Mowing Lawns

I got Matthew a lawn mowing job in our neighborhood. He started acting....not kind and instead of wanting to listen to me talk and "give him a lecture", he opted to load of the wagon and push the mower and pull the wagon and walked to his job.

After about a half hour, I walked down there as well just to see if he was ok.

Then I walked home and awhile later, I walked to see him again.

While I was gone, a neighbor came and asked him to mow her lawn which he was excited about, but it was also only going to be a one-time job.

I helped him bring his stuff back, especially since he had a bag of grass clipping that had to come back as well.

He was all smiles by the time we came home.

Pipsico Campout

Allison's troop is pretty awesome with going on troop campouts!

She enjoys going most of the time (I will get to more on that later)

I know there has been quarantine, but Matthew's troop only went on the winter camp (in January, with the girls troop) and then they went to scout camp. That is the only campouts they have done...and then they are doing a virtual campout coming up with just blows my mind.

Anyways, Allison enjoys doing scouts, but even since about April, there have been new young girls that bridged up from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA. Allison has been worried about this because one girl in particular was REALLY bossy and Allison just did NOT get a good vibe from her. Also those girls know each other. They were also pulling Allison from the patrol she was in, and putting her in this new patrol. She is the only one her age that comes. There is one other girl but she has only come to a couple things since Allison started. So Allison feels too young to be with the girls she knows and too old for these incoming girls. However, she does like all the other girls, except this one girl who has just been mean to her. She doesn't know if that is just her in general or if it is because Allison is older. Since it is a new patrol, they are going to have to vote on a new patrol leader. This girl REALLY wants to be it. Allison doesn't necessarily want to do it, but Allison just doesn't want this other girl to get it and be able to boss her around and be mean to her even more. So maybe this girl is mean to Allison because she sees Allison as competition?

Anyways, here is the group of people that went to Pipsico Campout

Pictures of the campsite

They had a service project there that they had to clean up the place. It is one of the requirements for your camping merit badge.

They left Wednesday night and came back Friday around 5pm

Showing a younger scout how to tie a bowline

Learning something

I put these three-strand pull-through braids in Allison's hair because I knew that they would stay in really well and then she wouldn't have to worry about doing her hair while there.

Apparently these are many of the clay pigeons that they had to clean up.

Thursday was the service project stuff

Friday they got to do either the Archery merit badge or Rifle Shooting merit badge. Allison already had her Rifle shooting one (she was doing the shooting part, the last part of it when I was having my super intense pain last fall when I had another eptopic pregnancy, September 16th) so this time she did the Archery Merit Badge. She did Archery last year at Chickahominy and even made the state team (AS A SIXTH GRADER!!!) but her tournament was March 14th, everything got shut down March 13th, so she didn't get to do it. She knew all about the Archery Merit Badge, just had never had a counselor to mark stuff off with.

Friday, her scoutmaster texted me this:

"Here's a laugh for you......Archery MB. To qualify, they need to shoot a score of 90. From six meters. They get FOURTEEN rounds to make it. So you don't have to do they math, that's 70 arrows. To score 90. Allison wanted to shoot at the proper ten meters. She was at 88 in two rounds."

I was hoping she would be able to get those two extra points needed with her other arrows:) She did, don't worry. We should have sent Allison's bow with her but I am sure she LOVED being able to shoot again. It has been SO long since she has been able to.
She really liked these targets that they shot.

Compass skills

"Funny picture"

Their "weather rock" apparently it is to go with them to every campout. It is a weird thing.

Look at this picture! This is good (at least it looks good to me who doesn't know anything)

More work

One more sad picture:

Even though I was here, I wasn't paying attention to what the girls were doing. Anyways, when they were done, I saw Allison walking and I could tell she wanted to cry. I got her to come to me and when I hugged her she just started bawling. She was so sad that somebody's "funny picture" would be to pretend to punch Allison. Now this is the girl that is mean to Allison 95% of the time. When Allison told me, I was hoping she was just mistaken or something. 

When she got home from the campout, she had a good time, most of the time, but she did cry and talk about more things that this girl did to her. Finally, I asked the lady that took the picture if she could send me the "funny" pictures. This is what was captured, in a few different pictures. I finally brought it up to the scoutmaster. Allison hasn't said anything to her because she doesn't want to seem like a tattletail and I get it, I didn't really want to bring it up either. I finally just told the scoutmaster that Allison was having a hard time in her patrol and we needed to change something, whether that was changing troops, or quitting scouts, we didn't want confrontation, and she suspected who it was and then I sent her this picture and she was right. The good thing that came out of this so far is that others have complained about this scout so it made Allison feel better that it wasn't just her. Either way, the scoutmaster did NOT think her actions of "funny" were appropriate.

I am going to eat lunch with the scoutmaster tomorrow so I am curious/nervous as to what she is going to say. I also do not like confrontation. I don't really think there will be any, just nervous a bit.

New Kitchen!

The kitchen in our current home is pretty outdated. Also the appliances were starting to die. We always knew that we wanted to update the kitchen some day. I have thought about just painting it, but there are more things that we would like. We have been saving for many many years to get this done. We had one lady come and talk to us and she said it would cost like $40,000-$60,000. We were FLOORED! There is NO way we would spend that much money to update it. She gave us some quotes for stuff, another lady gave us some quotes. We went to another company and they designed everything for us and gave us a quote but I just didn't LOVE all of it enough to spend so much money on it. Our microwave that was installed above the oven died probably about 3 years ago. We just bought another small one to put on the counter until we redid our kitchen. Last year, the fridge was constantly leaking. So I knew what kind of a kitchen I wanted and what color of appliances so we decided to just get new appliances for right now.The kitchen is still functional. So I have been dragging my feet about getting a new kitchen because I feel like maybe I could take down the cupboards myself and put them up myself, and that would save so much money. I think I know what kind of cupboards I want, just haven't even pushed the go button on it.

WELL......I am glad that we never got a new kitchen because we do NOT like going into debt......

SO.....

on July 4th, our 2nd (and 3rd floor) air conditioning went out. We didn't think anybody would come out on a Saturday, AND it being 4th of July. We have a portable AC unit that we moved to our bedroom, and then we have a window unit on the 3rd floor bedroom (the AC doesn't really get all the way up there so if we have guests it is WAY too hot for them to be up there without AC.) 

We have one bed up on the 3rd floor already, so we just moved 2 of the kids' mattresses up there so that they all slept in the same room so that they could not be so hot at night. Finally on Monday, July 6th I called some companies. I actually called quite a few that were recommended to me but they weren't able to come out that day. Finally this one company was. They came out and told us that we needed a whole new AC system. He said, I could try to replace a part, but I don't actually know if it would work. Our two systems for 18 and 20 years old, so they were probably about used up. He gave us a quote for different levels of units and he also said that if we bought 2 (one for upstairs and one for downstairs) it would be "cheaper" altogether. It was going to be like $14k - $16K!!!!!!! WHAT????? Are you kidding?? He also said that it would be a week before we would be able to get it installed because that is how far out they were with work.

We were not really excited about the thought of dropping that much money.

Another lady said that her husband had been with a major company here locally for 25 years and he was going off on his own. They had kids at the high school Matthew will be going to and they just lived probably about a mile away. So we called him, he came right over, was able to get the part the next day and came and installed it. It worked! We were so excited that is only cost $200 and we had AC again......for 12 hours!!!!! He was going to come over again, but he was having a hernia surgery in the morning. Since we had portable AC units, we were "ok". We were trying to be good neighborly/community people so we were going to just wait for him. It was fine at first, we went to Indiana, then the week after the older kids were at scout camp, then the week after that or so, on a Sunday, our 1st floor AC went out!!! We had had Sacrament meeting with my friends Sharon here. We tried to make sure lots of fans were on her. She is usually hot even when we do have AC. She went home and talked to her husband about it. Meanwhile, I texted this other guy and told him our 1st floor AC went out. He said he would come over Monday.

Sunday afternoon, Sharon came over with her husband and he installed a new compasitor in the AC unit and it started working. They were hoping it wasn't just a 12 hour thing like that last one was. I never did tell our AC guy that it was fixed, because he still needed to fix our 2nd floor. He never came over Monday, like he said he would, then he never came Tuesday. I texted him again and he said he would be there the next day..... I was a little curious as to how long it would be before he would actually come, but since we had AC on the first floor again it wasn't "that big of a deal". We were still trying to be good people to help him and also help me recover from his surgery. It had been 4 weeks post-op at this post, which is what he said he needed.

The Sunday or Monday after, that new compasitor wasn't doing it anymore because the 1st floor went out AGAIN! I texted the guy, that we were without A/C when was he planning on coming. I was pretty irritated at this point. He kept saying he would show up and didn't, but we are too nice and take people for their word. I finally told Chris that I was done with this guy, Chris was going to have to go talk to him. The guy comes out, and says he just needs to go get a part. Chris told him, if you can't do it, it is fine, just tell us so we can find someone else. He REASSURED Chris that he could do it and that he would just have his son come help him. He texted us that night (Tuesday) and said, the store didn't have the part so he ordered two and they would get there in the morning. Wednesday came and went, and then Thursday came and went with NOTHING from him. Meanwhile it is high 90s in our house and our 1st floor which is where we are doing the day, is in the 90s as well. I was glad that it wasn't just me anymore, Chris really believed that the guy would do it! So finally Friday morning, we just called the original company back and I asked for Cam (who was the guy that came out originally and he told us to talk to him). They transferred me to his voicemail and I left a message. 3 hours later, I called the company again and the receptionist was surprised that I hadn't gotten a call back from him so she said she would call him and make sure he called me. 3 hours after that I called the company AGAIN and asked if I could get put on the schedule because he told us it would still be a week out. We were just wanting to put on outside unit in, instead of the whole thing, but we needed to talk to Cam to see if that was possible. She put us on the schedule for Wednesday, and she said she would call Cam and then call me back in IN TEN MINUTES!!!!! I was a bit frustrated at this point and said yes, could you please, because we are really hot. She said that she would be able to get somebody out here in the morning (Saturday morning) with a portable AC unit to help us out until Wednesday. I told her yes please!  I never heard from her again the rest of the day.

I WAS SOOOOOO FRUSTRATED!!!! Why won't these repair people do what they say they are going to do?

I broke down crying many times on Friday because I was SOO frustrated and I didn't know what to do!  How many times do we have to be told somebody will do something before they actually do it?

I finally put something on Facebook about my experience, how frustrated I was and asked if anybody knew what I should do. Shortly after, one of the couples that is ALWAYS helping us out when we need help (one of the couples that we went on the cruise with - Bary Dalton) he called Chris and told Chris that he would be over with a window unit for us to borrow until we got it fixed. He was an answer to prayers. I was going to put it in the window which would really get the kitchen and living room, which is where we spend the majority of our day, I measured it and it would fit perfectly....except I didn't see there there were like "feet" or something on the bottom of it that made it an inch or two more than just the unit.  The unit was pretty big and a bit heavy so Matthew and I tried to put it up there but it didn't fit.

SO we had to put it in the only other window it would fit, in our sitting room.

So we put it in and then had a fan trying to blow a lot of cold air out of the room to get to the other part of the downstairs. It at least made it bare able. 

I was hoping a bit that somebody from this company would show up with an AC unit just to let me know we are on the schedule or something, and that is what the lady said she would do...but she also said she would call me back in ten minutes on Friday at 2pm!!!

So....I got some more recommendations for companies I was going to call Monday morning. However the phone rang....and the lady FINALLY called me back. I was a bit annoyed because well..... it had been MORE than 10 minutes. She said that they had one in the office that they would be able to install. Again, I said I think we just want an outside unit....so she said she would call their supplier and see if they had one and call me back in 45 minutes. Did I believe her? 

NOPE!!!

I just kept going about my morning. Chris hadn't woken up yet and then when he did, I was discussing this with him. While we were talking, Allison said she heard a knock on the door. Nobody else did, but she was right, I went out and there was a guy from that company there on my porch. I was SO confused because I wasn't aware anybody was coming, was just SO frustrated with everything. After I finally pulled myself together, Chris and I showed him stuff.

We ended up getting a better deal now than we were quoted originally, not sure why. They did have one we were going to use in the office, and they could start the next day. So they came Tuesday and installed the downstairs one and then today, they came back and installed the upstairs unit. Tonight the kids get to sleep in their own rooms again!!!!!! (Except, Allison actually went on a campout so she still doesn't get to sleep in her room with AC:)

All of this was just SOOOO FRUSTRATING!!! 

Two things I keep thinking, it really stinks that we aren't going to be able to update our kitchen for a long time again, BUT I am SOOO very glad that we had money to be able to pay for it. We HATE going into debt. Our moto, is if we want it, we save up for it, and then get it. Our only debt that we have is our house. Even when we bought our new to us van, we saved up for it before buying it. I am grateful for the work that Chris does, so that he can provide for us and we don't have to go into debt.

Do you like our new "kitchen"?

Our kids should all be moved out of our house before needing to purchase one of these again.

ALLISON IS 12!!!

 This sweet girl is growing up!!!!

She is now 12....what????

Ever since Friday, March 13th, she has had a hard time and probably more tears have been shed in the past 5 months than in the past many years. All of this social distancing and everything shutting down, has been SUPER hard for her.

She is such a sweetheart, most of the time, and such a great big sister. I am so thankful that this sweetie came to us.

She LOVES her little sister, LOVES swimming, LOVES school, and LOVES babysitting. She is really mature for her age and has been taking care of Michelle for such a long time. At the age of 7, and Michelle was just a couple months old, I said she was stinky. Allison came and got her from my arms on the 1st floor, took Michelle upstairs, changed her diaper and then brought her back down to me. (I followed her up, watched her and then beat her back downstairs...Allison was SO proud of herself).  I was SO proud of her also! She has been that great with her ever since the beginning.

She has been in babysitting training for the past year, which just meant that she would babysit, but I would be there, or close. It started with her babysitting 5 boys from the age of 2-8, and I just sat on the couch and read a book. She did an excellent job and I just took notes about the good things that she did and some tips to help her even more. She has babysit for other families and I would eventually just hang out in the car, in case she had any problems. Then I would need to run an errand, and she has just been great. 

Yesterday, she and Matthew took a babysitting and CPR class, but she pretty much already knew most of the stuff they talked about as far as the babysitting side went.

We went out with some friends last night and even though I told them that she would babysit for free, they paid her $40!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHO DOES THAT??? Ok, well maybe a wealthy Dentist and school teacher does, but still, that was WAY too much, but that was their choice. Allison did get to clean-up two separate accidents, but still....oh well. She had fun babysitting.

She is into Harry Potter and got Harry Potter playing cards and Harry Potter Uno cards. She also got Harry Potter Perler Beads, and some other stuff.

We tried to go get 12 year old pictures taken, but we got stunk out and then it rained. We will have to do a photoshoot another day.

Post Scout Camp

So a few things that came out of Scout Camp.

#1 - I was told that my kids had the BEST manners out of all of the kids. This mom that talked to me said that they always told her thank you when she would drop them off somewhere, and she was just very impressed with how well mannered they were.

#2 - These two do not like each other. I mentioned this before with the Lifesaving MB, they just didn't do well together. They may VERY MUCH be sick of each other I GET IT!! But still I didn't think they would act out being mean to each other in public....but they did.

I made them sit down and have a discussion. There were many tears as they expressed their fears or concerns or dislikes about the other.

When asked what are some good things about the other.....they didn't have anything except....he is tall. 

FAIL

SOOOOO as much as it sucked hearing how bad they were to each other, I was glad that they were nice and well-mannered to every one else. Well, I was told that Matthew likes to be the center of attention and he tries to get into people's way just so that they will say his name and that he will get attention. Now THAT one was really surprising to me as well. I think part of that is he is training to show off or maybe get attention from the girls's troop? He is at that age where you do things to get the girls to look at you. I don't know, but I was surprised about it.

SO, needless to say, we are on a road to recovering a relationship that these guys need to rebuild.

This is what I like to see more.

I do feel like I have heard them laugh more since being home from camp, but part of that might just be because it was brought to my attention of their fighting. Either or, I am trying to help them be kinder to each other and also to find things that they BOTH want to do, not just being pressured to do something the other wants to, like play video games together.

2020 Scout Camp - Miller Property

It was really nice of the Miller's to let the kids use their land for free.

It was a HOT week! Heat advisory every day. It was about 98 or 99 every day but then with the heat index it felt about 105 or 108 degrees!

Because of Covid the kids had to sleep all in separate tents, which I liked and lights needed to be out at 10:00pm. I REALLY liked this because the kids needed their sleep. 

When I dropped them off, I may or may not have celebrated a little....or a lot. I will neither confirm nor deny. I was so glad to have them away from me for a bit. We ALLL needed the break. I also should have thought about that with the Lifesaving MB, they may also be VERY sick of each other. We have been with each other literally 24/7 since March 13th!!!! We have all had plenty of time to get sick of each other, but no time to ever miss each other. 

The only time that we haven't been together is in June Allison FINALLY got to go on a campout for 24 hours, AND Matthew was able to go to a birthday party for a few hours. 

IT WAS GLORIOUS!!! 

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and when there is never any absence, the heart can't grow fonder.

So I didn't really care how they were doing until about Wednesday. Then I had had my space and I was ok if they came back. 

After that I worried they were not going to put enough sunscreen on and they were going to get fried!! Especially my Matthew, he gets fried VERY easily. I was worried they were going to be SOOO tired that they would either do something stupid or get mad at people very easily, or break down crying....all of which were very real possibilities.

I was also worried about them being SOOO hot!!

It was super hot every day, so it would be hot at night as well. 

ALSO, it rained here like every night, and pretty big thunderstorms. Allison is always really scared of the thunder when she is home, so my momma heart worried about that.

I would just worry about everything, especially after Wednesday.

Chris and I did enjoy just having one at home though, it was pretty nice. I think she kind of liked it as well, sometimes. The house was MUCH MORE QUIET!!!!

Look at all the rain that there was to make this grassy area just so wet!

There was a screened in porch the kids could be in. 

Only the adults were allowed inside the cabin, but the screened in porch was for everyong.

I was glad to go pick up the kids and get them back and see how they were and hear about their adventures. 

Matthew and Allison were in two different vehicles coming back and Matthew was later than Allison.

I decided to kind of by late for Allison but early for Matthew. When I got there, Allison was already there. She about knocked me over when I got out of the car she was SOOOOO excited to see me!

She told me later that she was also very happy to get away, until about Wednesday she started missing me, never did she miss Michelle, but she did miss me, so that was sweet. She also said that when she called me on the phone to tell me when they would be back at the church, when she heard my voice it hit her really hard how much she missed me. So sweet! I felt the same way as well.

I got to hug on Allison and talk to her and listen and listen and listen.

Finally Matthew got there, I was positive that he had grown another foot, just in that week that he was gone, it was CRAZY!! I could visibly see in just a week, that he had grown!

It was good to have them home. I slept better that night knowing they were in my house and they were safe.

It was a good time for the majority of the time. 

2020 Scout Camp - Day 5

Each year in May, the troops do a canoe trip, but that obviously got cancelled this year, so they did it on Day 5 of this scout camp.

Because the majority of the kids took that Canoeing Merit Badge, Brad (the scoutmaster) said that it was the fastest they have ever made it down the river because they were familiar with what they were doing so I guess that was a good thing?