Lazy, Smokey Summer Days

Finally, we had a lazy week. I'm relishing that word for a few moments. Honestly, it was lazy for 4 of us, the girls had a lazy week. Justin is working hard in the middle of a quarterly report and the boys were tromping in the muddy corn fields for hours on end. 

We are faced with several Oregon wildfires, the Durkee wildfire merged with the Cow Valley fire on Thursday. The recent storms this week only exacerbated the fires with sharp winds and lightning starting new fires. We walk outside into a miasma of smoke and dark skies, almost like an inversion. The boys are working out in the smoke, hopefully the early morning hours help reduce the intake with the moist air over the corn. Everett twisted his ankle on Friday, he stayed home Saturday to let it rest. Phillip also wanted to stay home because work is hard and very boring, but he manned up and went to work. Everett won the quiet game on Wednesday, a game that started Tuesday after some of the other boys were annoying the leads with their middle school "skibidi Ohio toilet gyatt rizz master level 1000" games. He scored a hoodie for winning the game. He reported to me on Tuesday that the work is mind-numbingly boring. He sang "100 bottles of milk" on the wall at least 7 times just to divert himself. I took some pity on the soul and found a discman on Amazon. Everett is thrilled to have some music to listen to while he works. The Scarlet Pimpernel is his top favorite. 

I had Justin send the girls out to the garden after dinner one night. I blasted them with hose water, started a fun hour of water play. We tried to ambush Sara but she was too speedy. The girls did not enjoy the ABC hose game, too much water up their noses for enjoyment. Thanks girls for acting silly with me. 

The girls and I did some shoe shopping this week. Amelia's favorite shoes fell apart in the washer while we were in Nauvoo. The soles were filled with paper?! Josie wants to find cowgirl boots because her fondest wish is to be a cowgirl. She is saving her allowance for horse riding lessons. Amelia found some shoes and I found a cute pair of shoes (in the men's section). We had some time at Target just browsing for Evelyn's birthday. The boys got home from work a bit later than anticipated and the girls were also late getting home from our errands. I had a temple appointment for baptisms at 3 pm, which we made only 25 minutes late. I almost nixed the plan several times but decided to try just in case they had space for us. We were able to get in just fine because the next reservation was a family of 4 and not a group of 20. I love attending the temple with my children. The peace is so nice. Everett ran/walked through his running shoes, literally. We went back to the shoe store so he could get a new pair for cross country season. Phillip and Amelia also found shoes they needed. 

Josie whipped my bum several times this week playing Memory. I had a crazy dream involving pet giraffes getting mauled by lions one early morning after she and I played an intense game. Getting up and 5 with the boys and going back to bed is throwing off my REM sleep. I normally do not remember my dreams so this new experience is a bit crazy. Friday afternoon my good friend Loni from MCO came to get some maternity photos taken. She is expecting twins any day now. Everett finally got his birthday dinner date with Mom and Dad, just two months late. He was keen on eating some sushi, last year was quite memorable at the sushi conveyor belt place. Our couch is falling apart, the cushions have rips in the seats, the liner is ripped, and the frame is showing signs of wear. It's lasted 15 years, not too bad for a family couch. Everett was quite helpful trying out couches after dinner. He really liked the brown couch covered in furry fabric. 

President Biden dropped out of the Presidential Race, the new democratic runner is none other than Kamala Harris. I thought Trump had the race in a bag with the assassination attempt, but now there is a black woman running. I don't even want to vote anymore. I don't like Trump much and Kamala is like the worst ever. I'd rather Trump over Harris, still the choices we have are terrible. It feels like I'm chucking my vote down a fiery hole. 

The Come Follow Me lesson this week was on Alma 32-35. I love Alma and then Amulek's discourses on Faith. We are a scientific people. We want to know without doubt, we conduct experiments to cast the truth in light. Alma proposes an experiment, in his days before the Savior was born. Did he know that those words would fit our current thinking? We plant a seed of THE WORD (not faith) and then look for evidence, is the seed swelling (feeling emotions), enlarging (improving), enlightening (maked sense) and delicious? The seed is good. If we nurture the seed it grows into a tree. The tree produces fruit, the fruit of the tree of life, that can in return feed us when faced with challenges. What a powerful image. Today's lesson also fit in, Elder Dushku's talk on Pillars and Rays. We hear about the pillars of light experiences, but the rays of light are the ones that will enrich our testimonies. Those daily, weekly spiritual experiences that build a testimony.