Summer Time Fun Pt. 1

So, what do you do in the summer time, when all the world is green?  That Primary song goes into some of the many things we did this summer, and thankfully, not some of the things we did this summer.

1. We went down to Delta for July 4th, as is the yearly tradition.  We did shake it up a little this year by letting the children go early.  Cliff's parents came up to see him in "The Sound of Music" and took the older three children down to Delta with them the week before the 4th.  We were worried about homesickness and keeping to some kind of sleep schedule since the other cousins were also going to be down there, but those worries were for naught.  They couldn't wait to get off the phone with us so they could keep playing, and they were exhausted by the end of the day after being on the slip 'n slide, playing at the park, riding bikes, and other fun activities.
By the time we joined them, it was the weekend of the 4th.  We had a great barbecue with ribs by Uncle Beaner, the kids were able to ride in the bike parade after decorating the bikes, we went to the regular main street parade, there were the regular after-parade activities, and we even got some fish. Oh yes, fish.  It was hot enough that the horse rides ended early, and so several of the kids wanted to find something else to do instead.  They found the fish pond, which if you're like me, sounds like the little blue curtain where you fish for a prize.  Nope.  This was a real pond, which the Fire Station had set up, and was stocked by real fish, courtesy of the Wildlife Dept.  There was a huge truck filled with fish, and they would fill up the pond about knee high with water and let the fish loose, followed by a horn to let in the kids in different age groups.  Kambrie and Brandon were just so excited to try it, and they both caught fish with their bare hands. I had a pic of Brandon with his fish, but it was taken on my old phone which Cliff was using at the time, and the old phone and new computer have decided that since they have nothing in common, there is no need for them to talk to each other.  Who knew technology could act so immature.  So *click* here is Brandon holding a 19 inch rainbow trout that he caught with his bare hands, made Daddy clean and cook, and then decided he didn't like the taste.

2. Cliff had hernia surgery and bought a new suit, which means I get a new mixer for Christmas.  Cliff has had a hernia for a while, but we weren't sure what it really was or if it would heal on its own.  He started to get worried when he felt a small bump protruding out of the tear, and even more so when it became painful.  He finally went to the ER to get it checked out after googling hernias.  They did a CT scan, determined that yep, it is a hernia, nope, it isn't an emergency, but he needed to have surgery within a month.  We scheduled it for the week after his birthday, and as a last hurrah, (I am 88% positive that Cliff thought he wouldn't make it through the surgery) we went down to SLC for a birthday weekend date without the kids.  It was a lot of fun.  We went to a Salt Lake Real soccer game with some great friends, got some baby stuff from them since I had thrown out our stuff and their twins were getting too big for it, slept in, watched the last Harry Potter (FINALLY), paid way too much for a breakfast buffet, raided another friend's ward on Sunday,and just generally had a great time.
We even went to Men's Wearhouse and looked at a new suit for Cliff, because they were having a buy one, get one free sale on everything.  Here is my warning about this:  Don't go to the Sugarhouse store, and definitely run away if you meet a salesman named Randy.  He is GOOD.  Cliff got two suits, and not just any suits, but two High End Suits, two new shirts, four ties, and a boatload of guilt.  That is why I am getting my mixer for Christmas.  Oh yes.  It will happen this year.
We got back home and the next day was Surgery day.  Cliff had to go at some beastly early time to be checked in and prepped, and after dropping him off I came back home, woke up the kids, took them to my mother's where they got dressed and had breakfast, and then drove back to the hospital in time to sit by Cliff in recovery.  I hated it.  He is not ever supposed to be in a hospital gown or bed again.  We checked him out around 11, came home, and I took care of him a little and just let him rest.  He went back to work the following Monday, and has a new appreciation for me and what I go through with pregnancy pains and babies.  It is also kind of funny to see how we now compare his scar with my Cesarean and I have to tell him it will get smaller and less noticeable like mine has.  Who says guys aren't vain? And yes, this is definitely a good time to not have any pics.

Well, this post is definitely getting a little long, so I will continue later. Stay tuned for the further thrilling adventures of our summer!  Oh yes, there is more!