Saturday, July 30, 2016

Saturday, July 23, 2016

The Sutherlands SLEEP in Nature


We're not exactly an outdoorsy family.  ("Not exactly" means not at all.) But Traci decided that we should go to the ward campout. 

Which required us to go camping. 

Despite being an Eagle Scout (thanks, Mom), I have only slept in a tent one time in the last 20 years. Traci has slept in a tent ZERO times in the last 20 years. But she figured when needed to go since Curtis said, "What do you even do when you go camping?"

Luckily, our friends the Bawdens took care of us--tent, sleeping bags, and even an air mattress. 

Watch out nature, here comes the Sutherlands!

We set up the tent, inflated the air mattress, and unrolled the sleeping bags. And then the kids were like, "What now?"


With a little prodding, the kids started playing with the other kids, chucking rocks and turning sticks into swords and going on big adventures. Nature stuff. 

There was also dinner and cobbler and s'mores and all sorts of other deliciousness. 

Nature, maybe you're not so bad after all. 


But the sleeping wasn't so great. Tate likes to steamroll from one side of the tent to the other and Curtis thought the best time to go to the bathroom was at 2:30 a.m. 

Camping, you're a mixed bag. But the kids seem to like you. 

Maybe we could do it more than once than every 20 years. Maybe even once a year. But no promises. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

The Kids' Favorite Float



Traci took the kids to the South Towne Expo center to get a sneak peek at Days of '47 parade floats. This was their favorite.

Monday, July 04, 2016

Fine. You Can Pay for Your Own Swimming Lessons.


At least we won't have to worry about Curtis giving into peer pressure.

When the boy doesn't want to do something—which is almost always—he just won't do it.

Traci signed the kids up for swimming lessons again this summer. Though swimming is one of the few things that Curtis actually likes to do, he flat out refused.

When some kids refuse, you can just say, "Well, you're doing it anyway." That doesn't work with Curtis. You can try rewards, punishments, or whatever you want but he still won't budge.

After exhausting all avenues, Traci said, "Fine. Then you're going to have to pay me the 33 nonrefundable dollars that I paid for your lessons."

Uh-oh.

If there's one thing Curtis cares about, it's money. In lieu of Christmas and birthday presents, this year he just asked for cash. Throw in the money he got at his baptism, and he's basically loaded now.

He looked Traci in the eye, turned around, marched into his room, cracked open his wallet, and handed her exactly $33.

"Fine. There you go," he said defiantly.

Traci took the kids to swimming lessons. Paige and Tate got in the pool. Curtis stood his ground. He and Traci sat on the bleachers and watched.