Lazy Summer Days...

I try to avoid lazy summer days. I really despise lazy summer days, but there is no way to fill every second of my day with chores. So, I try to get caught up on my reading during the summer (I fall horribly behind during the school year as I can not keep my eyes open!)
I began my summer reading with a Harry Potty rereading (that's what he's called in our house, it makes Roxy and Erik giggle). There is a movie coming out and I need to get the facts fresh in my head so I can give an accurate critical judgement of the movie - so why not reread the series. Harry Potty is great, that's just all there is to it! (and I'm so glad she put the romance in at the end, I do love the idea of Ginny and Harry having adorable genius wizard children....)

Next I discovered the 3rd book in the City of Ember series (Yes, there are 4 books total, but one is a really stupid prequel). It was an interesting story that kept me going with some pretty good twists and turns, but the details and explanation were just not as intriguing as The City of Ember. I am a fan of the series, I like the idea, and it's a great connection to our study of Electricity, (and I love getting kids hooked in a series because then they just keep reading!!) I also like kids to read this before they read The Giver, which can be fairly intense if you are not prepared - the City of Ember is a light warm-up to the idea.

Somewhere in here I read a couple of REALLY STUPID romance novels, jeez, seriously - how do people tolerate such nonsense... (sorry if you love a romance novel, maybe I just pick terrible ones, but they are always so empty - I'll stick to kids books)

Next up, a lighthearted, easy Mormon reader. It's a cute book that Jamie sent me to read on a day "when you don't want to think". It is the story of a year in high school as told by various characters. They come from a variety of groups and find themselves intertwined in peculiar ways. It is a great book when you don't feel like thinking.

Last, but certainly not least, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson. This story is based on the life of the authors Great-Grandmother. It is a rivetting tale of life on the Montana prairies, and paints such beautiful pictures of nature, and the relationships within. The main character is a cross between Anne of Green Gables, Laura Ingalls, and Sarah Plain and Tall - she's quite the character. I was most taken by the voice in this novel which truly puts you in the story and fills you with emotion. A fantastic read!

Next up, going to try some adult books (adult - as in they don't come from the children's section of the library. Grown-up books are so hard for me - cut the rambling details and get to the point!)... As well as eat away at the pile of books that are "must reads" from my students. So many books, so little time. (And yes, there is so little time, because when I start reading I usually fall asleep so my reading usually occurs in tiny bursts.)

weakness....

I've been up since 12:30 AM (see prior post about the evil dentist)...
During my long hours I have drank gallons, literally, of water, but have not been able to find anything to eat. So here I sit, waiting to go to my dentist appointment (thankfully my dentist is kind enough to find space for me!) and clicking about on the internet. And this is what I stumble upon....Good Grief. Normally, I would just start baking, because - why not? But I have to go to the dentist, he's thwarted me again!
So I head off cookie-less, finally finding something worth eating, but having to leave with an empty but watering mouth. But I'll have you know, I'm leaving the butter on the counter - there are cookies in my future....
So much for eating healthy....

Dumb Dentist...

I went to the dentist last week for a regular check-up and cleaning. No problems, in and out, easy right??
Never.
Of course I have Nielson teeth, so they suck. I have fillings and a possible root canal - that is not pleasant, but I can handle it.
The thing that gets to me, is ever since I left the dentist - I've had a TOOTHACHE! Remember, before = NO problems, After = Stupid aching mouth.
Dumb Dentist....

Jamie, You're not alone....

It was a good morning...5:45 am - Lunches had been made, Art had been fed and sent off to work, the dishes were done, the bread was proofed and rising, the laundry was started, the bed made, and I was just getting ready to sit down and eat my breakfast before we (the dogs and I) went walking. Just as I got the water added to my oatmeal, I turned around to put it into the microwave, whacked the dish against the fridge and sent the oatmeal flying. Yes, oatmeal flies.
It's hard to see in the picture, as oatmeal is beige (had it been hot fudge it would have been a better picture...) but from the above perspective, oatmeal covered the floor, garbage can, railing, wall, stairs, all the way up to the picture hanging above the stairway!
I don't know if you've ever had the opportunity to clean up oatmeal, but let me tell you this. It is not easy. It is neither dry, therefore flaking off; nor is it sticky, therefore easily wiped up, it is instead a vicious version of both...falling off the walls covering the stairs, while wedged into the cracks of every orifice.
So, now I've wiped up the kitchen floor, walls, railing, etc., vacuumed the stairs and succumbed to eating Apple Jacks - it was of course, the last packet of oatmeal...my walk is now running late, but at least I got to make Jamie feel better about herself (only makes sense if you regularly read her blog), and I don't even have pregnancy brain to blame.

sleep....

So it's summer, which means staying up late to enjoy those cool evening hours, and slowly crawling out of bed far into the morning. Well, that's what it means to MOST people...but me - not so much.

You see, Art is working a new schedule - his day starts at 6 AM and he works until 4:30, Monday-Thursday; then on Friday he works from 6-3:30; and on Saturday he works from 6-11:30... And with a 30 minute drive to work...that means we're all up at 5 - every day (and I mean every day, because by Sunday, my body and my dogs are so used to getting up at 5, that's what time we get up.)
I really don't have a problem with the morning - I'm an early bird. I function at 5 AM, however, I do not function at 9 PM, and this schedule is making it truer than ever.
Proof in point, last night we crawled in bed, cozied up in the blankies, shut all the blinds...and the room still sparkled with sunlight. As I got back up to find a way to block the light beating through the bathroom window, I glanced out to see that shining golden orb far from the horizon, over the fence the neighbor boy was mowing the lawn, out behind us the neighbor kids were busily scrambling up the ladder and going down their slide, a family rode by on their bikes, a few teenagers went skating past laughing, the world was still on the move, and we, well, I, was climbing in bed to join my already soundly sleeping husband....it was 8:30, and the young married couple with no children were off to sleep.

Sustainable Arts

I have spent the week at a class at the University of Utah called, "Sustainable Arts". I signed up for the Arts portion but was so fascinated by sustainable end of it, I was sucked in. We danced, painted, acted, and sang about the importance of saving the earth, and the principals of sustainability.

I have to say that it was kind of hard to find the motivation to get up and drive across the valley every day, but it was so worth it! Yesterday was our culminating project where we all taught an earth friendly mission that included all 4 art forms. It was so interesting to watch how these complicated concepts became simplified for kids and moved in such a creative way. We danced and moved for 7 straight hours yesterday, it was exhausting, but so incredible all at the same time. We began and ended with this song called "Save the Earth", which was beautifully sung by our Drama Chair, and danced by us!! Imagine 30 grown women, dancing, singing, and moving this song - and when it was over we all cheered, "Let's do it again! do it again!!"
The Arts work.

(Video will be posted later, when we get the DVD of our work.)

Summer Boredom = More Blogging....

Well, at least that's the idea of summer boredom, and it is working for Jamie!

So it's been rainy, in case you haven't noticed, quite rainy.

Art has a couple of days off because he's starting a new job on Tuesday, we were going to go backpacking in the Uinta's, but it's rainy, quite rainy.

So we've been filling time around the house, pretending we're on vacation. Yesterday began with a trip to the temple, then I came home to walk the dogs, but it was rainy. So errands came next, and then we ate lunch, and alas - a break in the clouds!

(Not actual break in the clouds)

So we threw on our walking shoes, leashed up the dogs, and headed to the park. As we walked over, we noticed the dark skies building in the west, casually mentioned that it might be a short walk. Half way around the park - it began to sprinkle, we decided we better turn around; walked three steps - it began to rain; started to run - it began to pour; ran much faster - it started to hail!

(Not actual hail storm - but in my clouded vision, this is what it looked like, only wetter!)

Lulu does not like being wet, especially when it's by torrent bullets of hail and drowning rain. So when we ran, she seriously ran (while simultaneously wiping her face with her paws -very talented dog). We ran from tree to tree trying to get a short reprieve from the intense water. Let me just say, by the time we got back around the park, we were soaked - water sloshing in the tennis shoes soaked. Nothing like running in soaking wet jeans with a panicked dog. It was fun! We finally made it home, left the dogs in the carport, went in and stripped off our dripping clothes. We toweled off the dogs, then put on some dry clothes.

(Not actual wet dogs - ours are much cuter!)

Art was standing in the front door watching the rain STILL pouring down, when he noticed the small lake building in front of the neighbors house. Then he noticed the neighbors son out trying to unclog the storm drain as the water rushed down their driveway. Art hollered, "We have to go help the Thompson's" and was off into the rain. I pulled on the dripping wet jeans (not easy to do...) grabbed the big push broom and headed out. The neighbors were madly pushing water away from their garage, and attempting to unclog drains all the way down the street. That's when Art noticed the neighbor two house in the other direction had a LARGE lake in front of their house. We ran down and began pushing water away. The water was 6-8" in front of their garage, had filled an entire window well and made a lake around the front door. Art went to unclogging the drain (which was covered in a piece of cardboard someone had neglected to throw away properly!) I began pushing water away from the house. Rain water is cold - very cold. I had on Keen's - my toes were frozen!! But I just kept pushing. Finally the rain started to let up and so we could get ahead of the water. It took about 45 minutes to push the water away from their house. Then we went inside, where they had several inches of water covering the entire basement! We rounded up some ward members and pushed water, and emptied the basement, and sucked a lot of water up. Art got on the phone to Sandy City, on behalf of the neighbor and entire block, and expressed our concerns. They were there in minutes with 10 guys, a truck of sandbags, and a very nice city worker. They sandbagged the neighbors, then we had them do us (we have a very nice finished basement that we don't want covered in water-this rain is going to last another week! (I'm not complaining, just preparing)) About three hours later we finally came home, dried off, and enjoyed the rest of the day inside, because, alas, it was rainy, quite rainy.

(The sun is shining this morning, I better stop blogging and go walk the dogs - you never know when it might rain again!)