Too Blah to Blog?

Okay, I see it has been a couple weeks since my last post, and all I can say is that I have been feeling too blah to blog. I have neglected to mention the weather much recently, and that is probably because we have just been having week, after week, after week of sunshine and 95+ temps. Some people may enjoy this weather, but I am not one of them. I am sure missing my shade tree in the front yard. It has been reduced to just a 15-foot stump in our front yard, just waiting for Ryan to finish the job. The health of this tree has noticeably declined over the past couple years, but this year only 3 branches showed any sign of life, so we figured it was time to take it down. :-( I was soooo looking forward to some thunderstorms that were in the forecast for this week, but those didn't pan out either and passed us by to the south with only a couple clouds up our way.

There is some hope in the near future, as we are planning to go camping next weekend, July 25-26. It will be great to get up into the mountains for a couple days. Ryan is still not officially employed as he waits for an opportunity to open up with a company not too far from us. In the meantime he has kept busy, and kept the money coming in, working with his friend Marcus, delivering huge blow-up slides and bounce houses, and doing some remodelling work for his sister. Point Being, he may not be able to go camping with us next weekend, since this will be technically a "holiday weekend" here in Utah, celebrating Pioneer Day, and Marcus is usually really busy around summer holidays. Oh well, I have decided I am going to go and take 4 kids, whether he comes or not. We will be camping with some other family members, Ryan's brother Eric and his wife, and probably Ryan's brother Clayton, and possibly even Ryan's sister Emily. I know!! Pretty silly if Ryan doesn't come. Andrew is still in California, so he will have to miss out on this one as well.

The kids will be going back to school on July 28th and we are all looking forward to this. The kids just get too bored around here. Since it is too hot to do much outside in the afternoon, and they have to be quiet in the house because Addie is sleeping, their options for entertainment are limited. Some days are better than others. Today has been ideal . . . . . Ashley is at a friend's house, Austyn is at a friend's house, Adalyn went down for her nap on time and without a problem, and Alexia is at a friend's house. So, of course, I should be working, and I have been, just taking a break. :-)

There has been a lot going on for the past several weeks, it seems. July 6th we spent some time in Orem as Mary & Frank blessed their new baby. It was kind of cool to have all my sisters there. Frank took a couple pictures of us all together, but I haven't gotten a copy yet. From there, Evy and Andrew headed to California. The next Friday, July 11th, we picked up my brother Sam from the airport and drove back down to Orem for an afternoon/evening BBQ. (Sam came into town for my cousin Conrad's wedding.) After the BBQ we dropped off Austyn and Addie with Emily, so the rest of us could go to a Jon Schmidt piano concert. Ashley and Andrew had each won 2 tickets to this concert. Unfortunately, Drew missed out on this one as he was in California. So, it was Ashley, Alexia, Sam and Me. It was actually REALLY GOOD and I think Andrew really would have enjoyed it as well. The concert was opened with a performance by Jon Troast, a singer/writer/guitar player, who did a really good job as well. You can listen to a couple of his songs on his web site http://www.jontroast.com/New_Site/index.html We especially liked his song #01. The Most, and song #02. Was It Ever Really Mine. I found that you can also listen to some of Jon Schmidt's great piano music through his web site http://www.jonschmidt.com/catalog/index.php . We had to leave the concert just before the encore performance, at 10:30 pm, since the show was supposed to be over at 10:00 and we still had to pick up the little ones from Emily & Nate's house. We made it home before midnight and I could feel a migraine coming on. We got everyone to bed and set the alarm to be up in time to shower before heading to the temple for Conrad & Shannon's wedding. I didn't sleep very well, probably didn't help that I took a couple Excedrin on the way home from the concert, but I was up in plenty of time, still with a headache, showered and ready to go. We headed out a little early so we could stop for fresh bagels on the way. We were still there in plenty of time and really enjoyed seeing everyone there and SUPER excited for my cuz Conrad to be getting married. After the wedding we headed home to pick up the kids and take them back to Em & Nate's place to hang out with Eric & Becky while Ryan, Sam and I went to the wedding luncheon. From the luncheon, Sam went with our sister Jenny, and Brent, back to their place to spend the rest of his visit with them. We picked up the kids, again, and headed home. I managed to get a quick 15-minute nap before I headed out with the older girls and Austyn for a BBQ/meeting for their dance group. I was seriously tired, with a headache, and did NOT want to be there, but I let the kids enjoy themselves for a couple hours, then headed home to get to work on my work. The kids were a little disappointed that we didn't go to the wedding reception that evening, but I just couldn't do One More Thing that day.

Sunday was much less eventful. Jenny & Brent came over after dropping Sam off at the airport. Jenny made us dinner, broccoli casserole, which was really yummy!! Thank You Jenny!!!! Anytime I don't have to cook and we can still enjoy a "real" meal, it just makes my day! Which reminds me, I need to figure out what to make for dinner tonight.

Monday, the headache was finally gone and things were back to "normal" for the most part. I guess nothing is quite normal as long as Ryan has his mixed up crazy working schedule, and Drew is not here, but at least it was close.

Well, while I am posting links, here are a couple more. First is a link to a column I enjoy reading, in "Mormon Times," by Orson Scott Card http://www.mormontimes.com/ME_blogs.php?id=1536 This links to his most recent column, titled "Ever too old for Primary?" For his past columns you can link here http://www.mormontimes.com/ME_blogs.php?listAll=1&bID=3 I really enjoyed his column titled "Priests give wise words a modern makeover," which has several "proverbs" that his class of Priests came up with during Sunday School. http://www.mormontimes.com/ME_blogs.php?id=797 The other columnist I enjoy is Ann Cannon, who has a column in "Deseret News" http://www.deseretnews.com/site/staff/1,5231,174,00.html I once contributed to her column "Secrets to stash sugar out of sight of stealing hands," which of course I am a PRO at.

Not many pictures this week, but here is one of Adalyn and her bag of popcorn at the park.

Anyway, I guess that's all for now. Amazingly it's 3:00 already and I need to pick up Ashley.