Tuesday we went to the library in the Morning and got to make fun patriotic hats. Then story time was inside since they had a fence up around the library property to protect it from damage from over night campers for the parade. It was pretty crazy inside...tons and tons of people, but lots cooler. We came home and had some lunch. Then we went down to the Freedom Days booths down on center street. They had lots of fun crafts for the kids and we got some free ice cream. I think they had the same crafts last year, but they all loved getting to do them again. They were all super excited because they got visors. :) We had to hurry and leave there so we could come home and grab a snack for dinner and pick up Alan. Then we went over to the Scera Park to see the play Cries of Freedom' and walk around the Colonial Days things they had. They got to go to school, make rope, grind some corn, and learn about making candles, and watch a blacksmith. It was getting late and we were tired and hungry, but Brad was the only one who would dress up. Tuesday morning Ira Fulton visited Alan's lab on campus and they got to do some demos for him.
Alan thought this was really funny...if you can't read it the paper says "This is NOT a garbage can"
At School
Wednesday we got up early to go see the balloons. Then came back home for a few minutes before going to stake out our favorite shady spot at the end of the parade route. We had fun watching the parade and Jeff, Elizabeth and Spencer came and watched with us too. After the parade we came home and made yummy food! ...trade wind salad, california chicken salad, and a flag jello...we listened to patriotic music, played outside, and shot off rockets....water rockets. We had our delicious barbecue on the softball field since our ward was doing something in the quad for those without other plans. We all got super stuffed!!!...well if anyone didn't it was their own fault. It looked like we hadn't even eaten any of the 4 salads when we were done. We cleaned up and had a few minutes before going to the great valley to watch the fireworks. It was a super fun place to watch from...We were just high enough to see fireworks all over the valley and close enough for the stadium of fire ones to look cool too.
While cutting grapes for the salad I looked over at my pile of cut grapes and one was smiling back at me.
Thursday we had a pretty slow start since we had been up so late. It was 10 or 10:30 before we checked email and found out about the fire at Grandma and Grandpa Schachterle's house. We are super glad that Grandma and Grandpa and Greg are all ok. Jared kept saying how cool the back of the van looks (from the picture in the Columbian) all burned. When I was trying to describe where the fire was He was remembering the last time we were up there visiting he got to use big (or maybe they were small and Grandpa got the big ones) clippers to help trim some bushes...maybe grapes...on that side of the house. Not too long after I had read the email twice Ashley started chatting with me. We chatted for a while....then I decided that I really needed a shower. It was also raining a ton!!! Which is super good. We hadn't had rain in 38 days. June tied for the driest June ever. We got .52 inches of rain that day. It was nice to be able to open the doors and windows and cool the place off and air it out. Around 1:30 or so Bradley got poked in the eye by a little 10 month old neighbor girl. He complained a lot about it and wouldn't eat lunch. Finally he took and nap and when he woke back up he was still complaining about it. So we went to have it looked at at the health center. They stained his eye and looked at it with a black light. Even without the magnifying lens I could see the gouge on his eye. The doctor kept using the word huge....He thought Brad needed to see an ophthalmologist...but their office was already closed for the day. Luckily he was able to finally talk to him on the phone other wise he probably would have sent us to the emergency room. He was worried because of the placement of the flap and he couldn't tell how deep it went. The ophthalmologist said that it would wait until the next day and they just put him on drops to keep it from getting infected. He was pretty miserable the rest of the evening.
Friday morning Bradley woke up and didn't complain about his eye at all. I think he only mentioned it once. We had an appointment in the afternoon in Lehi. They called and changed the time once because the doctor was in surgery and it was taking longer than he thought it would. When we got to the office he still wasn't there and we had to wait over an hour....it got kind of long for all 5 of us! But the good news was that his eye is all better! The doctor couldn't see anything wrong. We are grateful that his little eye was able to heal so quickly. He only had to have the drops for the rest of the evening. Jared and Lauren have really been wanting to go to Trafalga in Lehi and since we were already up there for the appointment we were able to go after. They had a blast. It has for fun things for smaller kids to do in Lehi than Orem. They got to go on a little airplane ride (like Dumbo...just lots smaller) and frog hopper and a little pirate ship over and over and over again. We also mini golfed and played in a little play place. It was tons of fun, but next time we go we'll have to take Alan with us. When he got home from work he worked on laundry and it was just about done when we got home.
Saturday I went and looked around at the Wymount yard sale...I was looking for something specific for Lauren's birthday. I'll have to share the story in a couple of weeks....not that she could read it yet, but just to be safe...We went to the builder workshop at home depot and made moving trucks that they are having a super fun time playing with...they also use them as ambulances. We spent about an hour walking around looking at parts to use to make our ghost/ fog/ dry ice bubble blower.... Then we came home for lunch. Later we went out again and looked at Lowes for parts for another little bit. I think we might have what we need now. We also got some things for Lauren's party and then to Winco.
I sat down to talk to Alan while he was on the computer and then Jared came and sat on me, Lauren on him...and before I knew it they were all there....
Today was a good day. I got a call late last night asking if I would play the organ, so I wanted to get to church a little early so I could play through the hymns before the meeting. I also led singing time. We did a cute little thing with a seagull and crickets. There were only 11 kids in all of primary and it was really nice. Alan said his class was a little crazy during class time, but for the most part they were great today. We had a good afternoon and made some sugar cookies and played. We went up to the apricots with Jeff and Elizabeth. Using a rope and a sheet we were able to get quite a few. It was pretty fun and there was lots of laughter. Alan used the rope to shake the branches and apricots would fall. Two people tried to catch them in the sheet, but usually missed by a couple of inches. There were lots falling and you would bend over to pick one up and another one would hit your back, shoulder, arm...we had a good time. We collected all the ones that we could see fall that were good. Everyone helped although I don't think any of the ones Lauren collected made it home. She probably ate between 15 and 20. Every time I looked she was eating another one...but hey what fun is picking fruit if you can't eat a few along the way. :) When we got home we called Grandma to tell her Happy Birthday. It was fun to get to talk to them. I knew a box of things from my mission were in the attic and I had just assumed above the garage. Dad said they are probably above his room. So they may just be supper stinky and not ashes!!!! I am hopeful.
Yesterday I did a fish tail braid in Lauren's hair. The boys were telling her how cool it looked while driving in the car...they were saying it looks so cool..it looks awesome. and Lauren crying back says 'I don't want to be cool I don't want to look cool' over and over again. Then Alan said something about hot and cold and Lauren said no not that kind of cool...you don't know what kind of cool I mean... I wish I could have taped it so I could play it for her when is oh... maybe 15.
Connor is really good at playing peek-a-boo. Much better than a 5 month old usually is I think. He will cover his face with a blanket and we'll say where's Connor and he will move the blanket off and have a huge grin. It is super cute. Today Connor also got to have rice cereal for the first time.
Seems like I had one more funny thing they have said recently, but I can't remember right now....this is getting super long anyway. We are happy and loving life...even on the hard days. We have been very blessed this week!
