Seriously!

Wow it has been so long since I have not done something and here I find a moment and decided I should write a little bit down to prove I really did leave my house this summer.

Well obviously school is out, and not a moment too soon. We started our summer vacation a day early and headed over to Yellowstone. We stayed with our friend's family at their cabin in Island park. The weather was so crazy that our appearance changed drastically from day to day. One day we looked like we had been marooned on an island and were burned and bitten and the next we looked like a bunch of wet dogs. On the day we went home we looked like under dressed penguins in two inches of snow (Seriously you would have thought that none of us had seen snow before). It was amazing! The kids were so great and never complained. BK asked if it were Christmas. Yes, mine are the ones in shorts and t-shirts.

The Park was beautiful as always. It has been 20 years since the fire and there is still a lot of evidence of it, but even more so was all the life that has been slowly growing in its wake. It was neat to rediscover the scenery with my children who have never been, whereas I "grew up" amongst the buffalo (long story, three years and a lot of ice cream and late night Firehole). The family unanimously voted the Fountain Geyser as our favorite sight.

We came home long enough for me to do laundry, two days of Wood Badge Staff training, BBQ with neighbors, high council talk, and to repack. We were off to the Fathers' Day Golf Tournament in Lava.

This is a long standing tradition in our family. We go to Lava to play golf and see if anyone has gotten better since the last year. Who knows, maybe we have PGA potential among us. It has been going on for 11 years and we have only missed it twice due to spring babies (both of which were boys incidentally - B decided to hold off on coming so I would have a chance to get my name on the plaque - hasn't happened yet...).

I think this year was the most fun, plaque inscription or not. We got to play with JP's brother and his wife. I had some amazing drives if I do say so (you take a million swings and odds are one has to connect). The weather kept us from getting sunburned or bitten and even primed us for our most memorable moment.

It started to pour and JP, BK, and I were driving our golf cart, tempers may have been up to begin with, people were trying to pass us, but we were already waiting - patiently...seriously! Some how we found ourselves going down hill in the rain. As breaks were hit (I may have said stop somewhere in there) we just kept going and going. We spun a very wet cookie. I really thought much more was going to happen but JP jumped out and grabbed the frame of the cart and stopped us with those pricey spiked FootJoys of his. Apparently my face was priceless and for that I am grateful that no one had a camera on the fourth hole. I have since then taken his head off the chopping block for that experience.

JP brought back a piano we bequeathed from his mother from that trip (hence the removal of head from chopping block). He has spent the last day and a half sanding it down (I know, bonus points). He was able to get his sisters engraved Hancock off...we love you Aunt K, but it had to go!! This weekend we will finish staining it and finally be able to bring it in the house (he hasn't complained about his car getting booted from the garage, do you think he is running for hubby of the year?). B has been practicing her piano lessons at the church and on a keyboard here at the house...her teacher has not been impressed with keyboarding practices. We are all looking forward to plunking keys at all hours of the day and night.

My sister and her family are coming to visit this weekend and hit the water park. Seriously, how much fun can one person have? I need to have a presidency meeting and prepare for another basic training for scout leaders next week. I have back to back reunions just around the corner and then scouts, another trip, then another reunion, and then scouts and then school and Wood Badge. My DVR is running out of space! Did I mentioned that I am an agoraphobe and never leave my house!

On a calmer note JD is standing!! He isn't walking yet but he is solid enough on his feet that he can pound the drums to death. He likes to get standing and then clap for himself. He usually is rewarded with ample applause from everyone in eye sight. At 15 months he may just be my most advanced child yet...seriously!

Now my laundry is clean again. I have contemplated taking it from the dryer to the suitcase, it would save a step or two. Regardless of what lists may be waiting my attention (clean the garage, fridge and freezer and reorganize the pantry) the laundry is done so the rest of it can wait another day. There is just something peaceful about clean laundry.