You know when you're really behind...

... and it feels like you're never going to get caught up? That's me. Right now. It's kind of stressing me out. I'm subbing on the organ in church for the next 2 weeks. I haven't done it for a while, but that's okay. I'm still the RS pianist so I'll be doing that on Sunday too. I also have to make sure the sign-ups for the ward talent show are being passed around, and need to drum up interest. I found out today that our Activities Committee Chairwoman is moving to UT in 3 weeks! (Yikes! I'm happy for her, but I'm going to miss you and your great ideas!) We have our huge talent show in 6 or 7 weeks and so much to do! It isn't necessarily hard work, but it is a lot of work. We can do it!

The kids start school again in 3 weeks. The summer has gone by so fast! We're still waiting to find out who their teachers are and what supplies they need. (Now that I personally know some of their teachers I really want to help contribute to the classroom when I can. I had no idea that they had to spend so much of their personal money on their classrooms.) I don't want to go school shopping right now. Really, if we have to go outside at all, even just to walk to and from the car, none of us are really motivated to do anything. We're having the hottest July on record so far, and when the temperatures are over 110* for days on end, it's just not fun to be outside- even to swim. It's midnight, and the temperature is right around 100*. Sigh. My kids keep fighting, and it started when the temps got and stayed so hot.

This week was also Kent's birthday. I have been to 4 stores to find his gift, but have been unable to find it. It's not something I can really get online either, so I'll have to venture out into the heat again at some point. I did make him a good birthday dinner with Justin's help on the grill. One of our family traditions is to find out what the birthday person's current favorite dish is and make it. This year Kent wanted rib eye, asparagus, salad (not from a bag- yuck!), and baked potatoes. I upped it a little and made twice baked potatoes. Natalie LOVED them. She is in the phase where she hates everything except 1 or 2 items,... She ate almost one half of a large baking potato. She even liked the pizzas I'd made the day before. (Amazing because she hates homemade pizzas. Apparently they're gross.) I just have to record for posterity that she actually liked 2 homemade meals on consecutive days.

Natalie went to 2 birthday parties on Thursday. The first was a polka dot party. Everything they did used circles... bubbles, dot-to-dots, etc. After that we swam at Grandma Julie's house. We left there, stopped at Grandma Susan's house, and then got her ready to go to another friend's diva birthday party. They got picked up in a white stretch limo! I've never even been in a limo. They had dinner and saw the Ice Age movie. Natalie came home with a HUGE gift bag full of stuff. She had a blast.

Justin and Trevor both had a friend over Monday night so they (minus Trevor) could have an air soft war early the next morning. I just don't get it. They had to wear long sleeve jackets, protective gear, hats, etc. I think I'd die of heat stroke within minutes if I dressed like that right now. They also have been trying to stay up late so they can play X-Box Live with their friends. I don't get that either...must be a boy thing...

I've made the kids read every day, and Natalie and Drew have workbooks that I make them work on every day. Drew's not too keen on them right now. I did promise him $5 if he finished so that's helping. He LOVES the Dollar Spot at Target. He bought a little yellow broom and dustpan there a month or two ago. He lost it, and for 3 weeks that's all we heard about. We went to several other Targets here and in UT, but they were all gone. (Remember that stubborn streak I wrote about recently? Big time in play with that thing.) Justin found it last weekend, and Drew carries it with him everywhere, cleans with it (yay!), and even sleeps with it. I need to get him to teach the other kids to be obsessed with cleaning. (I'll have to post a picture because it's HILarious! Seriously.

Alright. I'm so hot that I can't think straight. You know it's hot when the AC and ceiling fans don't offer enough cool air. I suppose I could crank the AC, but I think Kent would lose it when the power bill came. There was even a story today about AC's. I thought it was pretty funny.