Arielle, Zander and Nolan enjoy our pool....not a TX sized pool (and certainly not an ALASKAN sized pool - it IS the biggest state in the union you know - but who NEEDS a pool in AK)...more like a Rhode Island sized pool.

This is the type of day you only have on Monday….and it was the type of Monday you hope to have only once a year! {G}

I DID get to ride the bike today. My legs are finally loosening up after Thursday’s 8 minutes of torture. I’m hoping I didn’t gain weight this week since I wasn’t able to move on Friday and missed 3 days of both the 8 Minute moves and the bike riding. I’ll be much more careful not to push it from now on – yeah SURE. I have that sort of “gut it out” personality.

The day began with me trying to get my computer to print a brochure that I’d made for SAGE (our co-op). It wouldn’t work and took forever to figure out what to do. I finally saved it to a memory card and plunked it into the computer that is a foot away from my computer…but it took me about 2 hours to come up with a solution. In fact, I tried to email it to one of the other computer’s first and the computer is STILL trying to send it…..15 hours later. {g} I copied the brochure and quickly noted three changes that need to be made right off the bat. Since this IS a family service project I let my youngest two sons (4 and 7) fold them. Nolan has some motor coordination issues and needs to do lots of eye hand things…but maybe folding brochures was a bit of a leap. Ah well….Zander and Nolan had fun folding them and all our really organized types can refold theirs like I did. :::snort:::: I got some good natured teasing from Adrienne and Becky about a line I added. Tell me does this sound like a hammer “Failure to promptly pay for your order will result in your SAGE membership being terminated”. Now I’m worried that someone who forgets to pick up their order will think I’m going to TP their house or something dire like that. Heather, our produce co-op organized, is so nice. I guess I’m going to be the “mean co-op organizer”. Heather, do you still read the blog? Should we work out a good cop/bad cop routine? :::snort:::

I got some laundry done.

I made a couple of PWOC calls that I needed to make.

I took the youngest 3 out to buy a cake and presents for Arielle’s birthday – tomorrow. Zander was sure that Arielle wanted a TRAIN!!!!! He finally settled on a zoo computer game….obviously planning to use it.

We dropped by the house of a friend who had packers at her home today. We took her a couple dozen cookies. Her packers had JUST arrived! Good grief it was about 1:00 p.m.

I had to cancel PWOC Traveling Training due to lack of interest. I was looking forward to it. I was planning on going to Fall Focus in October and now Mike will be away from home. I don’t think I can leave the kids alone for 3 nights and I’m not sure I’ll want to leave them anyway since they’ll be just adjusting to him being gone.

When I got home, Mr Gatti’s (sort of like Chuck E Cheese) had called. I called the manager to be told “we’ll have 500 kids from the schools here during your party – will that be a problem?” Hmmm….let me see one small game room, one buffet line and *500* kids…..yep – a problem. They said they’ll only have 219 students on Wed. I rescheduled for Wed at 1:00 and then realized Mike has meetings he can’t miss. Then I rescheduled for 5 p.m. and most are going to be able to make it – but now I remember that the new chaplains’ wife is going to be in town and we were going to go out for dinner with her. I guess she may enjoy a birthday party or we’ll meet her Thursday.

The older boys went out to shop for Arielle and the younger ones enjoyed the pool that I bought at Wal-Mart…also bought some gifts and some more weights.

Took Josiah to work.

Met the truck. They had a new driver and things took much longer. I was 20 minutes late getting home. Our “worker bees” were already waiting at the house when we arrived. We managed to get it all inventoried, sorted and divided.

Now we’re watching the Mavericks/Spurs match up score on the computer….wish we had a TV that showed Spurs…or we could stream the game. LOL

Becky showed up for co-op with their “spare mower” in the back of her van. Jamin is in heaven (not what I would call mowing lawns in W TX in 100* heat. Adrienne is going to call Town and Country about letting the kids pump gas and do windows for donations for their missions’ trip. Jamin will probably not want to play tomorrow – he’ll want to mow more lawns and dream of the AK missions’ trip.

Stacia is still grumpy.

Bre called and “needed to talk to Mom” and I keep missing her. I cried when picking out a “sister” card for Stacia to give Arielle…we miss Bre and Krista.

I love co-op night and visiting with everyone. There were a few men tonight so Mike even had someone to talk with.

I can’t remember what else happened today but it was an incredibly long day and Nolan, Arielle and I didn’t even start school.

I need to figure out what we’re doing tomorrow. Our homeschool support group is having a swim party….we have speech and Bible Study and its Arielle’s birthday….what to do….score is 111/108 Mavericks are winning…..overtime….

Jamin was pleased with the organic “Cloud Nine” candy I bought. He says its “pretty close” to Snickers. We can survive organic. {G} Of course we aren’t fooling ourselves that it is HEALTHY but if you want a treat it is sure better to grab an organic candy bar made with rice syrup and such than a Snickers. Right?

Score is now Mav 117 and Spurs 111…20 seconds left…I think it is over…