Gracious, people will think that I've died.

Yes, yes, I know it's been a little while.

Things are going better with the one friendship. We're chatting a bit. So that's good. Makes me feel better.

The kids (well, Bruise and Bucket) liked soccer. They liked it enough that I think I should get them enrolled on a regular basis.

The Orkin guy was supposed to come today. But, well, whoever did the scheduling SPACED that they have mandatory meetings on the third Tuesday of the month. And, since he's about a hundred miles away, that appointment has come and gone. He'll be by ... SOMETIME ... tomorrow. So, well, we'll be hanging around the house then.

I was going to take the kids to the library to pick up some Summer Reading Program Swag, and then around town to get some stamps for a summer-passport-activity. But Miss Bubbles was a cranky mess ... so we scrapped those plans to give her an opportunity for a nap. Joy!

I've cleaned up a little ... since the Orkin guy will be IN and OUTSIDE the house. Ha. Yeah, and I'm already out of motivation. Whatevs.

(Can you tell that it's T minus seven days until shark week commences? Yeah, I can too.)

The kids finished up their swim lessons last week. Passed! On the first try!

We have them signed up for more swim lessons, in a few weeks ... since it was the only time their FAVORITEST OF THEM ALL swim instructor is teaching their level.

We made it to Free Slurpee Day last week ... and I managed NOT to get into an accident in the cramped parking lot (always a fear. Especially since a LOT of cars just ZOOM in. Yeah. Got my adrenaline going.)

Michael and I took the kids to his folks' on Saturday and we went to the temple (it's been a while). We did initiatories (washing and anointing, by proxy, for people who have died. And, like the baptisms for the dead ... or ANYTHING done for those that have died, in the temple, it's up to that person [who's died] to choose whether or not they want to accept it. So don't be giving me grief for doing something like that. Just putting it out there. I've heard too many folks telling me that we baptize corpses and that no one has any choice in it. ... And, well, I'm a little testy/hormonal. So, yeah.)

Of course, any day that involves the temple is, by default, a good day.
We also went to Deseret Book ... yeah, I got some books. OF COURSE.
And we also had lunch at The Olive Garden (Srsly, that Strawberry-passion fruit-lemonade-sparkling water drink? IT'S GOOD. Where can I get passion fruit pulp around here??)

It was our Stake's temple day, so we got to attend a chapel session ... which I always enjoy.
(Maybe because I can actually PAY ATTENTION to the speakers? Also, truly, because I love hearing from our temple president. He gave a great talk about unity -- not just within the church, but unity with those of other faiths. LOVE IT. Total proof that we [Latter-Day Saints] love you, no matter what religion you are.)
But, yeah ... our current temple president, he has a sense of humor. Which, naturally, makes me like him just a wee bit more (if possible).

Of course, the one BAD thing was that, as we dropped the kids off at Michael's folks', we realized that no one had grabbed the diaper bag ... with the kids' swimsuits.
Mom Cox has a little wading pool on the back porch/patio ... and both kids refused to go in it in (1) their clothes, which she'd run through the dryer or (2) their skivvies, which she could ALSO run through the dryer.

So, upon returning, Bucket greeted me with a "YOU'RE BACK?? ... *hysterical* WHY DID YOU FORGET THE DIAPER BAG?!?!??? I WANTED TO GO SWIMMING!!!!!"
And I gave the rebuttal, "Did you remember to grab it? No? Then you don't get to give me grief about it."

And, yes, I've started giving her a bad time of, when she's done something/forgotten something, "YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!!!!" ... Because, well, I CAN. And also, I might as well show her how dumb we sound when we do that, right?

Our order (school clothes) we got from The Children's Place came in.
And BOTH shipments (with EVERYTHING we ordered) are on their way from Zulily ... After the last couple orders where at least ONE thing from EACH "store" didn't ever ship ... including an order where there was JUST ONE ITEM in the order ... Yeah. I mean, it's nice that they refund the money and give a $10 credit as apology ... but, goodness.
When you order matching outfits for your girls and they only send ONE of the two?
Or when you order three bras and they only send two?
Or, in Mom's case, you order ONE pair of shoes and it get cancelled?
Yeah, I was getting annoyed/worried.

I'm just REALLY glad that the rest has shipped -- especially since it has pirate costumes for the kids. And Bruise and Bucket are REALLY excited about those.

Bruise-ism from last night:
(Back story -- As you know, we're a weird family. I joke about pinching the kids' posterior regions. Often. And I do, sometimes. Because they find it funny.)
Me: [Bruise]! Can I pinch your buns??
Bruise: No.
Me: *plaintively* Why not??
Bruise: Mom! They're FRAGILE!!

After I stopped laughing, I demanded to know where he learned that great word.
Turns out, it's from boxes ... My online shopping habit has certain benefits, no?

We missed church choir last week ... I don't know if it wasn't happening. It wasn't announced. And, when it was time to go, Bubbles was napping, Michael had a headache, I was curled up with a book ... things just weren't going.

Besides that, we've been cleaning up the house ... it never ends.

There may be some other stuff that's been going on ... but I'm not really remembering it. So ... yeah.