Face of a graduated swimmer

Eli has been in swim lessons for the last 8 days.
We got up early and went to the library in hope
the internet was up (they have had big problems)
and then off to his lessons. After his lessons
I dressed him in the Trooper and we went to
Duchesne high for the school lunch program. It
is a free lunch program for kids ( usually in
the park). It is a great program.

From there we strapped on Eli's bike helmet
and rode our bikes at the high school, the
park and through the neighborhoods to his
elementary school (in the fall of 2010).
It has a great fun playground and he typically
begged for me to quit playing and continue our
bike ride. The age requirement for swim lessons
is 5 but they wanted to see how he may do at 4
years old. On the second day the teacher said he
is doing good but not listening as well as he did
on the first day, so I let him know if he didnt
listen to his teacher there will be no more bike
rides. They told me he was one of the best listeners
ever. He loved the bike rides and we will continue
them 1 day a week till the snow flies ( shutter )

Some days we went back to the library and some days
we went to the river walkway and soaked our feet
in the strawberry river. All days I was wiped out
but so was he. we ate ice cream cones and I think
he had a lot of fun.

He graduated as a level 1 swimmer.
I am still wiped out.

Camp Hevelone

Five days with 5 kids, ages (7) Lynzi Lou (6) Skylar Dean (4) Eli Burton
(3) Kaydence Mckenna (2) Q Micheal. I am happy to report that we are
still alive. Dean was scared the first day but we both agree that we
will try for part 2 in august, Maybe titled 5 kids for 3 days. We miss
the little guys.

We all slept on a small cozy cot on the living room floor. For much of
night " I was the cot" for Eli and Q slept on me and Kaydence snuggled
in. With luck most of the mornings went like this: find shoes out of
the great shoe basket pile, lace "em" up and go to the first outhouse
trip. Hurry up !!! was grumbled but mostly the kids started to wander
off and play. Velcro and flip flop shoes will be required camp gear
from now on. Round up all playing children and take them in for food.
The first morning we bravely whipped up griddle cakes. Yummmy. But get
real granny, all the rest of the mornings breakfast was cold cereal
or instant oatmeal. Wash hands and sticky syrup faces. Round "em"
up again. This takes forever! I hunt for suitable fitting and semi-
clean clothes (we aren't to picky) from a great heaping pile that has
formed (grown) in a corner of our small humble home. Why are socks and
underwear always missing? By the end of the week all 5 kids had on Eli's
underwear and socks. Dont tell Lynzi Lou I told you!! Hers were spider-
man.

Not done yet... hairbrushing ( ooouch ) tangled wild banshee hair ! Well
a good bath will take of wild hairdooos. Spray detangler helps. Teeth
brushing, all goes well and smooth. line "em" up for sun protection
lotion. No - one likes this step but we make it through. It just takes
FOREVER! Get on shoes again. They run, far, loudly and happily.

I clean up after brekfast, pick up and fold every blanket we own, heft
the floppy mattress up against the wall for storage and to hide the huge
clothes heap. It's about this point when I realize it's time to start
on lunch and I am still in my jammies. The rest of the day is a whirl
of activity. Mostly sweeping. Rain season and muddy shoes. How on
earth do mothers, grandmothers and care givers do it ???? For me it
was Dean and my special helper Lynzi Lou. Turning 8 last saturday.
Outhouse trips, meals and snacks, hair and teeth brushing, sun pro
application, shoes and jammie(clothes) She was right there to help
with it all. Not one complaint out of her. She is and always has been
my special girl.

Highlights include: Feeding the chickens - Lizzard hunting - Getting
rained on several times a day - Shelby getting stuck (bad) and we
dug/pulled her out from under a huge boulder - Dutch oven cook out -
collecting sprigs of sage ( nature walks ) - beading necklaces and
making dads day cards - eating two whole watermelons - having popcorn,
rootbeer and watching a movie - eating smarshmellows and sipping hot
cocoa at the kitchen table ( due to all the rain ).

What we didn't get to do : See a bear or go fishing ! Maybe next camp.
My special ones

Lynzi : Creative and everyones friend. Brite and smart. Adventurous
high spirited happy girl. She is a mini-me in looks and we have alot
in common.

Skylar : The problem solver. He say's "wait I know what, lets try "...
He is a great leader and scout and headed up all our hiking adventures,
and very patiently waited for the slow little ones.

Eli and Kaydence : They just play together mostly peacefully. Eli
say's Kaydence is his best friend and she teaches him how to be good???
You go girl !!!!! Eli asks her to hold his hand often and you can
watch them walking hand - in - hand alot. It's sooooo cute.

Quintin : is a sturdy little guy that has a smile that shines from
here to Arizona ( dimples included ). He says the cutest things with
his squeaky little baby voice. He is a carefree little guy. Dont
tell him that though.... he say's he's big.

1 - 21

1- We spent a month in the city (fixin up the Kearns house for a 1
year lease)and moving everything left there. It wasn't all work.
Lets hope for a good quiet lease year. (too late!)

2- Thanks to Strong Ben and Cody for all your help!

3- Special thanks to my Shelly belly for all the GREAT
food and company!

4- Most thanks to Jo-mamma (who I love) for being the
best mom ever to my special kids.

5- Gramps, Eli and I went to the living aquarium while
in the city, we got toooo many pic's to post them all.
Our favorite part? Just spending the day with the folks.

6- Cody, Eli and I rode the Trax Train to The museum of
Natural history.

7- I came home to water !!! I will never figure out how
my honey (Dean) found the time - but what a surprise!!
Running hot water and washer. LUXURY

8- I will soon write a story on water and conservation,
and waste. I went right back to long hot showers in the
city.

9- We had our mail stolen. Made alot of calls. We go
down the mountain every day for mail now. While
Shipping packages last December from the city, the
gal asked, do you really have a highway contract box?
It's a rural route box the sits on hwy 40.

10- Rain, rain go away. 6 solid weeks of rain. We planted
peppers (and lots of other vegi's) and they haven't grown.
Also-they haven't died.

11- We had a dutch oven cook - out with the kids and grands.
I kept the grand(babies)and we ran camp Hevelone. Will
be my next blog, and we miss them kids so much, we will
have camp Hevelone again in august.

12- Shelby the dog has been missing for over two weeks.
Anyone who ever met her said she was the best dog. I hope
she has a new good home.

13- The chickens are hilarious creatures and we laugh
when Eli feeds them. One dominates the food(slice of
bread)and the other three chase her around and around
for their fair share. She cant stop to eat or the others
will catch up. So they run and we laugh. Very amusing.

14- Sego lilies are in bloom for Deans birthday. They
are sparse this year(prob to much rain). Last year we
had fields of hundreds as far as the eye could see. I
will repost an older blog with a picture.

15- I have tried to post this blog a few times but failed-
not enough time, the library closes at 6 not 6:05 my fun
librarian guy teases us, then throws us out. I saved one
in draft and cannot get it to post. I drove to the library
and had no TIME restrictions only to find out the internet
was down - first time ever.

16- My Lynzi Lou helped me soooo much with Camp( shoes,
outhouse, teeth brushing, sun protection application, etc.)
that I took her to a local soda fountain Rexall drug gift and
cafe for lunch. After we hit the local library in R Town and
we decided to relax and chill out. She named it chill-axin.
We also had fries and hot fudge sunday's.

17- Eli starts swim lessons soon. We will go for 8 mornings,
then to the park for lunch and friends. There is a walkway park
here it winds (safely) around the stawberry river and so we
may have to get us "our fishin permits".

18- There is the best program out here. Eli gets tested in
5 areas on August 24th, and if he is delayed in any area,
he will go to pre-school two days a week. If he has no delays
then we have a great year before he starts kindergarten and I
will continue to teach him at home. Some teacher will appriciate
that I have taught him to Listen with his ears open and his mouth
shut. I think he will have delays in speech.

19- Dean is turning 49 on saturday. He wants Nachos for dinner.
He doesn't get ice cream on his special day. The store is 21
miles one way, in July and our freezer is to small and filled
to the max. I will take him to Al's for ice cream next week.

20- I miss my mom and dad. I kinda miss my sibs tooo.

21- Wendy is coming out for a long walk.