Summer Vacation is Coming!! YEAH!! YIKES!!

As usual as summer vacation approaches I feel inadequate to deal with a house full of five 24/7. I found that I do like to stay home in the mornings and afternoons rather than driving this week as our van was being fixed. (It turned out to be advantageous to fix it because the cost was less than the trade-in value). It's nice to just get going on my morning routine rather than breaking it up by driving. I usually come back and I'm distracted by things other than chores and it takes me longer to get through them.

Yesterday I went out and dug up half of one of our front flower garden. We are going to plant some seeds soon. I'm thinking about clearing a small plot for sunflowers. Today I'm going to dig up the flower garden on the right side of the house because most of it is overgrown with things I didn't want there. This is my first year back to gardening in about four years. I either haven't been motivated or have been otherwise incapacitated (babies!!). I'm kind-of excited. I never figured out if I was a gardener before, meaning I'm not sure if it's a hobby for me. It definitely is for my mom and that's why I tried it out. I still have things in my yard that came to me all the way from Utah the first year we lived in our house. Thanks Mom for donating them and thanks Dad for driving them across the country!

So, about the kids. I'm going to get some workbooks today. I'm getting the hard ones this year. Nathan had this type last year that was a bridge from third to fourth grade and it was challenging. I think all the kids will have them this year. I have them signed up for some camps which they are all excited about. Nathan and May and I are also going to practice singing. I've ordered a keyboard. Nathan has to reaudition for choir because he couldn't reach the high notes (G above C2). We're not sure if it was allergies or the beginnings of voice change. I may try to teach the kids a little piano. With the keyboard I also ordered an introductory book that teaches the basics for learning to play hymns. Finally, I have to get their job charts set up. We had a decent system last year. Hopefully, we'll all keep sane this summer. Our wonderful vacation starts August 18.

I'm working on my spirituality lately. I'm praying more often and reading from the scriptures in the hopes of inspiration. I need it!! I do feel very blessed. Just little things, like how beautifully my flowers came up this year without much tending in recent years. Brigham is a gem. He keeps us laughing and smiling. If I could just relax my type A-ness (lol) even more than I have already done and ENJOY life that would be wonderful. Any prayers would be a welcome addition.

Shelley, how do you make a Google homepage? I'd like to do that too. Sounds cool.

Take care everyone,

Cindi