Wednesday?

Kind of lost track of the days this week. I'm a total bonehead. I should have done Tall Tale Tuesday yesterday and I could have had everyone guess K5's birth stats! What is wrong with me?
I went back and looked at the answers from last week, and Misty came the closest with June 30th and 9lbs 5oz!! Not too far off!
So, today was just...ack! Mostly ack! with some cool thrown in for good measure. So, we'll go with a list:
Ack!
1. Running late.
2. Kids fighting and nagging each other and being bossy.
3. Still being exhausted.
4. Not getting any writing time in.
5. Missing K2 and her not be able to see her new niece yet.
Cool!
1. Getting to see K5, even if it was only for a few minutes.
2. The easy, confident way my son cares for his daughter. He is a diaper changing king.
3. Jason Manns!
Tomorrow is busy, too, with camp preparations and another visit to the kids after they settle in at home. (I never, never thought I'd be saying "the kids" in reference to my son and his family, but...there it is...ha!)
Behave!

New...

Lots of new today.
New babies, new parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents. New birthdays. New families.
My granddaughter arrived at 7:50 am after a long night. She weighed 8#11oz and is 19" long. She is beautiful - perfect and healthy.
Mother and child are doing well, though S hasn't gotten much sleep since sometime Monday. She did a fantastic job through her labor and kept on even when she didn't think she had anything left. Watching K5 enter the world was one of the most awesome and beautiful things I've ever experienced. Yes. I cried. A lot. Watching my son take care of the woman he loves as she labored to deliver their child was also an awesome and beautiful thing. Watching her reach for him during her worst moments and seeing her respond only to his calming touch also made me cry.
Yeah, I'm pretty much an exhausted emotional wreck. ha! I've only managed to grab about 2 hours of sleep today after being up for 27 hours straight. I will be going to bed early tonight.
Behave!

Well...

Man, today went quick.
It's still hot. Very hot. And all of the storms we've been promised have totally skipped us. That's a little disappointing to me because I love a good storm. We're supposed to get one tonight, but so far nothing...
I cannot believe we're almost at the end of June. Heck, we are at the end of June. A few more days and it'll be July. Summer is going fast and I don't feel like it's really started yet. The next thing I know, school will be starting again!
We're on the baby wait. They're at the hospital right now. I'm waiting for the call that says they're keeping her before heading out. If not, then I'll go to bed with my phone clutched tightly in my hands. Things are moving along though and very soon I'll be a grandma. For real. Weird.
And that is all for now.
Behave!

Weekend Recap

Bridal Shower: Lots of food, excited talk about the wedding, bachelorette party plans, gifts, hats, and sun. So much sun that I now have a sunburn. The bride was thrilled with the gifts and had us laughing hysterically as she told stories while she opened them. K4 had a blast being my sidekick for the day and she did very well in the grown up setting.
Birthday Party: For the bride - a milestone birthday. We went back to their place for more food, swimming, talking, hanging out, and mosquitoes. Catching up with friends I haven't seen in a long time and meeting new friends. We got home way too late with two very exhausted kids. K3 & K4 were in the pool 99.8% of the time - getting out only to shove some food down and hit the bathroom.
Sunday: Still tired from yesterday. Hot again. Tree trimming (nightmare), grocery shopping. Catching up with friends, chicken salad with grapes and cashews for dinner, movie watching. Missing K2, especially after talking to her on the phone for nearly an hour. Looking forward to hitting the a/c and closing my eyes.
...and that is all...
Another week like the last few coming up, and hopefully a grandbaby as well.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Man, this week went fast! Or is that just me?
Here's the list:
1. K3 & K4 playing chess.
2. Not having to cook.
3. Air conditioning.
4. The weekend plans.
5. Lightning bug frisbee.
6. Hanging out with my husband.
7. Baseball games with suite seating.
8. A clean house.
9. Backyard fires.
10. 11pm grocery store runs.
That's all for now!
Behave!

Summer Survival Journal: Year Two, Entry One

My time with the natives has been different so far. That man who assists me with them has been grounded to camp, which has been a blessing in a lot of ways. I have not had to do the menial tasks that often consume my days, the ones I am not looking forward to taking over once again when he is back to scouting for food and doing his manly thing.
Today we took the natives on a small journey to stock up on foodstuffs and trade for pretties to be given as gifts. You would think that the journey would be one of wonder and excitement for them, but that is not how it went. They seemed to take their fear of being away from camp out on each other, calling names like "poopie head", "man girl", and "stick person" enough that I had to gently remind them that they should stop it immediately or fear my wrath. They laughed at me in the way they do, because they know I am powerless against them. They know they are slowly chipping away at the glue that holds my sanity in place and that soon they'll have that glue destroyed enough to convince me of anything they want.
Mistakenly, we went to a different trading post than our usual, comfortable one, and of course, arrived perfectly at feeding time. The space was crammed with people, which forced the natives to go into a frenzy of following us too closely, or stopping in front of us as we hurried to gather the necessary supplies. We bribed them with round food and hurried back to camp.
I fear what will happen with that man with me is back to his normal man thing. I fear the heat and the flies and the way the natives plot and plan. That time is coming soon. My only consolation is the installation of a cooling device in my sleeping area. I think this will do much for my morale.
We shall see.
Behave!

Wednesday

It's hot here. Damn hot.
And yes, I do remember when I was freezing my rearend off a few months ago. We don't have our air conditioners on yet, so I'm allowed to complain.
I'm getting back into my revisions - cutting some terrible stuff, changing some things up and hopefully making a much better story. I need some air though, some serious air. Blah. I feel like the heat is eating my brain and that brain is currently running down my body in a big puddle.
This week has gone really fast. Tomorrow's Thursday already and Thursday includes suite seats at the baseball game. Then we head into another busy weekend. Bridal shower madness will occur on Saturday, with first the bridal shower tea party and then a birthday party for the bride later. We're also invited to another birthday party later in the day. And we're on baby watch, so we'll see how it all works out.
And that's it from here.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

How about we do this differently this week?
With the impending birth of my granddaughter (I am still way too young to be a grandma!), how about we guess her birth weight, length, and her arrival day?
The actual due date is July 3rd. The doctor says all conditions are right for labor to begin at any time.
So, when do you think it will be and what do you think her stats will be?
Behave!

Happy First Day of Summer!

It's a gorgeous day out there! Lots of puffy white clouds and a tiny little breeze. It's hot, but nice and shady in my backyard. Where I will be for the rest of the day - doing yard work and enjoying B being home.
***
This weekend turned out well. Saturday wasn't quite as relaxed as I'd originally thought, but it wasn't as hectic as last week. Sunday was gorgeous and spent at the meadow with the dads. Well, most of them. We missed my brother, and a few others, but it was still a nice time. The upcoming week is pretty full, but manageable.
***
Now I have to start focusing on college stuff. It kind of makes me sick to my stomach to think about the financial aspect of it, but we'll figure it out. It makes me even sicker and sad to think about my baby going off into the big bad world! But she's ready, even if I'm not.
***
Time is already going fast. The next thing we know school will be starting again. Heck, the fourth of July is only two weeks away! That's crazy!
***
Enough rambling. I have weeds to pull and a manuscript to edit!
Behave!

Hold This Spot For Me...

...Tomorrow! I will be back tomorrow with the weekend recap!
Happy Dad Day!
Now I'm tired. Going to bed.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

Whew! Another packed week in the tank!
Here's the list, including the reason I didn't post this last night.
1. Surprising my sister. For real. She cried and everything. We threw my middle sister a surprise 40th birthday party yesterday. It rocked. My mom did an awesome job putting things together, including her and my dad busting their butts to make their yard look gorgeous.
2. B going back to work next week. It's been a long two weeks for all of us. He's going stir crazy. The next time he's off for two weeks, we'd better be laying on a beach somewhere.
3. Surprising K2 with her graduation present. It wasn't what I wanted to get her, but the offer was something we couldn't refuse.
4. My new phone!
5. Getting through Thursday and that insanity.
6. The baby wait. Things are progressing, but slowly. I've been taking my phone to bed with me every night just in case. She's due in exactly 2 weeks, but I don't think she'll make it that long. Though I could be wrong. The new guess is Monday - Summer Solstice.
7. Getting some writing done and wanting to get so much more done.
8. Having a reasonably relaxed Saturday stretching out in front of me. Have to do the grocery shopping and get gas and ink, but other than that, it's an easy day and I'm not sure I know what to do with myself.
9. Looking forward to spending tomorrow at the meadow with the Dads.
10. Sleeping in a little, though I could have stayed in bed for another two hours.
That's all for now!
Behave!

Things I Wish I Liked....

A random list...
1. S'mores. It's not the graham cracker's fault, or the chocolate (obviously). It's that darned marshmallow. In my opinion, marshmallows are only good for ammo.
2. Spearmint. No. Wait. I don't ever wish to like that. I have many bad memories associated with spearmint. I can't stand the smell of it. Seriously. It makes me sick just thinking about it.
3. Peanut butter sandwiches. I don't dislike them. But they're not something I ever choose to eat.
4. Same with hot dogs. It's a very rare that I ever eat them.
5. Woodpeckers. I mean, they're very cool, but I'm completely squicked out every single time I hear one. I'm not talking about the little ones either. I mean the huge, freaky Pilated Woodpeckers. *shudders*
Well, there's your random Friday morning list of weirdness.
Feel Good Friday later on!
Have a great Friday!
Behave!

Done For Another Year...

Today was the local annual street fair. You know the one I mean, the same one I moan and complain about every single year. Because...I don't like it. It's too busy, too loud, too dirty...I hardly ever go down because I can't stand the crush of people and the heat. And don't even think about driving anywhere. It's impossible, plus, you run the risk of someone parking in your private spot while you're gone.
Though, there are good points to it. We usually end up with company - usually folks we only see this time every year, and invited guests. It is fun to hang out, eat some food, and watch people go by.
This year was a lot different.
K2's going on a big trip in a few weeks. It's an expensive trip and the kids have to help earn the money and since she's working away from home my niece and I volunteered to fill in for her. Which meant getting up at a stupid time and going to help set up, rushing home to make brownies for the bake sale, sending the kids down with various coolers and other items, and then going back down. I swear I walked 650 miles today.
We didn't invite anyone to come over and hang today, mainly because we had no idea what our timeframe was going to be. The 'rents came over for a little while and my sister came to pick up my niece. No stop ins, or unexpected guests though, which is fine since we're completely wiped out and now must spend the next several hours listening to the neighbors party. It's always like that. Always. Most people around here take tomorrow off to recover. And I will admit, we've had our share of parties and noise - like the time my brother-in-law's band played in the back yard.
It's nearly over now. All that's left is the noise and clean up. I'm exhausted and a little frazzled.
So how was your day?
Behave!

Answer!

Ready for the answers?
Here we go...
Things that are irritating me right now...
1. The toilet seat is broken. And, of course, it broke in the middle of the graduation shindig. Yes. Irritating as all get out and yes, we're getting a new one as soon as we have ten minutes to go to the hardware store!
2. The flies in my house. Yep.
3. Having at least 45 mosquito bites on my legs. Nope. I rarely get bit. *knocking on wood*
4. My cell phone being broken and the one I'm using not working right all of the time. Yes! My new one will be here tomorrow.
5. How sticky everything feels with this humidity. Yes.
6. Telephone calls that aren't for us from people who refuse to believe we're not who they want us to be. Yes. How irritating is that?
7. Being conned into working a booth during our town's street fair this week. Believe it or not...and I know how hard it is to believe, yes. I am working it. I don't want to, but it's for a good cause.
8. Waking up to find a spider crawling over my face. Ewww! Not that I'm aware of.
9. Having to suck the water out of my mother-in-laws car a second time. She either has a leak or keeps leaving her window down - not sure which. Yes. Still don't know what's up with that.
10. Finding out the neighbors have been feeding my dog all kind of things she should not eat. No wonder she's been having trouble. No. Though I would not be surprised to find this out.

So there you have it. Back to the insanity for me.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

So, my test was about being able to post from email. That's pretty cool and, of course, it means I'll be unstoppable! ha!
My brain is pretty much fried after the past week, but let me see if I can find anything interesting to use for Tall Tale Tuesday...
I'm going to try a different format this week. From the list below, tell me which are true. Some will be easy, others might be lies.
Things that are irritating me right now...
1. The toilet seat is broken. And, of course, it broke in the middle of the graduation shindig.
2. The flies in my house.
3. Having at least 45 mosquito bites on my legs.
4. My cell phone being broken and the one I'm using not working right all of the time.
5. How sticky everything feels with this humidity.
6. Telephone calls that aren't for us from people who refuse to believe we're not who they want us to be.
7. Being conned into working a booth during our town's street fair this week.
8. Waking up to find a spider crawling over my face.
9. Having to suck the water out of my mother-in-laws car a second time. She either has a leak or keeps leaving her window down - not sure which.
10. Finding out the neighbors have been feeding my dog all kind of things she should not eat. No wonder she's been having trouble.
So which are true?
Behave!

Testing...

I'm testing out a new feature. Well, not new, but I just discovered it.

Let's see how it works.

Behave!

Weekend Recap...

By the time I got home yesterday, I was too wore out to post any kind of weekend in review. Man, what a long weekend! Let me sum up...
Friday night: Finish preparations for the big graduation shindig. This included a lot of chores B couldn't do because of his bum leg. Moving stuff, cleaning things...but it got done and I was thrilled.
Saturday: Up early to do the shopping for the big graduation shindig. Finished the house cleaning, luckily there wasn't a lot. Cooking. Rearranging the patio and setting up. People began arriving a little before noon and our last guest left a little after 10pm. Long day. Nearly twenty pounds of taco meat gone, but I think everyone had a good time. Also, sometime during the day, my cell phone crapped out on me. I have no display screen whatsoever and wasn't getting calls.
Sunday: Up early again. Baby shower preparations. Rain. A lot of it. I think I spent more time wet than not. Help decorate and prepare for the shower. The shower went well, despite the weather. K1 and S weren't as surprised as they should have been. It took them hours to open the gifts and then we hauled it back to their place. Didn't get home until way late. Exhausted beyond belief.
Today: Up early one more time. Obligations. Dead battery in the phone I was using. Not a charger in sight. Borrowed a phone, but still not getting calls. Working on that one. Got a call from K1 right before the phone battery died. My granddaughter may be arriving sooner than her due date according to their doctor visit today. I definitely need to get this cell phone problem worked out as soon as possible. Probably after our meeting tonight.
Tomorrow? Hopefully sleeping in a little providing I don't get called to the hospital tonight.
That is all for now.
Behave!

Tomorrow...

...I will give you the weekend lowdown!
Too tired right now, and I feel a little bit like the mamma opossum, but it a good way.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Getting this in under the wire.
So here's the list:
1. B doing okay since his surgery. He's still in some pain, but improving every day.
2. After running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I'm nearly ready for tomorrow's graduation festivities. Grocery store, cooking, and a few last minute things to do, but I'm nearly there.
3. The kids (all but K2) getting their rooms cleaned. There's a lot of trash, but I am thrilled with how well they did. The house feels so much lighter and I know that doesn't make much sense.
4. My kid graduating. Yes, that's a no brainer.
5. The weekend. Man, do I need it.
That is all for now!
Graduation party update tomorrow!
Behave!

Random Thursday Stuff

Where to begin?
1. Lots of cleaning going on around here today. K1 is packing up to move out. His mess is immense. There are boxes in my living room, boxes in the hall, trash everywhere. We're also in the throes of getting ready for the weekend graduation shindig. Progress is being made. But it doesn't look like it. At all.
2. Tonight was a big scout event. Court of Honor. This year was somewhat low key since it's kind of late in the scouting year and all of the awards had already been given out, but it still needed to be done. As a treat, B arranged for the boys to make a huge ice cream sundae. As in an 8 foot section of trough and a three gallon container of ice cream. They demolished the ice cream, eating the mess of toppings and ice cream from the trough without spoons. Pretty funny.
3. This morning K4 woke me to tell me the dog pooped in her room overnight. The dog never does that. The only thing we can figure is she didn't go yesterday. Apparently she refused to leave the porch when she should have been taking care of business. Then, this afternoon, the cat barfed in her room. She's pretty ticked considering she just cleaned her room.
4. B's in some serious pain today. Seems the third day postop is way worse than the first or second, despite him taking it really, really easy. Everyone assures him it's normal. He hates it. I've stopped asking him how he's feeling because I get an array of smart-assed answers.
And that's all I can think of right now. I'm considering doing some rennovations to the old blog. Don't be shocked if things are a little different within the next few days.
Behave!