left remaining?

Right. I smell something fishy too.

I've sent a number of emails and keep chipping. They keep trying to cover something up. Thankfully, I don't get intimidated easily. They have sure tried.  Still, being lied to is exhausting.

 I'm grateful for Larry. He thinks they are hiding things as much as I do. It's nice to have an ally on the inside.

Kevin took Karaia to a baseball game. She had a great time and got a few signatures.

Tennyson and Sanders and I watched the movie "Elosie". Tennyson's pick. They were both so tired though that by the end they were wiggling everywhere just to stay awake.

It was really fun to just be me and the littles tonight. It reminded me of when it was just me and Karaia and Beckham at those ages.

Saying sorry is good

Beckham and I have a rough go of it today. I'm sorry was said in both camps. Sigh. Days like this make me really wonder about my ability to parent these amazing souls. I

I want to document all the wonderful things I know about Beckham.

I love his thirst for knowledge. That kid can't learn information fast enough.

I love his dimples. They only come out if he is really, truly smiling. If you see those you've hit gold.

I love his ability to eat broccoli even though, second to tomatoes, it is the worst tasting food to him.

I love his retention of gospel related things.

I love how he loves his siblings.

I love to hear him play the piano.

I love how quick he is to say he is sorry. And mean it.

I love how he is a good friend.

Of course the list could go on, but it's a good start.

The 4th

"I'm going to try the walk away slowly method next time."  -Beckham

This was said after he lit a few fireworks on his own and high taled it out of there to save his mom's heart from dying from stress.

After he successful slowly walked away from a lit firework with a humorous gettin on his face he contemplated,

"I feel like such an adult when Uncle Alex hands me the lighter and a fire work and I walk away slowly."

All I know is, I'm an adult, and I see it as life perservingly necessary to run from a lit bomb.

No matter how colourful the explosion promises to be.

Swimming

We started swimming lessons today. Each child has a private half hour lesson because that way I find that they actually learn how to swim.

Case in point Tennyson jumped off the diving board today and swam over to edge,all by himself. It does my mom heart good to know that he will be safe in the water.

Sanders has quite a ways to go but he thinks he can swim...which is kind of dangerous.I'm grateful that his teacher is helping him learn to be safe.

I wasn't able to watch Karaia and Beckham because Tennyson had piano lessons at the same time. But I hear they did great.

Tennyson and Sanders actually had two sessions of swim lessons today. One this morning and one in the afternoon. Because of the 4th of July holiday they won't get a full week so we're craming a full week into a few days.

I'm really exhausted.