Praise the Lord for brand new days! (Of course, I do sometimes ruin my brand-new day within a few minutes of getting out of bed!)
Since all the kids slept in the living room last night due to our mold issue, everyone was up early. Roger had to be at the airport for a flight by eight, but by then we had all eaten breakfast, done our morning chores, played at the park, and organized the trailer! Did I mention that the kids were up early?
After Roger left for his flight, I started the boys on another day of homeschooling adventures. Travis has a desire to learn to read, but I just find myself out of energy by the time I finish with the other boys. Somehow, I need to work on meeting his needs as well...somehow.
We knew that the people were coming to look at the carpet this afternoon, but we weren't sure of the time. However, by around noon, it was apparent that five small children and one tired mama needed a nap! We organized the kids so that no one was sleeping in the "mushroom" room as the boys call it. Two were on the couch, Emma was in the pack n play in our room (in the closet), and two boys were in our bed. We had just managed to get everyone settled down, when guess what happened next? Oh yes, the carpet cleaner people arrived. (It should be a requirement to ask if small children live in the household before coming over in the afternoons! This mama likes quiet time.)
Because Roger had fixed the leak yesterday, and the carpet had been able to dry out, the suggestion was given that the carpets be cleaned. We were anticipating that to be an option. The company seems to think that will be a satisfactory solution to the mold since it hasn't been there long, and the water issue is resolved. So we moved around furniture and stuff while they unloaded their cleaning supplies. When Roger mentioned that the swamp cooler had also leaked unto the living room carpet, they offered to clean all the high traffic areas and the "mushroom" room. We are praying that it is a problem that never returns! However, the carpets do look a lot better, and it does smell much cleaner in here. We will spray down the walls and closets with another layer of the bleach and water solution, but the boys should be back in their room tomorrow night.
Roger also had an evening flight, so I was unable to find time to fit in the trip to the laundromat. Doing laundry has never been a favorite household chore of mine, but it does give me a sense of satisfaction to know that we have clean clothes and bedding for another week. This week is a bit more overwhelming since everything that came close to being in contact with the mold needs to be washed. My sister, Jen, is coming to visit for a few days next week. She's highly allergic to mold, so I want to be especially clean for her. So far Chandler's eyes have not improved, but I'm hoping and praying that we will see much improvement this next week.
Saturday, August 1
Because the boys slept in the living room again, they were up with the sun this morning! Roger and I had plenty to do today as we are leaving in the morning for Las Vegas. Before you wonder what in the world we are doing taking our family to Las Vegas, let me remind you that it is the one of the closest bigger airports. And my sisters are coming to visit!!
Travis and I did the laundry this afternoon. We had eighteen loads of laundry! We are very thankful for the washers that can wash six loads at a time! :) On one wall at the laundromat there are twelve dryers in a row, we used all twelve of them to dry the clothes, and I am thankful that the laundromat was not busy! I am also determined to not complain about a few loads of laundry that might get stacked up when I get a washer and dryer again someday. :) Anyways, we have less money, but everything is clean. Blankets, sheets, pillows, clothes, we washed it all. Praise the Lord that we have finished job!
Roger spent the morning checking over the truck, cleaning out the swamp cooler (that was a nasty job full of very, dirty water), and washing and vacuuming out the truck. While I don't always enjoy the tasks that I must do, I am very, very thankful that I don't have to deal with smelly swamp cooler water. :) The boys went along to help vacuum and wash the truck, and they were delighted to find some Legos in the trash can. They also found .46 around the vacuum cleaners, so they had a successful afternoon. :)
The house is cleaned, the vehicle ready for tomorrow, and the bags are packed. We've never been to Las Vegas, and it's not on my bucket list of things to do, but I am very, very excited to see my sisters from few days!
Sunday, August 2
We left Page this morning about 7:30. The gps said that it would take about 4.5 hours to get to Las Vegas, but those gps devices do not account for five small people riding along in your vehicle! My sister, Hannah, arrived in Las Vegas at 12:30, but we were not there. :) We arrived about a half an hour late, but we made it. It was a rather long, boring, trip across the desert. Las Vegas is literally in the middle of a desert with nothing around it. I am so thankful that God provided the opportunity for my sisters to visit for a few days. Hannah was only able to stay until Wednesday, so we found a groupon for a family friendly hotel for a few days. The hotel was one of the few in Vegas that doesn't have a casino with it, so it most people that stay there are families like ours. The hotel offered three swimming pools, and we were very thankful for that. As one blogger put it "most of Vegas and kids go together like milk and Pepsi". The city doesn't offer very many free or cheap activities for families, however, we found a park with a splash pad, took a field trip to Target (we don't have one of those close to us) and spent time visiting with my sisters.
On Wednesday morning, we dropped Hannah off at the airport and headed back to Page. Since Jenn is able to stay until Monday, we are bringing her back with us for a few days. The boys are very excited to show Aunt Jenn their favorite swimming spots, the hiking trails, the dam, and where they live! We are looking forward to several fun days together. Roger and I will get to go on a date one evening since we have someone to watch our kids, so that's the part I'm looking forward to! :)
Family is so important, and I'm thankful for cheap flights into Las Vegas. I'm also very, very thankful that I don't have to live there! I'm sure if a person could live on the out skirts of Vegas it might not seem as bad, however, there is a reason that people compare it to the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet Christ died for all those people that live in Las Vegas also. There seems to be a spirit of darkness that comes upon the city at night and for me that was an oppressing feeling. I'm perfectly content to go to Las Vegas to pick someone up from the airport or to drop someone off, but it's definitely not a place that I'd chose to visit...especially not with my young family. But going there made me more aware of working to protect my children, train them to love God, and stay committed to their spouse. Roger and I came away for a renewed sense of awareness for things we need to work on with our children. All the time, God is good.
So we are back in Page for a few days. I'm looking forward to a great visit with my sister, and can't wait to see my little sister again whenever that might be!
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