Trying to Stay Cool (a.k.a. Water and more Water

Our week was spent trying to stay cool. We had three 100 degree plus days here this week. It was like walking into an oven when you went outside. So we spent nearly every day at the splash park in Kennewick or the wading pool in Richland or, the big treat of the week, the Surf n' Splash Water Park in Lake Moses. We went there on Saturday and it probably would have been worth the 1 1/2 hour drive if our kids were older. But they were happy just playing in the wading pool or floating in the lazy river. Next time we will go over to Hermiston (only 40 minutes away) and play there.

I also got our first utility bill this week and opened it with hesitant fingers. I imagined huge charges since we are running two to three air conditioning units, ceiling and floor fans nearly twenty-four-seven. But it wasn't so bad. Actually around $60 less than what we had budgeted for. Can I get a whoot-whoot!

To top off the week we had a water incident at home. This time in the bathroom. Adam was gone home teaching after church and I was home with the boys preparing dinner. As I finished feeding the baby, I noticed that Phin was extremely quiet. BAD SIGN. So I went upstairs just in time to see the toilet overflowing onto the floor. I rushed to turn off the water and realized that Phin had proceeded to flush an ENTIRE ROLL of toilet paper down the toilet. Our last roll of toilet paper, might I add. So I'm digging wet toilet paper out of the toilet and plunging the rest. I got the toilet to flush and then proceeded to get out five towels to mop up the floor. Phin was to help me with this project as it was his mess. He proceeded to cry. I left him to do what he could and went downstairs to check on dinner and start the grill. When I went back upstairs, George had messed his pants and was crying because his bum was also wet as he was sitting on the recently overflowed toilet. And here I was at a loss as to what to use to wipe his little bottom. So Phin and George crying in the bathroom, baby crying downstairs (because he thinks he is starving and must have cereal RIGHT THIS INSTANT!), mom nearly crying all over the place. But I kept my cool, improvised with some tissues, sent George to get dressed and went downstairs to get a laundry basket for all the wet towels. And in the basement, I find another flood. There is something wrong with our drain (could it be the roll of toilet paper, hmm?). So now I have a flooded basement, three crying children, a wet bathroom floor, no toilet paper and a possibly burnt dinner. Did I mention that Adam was home teaching? Yeah, always happens when you are trying to be righteous. I think it's a test of faith.

Luckily the rest of the night went off without a hitch, unless you consider Phin whining through dinner and eventually being put to bed at a quarter to seven a hitch. I personally see an early bed time as a blessing. Then, as I was cleaning up dinner (did I mention that Adam also had a priesthood meeting tonight?) I saw this:

This is George reading to Spencer from the Friend. He was having a regular singing time with Spencer. It was so great! George helped his teacher out today during sharing time by reading 3 Nephi 18:21 "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed." He only needed help with a couple of the words. What a smart kid. See the Lord does bless you, you just have to endure to the end.