latest pictures

My wonderful and ever patient sister-in-law, Maurice (Hi Maurice, you're a saint) is putting together a scrapbook for my mother-in-laws 89th Birthday.

I believe the due date for everyone to get things to her was a few weeks ago!?!

today I 'mom handled' my boys into pictures.

Our pictures for the scrapbook included "happy birthday"

but I cropped that out for our copies of the pictures

(well, most of them, you can see alittle bit of one of the signs in the picture of Hubby and I)

Sunday thoughts ..

I'm going to be honest, very honest ~ lately I've been very un~enchanted with church. I would rather sit home than go. It's just an attitude with me, but it's frustrating. Today on the way to church I had a little talk with myself ... while thinking it came to me.....

PRIDE has been my issue. Pride was the root of my attitude.

So today at church my challenge was to recognize my PRIDE and ignore it.

You know I had a pleasant day at church.

Now my challenge is to continue to recognize and ignore PRIDE this week.

College Shopping

Hmmmm what can I say?
much to my disappointment, I've raised a MAN!

W just isn't much of a shopper!


With isle and isles of sheets and comforters to pick from ... he walked over, picked up the second one on the first isle... "I'm done, mom"

NOW that wasn't the case at the NIKE shop with the Portugal football jerseys.....
Just how can this be?

SURPRISE! it's a birthday party

I was meeting my aunts and my mom for lunch this Tuesday.

When we got there, it was a Surprise Early Birthday lunch for me!

Yep, that's what I thought, too ~ that's the best kind!

Now let's play a game.

Can you find what's wrong in this picture?

Look at me!?!? it looks like they propped the 'blind girl' up in the back and point her the wrong way while they take the picture! That wasn't very nice of them!?!?

this picture just cracks me up!

thanks for a fun day!

wonderful little book.......

The Guernsey Literary and

Potato Peel Pie Society.

Highly recommended

I'll be honest I think it's hard to get into but well worth sticking it out

I want to move to Guernsey and live with these people!

Click here to learn more

Measured in Love ....

Enjoy ~

Cub Scout Wednesday ... Messy Day

Tonight we had one of our summer activities
(once a month in the summer for the summertime award)


Messy Day

We made Homemade Silly Putty ....
They got to take this home









We did the ever wonderful yet amazing
Mentos in the Diet Coke fountains.
This was great, they competed for the highest
(notice that I sent my assistant out there
to hold the funnel?? She stayed dry for the first couple
and then got one in the head! She's a fitness trainer
I expected she could move faster than I could)





Made bigger volcano eruptions than we'd done before.
added dish soap to make it bigger!





finished the night off by making Homemade Goop!
acts like a solid and a liquid, this stuff is so cool.

They'll be talking about this night for a while.

it all makes sense ....

During the winter months G has a large amount of ear wax. At times spilling out! very much different from all the rest of our family, OK, I know this is enough detail on this gross subject!

This morning I was flipping through a magazine and it told about ear wax in kids .... trying to break the cycle of mother's with Q~tips I'm sure!

AND here is the kicker ......

Ear Wax is pushed out when the jaw moves (TALKING)! For those of you who know G, doesn't that just make you laugh!??? I should be glad he doesn't have a river coming out of this ear 24/7!

Seriously, just don't mess with a good thing...

I love m&m's

as much (if not more)

than the next person,

but seriously why are they messing with them????

Several years ago they came out with Mint m&m's .... that's just wrong.

For someone to be able to put out a bowl of colorful m&m's and

then with the muncher (ME) comes by and innocently

grabs a some (ok, maybe a handful)

pops them in her mouth ....WHAT the *^#$? MINT!

Then I found raspberry m&m's ....

those were good but ate too many and that got moved to my bad list.

A couple of weeks I saw a display of new m&m ....

Coconut m&ms? NOPE, just not right.

Today I tried the latest find .... Strawberry Peanut Butter ....

Just leave it alone!

3 Strikes your out!

I must say that this day just wasn't one of my best!

First of all it started extremely early ... I'm not even really sure of how early... but there was a thunderstorm. This means that G is awake and scared. He wanted to go downstairs with W. He couldn't ... fill you with that later.

When everyone finally goes back to sleep the alarm goes off ... 6:15AM! Now that I have this cute hair it's early fix your hair time (I'm really loving the hair but not the time it takes to fix it ...especially when it's 6am).

G got up at 6:45 ... I'm not sure he was asleep the entire time I was in the bathroom, but I like to think so.

W had a soccer tournament in town ... so he had a couple of the players over to spend the night (I think as player confinement) Hence G couldn't go down and sleep in his basement, dark room! Around 7am I noticed there wasn't any sound or movement from the basement. They'd set they're alarm for 6:45PM. It was sort of entertaining watching the 3 of them scrabble to get out of here!

G and I left at 7:30 for our church fieldtrip ...only to get there and see that they'd over planned with cars and didn't need me! BUT BUT I'd gotten up at 6:15 to do my hair!! Strike 1

So I'm off to W game. It was fun. W now played for the Alumni and not the HS team. I still cheered for the both sides.

Then I come home only for hubby to send me off to the city for more rock. I finally got W and his buddy to work on the rock wall... they ran out of rock and didn't finish! After driving the distance for the rock (of which they said they had in stock) they don't have it in stock. WHAT BUT WE CALLED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD IT IN STOCK Strike 2

I finally make it home, where I stay. I'd rented some RED BOX movies yesterday so I sat down to watch "Bride Wars" I wasn't impressed (don't bother) BUT I HADN'T SAT DOWN TO WATCH A MOVIE IN MONTHS ... I WANTED IT TO BE GOOD! Strike 3

I've settled in with a good book, and just about forgotten about all the Strikes ... I'm sure a good night's sleep will erase the day!

Marking the summer chores off.....

Today we (G and I) cleaned the garage. We got all the stuff (junk) out when it clouded over and started to rumble. Boy that's when the challenge started .......

I was surrounded by scaredy cats ~

A helper that was wearing ear phones! He swears he can hear everything I say, but I beg to differ! and the Dog that wanted to be in garage. He was in there but when the rumbles got too loud he would follow me around.

Nothing like a deaf helper and a guide dog on my heals!

It finally sprinkled for 2 minutes, nothing but HOT, HUMIDITY when it was over!

The garage is done, it looks good, smells good (well, abit too much like bleach), a big pile of trash for the garbage man and another summer chore checked off my list.

7/8/9

joke ~ do you know what made 4, 5 and 6 so upset?

think, think, think!

answer ~ because 789. Think about it!

today at 12:34 and 56 seconds it will be 123456789!

07-07

Since it's a double 7 day I thought I'd give you a 7-7 picture.

I've gone to my picture file, picked the 2007 file then the 7th file and then the 7th picture.

This is a scary process but it gets me to clean out my pictures

and you get to see some pictures that maybe you haven't seen before.

Well, obviously this is Christmas of 2007. I decided (somewhat) late one night that we were going to take the Christmas card picture THAT NIGHT! G was out of the shower (hence the wet hair) when W informed me that he couldn't take the picture without taking a shower! HEAVY Sigh......W takes forever in the shower. It very well could be midnight before we get to snapping pictures. When he got all done with his shower and dressed, he was in an ORANGE shirt. How Christmasy is ORANGE? problem solved ..... I sent out black and white pictures!

Hideous I tell you!

I was awaken at 6:30am by G telling me that the electric tape (the 2000's electric wire) from next door had blown all over our tree. Much to his amazement I didn't care at this early hour. About 15 minutes later he comes in and claims that he's going outside to check it out, that I did care about. I told him that he couldn't go outside and mess with the electrical tape. By this time I'm awake enough to know that the wind hadn't blown in the night, so exactly how could the electric tape be in our tree?!?!

When I finally did rise and shine......I saw it.....We'd been massively TPed. Our home had made it 4 years of High school and not been tped. This time every tree, every bush, even the driveway had been covered.

I suppose G never even thought of toilet paper.

As I pulled out of the drive way (for swim practice) I saw the empty package. These were not armatures these were Professionals. They'd used the good stuff and a big family size!

G was quite upset ... "Mom, I can't believe someone would do this to us, it just makes our house look 'hideous'". Yes that were his exact words .... Hideous. I believe he is seeking revenge more than W.

I'd have pictures but by the time I got home W had taken most of it down.

I seems that we weren't the only house (there were 3 others), but ours was certainly the furthest out!

oh and hubby's only response ... "where was the dog?"

Sunday Thoughts

"you can gain knowledge from reading a book but you gain wisdom from prayer"

The lesson was based on this talk by Elder Hales.

the highlights from this talk for me are ......

"Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually"

*"Our success is never measured by how strongly we are tempted but by how faithfully we respond."
We MUST practice these principles of provident living.....
~joyfully live within our means
~be content with what we have
~avoid excessive debt
~diligently saving and preparing for rainy days

Being Provident Providers
~ "Thou shall not covet"
~ four most caring words "We can't afford it"
~Are you buying this for me or for you?

Law of Tithe
~ principle of faith
Fast Offerings

important to establish a family budget, review the budget and spending with family.


De clutter our lives, of temporal junk, and emotional junk.

fun Fourth fieldtrip

The entire time we've lived here, we've past a place that is a tiger reserve. We've never had time to stop when we've past it and out of sight out of mind any other time.

This week they ran an ad in the paper that they were having tours on Independence day a special "Rawrs and Stripes!"

I took G over there (it helped use time and use energy) for a tour. They had all sorts of cats. Bob cats, tigers, Siberian tigers, leopard and more. I took all sorts of pictures of G and the cats ... promptly came home and loaded them ... pressed the wrong button ... deleted them. Once again something in my life ... pioneerish .... an event without pictures!

We had fun!
I'm sure you can read more on G's blog.

Lovin' Wii

We have been playing Wii (we as in the boys and I). I have discovered that both boys check their Wii age everyday! Those stickers, I only test my Wii age (maybe) every week and thus I'm 78! AND W even warms up before taking his test! I personally think that's cheating, but he has a 20 Wii age (got the that just this morning). Little G sneaks down every morning to do his Wii age testing! He got a 51 today!

I'm going to have to get with this .... BUT I have to say that today I was 47! W, who was sitting there watching me was guessing that I'd get over 100 (GASP)
Yes, that's the kind of entertainment I provide for them!


then we moved on to Wii Play ....

Where MY favorites are racing cows! I'm not good, alot of the fact is when the cows jump they Mooo ... You know those boxes that you turn over and they make the sound ....Mooooo. It's that sound they make ... it cracks me up everytime.

Then I like to shoot things ...... except for when I forget which cross hair is mine and think I'm shooting with my opponents crosshairs.

We're having fun!

Thanks Big Bro and AuntyAna ~

Also .... my boys were thinking about if our house burnt down what would they grab .... they both together shouted the "The Wii"

it's finally DONE!

Well I felt like this mess and this smell was never going to get done.

Finally last Saturday late afternoon, the sink was pulled out. They chipped it a couple of times, but not in really obvious places. When we took the old faucet off (it had been one that was all one piece and we were replacing it with one that 4 separate pieces) the scrapping to get the puddy and glue off marked it..... so hubby says, "why don't you just run and get a new sink?" Don't have to tell me twice... .I was gone. As I was running out the door..... "and you might was well just get a new garbage disposal also." Music to my ears .... why couldn't he follow all this up with "and pick out new counter tops, and just throw in a new frig while your there" Ok, that would be extreme and hubby isn't really an extremist!

I rushed since it was Saturday night and I knew my hired help (W) probably had plans. I only went to one place (the closest) and had only one to choose from! Trust me boy did I second guess my choice all the next day. One is not a choice, it's a get the one they have! I don't like Home Depot, it a guy's store, "walk in get want you need and leave" not a woman's store, "pick out what you like best" store.

As I pulled in back home... My hired help was pulling out! I was sinkless for the night! and all the next day.....it was ridiculous and almost pioneerish ... we had to walk all the way to the bathroom to wash our hands or fill a pot! barbaric, I tell you

It's done now, it's beautiful, and wonderful! I love it! I've even caught W just in there running the water ....enjoying his work.

I'd post a picture if the sink wasn't filled with dirty dishes! it's working well!

As close as I ever want to get....

I believe I'm as close to one of worst fears that I ever want to be!! Ok, on my more shallow list of worst fears.

Last week when we were at the pool, the newspaper's photographer was there taking shots of the boys doing their tricks off the diving boards. It's the yearly how to beat the heat front page picture.

Do ya see where this is going?

Today the picture of the boy is in the paper, fortunately the picture extends to the 2nd half of the page (the folded page) and as you turn the paper over to see the other portion of the picture.... there it is ...... it being ME! I know it's me but no one else will know. that's what I keep telling myself. It's too far away to recognize me, lucky for me!

Just too close for comfort .... but hey I'm glad I have that suit that I love on!

new Shelves all over the place

Several of my summer chores involved cleaning out and organizing. I want to create organization of my chaos and this summer was going to see it happen.

I've pulled everything out of one side of basement storage room. The side will all my food storage in it. Sort through it, put up wonderful shelves and put it all back .... well, not everything but I'm waiting on hubby to sort through some of HIS boxes.

FYI ~ if you'd like to see hubby's financial papers all the way back to the 80's, we have them for your viewing! receipts, bank statements, tax returnes, returned checks...... goodness!

I still have to replace the light in that portion of the storage room, but that will be soon. I don't look forward to that since it will be pitch black in there until I get the new light up! Oh well, I have 'willing' (?) sons the hold the flashlight!?!?

I also put up new shelves in the office, better, stronger, higher. I love organization!

Can you relate?

One of my summer jobs this summer was to clean out and purge my plastic containers! They were multiplying faster than I could blink! They had filled one deep drawer, spilling over to another drawer and for the past couple of months were sitting on the counter.

Well, last Saturday was the day to rid myself of the Plastic tub clutter!

This picture is of all the lids with out mates, the divorce rate was overwhelming in my drawer it seems. I pitched (tossed, flung, trashed, whatever you want to call it) an stuffed full Wal-mart bag of just lids!

Now my nice plastic container and their lids all fit VERY comfortably in a single drawer!

Busy Busy Busy Bee Hive around here

It's a busy Bee Hive around here.

No not that kind of bee hive .......

This kind ....

I'll be back to blogging in a while....

things are OK here just busy, busy, busy!

I have a lot to tell you, stories, picture and accomplishments ...

but that will all have to wait for another day.

CRAZY HOT !

Yesterday as I was driving home (1:30pm) I saw something blowing in the road (a black topped road). As a car passed it swirled one way and then turned to go the other way.....I thought it was a leaf in the road.

As I got closer it was a RAT, that was CRAZY HOT. Spinning in road first one way and then then other way.

Yea, it just that CRAZY HOT here for the past couple of days!

(or was it a momma rat crazed from her children.... either way it was CRAZY)

What does a 100 get ya? a Nu Do!

When the temps get over 100,

I'm going for cool.....super cool.

Translation ... cut that hair off!

Momma gets a new Do!

Mom Taxi get color

Today I've ran the Mom Taxi (aka the G Cab)
for details go to G's blog, but ended up at the outdoor pool.
I have some color.....but what color is it?
bronze, tan, or PINK ~ I'll know more in the morning!

I know it won't be an even color ~ we only go late in the day and depending on what side of the pool we sit on that's the side of my leg, side of arm, side of my shoulder that gets the color! Oh, well it just adds interest! RIGHT?

confession time ~

In this post, I lied! Well, I only lied on the last line.

It seems that the leak wasn't found and it's not cleaned up.

It is organized (and not since there isn't anything under there)

but sitting by the front door!

I have capable men (but I must admit my faith is fading) on the job!

Father's day 2009

Today we had a Manly Man meal for our DAD!

KC Strip Steaks (grilled)
Baked Potatoes
Corn on the Cob
shrimp
Texas Toast
BBQ Baked Beans
salad

then Brownies and Mint chip ice cream

Flashback Friday

I could have a reinactment of this any morning!

but the short (short) dress just isn't as cute now!

Wordless Wednesday

Jamp??

Did you know that the past tense of Jump is Jamp??

No I didn't think so! but that was G's explanation of his new word!

We have this great new little game, Scrabble Slam!

We all play it, we all spell, and we all laugh.

What's that smell?

Sometime last week when I was sick, I discovered a smell.

A smell in the kitchen

A smell from under the kitchen sink

A smell that resembled rotten potatoes

Not rotten potatoes.

I kept it covered with baking soda &

prayed that no else would discovered the smell before I was well.

All was found!, All was cleaned, and all was organized!

I think I can start summer now

I think this is the day that I'm over that dreadful junk going around. I'm done sleeping so much, not quite done coughing but it's quieter.

I have track over with.

I have W healed.

I have daycamp over with.

Summer can start ....along with the summer chores!
My boys are so thrilled!

Doctor Mom

I've diagnosed W .... I don't think we would have ever known he had mono if he hadn't gotten something else, or I guess until he told me about the lumps in the glands.

I now think he got something else (of which I currently have and it's the pits) and we discovered he had mono, of which (other than the lumps in the his glands) he's not had any symptoms for! I'm sorry for those of you that have had Mono and had ALL the symptoms.

Mom I hope my wife can cook as good as you!

Isn't that just gold to a mother's ears? So much that I'll say it again, "Mom, I hope my wife can cook as good as you." Ok, I know what you're thinking .... the kid (W) hasn't eaten anything REAL food for a few days and this morning I made Blueberry pancakes. I'm no fool, I knew what I was doing, just lying in wait ready to make my mark.... and blueberry pancakes were the mark!

Taking the first train out of here.....

When I asked W if he was going to G swim meet, he quickly answered yes. When I asked him if he wanted one of his friends to bring him just in time or did he want to go with us an hour early, he wanted to leave with us! I was surprised at both, but I think he just wanted on the first train heading out of here! He did a light work out before the meet.

He said it hurt to blow out his cheeks.

I had warned him about 'him' not driving when on his pain meds and ride to the swim meet proved me right. I was glad.

The day before the swim meet was almost painful for all of us. G's excitement was over the top. He was the clock watcher all day He finally settled down for a lengthly game of Monopoly Junior.

He did very well for his frist swim meet.

He's only had 8 practices (he was out all last week due to camp)

The excitement is strong with THAT one

Little G is about to bubble over with excitement. Tonight is his first Swim Meet. Oh, drats he's discovered that I'm posting...... Gotta go....he thinks we should be leaving..... I'll be back with an update later!

Nothing Like Kicking him when he's down

Or is he down?? W had his wisdom teeth out this morning. He had some trouble with not eating (too much acid in his stomach) or the anesthesia. I (and the doctor) didn't know which it was but we did know he was throwing up whenever he sat up!

We finally got him home and he's resting quiet well, with the remote in hand.

Still I think I have more mono symptoms than he does.

Mono Update

I have to say that I don't see much difference in W's sleep pattern now than all last summer!
Just How Can Be?

I keep saying that "I don't think you're sick"
W's answer, "you saw the test strip"

I don't think he has a bad case of Mono or is almost over it???

Sympathy is over .... the yard needs to be mowed!

Flashback Friday

There's alot of Ketchup round here today

Ketchup on Laundry
Ketchup on going through mail
Ketchup on mowing
Ketchup on dishes
Ketchup on putting G winter clothes away
Ketchup on cleaning the bathrooms

Ketchup on putting camp stuff away
It's just alot of Ketchup around here

#4Day and final day at Day Camp

it's done, it's over ....

Missed day Camp day #3

SIGH!..... if it's not one boy it's the other!

Yesterday after a long day at camp, I come home to W telling me about his swollen glands. At that first moment I didn't care to hear about anything other than, "mom, you look tired and wouldn't you love to sit down." AND certainly not "Mom, I've got all these lumps in my glands"

I dutifully felt all the lumps and heard about how he'd been on the internet researching it. Then when I didn't look more paniced about the situation he told me that "you know these could be cancer!"

Heavy SIGH!

I showered, I laid down, I decided that maybe I needed to think about this..... I called my nurse friend (she wasn't home)..... I thought he's 18, I could just tell him where to go to have this looked at and I could still go to day camp (Remember, there isn't anyone else to go in my place, or at least not one that is easily found especially the night before).

My nurse friend calls back .... if he's got that many and they're all over his body, he's got something and needs to be seen. I know you're thinking "why couldn't hubby just take him" ~ hubby was on the he needs to go to the ER bandwagon (not that moment but in the morning) .... cha ching x2!!

Long story short ... Mono! he's had the lumps for a few days (he found them while he was at the State Track Meet) but only has gotten tired since yesterday. 2 to 4 weeks and he'll be good as new.

AND I missed good cool weather at camp, I missed tie-dye, BBguns, bows and arrows.... boy W sure has fine timing! Little G came home with great stories!

DayCamp #2

Today is was warm (85) and windy again. I had watched the weather man and he said it was to start raining at the camp site around 3 to 4, BUT when I picked the boys up this morning there was a mother that said it was to start raining there around 1! (Different weather man Different story). Fortunetly, my weather man was right on the money ..... when we left camp is was bright and sunny and 85 but when we pulled in to the church (to drop off boys) 40 minutes later it was pouring cats and dogs and 64 degrees!

I thought the activities at camp were more exciting today. Yesterday they were sort of boring and there was alot of down time, but not today.

Little G has pictures of the day on his blog.

(if you don't have the addy let me know ... I'll send it to you)

Survived Day 1 of cub scout day camp!

Actually it wasn't too bad.

It was warm (very warm),

93 but low humidity, sunny and very windy!

In the shade it was actually very nice.

I made sure the AC was on at home so I could have a rapid cool off!

Cub Scouts ~ Ciaos

Tomorrow, Little G starts cub Scout Day camp! The lady that was planning it all totally dropped the ball, (well she had all the paper work done but nothing else) by the time I walked into church today ~ there were 4 frantic ladies and a disillusioned man searching for me. I don't really know why ~ I didn't know anything but they must have thought I did.

Let the Ciaos begin ~
One hour later ~ I had it all planned and a list of things to do ~ I have to say that I'm good at whipping things together at the last minute BUT I really don't like to do that! I'd really rather either not be involved at all or be in charge from the very beginning... OH, well neither of those happened today.

I can say that the boys will never know the difference and they'll have a ball.

Now let the organized Ciaos begin .......

2009 State Track Meet......

this is just one side of the stadium on Friday

(which is the Prelim day for the runners....

that means that not alot of people come on Friday)

the tents are some of the team tents....

The weather was warm (90ish but not humid at all), there was an ever so slight breeze.

We (hubby, Little G, W's girlfriend Megan and I) got there around 1 to get adjusted to the place. It's sort of like a 3 ring circus, it takes some adjusting.

then W jumped at 3.

I knew I'd be nervous but also knew I couldn't pace (my usual) so I just sat as close as I could (on the front row just across the track from the pit) with my note pad and camera in hand. Just before W started jumping several of his friends came to sit with me! He had his own little cheering section. They also kept me distracted ... they'd never watched Triple jumping before and had alot of questions!

He was ranked 7th so he was in the 2nd heat, but things went quickly ...

it's state and they're organized!

the the Prelims ....

He jumped a 41'7 1/2" ~ 41'0 1/2" (those made me nervous, they were not going to be long enough to get him to the finals)

then much to my delight

(and his of course)

a personal record of 43"01/4"

He made it to the finals!

In the finals he was sitting 6th (out of 8)!

his first jump ..another personal record ... 43'10"

(WOW! If I can't pace, I certainly can't be jumping around ....sitting and screaming was all I could do), He was looking ever so cool on the other side....while his cheering section went wild!

Ok it was just me ... remember they don't know anything about triple jumping... they didn't know what that meant!

(I Know this looks like 43'1"

but the man messed up the entire board thing from the beginning and

had to yell across the track that this really was a 43'10")

He then jumped a 43'9 1/2" for his second finals jump

He flubbed his 3rd jump and didn't even care!

I was busy calculating the numbers of everyone to finally come up with ......

wait.....

Remember his plan???

He'd just keep getting 4th place all the way through to state.

If he just got to state he'd be happy......well, he took 4th in state also!

Yep ~~ He is 4th in the state.

(let me know if you'd like to see the podium picture ... it just has too much information for me to post it here)

Remember I'd said that W was in the most difficult region in the state? The 4 qualifiers from our region placed first, second, fourth and fifth! these are kids that I've watched jump practically every week this spring, I cheered for all of them (much to W's friend's amazement sometimes) but that's pretty awesome!

WE have been ever so anxiously watching the computer today at what team points were adding up to.....

**explanation for those that don't know alot about track.... each person competes individually, but depending on the end result the individual earns points for the team. ie: first place earns 10 points/2nd place earns 8 points and so forth... So W earned 4 points for the team.

W's track team has only lost one track meet this entire year

(and that one they came in 2nd to a big city school)

They ended with 66 points with the 2nd place at 40.

He'll stand on the podium again only this time in first place and with all of this buddies aka team mates!

OK I'm not going to let this go with posting his longest jump....

Little G is exhausted

For those of you following little G's blog.....(if you're not and would like to, contact me and I'll get you the addy).....G is exhausted and won't be posting tonight!

His body hurts (he limps when he walks, and he groans), he resembles me more and more. His swim team is getting the best of him. I had a feeling those little tiny legs and arms would feel the results of his swimming efforts, but I didn't really expect him to moan and groan.... but then I should have expected it (he's a bit dramatic ya' know)

Having said that, I'm so impressed with what he has accomplished in just one week (4 days).

Ok, I'm not even going to chat about my sore body .... who knew that my shoulders were so out of shape ..... oh, stop that ... I know everyone knows my shoulders are out of shape! But swimming is getting them back in (painful) shape. Today while G and I were running errands my purse was sitting on my sore shoulder so I let it slip down. G saw this and so sweetly started to put it back on my shoulder.....I snapped ....."NO, DON'T DO THAT!" I then explained that mommy's shoulder felt like his legs... he knew instantly!

Headed out....

We'll head out early in the morning to

watch, cheer and enjoy W jump in the State track and field.

W left today

This event will surely be an experience for all involved. It's the largest Track and Field meet in the country. All school levels compete in the same stadium over the next 2 days. A huge stadium (as compared to the a jumping pit wedged between the back of the bleachers and a pond at one meet). Only athletes on the track and field (I'm bummed about that .... I'm always beside the pit taking pictures and listening to the jumps lengths). The weather will be 90ish (the plastic coat is staying home) with little wind (W seems to do better with some wind)

W is unbelievably excited (in a W sort of way). At this point W is ranked 7th in the state (I really question the method that they come up with the top 16 but that's a soapbox to be climbed another time). Being placed in the upper half means that he'll jump in the 2nd heat (that means that he's "not in the worst bunch" his words).

I'm excited to see him tomorrow and watch him perform.......

I'll let you know how things turn out!

Chilly May Day

today was chilly .... at 3:00 it was 58 degrees and by 5 it was 55 and drizzle!

We went to the Y to swim this afternoon where they have a cool pool (around 75degrees) and a warm pool. I came in from outside and went strait to the cool pool (it's miserable to go warm to cool), my toes were still chilly from outside that it felt warm in the cool pool!

**this is the reason we don't do outside swim lesson first thing in the summer unpredictable weather.

Hopefully it will be warm this weekend.

Early mornings this summer

It looks like I'll get to keep my goal for every summer ... this summer. Every summer I set the goal to still get up as early as the school year, 6:45ish! I never make it and it's usually broken by the end of the first week of summer break! BUT this year it looks like I'm going to stick to it.

Little G is on the swim team and they practice from 8 to 9, which is quite late considering the 10 year olds (and up) meet at 7am! Getting up early has never been a problem for G, but (usually) by mid July getting up early is a challenge for G's mother!

the story of swim team........
I had decided that this was going to be the summer that little G swam. He already knows how to get across the pool, float, and jump of the diving board, but he didn't know (or didn't like to use) strokes. Our city pool (outside) only allows a student to complete one session before signing up for another. Another session if it's available, which they're never available and I don't sign my kids up for the first session anyway (for several reasons) , so swim lessons are over by the time they've finished their one lesson. SOOOO this year, we joined the YMCA and I was going to put G in as many lessons as I could.....He was going to swim by the end of the summer.

A friend of mine was going to do private lessons at the Y for 2 of her boys and asked if G would want to join them. Perfect... a little peer pressure all around. Well, G smoked them the first night so the instructor suggested Swim team! G had to 'swim' (get to the other end of the pool any way he could without touching the sides or bottom) the 25 yards of the pool. He doggie paddled that the first night of swim lessons. The instructor promised us that swim team would teach him the stokes!

This morning was the first morning. G was excited and nervous, but when he got there he calmed down. There are a couple kids that he knows and they learned swimming techniques. I was talking to another mother and she said that her some had been on the swim team for only a couple of months and his stokes have really improved!

This afternoon we went to buy a speedo (ok, not a teeny tiny speedo but a trunk speedo) and some goggles. Cha ching!

bloomin' Monday

My Ivy Geranium is finally blooming.

This is just one of three blooms....

Dream Girls Marathon

Today was a Dream Girl marathon for me!

I had watched the movie a few years ago and loved it. Then W gave me the movie for Christmas ~ I'd never watched it. Today was THE day. I watched it twice. My boys just didn't understand watching it the second time, they're boys......it was quiet, cool and I was alone ...why wouldn't I watch it twice?

I really, really loved Jennifer Hudson's performance.

It's so hard to believe she was a 'no body' just before this movie. She was a natural as Effie White. Yes, I cried at the end both times...something else my boys wouldn't understand.

Yes, I went to church, but it wasn't too eventful.

He's going to STATE!

This was an amazing afternoon for W.....

He jumped his personal best of 42'11 1/4" to place 3rd in the Region! He brings home a medal .... this is when it counted and he pulled it out! He broke his 4th place routine at just the right time.

So on to State next weekend!

As I left W told me "Track meets are fun when you actually do something!"

FYI ~ his buddy Joe tripled a 47'3", that set all sorts of records ... he's an amazing boy to watch!

1st place ~ 47'3" Joe
2nd place ~ 45'11" Vernon
3rd place ~ 42'11 1/4" W
4th place ~ 42'8 1/4" Townsend
not making it state but in 5th ~ 42'7 1/4"

Flashback Friday

Doodles by W

Cub Scout Wednesday

This will be the last Cub Scout Wednesday for the summer!

What a relief!

Tonight the weather finally cooperated for a hike. So we left the church headed north on a gravel road and picked up trash (remember the theme, "Leave no footprint"). Actually it was the perfect night, nice gentle breeze, nice temperature, and the right amount of trash!

We even met "Cruise" the biggest Chocolate lab we'd ever seen, but he was ever so friendly. His owner wasn't too pleased with him BUT we kept walking back and forth in front of his house until he was lured away by a doggie treat!

I'm afraid our little cubs got a lesson in all the different names of beer, by our picking up trash. By the time we were almost done, they were having a contest to see what brand would be found next.... I'm afraid Bud Light won!

We gathered 4 grocery bags of trash.

Just How can This Be?

I called my adult son, W today to see if he wanted to have lunch with me. He did, it took him FOREVER to get there and when he did he had his buddies, Logan and Michael with him. Not a problem just added more laughter and merriment to lunch.

We all got fortune cookies when we were still at the table. Logan's said something like "be prepared for the unexpected".

As I was paying the cashier offered us another fortune cookie, Logan who happened to be walking by heard her and took another cookie out the large bowl of cookies.

As I walked out the boys were pulling out of the parking spot, I heard Logan yell, "what the h***?" and noticed his puzzled look on his face. As they pulled be me, I asked him what was wrong.

He'd gotten the exact same fortune "Be prepared for the unexpected." I then told him to buckle up!

I've eaten Chinese all my adult life and never had the same fortune! Just how can this be?

Earthbox Tomatoes ....

Some of you were asking about hubby and G's tomato boxes......
you can find more information at Earthbox

What's for Supper?

It's more like What's for the Grad Party?
Here are the recipes of those popular items from yesterday!

the Potato Salad ...
or as Kim calls it
"so good that if you put it on the top of your head your tongue would smack your brains out to get" Potato Salad

I love this blog (and think you will to) Kim Wheeler is the perfect example of having a talent and a family, juggling it, making it work (with little sleep) and using that talent to making money. A HUGE plus is that she is SOOOO funny, I love to read her blog, it just oozes with her southerness (including her accent)

Potato Salad
5 lbs of red potatoes
4 celery, sliced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
2 Tbs of dill weed
2 tsp of salt
2 cups of (real) Mayonnaise
1 16oz bottle of Kraft Cucumber Ranch Salad Dressing

Place Potatoes in a large pot ~ cover with water. Bring to boil. reduce heat: cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes (or until Tender)
Drain and cool (cooling take time, you can always put them in frig to speed cooling up) Cut Potatoes into small cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, celery, onions, dill and salt. In a smaller bowl whisk mayo and dressing until well blended. Pour over potato mixture and stir gently to coat.

Cover ~ Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.


Smitty's Sticky Pickles
(see I did give Big Bro credit)

1 Gallon of whole dill pickles
4 pounds of sugar
2 oz of red pepper sauce (as in Tabasco)
1 ~ 12 oz can of Jalapenos (or green chillies) if you like it spicier you can increase

Drain pickles and discard the pickle juice
cut the pickles into slices or spears or whatever suits you

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, red pepper sauce and the jalapenos.

Alternately spoon sugar mixture and pickles back into the jar (or other sealed container).

During the next couple of hours turn the jar over every few minutes to agitate the sugar and help it dissolve.

The Pickles will give up enough new brine to totally dissolve the sugar over the next couple of hours. Stick'em in the frig and in a few days they'll be ready to eat.

He Graduated!

Have a Splendid day???

"Have a Splendid day!" "have a splendid day?" who says that? Splendid, no body says Splendid. Well, Rex Harrison maybe, Julie Andrews maybe, Burt from Mary Poppins would be certain say it and the Queen of course would say Splendid. But on this side of the pond, who says splendid? When does someone decide they're going to say "Have a Splendid day."? Did they just wake up one day and decide "I'm going to add "splendid" to my vocabulary."? and at what age does one decide to add "Splendid" to their vocabulary? It doesn't really seem like a college years addition.

These are all question that I've pondered today. It all started as I was checking out at Target, when I heard the gentleman behind me tell his clerk, "have a Splendid day"! I whipped my head around, at whiplash speed to see this gentleman. He look quite normal in his polo shirt, khaki shorts and loafer, not the 'splendid' type. Actually, as I followed him out the door, not in a stalking way, just as two customers leaving at the same time way. I thought he looked like he was the business suit kind of man, not a casual Joe type. But still not a splendid type. AND does he use splendid in the board room. Does he tell his associates, "Have a Splendid day"?

Hey, it added to my day......my splendid day!

Flashback Friday

Just in case you can't read it ...

Feb 1960

"Tantrum"

for those of you that wouldn't know ...that's Big Bro

Made it through League......

W made it through "league" today.

Once again he placed 4th.

He is sticking to his "plan"!

Now on to regionals next Friday

The Blue Jean concert .....

The Madrigals.......

All of the choirs.....

Wait..... Wait.... We forgot.....

Yesterday was our 20th wedding anniversary, but we both forgot until very late last night.

When I mentioned it around 11pm, W said, "oh, yeah I thought it was."

Just how can this be? .... our 18 year son can remember better than we can....oh, yeah he's younger!

Happy Anniversary hubby!

**bonus** we were trying to figure out how old Julie was and I said she was maybe one at my wedding.....Julie we were thinking about you because W read your facebook page about you watching the Biggest Loser!

tidbit Tuesday

^ W lost his tie from prom .... I paid $42 (12 to rent and 30 to purchase) for the tie. He found the tie in some remote place in the HS last week. Now he has a survivor

^We joined the YMCA and G is so excited. There is a pool and they allow kids on some of the machines. It's very kid friendly.

^the hummingbirds are back. I haven't put out the feeders and don't know if I will. The kitty are just too big!

^our Mr Goodcents closed .... GASP! that was 'our' stop before track meets.

^W's cell phone is dying

^G filled out a Mother's day paper at church on Sunday. One of the things "What is the funniest thing my mother's ever done.....(G's answer) Jump!

^I've got an idea for my front flower bed and no one else seems to be excited!

^We (G and I) signed up for free bowling this summer.

^I tasted a sample at Costco yesterday. It tasted like fried chicken. When the lady told me this I thought really how can sliced chicken taste like fried chicken....but it did!

Mother's Day Picture

Obviously this aren't my boys
BUT I can see this happening in my house!

Track Meet #7

It was the Track meet that I thought would never end! to make things worse I'd been on a field trip with G all day, and took him out of school just as soon as we got back to head to the track meet EARLY.

We got there right as it was starting, 3:30 and the Long Jumpers were just starting. There were 35 of them (each getting 3 jumps and then finals). The triple jumpers didn't even start until after 6. They each get 3 jumps and then finals .... but by this time they're "running" finals (and usually jumpers are runners) this means that there are long breaks for the 'running jumpers' to go run. Honestly, the jumpers were all tired by the time the finals came around.

FINALLY they announced the finals for triple jump, with W sitting in 4th place. His longest jump prior to finals as a 41'3" and that's where he stayed. It's like he's always a bridesmaid and never a bride ... He know he's not going to take first (with his buddy Joe around, who set the meet record and also broke the HS record) but he'd like to take 3rd (and a medal) every once in a while.

Even more frustrating is that we looked at the State 4A final numbers in triple jump today and he could have place 6th in the state if he could just get out of our region .... Our region takes the 5 of the top 6 spots (with our league taking the top 3 spots).... the bottom jumps of the state bracket are all much shorter than W's current numbers. Once again this year will prove to be the same. Only the top 4 from our region go on to state and W and the current #4 guy are jumping the same numbers.

Oh, this is getting stressful for the mom!
I've got to just breath deep....breath deep.....breath deep

flashback Friday

Christmas Morning 1969 eating cinnamon rolls

My very pregnant Aunt Val

Me

and My Grandma Rice

Cub Scout Wednesday

Yea, the rain has held off , or at least this far (I suppose it could down pour in the next 3 hours). This is the Prairie ya know ... I should be able to see the rain'a comin'.

Tonight we're going fishin' ! and boy are they excited. One of the cubs over heard me setting things up (with the owner of the pond) at church on Sunday. The word travel through the church and the cubs like wild fire. It's the difference between little boys and a 40 something woman.... I would have liked to see rain (it's only an hour, I can watch 5 little boys fish and untangle fishin' line for an hour), and they think I'm giving them the moon! They are so excited!

Do you think I'll have time to teach them the Andy and Opie whistle song?

UPDATE ~ the boys had a blast ... they caught a total of 4 fish. Everybody wanted to catch a fish but my smallest (and youngest) cub wanted it so badly. He went the hour getting small little nibbles but no fish UNTIL we were packing up to leave. They were goofy off, just casting in the shallow edge when he caught a fish!

Here is the evening in pictures ~

Getting the night crawlers ......

Walking down to the pond.....

Getting everyone settled in....

Settled in .....

G's catch, a stick!

(He kept saying

"Mom, you don't have to take a picture of this, it's not a fish!")

Track Meeting #6

We saw some amazing jumps last Friday.

This track meet is very diverse, there are schools of all sizes competing 4A, 5A and 6A.

It's a good competitive meet.

Even more impressed ....

W's friend, Joe and his major competition both jump over 46 feet!

Two of the best in the State and they are both in our League!

For those of you that don't understand, that's AMAZING in High School!

W got 41' 5'

Blooming Monday

Flashback Friday

Aunt Marie, Grandma Rice,

Heidi B, and Aunt Val

I don't know the year but when I was about 12 or 13

I got a Polaroid camera for my birthday (yes, I still have it)

Since this looks like a summer shot, I can bet it was taken in 1976 or 77