This Week at Our House # 28

1. We've had this really odd minor, yet lengthy illness. Some people have had runny noses and sore throats and laryngitis, and others low grade fevers and aches, some with coughs, some with stomach issues. Then it seems you will be sick for about 4 hours and then better for 4 days and then get different issues. I suppose it is possibles that we just have more than one germ going around at the same time too. It hasn't been bad enough to keep us from regular life, but it has been annoying. John and I took all the kids except Johnny to look at 2 houses and then to the beach. But neither was the right sort of property.
2. I love swimming. John was nice and took Sam much of the time at the beach, so I got in about 2 hours of swimming. I am trying to get a lot more exercise, so I swam 2 hours one day, and then walked 3 miles another and 3.5 another. I tend to go out at night because it is very hot in the day time right now. But in time, I would like to add a 10 mile walk one more day. I am planning on walking another half marathon next winter.
3. Ruth got rerouted to the Provo missionary training center instead of the Preston, England one. She's pretty sad about that. She was looking forward to going straight to England. She now has 36 days until she leaves.
4. Kate and I are reading a book together. There was one more that she got for Christmas that we wanted to read before she leaves for college in another month and a half.
5. Johnny was feeling sick on the day we went to the beach so he stayed home. When we got home at 10pm, he had cleaned the house and was just getting cookies into the oven.
6. Adam and Johnny spent two days with friends. One day playing board games for hours and then Saturday morning swimming.  
7. Rachel swam a lot this week. She swam at the beach pretty much the entire 4 hours, then again when she went babysitting with Ruth, and then again with the same family that took Adam. She was pleased because she can swim without effort in the deep end of the pool now.
8. Anya has been working steady on her cross stitch. 
9. Joseph is very, very excited for his birthday and baptism that are coming up in the next week. He has told me daily about what food and what presents he wants.
10. Oh my, oh my, oh my!!!!Joshua was standing in front of the toilet when Kate walked in. He asked Kate for a towel for the "pee drip that never comes off". Kate said you use toilet paper for that. Josh said, "that's disgusting, I never use toilet paper." Kate asked what he uses instead and Josh said it's a secret. 
11. John had this interesting exchange with Arwen while trying to get her to say her prayers by herself: John - "Ask heavenly father for what you need." Arwen - "Ask heavenly father for what you need." Dad - "No. Arwen, what is something you need?"Arwen, quite frankly - "Rope." So she prayed for rope. John then told her it we leave it up to Heavenly Father to decide whether He will give it or not. Then before leaving the room he asked her why she needed rope. Arwen said "For a horse".
12. Susan was napping on a mattress that just lies on the floor upstairs while Ruth and Kate were tending Sam. Sam got on the bed next to Suzy ad started bouncing and laughing. Suzy woke up, moaned, and said, "No, Samol." She then rolled to the end of the bed. Sam excitedly crawled after her, and started bouncing up and down again. Near to tears, Suzy said, "Stop it, Samol!" Then she rolled off the bed with a blanket and hid under the blanket. 
13. Sam has been sleeping in his bed for 5 to 8 hours a night. That has been wonderful for me and it has given John and I a little more time together.