The Fast And The Furious And Down For The Count

I have worn myself out. My body is refusing to agree with my brain that I am still the same woman I was when I gave birth to three children, albeit not all at once. I've NEVER been THAT energetic. But I have always prided myself on being able to do 83 things at once and still manage to have my hair look done. Of course, pride is a sin and perhaps the good Lord has been trying to show me a thing or two. Like that rest is actually a GOOD thing. I am home with the flu and.........honestly, rather enjoying it. It's nice to sort of feel too dizzy to drive, wrapped up in a thick warm blanket doing NOTHING. It's quite nice in fact. Although doing a lot sure was fun too.

Friday after school - watched my boys play football on the front lawn while talking life with my stunning young girl on the front yard park bench. I loved the whole atmosphere. A crisp breeze. A really clear view of the bright yellow sun over the ridge into the town below. The kids periodically coming over to eat chips straight out of the bag (a special treat.)

Friday evening - helped the kids clean their rooms before taking them to their cousin's 8th birthday party. Stayed after the cake and ice cream/gift-opening/boys-allowed part to help my overwhelmed SIL paint nails and do facials for the "spa" theme. Heard 16 (it was a sleepover - she's crazy, folks!) little people squeal in alternating drama, angst and delight for three hours.

Came home and went straight to bed early (for me.)

Saturday morning - went to my little guys very first ever football game (at 8 am!) He loved it! So did I! He was so great.

Picked up my pretty princess from the party. Switched off little guy for older brother. Went to his two football games. So proud of his sportsmanship and perseverance. He made the last great play of the game!

Came home to change clothes. Took an allergy pill. Went to sell popcorn for Cubscouts.

Took son to Grandma's house.

Took my daughter to see "Princess Wishes On Ice." (TOTALLY wacky people at the fair this year! It's usually pretty colorful, but, OH MY........and again with the traffic! Worst ever.) Loved every second. So glad she's still into it.

Feeling yucky and exhausted, didn't want to cook. Took MIL and kids out for dinner at super fun diner she suggested. Had wonderful conversation and the best chicken fried steak ever. (I don't usually crave that, but I hadn't eaten much all weekend and it sounded good. Tasted delicious but unfortunately I got to "enjoy" it twice. Oops.)

Came home. Did laundry for church. Listened to younger son and hubby describe the very crazy scene at the fair that we had already witnessed earlier. Went to bed early, smiling.

Sometimes, not constantly, but sometimes, it's nice to just live until you've got nothing left for a couple of days. It really was a sweet weekend, even if I've had to resort to short phrases in describing it. It really was.

If hubby seems conspicuously missing, his time was spent working on the yard (which he likes), cooking for his men's prayer breakfast, and going to a college football game and then the fair with our youngest son. Today he's offered to take the kids to church and out somewhere fun so I can rest.

Does This Blog Make My Butt Look Big?

Rhetorically speaking, of course. Please don't REALLY answer that!

A couple of months ago, my dad called to chat and catch up with us and just and generally see how we are doing as a family. Or maybe that was just his cover. WINK.

"Punkin" he said, with his term of endearment that generally precedes a flattering compliment. "I just want you to know that I think you are a FAN-TAS-TIC writer! You really are. I think your writing is about as good as any I've read."

"Thanks, Dad. Wow! That sure is sweet! I appreciate that!"

"Well, it is, Punkin. I can see our college money was WELL spent. Could I just make a suggestion, though? That blog photo is not your best one."

"Oh....really? I actually kind of liked it. What is wrong with it?"

"I just don't think it's one of your better pictures. You have so many that look nice, but that's not my favorite. I'm just trying to look at it like someone who doesn't know you might see it. It doesn't show you like you really look."

"I know. You've never seen me with brunette hair. And I think you've always liked it blond. Maybe that's it."

"No."

"Well, what IS IT about it that's not good."

"I don't know. It's just not my favorite."

"Is it the angle? Because it cuts off at the chest?"

"I don't know."

"It's probably that I'm 36. And you're not used to seeing wrinkles and age on your own daughter."

"That could be true. Let's talk about something else."

Now, I know my dad. And he really wouldn't ever say anything except to help me. So I have thought about changing my photo. I'm just waiting for my face not to break out. Which happens about as often as the summer Olympics. Sorry if that's not "real" enough, but there are just some things people don't necessarily NEED to see. Like Aunt Francesca in her skivvies, ya know what I mean? O.K. The truth is, my priority list leads with other things right now, like food and shelter and such things I'm still working on. But I will get to it. I also set out to have my blog professionally re-done. Then some financial "stuff" happened, and that was BEFORE taking out a second mortgage to pay for school supplies (o.k. I'm just barely kidding on that one), and well, it's going to have to wait. In the mean time, I'm using what Blogger offers to try to come up with a new look. The old one was getting, well, OLD.

In the meantime, I want to recommend the WONDERFUL lady who has started to work with me on my blog AND been patient and kind enough to understand me dragging my feet for LO, these many months. I chose her not only for her other blog work, but much more importantly for her professinalism, and would ask you to consider the same. She is a SWEETHEART to deal with. And I figure the least I could do is refer her to some of you while she waits on my slow sorry.........um, wallet.

http://www.justalittlecreation.blogspot.com/

Then when my pocketbook is a little bigger than my hind sight, I'll be contacting her again too, and things will begin to look a lot prettier around here.

Edit to add: I just noticed the side bar looks like it has up-side-down cr*osse*s. Please know that was totally unintentional and is cause for me to change my layout again just as soon as I get a chance.

A Lil' Bit Of R&R- Not Available In All Areas, Certain Conditions May Apply

So the hubby's been working insanely long hours trying to acquire an income after days and weeks of rain earlier this summer and ice earlier this year. And the temperature has been about as blistery as his nerves while working in it. So he surprised us today, by coming home early and suggesting a little family fun time was in order. Then he tried to convince us what a blast it would be watching him nap. I thought paying bills sounded slightly more fun, so I did while he slept a few minutes. At least until the neighbor boy noticed signs of life through our windows (that would be the shades briskly shutting) and took that as his cue to run over and ring the doorbell multiple times, because Boy Scouts are nothing if not thorough.

Once hubby was up, he decided he did feel in the mood to go and do something (besides kick the neighbor boy's pants!) as long as it was something that would require little activity and wouldn't fry him like an egg. He suggested the amusement park.

Just let that sink in.

At least his tired overworked brain cells gave him a taste of the daily confusion I experience as his suburban homemaker bride. We settled on dinner, a baseball game and a stroll through down town. We thought at least at the ball park, the crowd would be more mellow than the folks slinging sweat and comparing tattoos at the Tiltawhirl.

Um, we would be wrong.

You know those conversations you have from time to time that really aren't exactly conversations, but a repetitive script you don't realize you are participating in? Like when the waitress, smiling, leads you to your little corner of respite and asks "Will this table be O.K.?" And automatically you respond "yes, thank you."

Why did I do that?

I didn't understand until tonight the dramatic effect "Gray's Anatomy" has had on pop culture, but we were the only people to share a room with twenty or so medical personnel who have apparently taken the show way too seriously. I know because in their amplified drunken voices, they were "discussing" their LOVE LIVES! AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THEIR UNIFORMS! AND HOW A TWELFTH BEER MIGHT REALLY GIVE CLARITY TO UNDERSTANDING THEIR BOSSES DISDAIN FOR THEM! I MEAN, WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AFTER ALL! And did you know that complimenting a nurse on the enormity of certain ones of her body parts is completely acceptable (even welcome) while wasted?

My favorite was when the one girl at one end of the table asked the guy clear at the other end of the table (makes sense) WHAT TODAY'S DATE IS! "AUGUST 10th I THINK. I'M PRETTY SURE!" For some reason I apparently wasn't intoxicated enough to understand, this was an uproarious medical joke! Because the laughter from the entire group at the table didn't subside for a full ten minutes. Funny, funny stuff I tell you! At least it was to my kids, who were loving the fact that these people actually seemed to appreciate them quietly mocking their idiocy. "Who's gonna work on them later when they fall off the curb?" we joked. They were getting to laugh AT these people; not with them -what a treat!

I was just happy for the example. "See kids. Alcohol is bad. It's makes one very stupid." At least until we ourselves became part of the entertainment, in the form of my son's first-ever nose bleed. For no apparent reason, other than a more complete fulfillment of Murphy's law, his nose began gushing blood while situating ketchup on his plate. It (blood, not ketchup) was falling onto the table, into his plate, and smearing across him arm and hands in an attempt to stop it. Oh, the fun was really crankin' up now. I scooped him into my arms and had to carry him the length of the restaurant while blood was flying into food. Oh, no, I just wish I was exaggerating. All eyes were on us as a ripple of pale-faced onlookers put down their forks, nauseated, and waiters squinted at us with glares of "Great, there go my tips!" Of course, my son's only concern was "not the women's bathroom, Mom! Everyone will laugh at me! Don't take me in the girl's!" Yeah, I'm not so sure it's your XY chromosome they're gawking at right now, son.

Mercifully, hubby had the good sense to meet us at the bathrooms where we were able to make our great escape through the back doors, with nary a waiter willing to complain about it. As the nosebleed subsided, we made our way over to the stadium just in time for the national anthem and enthusiastic shouts of "play ball!" The game was GREAT! The atmosphere was FANTASTIC! The guy behind us was....SO WEIRD! I really can't even describe why. His conversation just sort of resembled, well, no one I've ever heard. "You see that guy right there. Hey, you see him? Yeah, balloons are blue all right. Uh huh." Let's just say, I don't really think a Bud is wiser when you've been sipping them since breakfast already. Luckily, though, we just "got" to hear his unusual take on puffy clouds and parakeets. It was the cute kids behind us who were faced with having to try to ignore or respond to his friendliness. Fortunately for us. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

All in all, one good thing I can say about our evening is that, miraculously, the kids avoided having to see brains splattered all over the highway on the way home from the two bikers who decided to drag race through bumper to bumper traffic. And the memories from our night together will certainly be cemented firmly into adulthood! After all, the family who nosebleeds and walks through sticky puddles on the floor together.......well, whatever. Oh! And I didn't have to cook. That right there pretty much makes it ALL worth it, don't cha think!

Friendship Not Romance

I guess the older kids have been teasing him a bit too much lately.

Our youngest has been a bit girl crazy really since birth I guess. When he was three years old, we were coming out of a restaurant when he saw two pretty teenagers. He turned his head back as we passed them and innocently declared "whoa!" My hubby and I were in shock! He most certainly did not learn this reaction in our home! And at that point, he hadn't been anywhere else without us. When we asked him why he thought the girls were pretty, he said that they had pretty hair and eyes. Um, O.K., so we realized right there he is going to melt a few hearts one day.

Yesterday Justice took a day trip to Dallas with his Daddy and a friend with a three year girl. After they arrived home, I asked him, without implications of anything romantic, "did you have fun with K.?" His answer was quite defensive. "Well, I don't want to tell you because then they'll (his brother and sister) tease me."

I took that as a yes and as an opportunity to have a talk with the older two about cooling it already.

A Symphony Of Snoring

I am staying up well into the night in order to clean up the mess from cooking dinner for my husband and daughter. She had been at a friend's house all day while I dealt with Dalton's illness at the emergency care. And my husband had not had time to eat between work and the ball games, so dinner ended up being at about 10:30 tonight. Besides everything else that took place today (see below), Greg had to come home and study for his teen class at church tomorrow. To say he is exhausted would be quite the understatement. So, he has gone to bed to get up and do it all again come 6am.

Dalton is knocked out by all of his medication and is snoring loudly on the couch. That says something about the rest he really needed because he is not usually a snorer. (Is that a word?) Dh (Dear husband/Designated hitter, for my family who is learning the terminology), however, is. Big Time. And I would be lying if I tried to pretend I always (or even usually) have a good sense of humor about it. Most often, my reactions lack much compassion and leave me needing to repent when I am far too tired to care about doing what is right.

Right now, however, I'm listening delightedly to Dalton and Dh trading turns taking in breath, then blowing it out with a roar. It is causing me to giggle uncontrollably at the two of them and wishing I had someone to share the humor with. They sound like a well-planned symphony of snoring! And tonight this makes me smile, for it's proof they are getting what they both need most at this moment - some well-deserved, deep sleep and rest.

More Observations Of A Wedding

Read previous post first for a good overview.

Names used are ones that are already public. Otherwise, I've used initials or titles to protect privacy

For my own memory, here are some of the more outstanding events from last night's wedding, for better - or for worse.

Three dozen butterflies being released at the moment the couple was introduced as Mr. and Mrs. - Beautiful. Stunning.

Every table at dinner had a framed piece of the couple's handwritten love notes to each other. THAT is the coolest idea I have EVER seen for a wedding! So sweet!

It didn't rain! After 20 straight days of rain and five over the previous record, how fitting that it stopped the very day of the outdoor ceremony!!!

My 5-Y-O practically dragging my 7-Y-O back down the aisle during the recessional! She was trying to do the slow graceful walk she had been asked to do during practice, while he was trying to rush back to the building to get some air conditioning! Everyone was cracking up as he pulled at his tie and everyone could tell exactly why he was rushing! He is so much his father's son.

My camera battery dying without warning (literally - the warning light never came on), then coming back on long enough for one more photo, of my three kiddos in their tuxes and dress, who instead of saying "Ewww" hugged lovingly in front of the cascading waterfall and vine-covered arch.

Nobody tripping on the cobblestone like had happened at least four times in rehearsal. Thank you God.

It took four full days of nothing else but wedding preparations for my three children to be in the wedding. Which means for my sister-in-law, the mother of the bride.......well.......like she said, the PARENTS deserve the hone*ymoon!

We added the pink Gerber daisy my daughter wore in her chignon to the bag of dried flowers her flower girl will throw at her wedding. The other flowers in the bag are ones my husband has given her for Valentine's Days and Birthdays - and the first day of school.

A little girl in attendance threw an absolute, all-out, throw-down-on-the-floor-and-scream temper tantrum because my younger niece would not let her hold the butterfly she and my daughter were holding. But the girl had already had it once before and practically dism*ember*ed the thing. (Probably why it wasn't flying away.) My niece and daughter were holding it for the photographer until he could get a picture of the bride and grooms' hands and wedding rings with the butterfly sitting on the rings. This little girl was the daughter of a business associate of the bride's parents and since everyone except for the bride and groom had already been excused from photos, she shouldn't have even been down there. She was SOMETHING ELSE!

As much as I occasionally enjoy dressing up to the nines and sitting at a formal dinner, my husband does not. I know he was bored out of his gord. But I was so proud of him. I never once saw him play on his cell phone! (This was my first formal dress since the p*rom! And ironically, it was the exact same color and similar style.)

Men should never ever be subjected to black tuxedo jackets....outside....in the Midwest in July. I was uncomfortable just looking at them.

My primary reason for being in the bridal room was to help my daughter (the flower girl) and my younger niece (the mini-bride) get ready. I am somewhere near the middle age-wise of my sister-in-law (the bride's mom) and her kids, who were also my husband's and my students in Youth Group at church when we were the co-leaders to the youth pastor and his wife, our best friends. Got all that? So in the past, I've had the privilege of having my nieces confide in me the things they might not otherwise tell a parent. But yesterday, as Lindsay's mom would sometimes be somewhere else busy with the staff, I felt that Lindsay was needing to talk to her Bridesmaids about all the things that are meant for Girlfriends alone. Things like the stress she was feeling from the last-minute details and anticipation of the honeym*oon night. But I'm just guessing. So I made sure to spend moments that I could outside the room with the two younger girls. She no longer views me so much as the friend as she does just like her own parents. And that's O.K. She's a grown woman now. With grown up young adult friends all her own. That's a big part of what marriage is. A new life with chosen friends and a circle of trusted confidantes you build together as your own new family.

A former youth group student of ours (7 years ago, when he was much, much smaller!) arrived at the wedding and seemed to not even know who I was. An hour later, though, he ran up to me with the biggest hug, picked me up off the ground, and exclaimed "Miss Nikki - one of my very favorites!" That made my night! Even if my appearance has changed so much he couldn't recognize me, at least when I was pointed out to him, he had good things to say. :)

While we prepared for three hours in the bridal room, the venue piped in 1930's and 40's style Jazz Love Tunes. One favorite of mine - "It Had To Be You."

Having an older niece is good preparation for having a daughter. I suspect it also just won't seem right seeing her in lacy pa*nties and an adhesive *bra either!

The DJ played "S*tript*ease Bur*lesq*ue" as Leo took the garter off of Lindsay - hilarious!

As Lindsay's little sister caught the bridal bouquet, her dad could be overheard yelling, "Huh-uh! Give me a few years to pay for this one first!"

When the couple walked back down the aisle for the first time as husband and wife, the song played was "Let's* Get It *On" by Marvin Gaye. Everything was done so tastefully that this actually came across very cute!

Judging will always be one of people's favorite pastimes. Lindsay and Leo sought premarital counseling from the same sweet Christian woman who was already counseling Leo's family through his mother's impending death from cancer. When they found out this woman was also a U.S. Justice, they asked her to perform the ceremony because of the relationships that have been developed, not because they've lost their Baptist beliefs. But it's funny how many people will automatically condemn what they do not even know.

Leo's mother looked stunning! No one ever said, "she looks so good for having cancer." She just plain looked good! My sister-in-law also looked the prettiest I have ever seen her!

One of my favorite things about weddings is that it expands families. Leo and his older sister Lacey are getting extraordinarily close to Lindsay's family, with their mother's blessing, because she will soon be gone. Their father has not been around since the two of them were little and there is no extended family. So they will have each other, and us. (The entire small town where they grew up is like family to them as well. They are extremely graceful, well-rounded people.) And it's just neat how the parents are nurturing it all. Leo's sister and myself, Lindsay's aunt by marriage, are really hitting it off well!

It is awesome to be in the wedding party of a girl who works as a hairdresser in a Spa, with plenty of hairdressers as bridesmaids. I've never seen so much good hair at a wedding!

I didn't think I'd hit the dance floor. But when the DJ plays "The Twist" and "Shout (Lift Your Hands Up)," and your five-year-old is getting his groove on, it's just too fun to pass up!

My (seven-year-old) niece garnered a circle of onlookers and chanting of her name in unison when she started break dancing in a mini-bride dress to "Disco Inferno."

The venue was an old orphanage (in an 80+ year old building) restored now for weddings and receptions. It was so beautiful, both architecturally (which I love) and in history. You could look all around and be glad that someone once thought enough of the children there to give them a beautiful place with lots of big windows and outdoor play areas. My kids had a BLAST exploring with all of the other child guests.

Personalized water bottles and hand fans are the PERFECT party favors for guests of a hot July wedding!

Thank goodness for dark lighting when you have a MAJOR breakout the day before a swanky soiree.

I unintentionally caused my niece (the bride) to begin weeping all over again when I beamed "Well, Miss C., in fifteen more minutes, you will be Mrs. M!" Obviously, her emotions were on a huge roller coaster ride.

Bridesmaids leave things. Lots and lots of things. One of Lindsay's friends and I returned to the bridal room after the reception to collect a trunk load of items belonging to many of the girls who had already left.

Chicken smothered in wild mushroom milk sauce and my daughter's French silk flower girl dress had exactly the relationship I had hoped they wouldn't. But it is just "so her" that I couldn't help but to just shrug and smile. I hope it comes out!

Lindsay's sister three years her junior was the Maid Of Honor and is a wonderful public speaker. During her toast, T. told a story about how she and Lindsay would be trying to fall asleep in their dark room as kids. Lindsay, the older sister, would get scared and beg T. to sleep with her in her b*ed. T. told how now that Lindsay getting married, she would miss being the one to keep her sister safe at night. (And everyone "awwwed" and cried.) Then she said, "but if anyone else is going to take that responsibility from me, I'm so glad it is Leo. He's an awesome brother-in-law and I know he'll be the best husband to Lindsay. And, maybe someday, he'll be required to make some business trips and I can go over and take HIS place again while he is gone. Besides, everyone needs a break sometimes!" And as quickly as we all had shed tears we were roaring with laughter. (This only egged her on.) "Especially from Lindsay." Her comment was unplanned. T. is just really good with impromptu speaking. Leo's best man, whom I don't know, also expressed heartfelt words of admiration for Leo. He said that of all their buddies, he had probably had the most hard knocks in life, but it had made him the strong man the rest of them looked up to.

Leo looks like a perfect mix of James Dean and the guy who played "Dylan" on Beverly Hills 90210.

Young boys are disappointed by limousines at weddings. They would MUCH RATHER put shaving cream and tin cans on an old beater!

I REALLY WISH I didn't have to return tuxedos today! Or that my hubby didn't have to go to work since it's not raining today, but it's fore casted all next week! Ugh! We were up much too late.

Even guys can admit that a couple hundred laser wands and crickets chirping in the summer darkness during the send off of a couple who is "Just Married" is very romantic!

As wonderful as the evening was, I CAN WAIT until it's my daughter. About thirty years, in fact!!!

Love is a special and weddings are fun!

Preparations

There are writings I need to catch up on, but this week, it's all about my beautiful niece and preparing for her wedding tomorrow! I hope your weekend brings much to celebrate as well. :)

I know your's does, Michelle! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I'm over the top thrilled for you!!!

O' Sun, Where Art Thou

My Dear Sun,

I know that only three weeks ago, I was extolling the virtues of a good Rain. And I do still love her. But please know that my affection for Rain does not diminish in any way my friendship with you, either. You are each special. Each unique in your own way. And I did enjoy my first few days with Rain, but I have missed you while you have been gone. Rain has been very cool, but I am missing your sunny nature. Without you, life has been a little darker, a bit more dreary. Nineteen days is long time to go without seeing you. Your absence has not gone unnoticed. This is the very longest you have ever been gone from here. And while Rain has been fun to play with for a little while, there is so much she can not do that you are very good at. We can not go to the ball games with her. We have missed five games and several practices so far. Swimming with Rain is not really as fun either. In fact, it can be a bit dangerous. Especially when she tries to be slick. Picnics, walking and biking, and going to the amusement park or zoo - Rain doesn't allow any of that. And quite honestly, she's kept Greg from going to work as well, which is starting to make him worry a bit. With you, Sun, he's happy, at least when you're not beating down on him! :) He misses you, too. I really think rain would be willing to leave for a little while, if you don't feel ready to share the sky. We don't want her to feel bad, but we just need to see you, to know that you're still around. I know lately Rain has gotten a lot of glory in press coverage, but I promise, lots of people will come out to see you if you'll just show up and beam down. So please, Sun, feel free to visit really soon. There are a lot of us looking for you to show up and light up our lives once again!

What Did I Miss?

I can't believe I'm making my big return to the blogging life with such a lame post, but I have no choice. I wanted to come back to describe to you all the AMAZING journey we've been on this past three weeks with MY NEW CHRISTIAN DAUGHTER (yay!), but I can't. To tell of all the wonderful miracles that have been unfolding right before my often teary eyes, I will need to write a substantial post. The problem is that currently, I'm peck typing one button at a time. I have chronic tendonitis in my right wrist from an injury I sustained about twenty years ago. It only becomes a problem for me about maybe 2-3 times per year, but wouldn't you know......... I've been so eager the past two days to keep it immobile to let it heal so I can take off my splint and type, but this time it's being a bit more of a booger than it has before. So please know I will soon be making the rounds, getting caught up and maybe beginning to leave some comments again. I've enjoyed my concentrated time off, but I really have missed my Bloggy circle while I've been away too. So until tomorrow......or the next day - or come to think of it, Monday since I'll be at the lake with hubby this weekend, and you all know how eager I am for that! I promise, though, not to water ski so I can come back and type no later than that, O.K.?


Oh, and I've put in to have a blog design done in the next month or two. So maybe by mid-summer you can quit staring at this tired old design! :) Blessings!

A Child's Guide To Product Endorsement

As someone who once spent her time publicizing events for radio and television networks, I now try to pass some of that knowledge on to my kids. I tell them how a lot of companies employ someone whose job it is to make that company look good and that is what I used to do. But I also tell them I only worked for people whose companies I really believed in and that some people try to make companies look good when they really are not.

Like INSURANCE. My apologies to anyone who works for an insurance company. It's just that, so far, my husband and I haven't found the particular one that isn't a big black sucking hole of injustice. If yours is different, by all means, PLEASE let me know about it. But only if it IS good. Don't just try to make it look that way. I can spot those tricks, remember?

So anyhoo, I am forever teaching the kids to spot the TACTICS. They crack me up walking through the grocery store, declaring loudly to one another, "Just because the picture on the (cereal) box is of "Superman," Justice, doesn't mean you're gonna get him. It might just be that weird blob guy inside." Or "I know it SAYS if you buy it, you'll get a jump rope with it free, Faith, but not until you buy two more boxes first and then send in the bar codes and wait 4-6 weeks. Plus it will be at least two more weeks before we buy the next box, so you're gonna be waiting all summer. Wouldn't you rather just earn a dollar cleaning the car and take it to the dollar store for a jump rope?" Oh, yeah, Baby - I've got them speaking SAVVY, I tell you. But perhaps I may have also inundated them with a few too many phrases? Take for example this conversation at breakfast this morning (based on this bucket of raisins):

Dalton: Hey, Faith, isn't that the Chiquita banana lady you're supposed to bring the outfit for Ms. P. to dress up in for your banquet tonight?

Faith: Noooooo. (Silly boy!) That's.....well, I don't think she has a name. But she's the national fan of raisins!

Like NASCAR......but for fruit?

They make me laugh like a senior on Cyalis who is now free from frequent urination. Or whatever that stuff does.

A Chance To Be A Blessing and Clearing Up A Misunderstanding

I do not have e-mail or the ability to retrieve a code for the pretty button, but please know that Boomama is hosting a fundraiser today for Heather at Especially Heather to pay for expenses for a trip to the Mayo clinic for consultation on a newly discovered brain tumor. This dear lady is an absolutely amazing GEM of a human being with a lot on her plate even before the diagnoses. I have donated through Boomama before and she does everything with full integrity. If God has blessed you with good health and a few extra dollars, please consider helping out this dear Sister. You do not have to have a blog to participate and any amount is appreciated.

__________

After a comment made IRL yesterday in response to my last post, I felt the need to better explain certain details. I originally omitted these details in an effort to shorten an already very long post, but I do want to explain.

This person implied that perhaps I was taking too many liberties in referring to the lake property as "ours." (And this was not someone in our family; in fact, it is someone with which I am only a casual acquaintance.) But I realized if one person had that thought, then others might as well.

Let me assure you that even as I wrote yesterday's post, I questioned whether this very misunderstanding might occur. But to include all I wanted about the story, I had to choose to write more than was likely to hold interest in the story (so that someone might be distracted from reading all the way down and miss all the details anyway) or to assume that by the very nature that my MIL introduced her property to us IN DIRECT RESPONSE to our desire for such a property, people could assume not only that we have her blessing, but that SHE indeed instigated this whole process. Using the term "ours" was simply shorter than explaining each time what was a monetary reference and what was a family project reference. Because that is foremost what this has been to us - all of us - a fun family adventure.

Let me explain that when I claim to have a wonderful MIL, those are not just words spoken for brownie points. And she knows that. She knows my heart and my gratitude for the person that she is. I entered my husband's family at an extremely personal time for them and that lent to an opportunity for right definitions in our relationships that not all families necessarily work out so easily. She has never treated me as anyone other than the wife of her son. She has never made me feel the pressure that being treated equal to her blood born daughter would bring, nor has she treated me like I am merely an appendage to an already established family. She treats me as an individual added to bring a new unique aspect to a great group of people. And I love her for it.

That said, what I wrote yesterday, I would have no problem having my MIL read. I do not walk on eggshells with her. If I say something stupid, she just assumes I had a momentary lapse in judgement as she admits to her own at times. (Yes, I DO KNOW how blessed I am.) She knows that when Greg and I speak in terms of "ours", that our focus is on the use and responsibility aspects of this venture, and not the financial. My husband and I have always been of the assumption that we are owed nothing from our parents. We are grateful when they choose to share with us. Whether it's property, advice, or babysitting. None of this needed to be explained within our own family. These sorts of issues have long gone back and forth between us - helping one another financially and otherwise in both directions. And though it's not really the business of anyone outside of our family, I will explain that those more mundane issues were already being loosely discussed. My MIL knew our family (my hubby and I) would likely use such a piece of property the most (assuming our uncle didn't also have other plans for the property if he indeed does own half), but we would also do the most maintenance and improvement on it because we have the equipment available to us to potentially add value to the property. Because of further details we have discovered but not yet been able to put into context (until our actual visit to view the property), it probably isn't worth a whole lot monetarily. My MIL WANTS this to be first and foremost a place for family gatherings (perhaps including her BIL's family), if it even pans out that way. We want to do the improvements for her (and potentially for our uncle - see how irritating and difficult this makes the reading?) that would make it worth more, whether or not we choose to make use of it. No one in our family questions that the property belongs to my MIL (and perhaps her BIL). I spoke in terms of "our" (reluctantly, at that) because she had ASKED me to do the research on it. So by saying "our," I was refering to my part in the "project" she had given me. She already has a full plate of responsibilites and I actually enjoy that sort of research. And our whole extended family's emphasis is on it being OURS in the sense of sharing it in order to share in each other.

I also might mention that my ending line of the afore mentioned post was purely intended for humor. I would NEVER go through my MIL's (or even MY OWN parents') stuff! It was intended purely as a humorous wrap-up to neatly end the story. (And to gently tease my MIL in her ongoing pattern of forgetting about key land ownership. : 0) ) File this one under "Obviously, Not As Funny As I Thought."

One last point: I don't believe there is any sort of dwelling on the property. I tried to read where I might have unintentionally implied such, but I'm pretty sure the property is just land. However, a BLOGCK party with tents sounds like lots of fun! Sorry if I confused anyone.

I originally wrestled with whether to post about this at all while details were still so sketchy for this very reason - that the lack of detail might prompt someone to make false assumptions. But I think most people did understand it for what it was - an adventure too fun not to blurt about! And I thought by posting as we went through the process, anyone reading could sort of participate in our little adventure right along with us. To my MIL, my SIL and BIL and to us, this has never been such a serious issue. Two weeks ago, we weren't even aware of this property. We lived without it before, so we wouldn't' miss a thing by not having it now if it doesn't work out. Our focus is entirely on the fun we are having together because of it. We are thankful to God for giving us this unique reason to spend more time together.

Now, back to the really important stuff.....if you can, please go bless Heather! Make a donation

Apparently Acne Lowers Your Chances Of Serious Injury

The kids came home tonight from the first service of our Missions Conference all talking at once. They were SO EXCITED to meet the assigned missionaries each of their classes has been praying for all year and share what they had learned from them. Some of the children and teachers had dressed up like peoples native to the missionaries' countries. I loved hearing the concern and compassion in their voices from some of the harsh stories they had heard. My older son was particularly interested in their very different religious beliefs. "Miss A. dressed up like one of those people that wears a veil and a dot on their head. The people (who do that) think that the dot is an eye that can see evil and danger and protect them from it." Not intending to be sarcastic at all, my daughter answered with genuine excitement "Mom, that means you would be REALLY safe in their country. You have LOTS of eyes to watch out for you."

After the reality wears off, then I'll formulate my witty comeback.

More Cute Quips

What would this world be without children? They save your sanity on weeks like this one where getting out of bed seems like a dangerous risk to take. How I love all their sweet funniness!

As I tried for fifteen minutes to arouse the children from sleep this morning and they remained in their state of comfortable comatose, Faith finally offered a pucker of the lips as a sign of life. Perhaps it was her way of tricking me into thinking she was making a real effort at bona fide movement. "I'm a fish" she moaned. "Well" I said, "why don't you be a Fashion Fish and go put your new clothes on? I laid out your new pink sparkle shirt and pink rain boots." Within 4 1/2 seconds she was up and on her way to get dressed. All it took were the words "new", "clothes", "pink", and "sparkle" for her to snap to!

Later as we ate breakfast, Faith declared with rather ceremonious giggles "Hee hee hee, I ripped a toot!" (Which we allow talk of only within the confines of our own twisted home.) "Ew, Faith!" I teased. "We're about to eat." "Well, girls DO toot TOO, you know." "Yes." I said. "But it's strictly a boy thing to actually be proud of it." Then Dalton spoke up. "I don't know, Mom, did you hear it? It was definitely one to be proud of!"

I am so glad they support each other.

Driving down the highway to run errands, my son spotted a mini semi truck sporting colorful photographs of pizzas enlarged to six feet tall on the sides of it. "Oh, cool, Mom look!" Is that truck carrying a bunch of pizzas?!" "I bet it is!" I said excitedly for him. "Oh, Mom, I think I finally know what I want to be when I grow up! How cool is that?! Getting to drive the pizza truck!" High standards, this guy. Just see what he aspired to in yesterday's post. We've got to sit him down and have a talk. Well, O.K., not yet. He's still good for a few more years of cheap entertainment. : )

The Deep Philosophical Thoughts of a Five-Year-Old

Today as we were browsing the store for necessities, my little guy was rambling incessantly about all of the really important typical guy topics. On and on and on he talked about poop, toilet paper, sports and toys with nary a breath to be taken. As we were finishing our checkout process and leaving the store, he spotted a large colorful poster of the green M&M mascot standing next to a gigantic ice cream sandwich. Without so much as a comma in his stream of thought he relayed all his profound realizations on the matter.

"Hey I bet when M&M gets hungry he really doesn't even have dessert because he can just eat his self right Momma in fact I bet that's why dogs lick themselves probably because to them selves they taste good huh maybe if I get really really hungry enough and I lick myself I would taste good too...."

And then my concentration on his verbiage just waned. I got stuck on the humor of his wanting to try licking himself like a dog in order to enjoy a good snack. I really must learn to cook a little better.

McLife

No, this is not a reference to Grey's Anatomy. I am that one woman on the planet that has never watched it. Wait! Before you declare me unworthy, hear me out. See, I am smart enough to know that if I ever DID watch it, I wouldn't want to stop. I can tell by all the running commentary out there in Blogworld! I've thought Patrick Dempsey was cute since way before he became "McDreamy." Back when he was just nerdy in "Can't Buy Me Love." So I can't risk getting bogged down with one more time stealer.

And there already has not been much time to post lately as the entire past week resembled "rush hour," even despite the fact that none of the kids are in extra-curricular activities right now. So, in the interest of "driving through" quickly and getting on with it, this has been what's on the "menu" recently, in no particular order:

Unpacking and organizing
Reorganizing what the kids move around before I can move to the next thing
REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT
Setting up the trampoline (by myself, to keep the kids from doing above)
Going to the circus on invitation of old renewing friends
Replanting flower beds dug up by neighbors dog (hubby)
Praying for hubby's blood pressure (due to above)
Finally getting our family picture made!
Sad that my youngest is getting his first permanent tooth
Lots o' throwing up (both parents and the young un')
Planning a baby shower for a new friend with no local acquaintances
A cool out of town field trip to a one room school house (my oldest and myself)
Piles and piles and PILES and MOUNTAINS of laundry
Torrential rainfall (LOVE IT!)
Eating out a little more than usual
Boat building and racing (2 of 3 placed second and one required discipline in good sportsmanship - and it WASN'T the one that didn't place)
Marital work
Another forgotten appointment
Discussion with other school Moms about state of education (even in Christian schooling)
Girl date with daughter to a Princess Play
More potential trouble from stolen identity - hence very little money and all the kids in dire need of clothes
Having to watch weight for the first time ever
Researching selling art at local Market or photography job
Watching my daughter invent a new talent (LOVE this idea - she made it up and she is AWESOME at it!! "Scooter Ballet")
Excitement over Easter coming (my very favorite holiday)
A new direction in Bible study - PROVISION
More content with God's grace than ever before

.......SUPER SIZED, with a Dr. Pepper

Sunday Funnies

My husband walked in yesterday morning and asked to the home populous in general, "Has anyone seen my razor?"

"Not unless it's hot pink," I joked. I had seen the bubble gum colored razor in the children's shower and had JUST FINISHED having a conversation with my 7-year-old daughter about whether she was trying to grow up too fast. I realized after a moment or two that she in fact really did not know where the razor had come from. Then it dawned on me that Grandma must have left it when she visited last week.

"Of course, it's not hot pink; it's black," my husband said. "Do they MAKE hot pink razors?"

At this point, I was thinking, "Lord, I know he's a guy and all and recognizing details is not necessarily their forte, but is he SERIOUS?! OF COURSE he must know that women use hot pink razors!"

"Yes." I said. "I've had one."

"O.K. I don't know how I didn't know about that."

At this point I'm thinking "why would I make an announcement about what color razor I'm using to shave on any given day?"

My thoughts were interrupted by my husband's excitement. "Oh, good, here it is!"

And he held up his slender new cell phone!

I guess if it cleans something, he's the one without a clue. If it runs on batteries and involves invisible energy and cool gadget thingy-ma-doos, then obviously I am the one living in the dark.

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An hour later, my husband was busy gathering up supplies to work in the shop with his buddies. They were coming over to build boats for the kids to compete in the "Regatta Race" at our church's Wednesday night children's program.

He turned into the bathroom and shut the door. From the other side, I heard him yell (why, oh why, do people always seem to want to hold a conversation from INSIDE the confines of a restroom?!), "Hey kids, one of you please go get me some toilet paper. We need to have some in here. I've got gas galore!"

???????????????

A minute or two later as he finished up business and walked out I teased, "So glad you gave us the play by play about EXACTLY what was going on in there."

He looked puzzled.

So I repeated what he had said. "We need toilet paper in here because I have gas galore?"

He laughed because he had just been explaining to ME that our son seems to be having hearing issues. Then he corrected, "No! I SAID we need to put some toilet paper in that bathroom because I have GUESTS COMING OVER!!!"

Well, that's much more thoughtful, then.............

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And would you believe, as I typed the above and hit "spell check", that "thingy-ma-doos" didn't get highlighted? HUH!

Bloggy Break

This weekend I will be without a computer while I spend significant time unpacking and decluttering the "new" house with my sweet mom's help. My hubby will have our (O.K. HIS)laptop with him at a men's conference and my computer will hopefully be at a friend's house getting some long overdue TLC. All that to say, I won't be seeing Blogland until Monday at least. I'll miss checking on things, especially my niece Ashley (which I'll do by phone, of course, if anything significant happens. My prayer is that all will be quiet.) But I will LOVE getting organized! Have a safe and happy weekend!

Our Pre-K Crass-anova

A CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT IN OUR LIVING ROOM

My 5-Year-Old: "Oh, my goodness, did you hear that, Dad, that guy said 'She's Hot.' She is NOT hot!"

My Hubby: "That guy just meant that she wasn't cool. I mean comfortable. He was explaining why she was fanning herself!"

5-Y-O (slyly): "I know, but I know what the other kind of hot means."

Hubby: "How do you know THAT?!"

5-Y-O: "Because I just know what it means."

Hubby: "What does it mean?"

5-Y-O (giggling): "It means cute."

Hubby: "Well, that's true."

5-Y-O: "I know because I've heard you say Mom is hot..... But she's not."

Me: "What?"

5-Y-O: "Moms are not hot."

SILENCE

Hubby: "Moms can be hot."

Me: (to hubby): ONLY the Mom you are married to can be hot!"

5-Y-O: "No. Moms are not hot because they have kids."

Me: (to 5-Y-O, wondering how we raised such a chauvinist): "So if you have kids, you can't be cute anymore?!"

5-Y-O: "Yeah."

Hubby: "Why?"

5-Y-O (to hubby): "Because if a lady has kids, she is already married so she can not marry anybody else. And I shouldn't like a girl if she's already married. That's why Mom is not hot. Because she is already YOUR wife. So she can't be cute to ME because I have to marry somebody else."

Hubby: "OH! So you mean she can be hot to me, but not to you!"

5-Y-O: "Yeah. Of course. I can't marry her. She's my mom. But for you she's cute."

Me: "Yeah, to Daddy I better be hot. I better be the only hot Mama he knows!"

5-Y-O Giggles.

The Ultimate Blog Party - I Made It! I'm Here!

Oh, Hi, everybody! Hi! Where do I put my coat? I'm sorry I'm so late. I couldn't quite figure out the directions to get here. Krista showed up with a map and I am so grateful to her for helping me find the party. But I needed to help my three children with some chores before heading over. I'm so happy to finally be here. It's nice to meet you all. I already noted a couple of your wonderful recipes while making my way in. I haven't tried them yet, but they look delicious! Have you met our hostesses, Janice and Susan? Isn't this a fabulous party they've organized? I have met a few wonderful people already. Just tap them on the back on my side bar and tell them "Hello." In the mean time, I am going to mingle. I'll catch you soon so we can introduce ourselves. Bye!

Oh, and if you've inadvertantly dropped in on the conversation and don't know what's going on, feel free to join us! Our hostesses have kindly set up a list of blogs that want to mingle and "meet" each other online! Just clink the link above to add your name to the list and join the party

Our Weekend In Snippets

O.K. So I know that it is Thursday night and I am just now getting around to posting about our active fun-filled weekend with Grandma and Graypa. But I figure this type of a post is really more for our own family memories anyway than any sort of quality entertainment for a potential lurker or two.

Friday evening, my hubby raced home from work to put the finishing touches on his (uh, I mean my son's) pinewood derby car before loading up his tools to head over to the church to serve in his official capacity as "Check-in Manager." He is excellent at helping the boys to tweak their cars for speed, so they call on him each year to do so.

My daughter and youngest son stayed home with me since he was sporting a low grade fever and we wanted to stave off any reason for non-attendance to the big race on Saturday. I spent the evening cleaning and preparing beds with clean sheets for Grandma and Graypa's arrival.

Hubby and son returned home at the very same time Grandma and Graypa arrived after ten p.m. No one wanted to say hello and goodnight, so we all stayed up past midnight talking and catching up.

The next morning, Grandma and Graypa headed with us girls to cheer leading while the boys made their way to the derby. It was a BEAUTIFUL spring morning! My girls (the cheer squad) were all very tired (I don't know why) and embarrassed to have MY mom and dad watching them, so they did more giggling and laying across the floor than cheering. Graypa decided to make them laugh in his typical fashion. He spent the morning making up cheers about breakfast. "I want bacon. I want toast. I like cheers about food the most! Yea, Pancakes!" I think he may have been hinting since I only offered cereal after my lack of sleep....... :)

After the game, we all raced over to join the boys at the Pinewood Derby on the other side of town. The championship heat was beginning as we found the boys. For the first year ever, my son didn't place in the speed category. But he won first place in design! This was so special since it is also the first year he's done the work primarily on his own! Way to go, Dalton!

I held and hugged my friend's baby while feeding her cookies (only and they were quarter size!) and attempting to teach her to say "Aunt Nikki gives me chocolate." I'm going to make a good Grandma, aren't I?

We went home and watched "Facing the Giants" just like the plan, except for all of us falling asleep in 10 minute increments, waking only to take turns asking "Does anyone want me to make lunch?" The answer was always yes, but none of us could quite manage it for about half an hour. Finally I put some sandwiches together and we prepared for Allie's Birthday Party.

I was so glad to get to see Allie when we arrived at her Aunt Toni's house, just two streets over. The party was a karaoke/movie theme with outstanding decorations and the two most perfect cakes made by Allie's Aunt Toni and Aunt Rae. I know where I'm getting my cakes from now on! One was decorated like a movie clap board and one like a ticket. The girls all decked themselves out with movie star hair and makeup and sang and played and just generally delighted us with their sweet innocence. Allie's favorite part of the evening, though, was playing the vendor of the concession stand, which was made remarkably real with a card table, play money, and every type of typical boxed movie candy you can imagine. I have to admit I made myself sick eating so many "Bottlecaps" just so I could see the joy it brought Allie after her original rush of customers had tapered off for too long. Once the girls were started in on watching a movie, us "big girls" played a game I've never been introduced to before. "Sequence" is my new addiction! It was so much fun to play that we didn't leave to go home until 1:30 a.m. - with church to attend the next morning.

After about 4 1/2 hours of sleep, we woke up to get ready for services while Grandma and Graypa prepared to leave. It was a rather quick sendoff so we could all make our deadlines. Grandma and Graypa needed to have Allie home in time to prepare for school Monday. We had a fabulous church service, even if I did have to poke Greg to prevent him from snoring.

After church, we ate lunch at a Mexican Restaurant that we've eaten at for years. Our last time there, however, we received both bad food and mediocre service. This time, the service was TERRIBLE! As in, they forgot about us entirely multiple times. And every other table in the place. Seriously, all of us customers were talking back and forth in disbelief. It was so bad that I think we all only stayed to register whether such a thing was truly possible!

On the way home, I stopped off at Walmart with my daughter for the next day's necessities and ran into old friends I haven't seen in ages. We talked for over an hour about our lives, our churches, our mutual friends and God's goodness towards us. I love this couple. They were both students in my husband's and my youth group before they even dated.

Since my husband needed to go to work, I went home without any purchases and gathered the boys to go back with us to the store to complete our shopping. Then we returned home and readied for school, played three rounds of Whoonu and went to bed early. But just before bed, both of my husband's brothers called. Paul called to tell us his new school was accepting ALL of his old credits from several years ago and that he will most likely be graduating with his Bachelor degree in business at the end of this semester. I am so proud of him.

But the BIG news came from our other brother, Jason. He called to ask if we had heard that my niece's boyfriend had asked her parents permission to request her hand in marriage! Yay! I love my niece's boyfriend. None of us were too sure when their relationship started where it was going, but we all hoped he was "The One" way before she was sure about it! Welcome to the family Leo! (She of course said yes) You have already been one of us practically since we met you. And "my handsome nephew" just sounds so much better than "my adorable perky niece's boyfriend." The kids especially CAN'T WAIT for the wedding. They have so much fun with Leo. He is one of their favorite jungle gyms. And an absolutely fantastic, talented artist.

So, there you go. Our weekend in a nut, er uh, coconut shell.

Monday as the day fell apart and I blogged about all the sordid details, I told my youngest son "I'm sorry Mommy spent so much time on the computer today. Thank you for being so patient." He just looked at me and said flatly, "I'm not."

Thank YOU for being so patient (or pretending to be) with this post. It was purely to fulfill a request from someone who actually DID want to hear about it. Well, that's what they said anyway. Go figure.