Cub Scout Fun

We had some fun this summer on Cub Scout "field trips"

A midnight treat

Well, it wasn't actually midnight. It was closer to 9pm, but after a few exhausting weeks and a couple days of Ben having thrown his back out (meaning not able to help out at all) I put the kids to bed, left a note on Ben's snoring chest, and took myself out on a date. It was about 8:30 so I only had a half hour before the stores would close, so I stopped quickly at Goodwill (which I'd been itching to go to all day for some reason) and after doing my usual sweep of the place I decided to search the glassware/cups for more matching teardrop cups for the set I'd bought my mom a few weeks ago. She's wanted a set of dessert plates with punch cups so I've kept my eye out for cute ones at a good prince. Usually all I find are a random plate or two with a price tag of $2.99...way too much. A few weeks ago I ran into Goodwill and found the cutest set that was priced at only .49 cents per piece (or $1 per set)! There were 13 plates and 7 glasses so I figured I'd just find 6 plain ones to complete the set. So last week when I made the fam go to Savers with me I nearly jumped out of my pants when I found 8 more full *matching!* sets!! They were a bit more at $2.50 per set but I couldn't pass them up. THEN tonight I found 7 more matching cups for just 49 cents each! So now she (we :) have a complete set of 21 plates/cups. Probably sounds totally lame to anyone reading this but 1. we can't afford to shop for real so when i get the itch to shop the thrift store is the best place to splurge and 2.it is so fun to be on the hunt for something and then actually find it. After that I stopped in the library to pick up a book I'd reserved and then really treated myself to a Culver's oreo ice cream sandwich...so yummy! On the way home I couldn't help thinking that it's these little things...like finding exactly what I was looking for in the store...that helps me survive our current situation. And I'm pretty sure there is a heavenly hand in there somewhere. I"m chalking it up to more tender mercies from serving in primary and {lately} babysitting Melanie Beemster's kids for about 30 hours a week these past couple weeks. I havent' always done it happily. I feel she kind of manipulates me into it....sends a text with an innocent question or stops by unannounced with something she wants to give me and next thing I know I'm babysitting her kids for 5 hours. Her husband is dealing with some serious mental and word of wisdom issues and she needs help but it has gone from being understandable to too much. I'm not exactly sure what to do about it b/c it is wearing me out and with school starting and Ben going back to Oral surgery, having anything or anyone extra in the house is just too much for me to handle. I was so stressed over it yesterday trying to figure out how to approach the situation when cute Elder Braden Hartmann sent an email saying he'd just heard I was primary pres and that he wanted to remind me that sometimes we think we have to be able to do everything ourselves...and we forget to ask for help. And that when asked Heavenly Father will help and lighten the load. It brought tears to my eyes to have him so inspired to send me what I needed to hear. So I went to bed that night with those thoughts...stop stressing, it will all work out!! But then today I wasn't expecting to have to babysit at all and I ended up doing it AND she stopped by with her daughter when the boys were at school while Evrett was napping...which is like sacred time for me!! The only time of the day I can think quietly and do whatever I want...and she was bored with her daughter so just came over and walked in! So I'm stressing over it again. I need my space. I can't handle texts a billion times a day, or babysitting30 hours a week or having someone just walk in my house whenever they feel like it. She trys offering to help me with things but I've learned that it is easier for me to do things on my own then to try to juggle getting help and owing help in return. I just like to figure it out by myself. ANYWAY, after these last few weeks my score at the thrift store and my yummy treat where a nice reminder that everything is going to be ok, that someone is watching out for me and is mindful of my feelings and abilities, what I can physically and emotionally handle while I have no help & support from Ben. I'm very grateful for that and need to remember it daily.

Papa Bear's Birthday

We had a great time with my dad on his birthday. Haylee and Luke were in town so we headed out to my parents and then met my dad at his restaurant of choice-Famous Dave's BBQ. He loved it and loved that we all came with him. It was a lot of fun! Afterwards we went home and sang and ate cake and had a rootbeer tasting party. Some of our friends in Berwyn love to collect rootbeer and have these rootbeer tasting parties, so since my dad loves rootbeer I bought some bottles from our friend and we did our own. It was fun BUT it was confirmed we all have similar weak stomaches. Trying so much rootbeer made us all feel sick. And almost all of us came to the same conclusion...Henry Wheinhards and Mug are the best!

We are so lucky to have him as a father and grandpa. he is a wonderful man with a huge heart always willing to help anyone in need. He has always been such a strong example of living a gospel centered life and when I think of him growing up I think of him with his big set of scriptures in his lap. We love you dad!

Baseball Season 2012

 Another fun baseball season this year. The boys both had the same coaches and some kids as last year so that was awesome! I didn't take very many pictures but her are some fun ones. They both had improved a lot and Colin loved being able to try out "catcher" position. Ben told Brannon he'd give him $10 if he hit the ball all the way to the grass (without landing in the dirt first) previous to that Brannon would just walk up with minimal effort and hit the ball...after he gave some full on awesome swings. He came so close to making it to the grass but never did (the only kids his age who do are the HUGE boys) but it was a lot of fun watching him try!

Summer Fun

 Here is lots of random summer fun we had:

 Lots of Bike Riding

 And Evrett escaping the yard to run through the neighbor's sprinkler

 Playing BALL

Lots of Reading for Dad

 We went to the beach a few times with friends from church. We all loved it!. It is a short 15 minute drive away and a few dollars to park for one fun afternoon. We usually picked up some friends to come with us too.

We went to a Fire Station for playgroup with the Westchester Ward. 

 And had lots and lots of birthday parties to go to. This was a party for Evrett's friend, Lydia. It was a Princess/Knight party and all his preschool friends were there.

We spent some time working on projects

Went to Albert Ocampo's baptism

And to Damien's birthday party. This was a lot of fun b/c we were the only people to come from church, except a bunch of missionaries. Damien's mom and older brothers were baptized last winter and are a great family! We got to know lots of her other family members who were a lot of fun to be around. They are all hispanic and some didn't speak english well. A couple of the little girls really liked to play with me but they couldn't speak English so we'd talk back and forth in very broken sentences between our small knowledge of the other's language, but it was fun.

Ben's best friend from high school, McKay Demeester, moved to north chicago for a new job. We took him to our favorite pizza place, Freddy's!! and he loved it!

We had lots and lots of SUPER HEROES visit us.

 Some were in training for learning to fly.... (they are trying to make it look like Evrett's is flying with the fan blowing on his cape :)

Wolverine stopped by as well...

And we played with the Beemster kids a.lot. They needed lots of babysitting help.

All the playing worked up some big appetites as we are now eating through twice as much food as we did when we moved here. These boys are HUNGRY. Evrett loved his spaghetti so much one night he was licking the bowl clean and then showed me and said it was the BEST DINNER EVER.

We spent lots of time at grandma and grandpa's house which is always fun and relaxing, and cool with their A/C :)

 And swam A TON. Colin and Brannon "saved" Evrett a time or two when he fell in the pool.

 

It was a FUN summer!!!