Last Monday was, of course, the church softball game. Unfortunately, we got killed. :( Oh well, tonight is a new night!
Tuesday morning we went walking with Sue & her kids and did our kid-swap. The kids look forward to this so much!
I've got three new consultants on my Pampered Chef team, so I've been busy with training and helping with their first shows. Wednesday was John's first show--he has such a nice family & group of friends. We made Strawberry Amaretto Pastries--I had to stay away from those! LOL
Thursday was a super-fun day, because my friend, Linette, came over for a few games of Scrabble. We used to live next door to Linette, and she and I would play all the time! I know I'll sound like a snob here, but she's one of the few people I know that it's a challenge to play against, so that makes it even more fun.
I had a Pampered Chef show on Thursday night--not a huge turnout, but should end up being decent. The kids got some "Dad-time", which is nice, considering all of the hours that Steve is working.
Friday was busy! We went to the Carolina Trout Hatchery to go fishing with our homeschool group.
The battery in my car has been acting up--if you leave the headlights on for just two minutes after you shut the car off, it drains the battery! Well, we got to the hatchery, and I wasn't sure where to go, so we parked to wait for other homeschoolers to arrive. After about 5 minutes, they showed up, and sure enough, we were in the wrong spot, so we needed to follow them down a road (not sure how long it was). Everyone pulled away, and my car was DEAD. I had left the headlights on by accident (I don't do this often!). Nothing. It wouldn't even try to turn over. And Steve was at least 45 minutes away.
Luckily! My parents live about 5 minutes from the hatchery, and my dad could come give me a jump. A friend came by, and my kids piled in her car, so that they wouldn't be late. I arrived just as the fishing started.
Those of you who know me, know that I'm not exactly an out-doorsy type. Thankfully, there were volunteers to help the kids with worms and bait. :) All of my kids caught fish--Patience got 3, Maddie got 2, and Eli got 1. Not bad!
Here are some pictures:
It's hard to see Eli's fish in the photo, but it's there!
It rained on and off the entire time we were there--the kids got wet, but they had a great time!
When we were done fishing, Kevin (Sue's husband, who took the kids to the hatchery) and I took all 7 kids back to my parents' house for lunch (which we packed--don't worry, we didn't descend on them like locusts!). We all used to attend the same church, and it was such a treat for my dad to be able to visit with Kevin! Plus, we didn't have to eat in the rain or the car.
Friday night was the kind of pre-youth group that the kids have been going to. It's at the same church as their Awana group, and is for 3rd-6th graders. They do a devotion or Bible study and have game time. The kids have a BLAST. Steve is, of course, sleeping during this time, because of working 3rd shift on Friday and Saturday nights, so I used the time to do some training with one of my new consultants.
Saturday was another busy day, and a HOT one! We've had a gorgeous spring here in RI, and not too many hot, hot days. Saturday, though, was one. The kids and I headed out early to run to the bank and library, which was having a book & bake sale. We only had a few minutes to look around, because we were meeting Sue & her kids (I promise, I do actually hang around with people besides Sue!) at the (free) Animal Planet Expo at Goddard Park at 10am. Well, we got to the library, and the sale didn't start until 10am. I was soooo disappointed! But we left, and arrived at the Expo about 20 minutes early. No traffic, great parking spot, and we bumped into a family that I know.
Sue showed up at 10, and off we went. It really was a fun time, in spite of (or is that despite??) the heat and sun burn. Here are some photos:
The alligator slide
This was like a bouncy-obstacle-race course
Patience & Amy as Meerkats!
The boys all climbed up to the top of this! The criss-crosses were make of a rubber-like substance, very stretchy--I think it was supposed to be like a spider web.
Eli at the top!
The kids saw some cool animals, got to play games for prizes, and took a trip down that huge alligator slide. By then we were all hot & tired, so we left.
Now, does God know what He's doing, or what? When we left, it was bumper-to-bumper traffic, stretching several miles, and it was getting hotter by the minute. If I had stayed to wait for the book sale, who knows what we would have gotten caught in! Maddie went to Amy's house to go swimming (Patience was very upset, but you know, they can't do everything together & it's not fair to stick Sue with all of the kids just because she has a pool!), and Eli, Patience and I went back to the book sale. We found a few books, and bought some goodies, and enjoyed the air conditioning in the library.
We got to see Steve for only an hour or so--he had to go to bed after working almost 24 hours straight, AND going to softball practice. Maddie was dropped off around 5pm, and we just had a relaxing (albeit hot) evening at home.
Yesterday (Sunday) was just as hot. I woke up at 6am, and went for a bike ride before it got too hot. Steve and Eli went (after Steve got home from work) to help with the church set up. Both Steve and I had a hard time staying awake in church--he has an excuse of course....maybe it was just the heat with me.
We made plans with our friends Sue & Tony (see, a different Sue! LOL) to come over for dinner around 4pm, and to let the kids run through the sprinklers.
We had taken separate cars to church, so Steve and Eli headed home, and the girls and I went to the supermarket to pick up coldcuts for lunch, and some salad fixings for dinner. As we got in the car, I had to reach (from outside the car) into Patience's side of the car. My arm was between her open door and the car frame, and she closed the car door on my arm, just above my elbow. Now obviously, I'm typing, so I'm going to be okay, but WHOOOEY! did that hurt! I have a HUGE bruise just above the outside of my elbow. It is soooo sore. I iced it for over an hour, then we headed to Sue & Tony's.
What a pleasure & blessing to be able to fellowship with another family! We don't get to do it often enough! I hang out with my friends, but Steve isn't around. We got to the softball games, but the guys are playing while the ladies chat. So to be able to visit with another family and just have a great time with another couple--I really cherish those times. The kids always want play dates, but that doesn't always include the whole family, y'know? Which is actually how we planned last night--Patience and Gracie wanted to get together, and I said to Sue, "Y'know, we really need a family day. Can we all come over?" LOL. Nothing like inviting ourselves! But we had a wonderful time. Dinner was delicious, the kids had a great time. We all played Apples to Apples Jr., and then the grown-ups got to play Taboo (love that game!). It was such a fun evening!
Today isn't a busy "go-places" day, but I have a lot to do. I got up at 6am (after a very restless night's sleep--my arm kept getting bumped, and it was the first night sleeping in the air conditioning, so I kept getting cold, then hot with the blanket, then cold.....sigh) to do all of the dishes we didn't do yesterday (tell me I'm not the only one who leaves her kitchen a mess at night sometimes!!!), and to bake. Tonight is softball, and I'm kind of the unofficial snack-bringer. I made a huge double batch of homemade brownies. They look fabulous, if I do say so myself!
I washed the kitchen floor, and I need to go exercise! It's already getting hot--going to be over 90 again today, so I think I'll use the exercise bike in the basement. Then I have a bunch more housework, as my landlady is stopping by this afternoon. Eli's finishing his English today, and Maddie is only a couple of days away from finishing her math. Then the kids will bump down to 1 page of work/day (math for Eli, English for Maddie, both for Patience)--besides field trips and some fun stuff, this will be their schedule until I get all of their new curriculum, and we start back to school in August. It will give them something to do in the mornings or if they get bored.
Okay, I'm off to exercise! (And to studiously avoid those brownies!)
A kid-swap is a GREAT idea! I need to set up a couple of those!
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