Thursday...

Can't decide if that's Finally or Already.
There is much to be done, but I seem to be having trouble getting started. Well, that's not entirely true. I've started, switched gears and then re-started. To say concentration and I don't appear to be friends today is an understatement.
Which leaves you, maybe all two of you that read this, with more random ramblings.
*My living room, and I mean all of it, is filled with a little people party. The entire bin of the little plastic dudes is empty. There isn't a place to walk or sit.
*Our remote has disappeared. Again. I will most likely find it in some odd and ridiculous place. Probably after I finally break down and purchase a new one.
*My foot - where I stuck myself with the ballpoint pen - is not pretty. (Yes, mother, I am taking care of it) I can't wear flip flops and there's a painful lump in the center. It occurred to me that I never looked at the pen when I kicked it out of my foot. What if the little metal roller ball is stuck in there? I am soaking it, and keeping a close eye.
Posts will be sporadic over the next week.
Consider yourself alerted.
Behave!

Seems Like...

All my days are full of random stuff lately.
*Was helping K3 clean his room and ended up jamming a pen in my foot - right between my toes. It stuck. K3 almost puked. I bled, and it stings a little, but doesn't really hurt.
*What does hurt is the big toe on the same foot where I sat his desk. I'm having a stupid day.
*It's hot here. Really hot.
*I miss Supernatural. I've been watching Season 1 on DVD and it helps, but its hard with the younger kiddos home since I don't let them watch that kind of stuff.
*Our dog is acting weird. Weirder than normal. I think she's too hot. We finally got the a/c's in last night and earlier she actually opened our bedroom door and went to bed.
*Did I mention how hot it is here?
Do you remember a few weeks back when I mentioned the possibility of my sanity being affected by the insane schedule?
I think it's happened...

Random Monday...

Homemade ice cream.
B's mom gifted us with an ice cream maker, actually two of them. One is the standard electric one, which makes a huge batch. The other is this little ball that you roll or play with. That'll be very cool for camping. Her only request was some lemon ice cream.
All the recipes I found for lemon ice cream required numerous steps, double-boilers and whipping the heavy cream before it's added. Uhhh....not happening. I did find a no-cook recipe for vanilla and I adapted that to make lemon. And, as a miracle, I was actually smart and used the little ball for that batch. It only makes a pint, so if it hadn't turned out, then the waste of ingredients wasn't as severe. There was none left and the kids had a blast "making" it.
***
After several days of drying, the camera actually works again. The knobs are a little tight thanks to the mud, and it's still not quite right. It does work though. For how long, we'll see.
***
Hard to believe it's the last week of June already. And only the third week of summer vacation. On one hand time is flying by, and on the other, it seems like the kids have been out of school for months.
Anyone else feel that way?
Or is it just me?

Friday!

Fridays are official summer goof off days.
Today, so far, we've done just that. (After the required obligations, that is)
Went to see "Pirates" again.
I still love it - even more than the first time.
Next, we're off to a local pub to listen to a friend play guitar.
The weekend is one of those weekends. K2's play schedule is becoming more intensive, as is B's job as one of the stage/tech crew. Which means in a few weeks, we'll be done with the crazy schedule. For now.
I did manage to stay true to my statement yesterday. I did not get talked into going to the street fair. We had a quiet, but fun, day sitting in the backyard. So, to me the day was a great success.
That's all...

Crowds...

Today is our town's annual street fair.
What started out as a way for local merchants to thank their patrons, has turned into a huge, crowded event. The main street is closed for blocks, with several side streets closed as well. Rides, entertainment at several different venues, games and hundreds of vendors selling everything from hot dogs to buffalo burgers to candles to brooms.
Sound like fun?
When I was a kid, it was. It was crowded, but nothing like now. We live close enough that we have to guard our parking - yes, even the parking we allow in our yard today (and pick up a ton of trash afterward). We're talking 10's of thousands of people. Armpit to armpit. In the sun. Most decidedly not my idea of a good time. Though most years, I end up going down at least once. That will not be the case this year. The predicted crowd is many more than even last year's record number. And I'm not going.
I'm much more content to hang in my backyard. We always have company and some of those people we only see on this day. Some years we go all out and host a backyard shindig, sometimes even with a band (it's good to be related to musicians), and party crashers. Other years, like this one, we take things easy. We will have company, and that's fine, but the expectation is for low numbers.
I have to hand it to our town though, this event is so well orchestrated. By this time tomorrow (actually, much earlier) you can't even tell something so huge happened. Everything is back to normal without even a speck of trash.
I'll let you know tomorrow if I was finagled into going down despite how adamant I am right now.
Behave.

Rest In Peace: Spanky

K2 took these pics the Friday before the camera went into the creek. I don't know why I went ahead and downloaded them, but I guess it's good I did.

Sometime overnight into Monday, Spanky passed away. I went to make sure K2 was up so we could get started with the rest of our really busy day. She popped her head out into the hall after I'd left and said she thought something was wrong with Spanky.

There were lots of tears, from all the K's, but K3 took it the hardest. Spanky outlived her predicted years by about 10 months. Her death was not suprising, but it still affected the kids a great deal. She was a friendly little beastie who liked to snuggle on your neck and crawl into your pockets.

And she will be missed.

Happy Father's Day!

Not that I think many dads read this. Except maybe my own every once in a while. Maybe. (Just in case..Love You, Daddy!)
I think (hope) the dads in my family had a good day. We met at our camping spot after lunch. The guys fished, and caught lots. The kids swam and chased snakes. The women chatted and sat in the sun. We had dinner together, sat by the fire (I don't know why, it wasn't like we were cold or anything), laughed, and picked on each other.
I'd show you a picture of the decent sized water snake sunning itself on a rock very near to where we sat, but our camera was involved in unfortunate accident. As in, it fell into the creek. We'll see if it dries out and works again, but considering the amount of mud that was in it...I doubt it. Sigh.
That's all...
Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

Well, we lived through the first full week of summer vacation!
The week has had some interesting moments...
Like when the shelf in my fridge broke, sending jalapenos, yogurt, eggs and jelly crashing to the floor.
That was great fun, and my house still smells a tiny bit like jalapenos.
Or when I was summoned into school by K3's music teacher. On the only day I hadn't bothered to comb my hair or change into jeans. Pretty.
The grocery store with 3 wound up children was also a highlight. I know it's something I won't forget for a while. (as in, I'll be planning trips to the store without the entourage)
The dog now believes that she's able and entitled to be on the couch. Not. I've had to tell her to get down numerous times today. I'm not stupid enough to believe she doesn't get on when we're not home, but she never even tries when we are. Today, she doesn't seem to care.
It's weird though. Like hard to believe this is only the first week weird.
Anyone else feeling that way?
That's all.
Enjoy the weekend!

Haircut!

Same dog.
As you can see, or maybe not since the pic isn't the best (it was the most current overly-furry one), on the left is our little puppy, Abbie, pre-groomed. (She's a baby and only weighs 100 pounds!)
She carried a ton of hair around with her. And shed? Insane. I can't even begin to describe the amount of hair she could leave behind. On the right, is what she looks like today. Much thinner looking, and much, much cleaner. I can't even begin to describe combing her. It was nearly impossible, despite our best efforts. To give you a clue, it took the groomer nearly two hours to shave, bathe and spiff her up. She was miserable hot, and constantly digging to find a cool place to lay, hence creating more filth trapped in her thick hair. She's a Border Collie/Newfoundland mix, and has that really insane undercoat - impervious to pretty much anything.
Needless to say, she's much cooler now.
And considering it's only 60 degrees here, much cooler has a whole new meaning for her. She's freezing, and is currently curled up on the living room floor, covered up with a blanket.
Did I mention that she's spoiled too?
That's all for today...

Conflict

Nope. Not a serious craft post. Just what you're come to expect from me...ramblings that probably don't make much sense to anyone but me.
Anyhow...
In my house there's an extreme conflict of music tastes. Some collide and harmony can be found, but sometimes, there's total upheaval because no one can agree. Now I love a wide variety of musical genres, but what I chose to listen to depends on my mood, what I'm doing and what I'm writing.
At any given time, the musical extremes blaring from the open windows have the potential to make your brain explode. Anything from speed metal to show tunes with a hefty dose of country music thrown in. Normally, it doesn't bother me. Chaos and I are old friends.
I am, however, teased quite frequently for always turning the volume down. Nothing bugs me more than having to speak over what's supposed to be background music. If everyone is doing their own thing or not trying to have a conversation, I'm okay, but don't try to talk to me without turning down the tunes. When I'm alone, it's another story - louder is better.
I mention this because my choice of music this morning has totally irritated K3 and K4. They've even used my own words on me..."Headphones!" Except, my headphones have been hijacked by an unknown (ahem) assailant.
I know, totally pointless post.
Behave!

Thunderstorm

The sky is dark and flashes of lightning occasionally appear in the darkest of the clouds. I can smell the rain, though it's yet to fall out of the sky.
I'm waiting.
I love a good thunderstorm. I'm likely to be found on the porch, watching the lightning and counting to see how far out the storm is.
When I was little we lived in the midwest. Tornado watches and warnings were common and we spent many summer afternoons in the basement waiting out the severe weather alert. Well, when I say "we", I mean my brothers and sisters. I don't remember my mom ever coming down with us. She was content to watch the storm approach and take her chances with a twister. (Obvioulsy, I get it honestly)
So, I'm waiting...
That's all...

Day One: Random Things

I'd like to thank the idiot who scheduled K3's trumpet lessons at 8am.
Oh. Wait. That was me.
At the time, I'm sure I had a really good reason for this. Though now I can't figure it out.
Anyway.
As you can see, I made some major progress this weekend. And yes, I do realize I have to change the title for my book. I'm on it. Thinking.
The heroine in this story has a thing for cliches. She uses them, on purpose, to drive the hero nuts, break up tension and get people's reactions. I'm loving writing her - she's a little odd, but in a good way. (at least I hope) The hero is a lot more serious, but has his own strange sense of humor. They're a good match, though neither of them can see that right now. I'm right in the middle of the book, and right where I should be in the suspense, their relationship and the journey and I'm still having a good time writing them. So far, so good.
Obviously, the projected completion date for this book is already long gone. I've had to relax that goal a tiny little bit. Doesn't make me happy, but there's not much I can do. I was a little unrealistic and didn't think about the other obligations I had during that time.
New projected completion date: When it's done.
Yes. That's killing me because I have so much else I want to do, edit, revise and write, but I don't want this summer to kick my butt like last year did.
On another note:
The kids have already totally dismantled my living room. All the cushions are off the couch and the stools from the kitchen are arranged in some sort of "Stonehenge" shape. The cat looks mad and K3 is trying to convince K4 to make him a sandwich. I don't know for sure, but I think he's the boss of whatever they're doing. (She is, in typical K4 fashion, denying him his sandwich rights.) At least they're not fighting. Yet.
Behave!

Gnomes!

The gnomes have the beginnings of their garden and they are very happy.

Look at that guy. Doesn't he look happy?

Much tweaking needs done, but the flower bed is cleared out, plants are transplanted and the gnomes are out of the box in my dining room.

I'm happy too. Happy to see them when I go outside and happy I got so much done today.

So far. So good.

Behave!

It Is Done...

The school year.
And, most likely, my sanity.

I'm really looking forward to summer vacation, and here's why:
1. Hanging out with the kiddos.
2. Schedule change.
Though until mid-July we'll be pretty busy, there will be a little wiggle room in these weeks. I figure it'll be what we make it. We'll work things out so we're still having fun. (remind me of this in 2 weeks! LOL)
3. Cooking on the Grill.
I don't know why because there's just as much, if not more, work involved, but it just seems easier and relaxing.
4. My sister's new job.
She has off Fridays.
5. Friday's.
Official relaxation and "fiesta" day. Plans forthcoming, but this is to be the day that makes the running of the week worthwhile. We might theme them. We'll see.
6. Gnomes.
The gnome garden is coming. You'll see.
7. Naps.
As if. But I can hope.
8. No homework rush or searching for lost items.
9. No shoes.
And flip-flops.
10. Harry Potter.
The movie and the book.
11. Supernatural Summer.

You get the idea.
Behave.

Weird Wednesday

Today's been kind of an odd day.
I dropped the kids off at school and drove about an hour away to get some exhaust work done on my Suburban. The distance I traveled was well worth it for a few different reasons. We used to live in the area, so traveling the mountain road was familiar and a bit nostalgic. We loved living in that valley, but the daily travel was unrealistic for us. And I spent an hour writing while I waited.
After driving for most of the morning, arriving home before noon was a little odd. K2 had finals today, so she got home shortly after I did. We're coming down to the wire with school. One more full day and then Friday they go for just a few hours.
That means a new schedule. One that, at first, is going to be busier than the school year. Eventually it'll settle into a more summer like atmosphere.
I only hope I'm still sane by then.
That's all for now...
Behave...

Things That Make You Go...Ick!

Nasty, huh?
A spider uncovered while hauling out firewood while we were at camp. Yes, I enlarged him, but he was still pretty big. Big enough that I felt compelled to take his picture.
No, we didn't kill him. After all, he has a job to do and just because he grosses most people out, doesn't mean he deserves to die.
I was going to post a picture of the emerald green flying ant we found in the camper, but it's too fuzzy. He didn't appear interested in harming us, so we gently urged him out the door and hoped he wouldn't come back.
Speaking of gross bugs...it took me a while to figure this one out and I'm still pretty disturbed. Every year at this time, these little fuzzy, creepy looking worm-like (larvae) critters fall out of our tree onto us while we're trying to relax on the patio. They bite. Hard. Usually a big old welt is involved. I recently found out that they're lady bug larva. How rude is that? Lady bugs don't bite, so why do their babies? (If I can manage, I'll post a picture.)
Hey, what do you want? It's Tuesday and I really have nothing logical to say right now.
2 1/2 days...
Behave!

Birthday Shindigs and Other Stuff...

K1's birthday party turned out very well. If you would have asked for my prediction a half hour before the party started, I probably would have broken down in tears, or cuss words.

Let's put it this way: Thanks to an incredibly full schedule, lots of obligations, taxi driving and 4 different schedules...running late doesn't even begin to describe the day.

At 4pm on Saturday, two hours before party start time, I was still at the store buying supplies and gifts. An hour before the party, I was running around here like a mad woman, trying to sweep the half-ton of stone dust off the floors from B running the tamper-thingy on the stone layer under the bricks. I had no food prepared, grocery bags covered the kitchen, the yard was still a mess (Thanks to the patio/sidewalk repair issues, B didn't get to mow the grass until a half hour before guests were due to arrive). It was crazy!

But, thanks to friends, K1's and ours, we somehow managed to get everything done, cleaned up and situated before the guests arrived.

The party went well. Lots of food, music and laughing. In the picture, K1 is holding one of his gifts - a cookbook. That was a very funny thing. He's having a blast being an "adult".

I'm the one with the pangs of nostalgia and sadness. Where is the little boy who used to grab my face with his chubby hands and give me sloppy, sticky kisses? What happened to hot wheel races through the dining room? Where is the boy who had that same cookbook when he was little? When did my baby turn into a man? How did that happen? Our family is changing, but that's not a bad thing. We'll adjust and adapt and look at the future as an adventure, just like we always have.

3 1/2 days of school left.

The past two weekends have given me hope that's this is going to be a great summer!

Behave!

Friday Ramblings...

What a week!
Despite Monday's holiday, this week has been a long one. Too much going on and not enough time. Anyone figure out how to get a few extra hours in the day? I guess if I gave up sleeping...Ha!
My first baby turned 18 yesterday. That's kind of weird. I don't feel any older than when I gave birth to him, so how did he get so old? Big birthday bash this weekend, I'm expecting nearly 50 people here. We're rushing to finish fixing the sidewalk and patio and I've done nothing except that to get ready. Ack! I won't even give you my to do list - it's not pretty.
Misty's book came out yesterday "Something Old, Something Dead". It's the third in the Ivy Morris mysteries, but you don't need to read the first two to understand what's going on . It's a riot. Go. Buy it. It'll crack your stuff up.
After today, the kids will have 4 1/2 days of school left. I'm not ready. Summer snuck in here while I wasn't looking. It's going to be a busy one, but I hope a great one.
Behave!