Happy Summertime!

Happy Summertime!

I have had the blessing of enjoying the last two weeks at home with the kiddos. It is amazing how precious this time is to me.  I dread how fast it will go, but I am trying to not live that way. I am doing my best to cherish the moments. 

The first thing I have to say about this summer is...I miss air conditioning.  :) And I am a bit cranky when I am hot. The temps have been into the upper 90's this week, which isn't that bad considering I grew up in Southern Utah, but there, we had air conditioning. I still don't quite understand why in this modern day and age Montana homes and condos are not equipped with central air. It may only be hot 2-3 months out of the year, but it is still hot. I finally found a portable unit on Craigslist for $150 that we have in our room. I spent much of today in there trying to stop being grumpy. Still with being on the third floor and with windows facing directly west it can only cool down to about 80 degrees in the early evening. I know, I know, people used to endure it and in some places they still do. I just wish I didn't have to.  :)

The second thing I have to say is...I love being home. It is still challenging to be with the kids all day long and I still find myself impatient, but I have spent some great quality time with them. And know I really appreciate it. The first week I kept track of what we did together because I was just so excited to do normal mom things like go to the library in the middle of the day, or spontaneously go to the park. Last week things got a bit busier because I signed the kids up for swim lessons. One other note about Montana: It is so hot, so my thought is, go swimming! However, despite the hot days, the water is still quite frigid! Makes for discomfort all around. But the lessons have been good. Summer should always include a good dose of swimming.

Let's see, other fun things we have done:
Helped plant a garden at the Stewarts'
Swam at the beach (A sandy area of the small reservoir in town)
made Cookies
Made pancakes
made a father's day cake
several bike rides
Fixed my wedding ring
fixed the computer
Shopped at Walmart
Shopped at Cosco
Helped put up the Stewart's pool
Babysat some friends kids
Played lots of soccer
Had a ward bbq
Went on a FHE hike
Had a lunch date with Daddy.

A few kid updates:

Collin
This boy loves the water. He is really enjoying his swim lessons. No matter where we are, if there is water, he is in it. Like his Momma.  We are doing reading lessons everyday and he is very bright. It is a bit slow for him at the moment and he gets a bit restless so I am trying to find ways to expend that energy before lessons. He and Avind play well most of the time, but I often hear him turn on the scolding voice and he sounds exactly like me. Today he did something that could have hurt Avind and when I stopped him and talked with him, he cried like his little heart was broken. I am grateful for a tender boy. He is very creative and recently made a car out of a box. He is missing his friends from school but is a good sport about spending time with his mom.

Avind
I LOVE this age! 2 years old is so fun. He is beyond cute and his sweet little cheeks are so kissable. His hair has gotten very blond with all our time in the sun and his little arms and face are tan. He loves to dance and play with his favorite toys which he often stores in "mines backpack". Instead of my or mine he says "mines" and it is so cute I don't even correct him. He is piecing together 8-12 word sentences all the time now and has a great understanding of what we tell him. He still loves to make people laugh and he is my cuddler. After naps he just wants to be held for a few minutes, and then he is off ready to play. He has enjoyed his swim lessons quite a bit too, which I was pleasantly surprised about. But when the water is too cold, he wants out. Must take after Daddy. :)

Speaking of Daddy! Blake has landed himself a new job! We did a presentation at church about strengthening marriage through overcoming pornography the last Sunday in May and afterward, a member of the bishopric found me and asked, "How attached is Blake to his current job?" He proceeded to ask Blake to apply for a position as the Associate Director position at the Local Government center at MSU. And after just a few weeks and a few interviews, and a good healthy Blake dose of "I am not going to get the job, they will hire someone else," he got it! He is really excited and I feel like this is a job he will really enjoy and feel truly utilized and vested in.  We have been tremendously blessed.

One last thought, I gave the lesson in Young Women's last week and was very open with them about their choice in marrying. I talked about how we so often make a "list" and try to fit in the perfect man. We all envision a Captain Moroni. But I talked about how there are Almas and Sons of Mosiah types out there too and they need to realize that life is about progress and they need to be prepared to love someone who may have made mistakes before. I talked about Blake and I working through his struggles with pornography and I felt like it was a good thing for them to hear. Our YW president thanked me for being real with the girls and really teaching them a realistic view of their future. I want them to realize that all the happiness in the world can be theirs, but it will take work and commitment. And if they are prepared, they are more likely to succeed. I feel like that is my purpose in YW at this time. We have a need to be more transparent and clear with the youth, and I feel like I am playing a role in that cause.

Well, I just remembered that I am going on an early morning hike with my friend Leah tomorrow so, I best be off to bed! Yay for more summertime!