The Summer of Self-Sufficiency

"I have only had exactly 5 freak outs this year, so I've been #supergood." --Grace

The title of today's blog post is mostly tongue-in-cheek.  In fact, the following highly detailed and thoroughly planned out road trip that Grace came up with for a summer jaunt with Jane may be the only self-sufficient thing that has happened so far this summer.  Hahahaha.  J/K, j/k.  Kind of.  While it is dubious at best that this concept has been successfully ingrained in Alex and Isaac this summer, I have nonetheless been a broken record over the last couple of months in telling them that this is "the summer of self-sufficiency" every time they "need" me to do something for them.  Pouring a bowl of cereal?  Getting a cup of water? Toasting a pop tart?  Doing chores -- or just about anything else that a 9 year old and 5 year old can reasonably do for themselves?  My response has been a swift reminder that it is the summer of self-sufficiency and they can do it for themselves.  I mean, they don't always end up actually doing it for themselves, but the summer's not over and a mother can always dream, right?  Hahahahaha.

Like I said at the start, though, this hare-brained scheme of Grace's to Thelma-and-Louise-it-up with Jane was all her idea from start to finish.  And even though our answer was a firm and resounding NO each and every time she begged us to let them go on this road trip by themselves, one can't help but be impressed with her thorough efforts in planning.  Grace, being Grace, did not let go of the idea easily (she is relentless in the pursuit of what she wants, afterall) but she was forced to accept reality when their departure date at the end of June eventually came and went without them hitting the road.

We're talking she charted out mileage, calculated what she'd need for gas money, sketched out a map of the United States to plot her course, and much, much more.  It was rather awe-inspiring to behold.  

My favorite bullet points:  "You should just let us go" and "I know self defense (if there are #creepers)."  Hahahahaha.

While the pairing for the road trip might seem odd, Grace and Jane have been steady BFFs for the last several months.  Even though their relationship involves a lot of Jane doing whatever Grace wants her to do, their similar free-spirit-vibes have clearly created a bond.  {Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure Sophie thinks they're super obnoxious together and likes to keep her distance.}  I had to take a picture of Jane literally washing Grace's hair for her a few weeks ago because Grace just didn't feel like doing it herself.  Hahahahahaha.  Grace has embarked on a curly girl hair journey with me, and I guess there are just too many steps in the process.  Hahaha.

Seriously, though.  I laughed out loud when I saw this online, because it's kind of the truth.  Hahaha.

All three girls managed to get along well enough at Girl's Camp last month and it sounds like it was a great bonding experience for ALL of the young women in the ward.  This was Jane's first year attending, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she is indeed a young woman.  😳 

Three girls worth of gear here.

Waiting to check in.

The different camper groups were named after 80s girl bands.  Jane was in Bananarama.  😂

By the time camp was over, EVERYONE was ready to go home, shower, and take a nap.  Oh wait -- that's what I thought everyone was ready to do, but apparently I was wrong.  Showering was not at the top of anyone's priority list.  And it should have been.  😳😳😳

The weekend after Girls Camp was Father's Day, and true to their non-self-sufficient form, I took care of all the planning for the kids.  Nothing says Father's Day like an omelet breakfast and a gift bag full of 100 Grand bars, amiright?  Hahahaha.  Luckily for Scott, that wasn't the only thing in the bag.  With a pair of AirPods of his own waiting at the bottom of the bag, I'm pretty sure Scott was okay with the fact that I was the one who did the shopping and gifting.  {And I'm sure Ethan and Grace are okay with the fact that he won't need to borrow theirs anymore.  Hahaha.}

Gotta love those acrostic poems.  I especially like how everyone who saw "tall" as one of Scott's descriptors had to make a comment on it.  I'm not sure which kid wrote it in, but no one else was in agreement.  Nor should they have been, seeing as to how Scott is 5'11".

Well, we're almost at an end here.  Next time I blog, I will begin the daunting task of recapping this year's epic (and I do mean epic) road trip.  To close, I'll leave you with a shot of me and Isaac twinning.  Although, twinning for have a tooth pulled is not exactly the kind of twinning fun I'd like to have.  Before we left on our road trip, Isaac had to have one of his back molars pulled and this morning I had to have one of MY back molars pulled.  And then have some bone grafted in for a future implant and crown.  Fun!  Not.  Hahaha.  But after I had a crown pop out while chewing gum a few weeks ago, the dentist determined that there wasn't enough tooth left underneath to fashion a new one.  Hence the extraction, bone grafting, and -- three months from now -- the implant.  {After which I get to wait another 3 months before a crown can be made for it. 😩}  Until next time...

Twinning!