the stone....

I guess I have a kidney stone...I haven't seen it....I don't know if I have felt it.... but the doctor says it is clinging to the side of my kidney, hanging on for dear life just to annoy me! Really as if I need one more thing to occupy what little brain capacity I seem to have these days. Apparently is pretty big too. They will have to do the Sonar treatment to get it broken up enough to pass it in a million different pieces (if I am lucky.) I am trying to look on the bright side...but there doesn't feel like one right now and I thought it might be a good idea to turn to my 4 online friends for sympathy...I mean support. Maybe after blogging it I can put it to rest and just get on with my life and the sonar treatment because right now I am scared to death!

Swim lessons are great. The kids are loving all the water time they are having. I think they would have gills if nature didn't prevent it. Sonia jumps from the life guard chair today thus earning her traditional snow cone and James is going to attempt it tomorrow. Macey however has spent the entirety of two weeks strapped in the stroller...Sorry. I am going to try to get her into another session just to make up for it! Love those kids. I can't believe how fast summer is going and I don't know if I will be able to give my kids up again to elementary and preschool....ugh.

As Per Popular Request

Okay here it is the DAILY SEVEN:
first of all I can't take all the credit because I got the idea from my sister in law Laura.
The idea goes like this, you post them somewhere that the kids can see them (if your kids can't read draw pics)
These can be modified for individual kids and family needs but here are ours:
1. Read Scriptures
2. Say Prayers
3. Get dressed
4. Brush hair
5. Brush teeth
6. Tidy bed/room
7. 15 min chore (more like 5 min chore 10 min whining) ie. emptying garbage, washing windows, tidying a bathroom.
When you have done your daily 7 you have access to media, tv computer or movies and also friends.
My kids memorized the daily 7 pretty quickly and it is funny to hear them counting down... okay now i only have 2 left. This normally takes my kids anywhere from30 min to 45 depending on how motivated they are. Another cute idea I heard was that Sunday is also Sloppy Bed day. My kids would love this if they actually made their beds well everyday this part of the daily 7 gets glossed over 4 out of 7 days of the week, but now we have a goal for when we get bed making down. HA

Memorial Day-Day Hike

This Memorial Day we did a little day hike up to a waterfall in Payson Canyon, it was great it was only about 1/2 a mile up grotto trail. A perfect hike with all the kids, we loved crossing all the split logs across the stream and getting wet and muddy at the falls it was just what our little family needed, some fresh air after being cooped up with this crazy weather, the whole excursion took only 5 hours, perfect! We even got the lawn mowed in the morning and would have had enough time to do chores had we not been lazy in the morning.

Summer has proven fun and messy at our house. The kids have to do their "Daily Seven" plus a fifteen minute chore before they can have access to any media (comp, tv, movies). We have gotten rid of cable forcing us all outside more and we are all better for it! The messy part comes in with trying my best to keep the house clean...trying is the key word.....ottor pop wrappers and wet towels the biggest culprets.

Macey has proven an outdoors-woman as she makes a run for it as soon as the door is ajar. She has been to most of the neighbors houses with the older kids. It is hard to keep her contained. If only she had any fear in her I might feel a little better, but roads and traffic mean nothing to her and coming home doesn't seem to be on her radar either.

Over all we are reveling in the togetherness of summer. It feels good to have my kids back and have them being kids again!