What has happened in the last 2 months?

I can't believe it has been so long since my last entry! One minute I'm in the thick of school and the next minute we're half-way through the summer! But you know what, in my defense, I have been really REALLY busy. Let me tell you what has happened in the last two months, in an abbreviated fashion....

Devon is now a 4th year medical student. Yippie! He is working at St. Joe's Hospital, doing obstetric anesthesiology. He really likes it. AND he was hired on as a Resident Assistant at Froedtert Hospital shadowing resident anesthesiologists. He gets to do that once a month for a year. Then, if he stays in Wisconsin for Residency, he gets paid for his work there. Of course, if we move, he doesn't. Good incentive for staying, right???

Devon and I are also very excited about going to Utah for an away rotation in Cardiology. He gets to work at the same hospital as his brother, Chad. Although how much they will see each other, is questionable. He will have weekends off to spend with his parents, who he misses very much. As for me, I get to spend lots of time with them, which makes me pretty lucky. And all the kids are so excited to visit their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, and even see their newest cousin, Jonathan! Congrats to Lisa, Darren and Elizabeth Cole, by the way. We are so happy for your newest addition!

One thing about Devon's schooling, he was gotten busier over the years, or maybe just more tired, because we have spent less time on the rental house, so projects we had anticipated having done, have been left undone for so long. It is horrible! We have accumulated junk in our garage that needs to be organized and several little projects that need to be done as well. Luckily the college we rent from does the big stuff, like putting in a sub-pump so that our basement doesn't flood, and changing out our toilet pump so our toilet doesn't overrun and flood the basement...

Yes our house is old and has great character, and many many many issues...

After being the room parent for Faye's class, I thought a great summer activity would to start a Kid's Cooking Club. As a room parent, you plan the school parties, find helpers to assist the plans, and donations to supply the parties, and then carry out the plan. Well, the KCC went the same way. Parents, dropped -off their kids at my house, and brought supplies for our meals. And most important I had a parent who volunteered to run the KCC with me. Luckily she has been the best helper ever, Shelli Boome. She is a friend of mine with three chefs-in-training herself. We have cooked with several kids from church and friends from school and swimming class, and Faye really enjoys it! This next Thursday is our LAST meeting for the summer. I sent the kids home with an assignment. They will bring their completed cooking "project" with them on Thursday and together we'll serve their moms. The kids have learned lots of different things including following a recipe, measuring, cooking temperatures, identifying different spices and cooking tools, cooking safety and cleanliness and etiquette. How much they have retained, I don't know. They will each receive a cookbook at the end, that they can take home and use. Cool huh? Faye loves cooking and she is the reason that I started the KCC, even though its a lot of work and preparation, it is definitely worth it.

I have been watching Isaac V. and will watch him until the end of July. Then we will go to Utah, and Isaac's mom will stay home with him and wait for baby brother to be born. We are excited for him, but also sad that we won't be watching him every week anymore. Faye said that she wanted to see Isaac grow up to be a big boy, and I thought that was sweet. Grace always wanted to change his diaper, even though I never let her, she helped me get wipes and help close the new diaper on him. She loves babies! Andrew liked being a big brother and helping Isaac get toys and help him wash up after snacks and such.

I am still cleaning church buildings. It doesn't pay much, but I really enjoy cleaning, because it keeps me active, and I feel like I'm contributing to our community. I take pride in how a building looks after I have cleaned it. Sometimes, though I have to come home and take a nap, because it can be exhausting work. Also, I do wish the members would take pride in the building as I do, and do better in cleaning up after themselves. In September, I will start cleaning another building for the church and continue cleaning for Martha, so that Faye can start piano lessons again. I love that deal! I may take on another residential cleaning job as well, because I could use the extra money. The one drawback to cleaning so much outside the home is I don't care to come home and clean at my house anymore. I'm just so tired! Funny huh?

Since the kids will be in school full time I still will have time to do some things I've been looking forward to for a long time like exercise, go to institute classes, sew, and take a couple of classes. One about digital scrapbooking, and the other about hairdos. I have also joined weight watchers in an attempt to eat healthier, form good diet and exercise habits and loose some weight! It is a constant struggle for me, and I know I need some help. So if you see me (especially if I'm chewing on a big piece of cake), please ask, "how's WW going?" I could use your support to help me do a difficult thing. Thanks in advance.

Faye Grace and Andrew are a joy to be around. They have been enrolled in summer school since June and will attend until the end of July. They have all been taking swimming classes as well, and I hope that they continue in Utah as well. There is a pool near their grandparents house, that offers a two-week swimming class. The kids would love to swim everyday. I hope to do laps at the same time as their class, to work on endurance and strength. I love swimming and I'm so glad my kids do to!

Devon and I took them to Wisconsin Dells a couple of weeks ago. They absolutely LOVED it and can't wait to go back. We may take them in the winter when its off season, so cheaper. They loved the indoor pools and slides, although we took Faye and Andrew down a ride called the Hurricane. It was really frightening and Faye was really upset because we convinced her it would be okay. It was not okay. Her bum got stuck in the tube and she was really freaked out. She told me afterwards she'll not ever go on that ride again. The lazy river is more her speed. Grace would be the one to really like the ride, but she definitely was too short to ride and was very disappointed that she did not get to go on it, and her brother and sister did.

Then we took them to Door County to stay at the Myse Family's cabin and they had a blast there too. We all did. They took us boating and to the beach, cooked a terrific meal and shot off fireworks. It was so wonderful! They are still talking about it a week later. I still feel my sunburn a week later, too. You would think that at 29 years old I would know better to put a shirt on and sunscreen when being outside in my bathing suit for 6 hours? My legs have never seen sun in almost three years and therefore as fair as a ghost! Oh well, I've finally peeled and with the help of my kids got lots and lots of lotion on my back.

So there you go! I hope you've enjoyed getting caught up with the Cole Family of Wisconsin. My goal: Write an entry every Sunday. That way it won't be so long as this one.

Love, Sonia XXOO