Play Dough Play Day

Just a few pics of how we are winding down the last days of summer vacation...I would have chocolate chip cookie pictures...but, I had a blonde moment at the Commissary and forgot the chocolate chips (I buy them in bulk but they disappear since I have 3 children with a chocolate addiction)

So, out came the flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, water and food coloring...voila'

The End of Summer

Not literally but close enough...School starts in 9 days. Praise the Lord, Hallelujah, Yippee...I could go on and on. The termperature will remain hot and unbearable for at least two more months but the psychology of summer is coming to an end...lazy days that are picturesquely described in lemonade commercials are non-existent at this home. Our summer was filled with Dance Camp, Swim lessons, fighting amongst children, testing of this mom's psychological skills (I flunked) if I said "Don't do it" they did it and if I said to "Do it!" They didn't.

I spent every other day (not joking) cleaning the hardwood floors because they would walk around eating popsicles, pouring milk from the gallon container, hiding behind window treatments secretly eating the ice cream they were told to stay out of...I spent a week looking for teaspoons and soup spoons which all but disappeared (they have been found...insert more Hallelujahs here.)

The vacuum is on its last legs from over use...and as I key this...they are supposed to be taking a nap (a sheer act of desperation and a cry for sanity on my part) however, my cell phone keeps ringing...and it's them...I am getting crank phone calls from my own children...I do believe school starts in 9 days, 14 hours and 25 minutes. I think it is time to go play Handel's Hallelujah Chorus...

Farm Town

I started playing Farm Town. Why? Because I have a dearly loved girlfriend that I felt guilty saying "No" too. I had no problem saying "No" to Yo'ville...why would I want to go work in a pretend world? But, once I heard I could grow flowers in a pretend world...well, okay, I will do it. I have to keep bugging my girlfriend, THE Vain Wench, who, as it turns out, was quietly playing Farm Town, also. I guess I teased her so much about Mafia Wars, she decided not to share her guilty pleasure with me.

So,I got a farm. I plowed a field and I planted some grapes...I really want flowers but apparently, there is no money in harvesting flowers...and I had to work my way up to a level where I could plant sunflowers. I will say the rasberry fields look like roses and the ripe grape fields are a pretty purple.

I must be bored because suddenly moving up levels and buying a silo and a barn became my only goal in life. I also go visit the The Vain Wench's farm because it is so pretty. Sigh. My fields don't line up, I don't have the massive amounts of flowers...What is a girl to do?

My first day harvesting rasberries for a pittance I might say was awful...I harvested for an hour and didn't make one coin...a glitch in the system...I sounded out The Vain Wench...I need farmin' tips. She generously shared her knowledge. I learned you make money harvesting and the plowing moves you up levels...Suddenly, I wasn't so bothered about plowing all those fields for a measly five coins per field.

Today was much better. I farmed for a young woman in Singapore. She was quite chatty so it took awhile to get through all the work. She asked me to add her as a neighbor. I am stumped on this...I don't want to add a stranger on Facebook but that is the only way to be someone's neighbor. Is this a minstry opportunity or a disaster waiting to happen? The best part about today is I got my barn and my two benches...oh, how I wanted some benches.

To sum up my farming experience, I gotta tell you it is so much more fun farming in the pretend land of Farm Town...no sweat, no itchy eyes (I can have a cat and a dog) I can drink tea as I plow and harvest, I can shop to my heart's content without my husband yelling at me...on the downside? I notice The Vain Wench isn't reading my blog anymore...she's too busy farming. :-)

My Hair

I am getting close to 50 and I should probably think about cutting my hair...older women with long hair either look goofy or like they're not in touch with their reai age i.e. still think they're 20. However, when I was a little girl, my parents took me to Disneyland in a cute little sailor dress...I still can hear the little boy say "Look, Mommy! There is a boy in a dress!" See attached picture and you will see exactly what he was talking about! Yep, I looked like a boy...which really isn't all that difficult when you get your hair cut by Clarence the Barber. (Yep, sat in a barber's chair just like my brothers)

Some women have faces that look spectacular with short hair...ah, to be so blessed.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Back to school time...3 weeks from tomorrow, but really, who is counting?

I love this time of the year...new pencils, new folders, new crayons, new clothes...I adore perusing the Back to School supplies...the lunch boxes, water bottles...scissors, crayons, pens, and the pretty colored highlighters. Notebook paper is a sight to behold. It all just makes me giddy! There is something about the expectation and magic of the new school year...wearing clothes that are too warm for the eternal blaze of summer that is outside but pretending plaids and sweaters are acceptable to wear since school is in the fall and fall is cool...logic flies out the window.

I am out of school and I still am fascinated with Back to School supplies...but now I am even more enamored of the season since I will be returning my bored fighting children to a routine that will leave me with a slight degree of sanity for at least 3 1/2 hours Monday through Friday...just 21 more days...21 more days...21 more days...

Little Big Man

Losing the Training Wheels from Susan Bice on Vimeo.

Here is the promised video taken right after M removed his training wheels (all by himself!)

3 Weeks 4 Days...

...until School starts! (But really, who is counting???) Yippee!!! WaHoo!!!

Yep, the Little Darlin's are drivin' this Mama crazy. They are fighting (aka hitting and arguing), lying, tattling, sassing, whinin' and just plain sinnin'. Oh, and there was a little attempt to shoplift candy at the Commissary. Names won't be mentioned so I won't embarrass my children who are busy embarrassing me.

Then there are the little things like throwing my "in the process of turning red tomatoes" over the fence...again, no names. M using his big sister's self-tanner to spike his hair (which he screams if we try to spike it..and we actually use real hair product). And really, Big Sis has been told numerous times to pretend the shared bathroom is a dorm bathroom and cart her personal items off to her room when not in use (all to no avail...converting a single child into one that shares nicely with siblings still hasn't worked after 7 years).

I do believe a celebration breakfast on August 10 with my fellow Stay at Home Wenches is in order...Fellow Wenches, you may not take a job or teach a yoga class until August 11, this is hereby ordered by the Head Wench.

PS I thought I would include a picture taken from the earlier happier Days of Summer. (READ as "Mama was not so inclined to sell her children on eBay days)

Rocket Boys

H gave her dad a rocket for Father's Day...one that has to be assembled and painted. Many late nights were spent by H's dad to prepare the rocket for the big launch. The big launch was Saturday. M kept hounding his dad to go launch the rocket. The boys went to the Park but couldn't launch there since a softball tournament was taking place. There next launch site...the kids' school.

The first launch was a complete success. The rocket came down almost in the exact spot they launched it from. The second launch...not so good. A gust of wind came up right when the parachute opened...blowing the rocket until it hit the top of some very tall trees. The strings were wrapped around the branches and it was one stuck rocket. The ever resourceful men came home for pruners, loppers, etc. The return to the tree was still unsuccessful despite their best attempts when with their gardening gear. A ladder was going to be needed for this endeavor.

Sunday, after church, the boys returned to the scene of the misfortunate crash landing with a ladder. This time a big storm popped out of the blue, they ran for the car with the ladder still propped against the tree. Dad decided to sit in the car and wait the storm out...M was quite scared and this resulted in a call to me to assure the Little Guy that he was going to be okay and the ladder would be fine.

Two hours later, a little hand was thumping me to wake up from my nap to proudly announce they had retrieved the wayward rocket. Success. I am not sure who was more proud of recovering the rocket, M or Dad...but I am pretty sure they created quite the memory together.

Tagged

I have been tagged by my daughter to write ten things about me. Hmmm. I don't think I can...I have been around the earth for a really long time so one would think that I could sit down and bang out ten things. Simple. But not.

Everyone knows I am a tea snob so I don't know if I can count that as number one. Everyone knows I like flowers. How about if I add that I like to have purple flowers because purple looks good with everything? Can that count as two things if everyone knows? I think I like flowers because they remind me of my grandma and my dad...One of my first memories is stealing a flower off my grandma's honeysuckle vine to see if it really tasted like honey.

I like color. Color makes me happy. I find blue with hints of green very soothing.

My favorite movies are the classic old black and white from the late 30s and 40s. I find it hard these days to find something I really want to see at the movies.

I have a really sensitive nose. I probably should have pursued a career in the perfume field. I like soft scents and I love how scents like music can bring back special memories.

I have never had a flair for fashion. I am always astounded when I see what great fashion sense my oldest daughter has, she didn't get it from me.

I love to laugh. I think that is what is so great about children, they keep you laughing.

I have too many photographs and slides. (But really can you have too many pictures of people you love?) I just know I am running out of places to store photo albums and they aren't organized like they used to be since I am putting them all over the house, any place I find room. Some are in the office cabinets, some are in the entertainment center, some at the top of my craft closet, some in the bookshelf where I keep my dad's books...there has to be a better way!

My high school friends are amazed by my memory...however, let's not ask what I did for lunch two hours ago because I probably won't remember.

I am not very creative but I can copy something or use a pattern.

I have a tendency to buy things I really like in pairs. I usually end up with two sweaters in two different colors or two blouses in two different colors. I can't seem to break the habit.

I love to learn. I could be a professional student. The more I learn, the more I learn about what I still need to learn.

I have lost count on what I have written but my son keeps hitting my arm to read the newspaper with him.

Oh, and I am supposed to tag people...all I can come up with is Renee and Dee Dee...consider yourselves tagged!

Today

Mr. M took his training wheels off his bicycle and is now riding solo. He just needs a little push to get started. He is very proud of himself and keeps asking me "Mom, are you proud of me since I can ride my bike without training wheels?" He is now telling H "Mom is very proud of me for riding my bicycle!" (I am not sure what I am more amazed about...that he can ride without training wheels or that he just decided to take the training wheels off without telling anyone and then did it! Hmmm, I wonder if someday he will just decide he is going to drive a car and then just do it....scary thought)

Video coming!

One More

One more year and I can seat at the Prive with my eldest daughter. I bet she is looking forward to ordering a glass of wine at dinner. Me? I just want to sit in the Prive at the movies...plus, once she sees that her favorite restaurants charge $8 a glass for that wine, I have a feeling she'll be reverting to coke, just like I reverted to iced tea or water.

I can't believe it has been 20 years since they chased a fly out of the room so I could have my c-section. All I can remember is country music was playing...I swore I would remember what song it was but after 48 hours of pitossin induced/morphine for pain labor...I have no idea.

So one more year and when I go to my two maybe three if I am lucky movies for the year, we can sit in the Prive and drink $4 Pepsi.

BTW I am really hoping she chooses Carrabba's for her birthday dinner ;-)