Summer Rollercoaster

One of the girls from our ward wanted to do some service for Personal Progress and asked if she could come help out here this morning. Of course I said yes, and she spent some time helping the other kids fold laundry and clean the bathroom. They all had fun helping out because we had a visitor, and she was able to be like a big sister to the kids while helping us. Nice!

Our family walked over to the lake to see about doing the peddle boats or canoes, but realized that we couldn’t pay for it there.  We had to go to the association office to buy a pass. Too far to walk and still have the energy for the boats so we scrapped that idea, and the little girls played in the sand while the rest of us played the ABC game. Bummer, but we made the best of it.

We walked back home and had lunch. Leftover tacos, yummy.

Rob and I decided to give the kids a choice in an afternoon activity. Either go get passes and then do the boats, or bike over to the shopping center and visit the candy store. The votes didn’t go over well at all and there was whining, complaining, and teasing that led to pushing… We didn’t end up doing either choice, and cleaned the garage instead. Terrible, horrible, mean parents.

While Rob started on the garage with the kids, and Hannah rode her bike in the front (because she wasn’t one of the whiners) I took Sabrina (in her favorite car, the Civic) to go get boat passes in case we want to try again tomorrow. I wasn’t sure if they would be open today, so called and they told me it was “mostly” closed, but I could still come get a boat pass. So Sabrina and I arrived ready to buy tickets, only to be told that they could only take a check because they were technically closed. “You can’t even take cash?” I asked. Nope. I left there muttering how it would have been nice if the guy told me that when I called ahead…

I drove home and got my checkbook and headed back to the association office. I got the passes and tried not to be annoyed when they told me I couldn’t get the family pass that is the better deal because “they were closed.” Huh?

Sabrina immediately after we walked out the door started fussing about wanting to go to the candy store.  I told her we couldn’t go today because there had been too much fuss, and that was why Hunter and Emma were now at home cleaning the garage. She continued to whine and I told her harshly that she would be cleaning the garage too or going to take a nap when we got home (for some reason these are equally bad to her). I started backing out of my space still trying to manage the annoyance I felt over the last hour, when I heard a thump.

I had backed into another car parked in the lot. I got out to see the damage and luckily there was no damage to the other car; It was an older model with a real bumper, and I just saw some flakes of paint from my car. I looked at my bumper and won’t tell you the word that came to mind. There was a long six inch break in it and it was all scuffed up. I drove home and cried.

Rob tried to make me feel better about messing up the only nice car we own. I know he handled me way better than I would have if things had been reversed. I spent some time alone on my bed, and eventually fell asleep.

Rob woke me up when dinner was ready. He had grilled up some hot dogs for dinner and the kids were all cheerful and happy to see me reemerge from my short depression.

After dinner there was a debate about who should have the first turn on the computer. After a few minutes it was figured out, but as soon as I left the room we could hear fighting about how things were fair/unfair. So then the kids were sent to clean their closets and didn’t get computer time. Mean parents again.

Bedtime went smoothly and the kids all had their stories, prayers, hugs & kisses, and were tucked into bed with smiles on their faces. Maybe not huge ones, but thank goodness there were no tears!

Whew, summer days can be so exhausting. I need some ice cream.