July

We went to visit Ryan's family in the Seattle area over 4th of July. We generally go there every summer. My in-laws live on Lake Tapps and have the ultimate grandparent house:  a boat, seadoo, slide, paddle boat, dock, and more than a dozen cousins to enjoy it all with. Traveling to Washington is all Travis can talk about 11 months a year. Today he told me we should move there for 5 months. Not sure why for 5 months . . . but it is his happy place and it was a very relaxing and fun vacation. We visited with the Parmers who moved there last year and it was nice to catch up with them and have the kids play together as well.

The kids and I had some down time the week we got back and spent it mostly cleaning the house, doing laundry, grocery shopping, catching up with friends, Lagoon, swimming, etc. Kellie Thorley Leonard (my best friend in high school) and her son Austin came to visit on Saturday from Virginia. I feel so loved when friends make the time to stop by when they have busy schedules visiting relatives. It was so fun catching up with her and finally meeting one of her kids.

Our ward had family week last week and had a movie night that Ryan set up a sound system for. One of our speakers finally bit the dust and blew out. Travis was upset about it (he collects speakers) but when Ryan let him and Trent take a sledgehammer to it and break it down, he thought that was about as much fun as having a working speaker. Ryan cracked a rib at the ward water party and learned the hard way that he can't compete with the 17 year olds on the slip and slide anymore. Even in his pain he worked 20 hours ripping out our deck and rebuilding the stairs. He and Trent had some weird 48 hour bug that got to them, too. Poor guys!

Trent's friend Bradley came over for a sleepover last week. We went swimming at the neighbor's pool when Bradley kept complaining about his stomach hurting. He didn't eat and looked pretty nauseous as the night wore on and asked to go home. I told him to have his parents get his appendix checked - not sure why I thought of that. Then, I woke up four times in the night worried about his appendix and being told to call his mom and tell her to take him in to the hospital. I felt scared for him because his parents were leaving to Hawaii the next day. I let his mom know my concern but unfortunately they didn't take him in. Fast forward to a few days later . . . Bradley is in the hospital with a burst appendix, his sweet grandma is exhausted caring for him, and his cute siblings and disabled uncle who traveled with the grandmother are trying to keep the house going. I made them a gluten free dinner last night and took the youngest brother today. I'm running his grandma back from the hospital tomorrow and taking his uncle there to spell her off (they don't drive) and then will take a turn giving them a break in the afternoon. Bradley will be in the hospital for another week or so until the infection clears up. His parents return from Hawaii on Saturday. They are a military family and move every two years and don't have a lot of friends or family locally here. I'm so glad we can help. Poor Trent is especially worried about Bradley - he is his closest friend and they play EVERY DAY together. He understands that Bradley won't have the strength to do much of anything for 3-4 weeks and is disapointed that their summer plans are pretty much squashed. Poor kids.

Boni and Barry and the kids came this week to visit Utah. This is their first time (except for Courtney who came in April with Grandma and Grandpa). It's so fun to have them visit. Cole is severely allergic to cats so it's been a little tricky for them with him. We understand allergies - Rachel has been getting allergy shots for two years just so we can keep the cats. Talk about a dedicated girl.

I can't believe school starts in 5 weeks. We still have EFY for Rachel, Laurel Retreat for me to help out with, Scout Camp, and Girls Camp all in the next 3 weeks. Health wise I have lots of strength and energy for 3-4 day spurts but then will have 1-2 days flat in bed with pain and exhaustion. I literally can't eat or drink I'm so exhausted. I mowed the lawn and did some yard work the other day and it sent me in such a bad flare up it was like I had arthritis in my hands and couldn't bend them and arthritis in my ankles, knees, and toes where it was hard to walk. It is so discouraging. But I'm continually grateful for a patient and helpful husband and children who never question my pain and discomfort and always help out. I am blessed.