Alas! Opposition in All Things

Especially Family Outings...

We tried again on Monday.
It was our first day of trying out our new Summer Schedule.
We did pretty well.  Dallin doesn't work on Mondays in the summer. 
We got up early and exercised--well, I stretched and listened to conference in the kitchen while Dal, Nate, and Ruby went running at the park.
For breakfast we had leftover pancakes from Sunday dinner while Dad read scriptures.
We headed out to work in the yard for an hour or so.
We came in for chore time.  Everyone worked relatively cheerfully.
We had lunch and quiet reading time while Dallin took Ruby and Nathan to the dentist.
So far, So good.

Dallin came back with the news that Nathan will need root canals after all. (He knocked his 2 front teeth in several weeks ago.  The dentist put them back in place and they were looking pretty good for awhile.  Not so now.)
We gathered things together to go use our "Pass Of All Passes" at the local water park.  We had purchased the passes online for only $10 each to get us in to several fun local places for a year.  We figured at that price, the places would be crowded but we'd deal with it.  We're just getting to be too many in number to afford to do much like that now. 
The kids got restless while I dug through a mountain of clean laundry to find swimsuits, etc.
We finally got on the road over an hour later than planned. 
Then we missed the exit because of construction.
And the next exit was closed.
So 20 minutes later we were finally off the freeway and backtracking to the water park. 
Then we waited in a line of cars in the parking lot for a half hour.
Same in the line to get in.  We all had to get permanent passes with our photos and so did everyone else in line. 
Then there was waiting for the last few of us to get sunscreen on and blow up the floaties since we forgot the air pump. 
Mercifully, little Sullivan nursed and I carried him in the wrap protected from the 100 degree sun.  He fussed a little when we got in the water, but slept for most of the time so my hands were free to help the other 3 non-swimmers in the family. 
Dallin stayed back to help with the littles.  We sent Ruby and Nathan to hit the big slides.  Brandon was back in Idaho helping Grandpa.
It was loud and crowded and hot and hard to talk to and keep track of the kids.
 I was happy they were finally in the water and having a good time. 
Amazingly, they were getting cold.  It really was 99 degrees when we got there, but the water was pretty cold and there was a slight breeze.
We managed to make it over to the lazy river where Simon promptly jumped in with his floaty so Dallin had to go after him before the rest of us had a chance to get properly ready.  We had to wait on the crowded steps for them to come around again.  By now I had Sullivan in the baby floaty with Sarajoy in another one.  A lady stopped and asked if I needed help because I looked so ridiculous sitting on the steps trying to hang onto my newborn lying in a floaty while I blew up the one my 2 year old was splashing around in.  Nathan and Ruby found me there. 
We went once around and Dallin took off with them for a chance to go on some big slides before we had to go.  I took the 4 little ones back to the kiddie pool where they promptly froze.  We got out and toweled off.  They were hungry and thirsty so I trudged over to the picnic area where they make you leave your food.  We left a note in Dallin's shoe. 
We had some snacks and waited.  I think that was more fun for me than anything so far.
It was pretty late when we picked up KFC to eat at home. 

That night, I threw up.

And that started a stressful, rotten day that I was fighting against because it was Nathan's birthday.
I pretty much failed on him not noticing that I was stressed.  It was too obvious.
So on his birthday, he had root canal preps done, babysat most of the day while I birthday shopped, and got peed on by the baby brother.  His Dad totally missed the steak dinner because of work and Scouts.  We won't mention the meltdown his mom had just as he was about to open presents cause his little siblings knocked her ice water all over the living room. 
A few other things happened like me missing Activity Days because of the emergency dental work, getting trapped in an underground parking lot, the baby having a major blowout just when I thought I might get to go to help with the end of Activity Days, forgetting to buy the cake, there not being enough frosting in the first batch, an egg smearing on the counter, the steaks being too thick and raw when we first served them.  And the kitchen was just a mess from us being on the go so much.  And remember that mountain of clean laundry?...still there!  It has been weeks since we took a look at the finances and it keeps getting put off. And we're still all squeezing into a too-small vehicle.  And the price tag for that emergency dental work!  And I can't stop thinking about that house in Woodland Hills.  And am I really seriously going to homeschool next year?

 And I just wanted it to be a special day for Nathan!

Really, it was a day to be forgotten, but it makes for a good story.

I did buy him a milkshake after the root canals. 
And he liked his steak--a lot!
And he liked his presents.
And Brandon called just as Nate was about to blow out the candles, so he didn't totally miss it.
And lots of his friends sent greetings on Facebook.
And someone stopped by and invited him for night games.  I was so relieved that it might redeem the day that I told him he could stay out as long as he wanted. 
He was still home at 10:30. 

He saved his Texas French Toast breakfast for today so the dental work wouldn't interfere. 

It was the start of a much better day.

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