Hot, Hot, Hot

Highlights from this week:

• We went from low 70's to high 90's within a matter of days
  
• Alyson got 98% on her "Invention Convention" project - She could've received a 100% IF she was willing to market her project for more than it cost to make it.  She couldn't understand the logic in that!  I guess we have some more teaching to do.  This picture shows work in progress - you fill the cup at the top with water and then place pots below the bar.  As you turn the red knob, water flows through holes in the pipes to water multiple plants at one time.  Creative!
  
  
  
  

• Rachel got the award for being the person with the most school spirit at Field Day on Friday.  She begged me to take her to Wal-Mart (mistake #1), to buy ribbon for which she was hoping I would help finance (mistake #2), and then convinced me that I could make bows for her and her friends much better than she could (mistake #3) at 10:00 p.m. the night before the big field day at school.  The bows had the school colors and she tied them in with colorful shoe laces and the school's t-shirt.  Thank goodness for Karen Stratton and her Young Women activities on bow making many years ago!
  
• Grandma and Grandpa Ankeney decided to come visit for the long weekend.  The kids are enjoying the visit, kite flying, and movies.  Pokey is enjoying time with his new friend Charlie (Grandma's puppy).
  
• Dave bought yet another "toy" - he is now reloading all of his own ammunition.  He is trying to capitalize on the fact he will be able to save a lot of money in the future by making his own bullets.  My personal opinion is you can save A LOT of money in the future by not even owning the guns.  Oh well, we all need hobbies and he is sure enjoying this one at the moment.
  
  
  
  
  
   
• Matthew threw an awesome pass in his football game yesterday afternoon.  This was a natural, beautiful spiral!  I don't know where this comes from :)

• I bought my first watermelon of the season - and we ate it in one sitting ( yikes! ) - Like I said, WE instead of ME.
  
• The big pool at the Heritage community club house opened.  The kids have been looking forward to this ever since we moved into the neighborhood.  It felt soooo... good to cool off in the pool last night after a very hot day in the sun.  Even I think I'll spend a lot of time there this summer.

What's going on in the Ankeney home today?

My kids are enjoying going through old photo albums.  I don't know what inspired them to pull them out, but they are having fun laughing at big hair, dark makeup, and funny clothes.  None of them can imagine that either Mom or Dad had other boyfriends or girlfriends in their lives.  Rachel found a mistake in one of my books that I've never caught.  Did you know I went to the Junior/Senior Prom with John Johnson in 1996?  Wow, I don't know where that came from.  In 1996, I was an "old maid" living in Salt Lake City waiting for my knight in shining armour who wouldn't show up until 1997.  The year on the photo should have been 1989.  Weird!

I was much better at pulling together pictures when I was younger.  Poor Matthew's pictures are all stuffed in a box in the bottom of my closet.  I have had dreams of scanning them and making digital scrapbooks, but my time is spent elsewhere at the moment.  Maybe in a few years when my kids are grown and don't care to spend as much time with Mom and Dad, I may still get this done.

We're busy with the usual, mundane stuff.  One exciting thing...I paid off my car last week.  That's a great feeling.  Now, I am just hoping both cars hold out a couple more years so I can relish no car payment!

Grandma Ankeney was here to spend time with the kids while Dave went with his Dad and brother Scott on a quick trip to Montana.  We all enjoyed having Grandma here and wished she could've stayed longer.  She left Tuesday afternoon.  I especially like having the help when Dave is not around.

Matthew started flag football last week.  He has played three games so far.  I missed yesterday's game because I was involved in a primary activity.  Dave was thrilled to call me and let me know Matthew made an awesome play resulting in a touchdown.  Dave is the assistance coach for Matthew's team.  So far, they are having fun.

There are only 3 more weeks of school for the kids.  I don't know if that's really hit them yet.  I've noticed less and less homework coming home, which has been nice for me.  The weather is warming up and Matthew and Alyson are enjoying more time outside.  (Rachel would rather sit in her room and text friends for all afternoon)  We picked up our resident cards from the Home Owner's Association clubhouse yesterday.  These cards entitle us access to all of the pools and facilities.  Matthew, Alyson, and I spent a little time at the spray park last night.  They had fun spraying each other with water guns and standing under the buckets as they dump water on them.  This park has always been a popular place for kids in the area and I am glad we now have access.

Just a few thoughts from us.  Have a wonderful week!