Summer Time

It is in full summer time right now.  We have had hot days and warm nights.  I am thankful for our air conditioning.  I was in a house yesterday that has a swamp cooler and it was having a hard time keeping up with the heat and the house was hot and muggy and I am so thankful I have AC in my house.  I am enjoying my walks every morning, it is pleasant and some quiet time for me.

I have a new calling in our new ward.  I have been called to work with the girls in Primary for their Activity Days.  Tonight is my first meeting with them. I understand it is a big group and it will be fun to meet them all and start to get to know them.

Ruth loved girls camp.  I enjoyed going to a Stake after camp fireside where they talked about what they did at camp and passed out certification and other awards.  I enjoyed hearing the girls sing too.  Ruth has had fun with friends.  She went to a birthday party for her friend from school, Megan, on Saturday.  It was a swimming party and she enjoyed having some fun.  Ruth did a class about “cowboys/cowgirls” and was able to ride a horse.  She thought that was awesome.  She has only been on a horse with someone leading it, so this was her first time to get on and do her own riding.  She only had a few minutes on it and was in a fenced area but she thought it was wonderful. 

Andrew, Spencer and Caleb enjoyed going to their swim lessons.  They did a great job with it.  They are all more confident in the water.  Now they want to go swimming all the time.  Saturday we filled up our little pool and let them play in it.  Spencer had made a boat with his solar robot kit and wanted to try it out.  It worked okay in the water.  

Neal, Andrew and Ruth did a hike on Saturday to help prepare Neal and Ruth for a back packing trip they are doing in July.  Neal and Ruth put their frame packs on with stuff in them and they hiked about six miles.  The fun part was they just started from our back yard.  They climbed the fence and walked up to the foot hills through the open space paths.  I enjoyed walking out there this morning.  Andrew likes riding his bike out there.  It is fun to have all that space so easy to get to.

A week ago on Monday we had a nice dinner with our neighbors from our rental house.  Mario, Joy and Cody came over.  We had dinner with them and enjoyed visiting. They were kind neighbors and we want to keep the friendship going.  We did a Family Home Evening with them.  We invited them to come with a scripture to share and we would have a gospel discussion.  We went around the room and everyone shared a scripture.  It was a nice discussion and I liked the way it went.  They are good Christian people and I am glad that they participated with us.

Caleb had fun going to a “Super Hero” class. He dressed up in a Spider Man costume and had fun with that.  Andrew and Spencer enjoyed playing at Nathan’s home one afternoon while I took Caleb to the doctor for a well child visit.  Caleb is doing great.  He is healthy and growing.  He is at 4 feet 1 inch now.  He told me yesterday he likes being tall.

Caleb made up a board game and called it Travel 2.  He asked Neal and I to play it with him.  Last Saturday evening we ate dinner outside and after dinner we stayed at the picnic table and played his little game.  He was so happy that we took time to play with him.  It was similar to Monopoly.  He is good with counting and adding up the money.

Last week I went to a ward Relief Society dinner and activity.  It was nice to get out and visit with other women.  Then last Friday was a ward picnic.  We brought out own dinners and met at a park and visited and played.  The kids had a lot of fun with some lawn games a family brought.  I enjoyed visiting with other women in the shade.  

Last Monday for FHE Ruth played the guitar for our song.  She played chords and strummed the song “Come, Come, Ye Saints”.  I thought it was great she could play for us.  She has been working on doing music practice every day and goes between clarinet, guitar and even a little piano.

Yesterday I took the kids the the NM Natural Science museum.  We had a fun time looking at things.  We brought our lunch so we could stay into the afternoon.  We were there for five hours.  It was good to get out.

They were pretending to be dinosaurs in a nest.  They were being a bit silly.

I did a profile study yesterday.  I had the kids hold still and look at something and I took a picture of their side.  Andrew asked me why and I said because it is an interesting thing to remember what the side of your face looked like.  I thought they turned out fun.

Ruth took my picture.  

This week I am teaching a cooking class for 10-13 year old kids.  We have had some fun together.  On Monday we made a cabbage and noodle oriental type dish.  Today we did Mexican food.  We even tackled home made flour tortillas.  On Friday I plan on doing something Italian.  The kids enjoy helping in the kitchen and then we get to eat together.  I am glad that they are enjoying it.  I am enjoying teaching it.

Tonight we have Pack meeting for the boys.  Then Ruth and I have activities at the church.  It will be a busy evening.