Summer Beginnings 2011

Well summer feels like its flying right out the window. We are now half way through week 3. Dive has been keeping us busy in the mornings. Sophia started swim last week and that has been nice having the 3 at the pool at the same time. Sophia LOVES going. Her teacher ended up being Justin Peugnet, from our old ward. He is so good with her. The boys are enjoying dive. They have had two meets so far. The first meet the coach had them competing against each other. We weren't happy with that, but the boys didn't seem to mind it. The second one, Ethan was put in a lower division. He easily got first place, and on the way to the car Ethan said he would rather be up with Boston because the other division was too easy. I was impressed that he would willingly give up first place for a challenge. Boston thought he was going to be doing very well this year after gymnastics. He was surprised when a friend from the gym, who is at a higher competing level, was on the dive team. There are actually more than that, but they are older. I guess Boston talked about it a lot to his gymnastic friends! Anyway, when his gymnast buddy was at the meet, he soon realized his hopes dominating were gone. The kid smoked him first meet. The last meet, they weren't that far apart. Boston is alright with it. I think the fact that he gets to see his friend from the gym and goof off with him at every meet makes it all fine with him. Personally, both the boys are doing really well. Much improved from last year (Ethan especially). Aubrie went to one of their practices the other day, because we were going to Wet and Wild right after. She convinced Coach Josh to let her dive. She finally got her back dive and back flip a few days before, and she wanted to show him. After, I asked her if she wish she would have done dive this year, and she said yes. I knew she would miss it. Especially being a gymnast!

Our summer days seemed to be so full. I thought once dance was over it would get better. It doesn't seem like it. I seem to remember feeling this way last year. I think that once dive/swim is done things seem more relaxed. It is nice to stay busy, though. I think boredom makes a summer too long! The kids like the busy pace. Probably because they are used to it!

They are doing really well with their daily lists. They put their checklists in sheet protectors and check their lists off each morning with a dry erase marker. They just get up and do it. Of course, Ethan gets off track sometimes, but he, too, has done surprisingly well. I have been doing my own morning checklist. I have been getting up a few hours before swim, which gives me about an hour on my own before I have to wake the kids. I try to get a work out in every morning while they are sleeping. So far I'm good for about 3 days out of 5. It's been great to keep me on task! I actually get the important stuff in that I always forget about. Having scripture reading and prayer on there really helps!

So last Sunday we missed church because I was having ongoing episodes of bad chest pains. While everyone was sleeping, Aubrie woke up on her own and went downs stairs and made breakfast for the family. She made pancakes and fried eggs. What a sweet thing. After breakfast, I looked out my kitchen window as I was doing dishes, to see Boston cleaning up the backyard. He came in and said, "Mom, I cleaned up the backyard!" I started to think, "what is going on here?" We then watched family videos as a family and about 30 minutes into it Ethan asked when we were going to church. We told him we weren't going because I wasn't feeling well. He than scurried off. We could see him going back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. The next thing we know he comes downstairs in his suit (minus the white dress shirt, he had a white t-shirt instead) and with Sophia all dressed up. He asks us to join him in the living room. When we got there, he had a bowl with torn up bread and cups of water for all of us out on the coffee table. He also had the big Family scripture book out. What a sweet kid. Ben gently explained to him why we couldn't take that as the sacrament. That was a good lesson. Then we asked him what the scriptures were out for, and he said he wanted us to read about the Last Supper and the passing of the sacrament. We then sang a song and closed with a prayer. When it was over, Boston said, "I think this has been the best morning ever!" Not the best seller on the fact we didn't go to church, but he was right. It was awesome! It's moments like those that make you think, maybe we are doing something right as parents!