Many Updates

I haven't had many news worthy updates lately, but just lots of small ones that I will incorporate into one post.
First of all, we finally got a new couch! YAY! We've never bought a new couch-always used ones given to us that were already pretty used. Our couch we've been using for the last 5+ years was getting really bad- animal hair, ripped up arm rest and back from the gosh darn cats... So it was time for a new one!
We didn't intend on getting a leather couch (actually it's a leather by-product, supposedly easier to care for then leather) and we definitely didn't intend on getting an off-white couch. BUT the leather is SO much easier to clean! Little hand prints...wipe 'em off. Cat hair - wipe it off. It's great. The only problem I see already though is the cats, and their claws. AAACK We have a few little claw marks in one of the pieces already when the first two nights we had the couch we left our two indoor/outdoor kitties in the house for the night as we usually do. Well apparently, that's the time frequently sharpen their claws! aaack! We've been putting them outside at night, now that it's warm enough, and haven't had any more problems. Phew.
Anyway, so the new couch is a sectional, and each piece is separate so that it can be moved around how we want it. Awesome! Two more pieces are not in this picture because they didn't fit in that corner of the living room. We'll be using the other two pieces - a chair piece and ottoman - in the other side of the living room as additional seating.
YAY!

Other updates - planning continues on with our vacation in July. We're getting very excited. Thanks to a good friend (thanks Jesse!) we got a tip on a temple open house that will be going on near where we are staying during our vacation. A temple open house is when a temple is newly built and hasn't been dedicated yet. The temple is open to the general public, members and non-members of the Church, to go through and look at for a couple weeks. This will be awesome, especially since the kids can come too (usually kids under 12 can't go through the temple - right? someone correct me if I'm wrong! haha). So this will be a chance for the boys to get to see everything that they otherwise wouldn't have been able to for a few years.

More updates - the boys get out of school next week! aack! We hope to start swimming lessons on Monday if all goes well. The boys are excited right now, but I KNOW that Owen and probably Brayden too will have big issues with it. They are a bit scared of water. aack

Owen had a kindergarten orientation last night. I can't believe he's almost in kindergarten! I am worried about his first day of school now though, because children were playing in the gym while the parents had the orientation meeting and Owen REFUSED to go play in the gym with the other kids. He clung to my leg and as I walked into the gym and tried to push him a little through the doors - he RAN out as fast as he could and hid down the hallway, crying. :( Kindergarten is full day now, so we'll see how he does his first day. yikes

Things are getting crazy busy right now, but I hope with school getting out and Billy's classes ending for the summer soon, things should get a bit easier. hah!

I'm sure I have more updates but the baby is crying! Gotta run..