Ponderings from the pits of my mind....

...when did life get so complicated? How come a simple little thing like going camping is almost more work than its worth almost?

We are going on our anual camping trip this weekend, which is supposed to last a week. Im thinking we wont stay that long. Im just not exited about it like usual. Im dreading the work of packing/setting up camp/tearing down camp/packing up to go home/and unpacking when we get home/ all the hellacious laundry I will have to do. So, excited? No, not so much. The good thing is that I will see people I really like and some of them I havent seen in a while. Ill prohably start enjoying myself about the time its time to leave. Somewhere in the bowels of the archives of this blog is the post about last years camping trip. Maybe I should re read it. Maybe that will help me get excited. Or maybe not, because I dont even remember what I wrote....I would much rather, at this point, hop on an air plane, go somewhere and be pampered in a hotel. No tent, no bugs, no trying to prepare food in the 100 plus degree weather...which is odd for me I LOVE the outdoors usually. The kids loved camping last year and I guess it should be all about them anyway. Ive had my share of great times as a kid and its their turn.

I think I need some candy. The vending machine is calling me.....Ill be right back. No Starbursts. Darn. So, I settled for Peanut M&Ms.

So a two year old and his mom just won a trip to Disneyland on the radio. Seriously? That trip has got to be more for Mom...I happen to know more about Disneyland than the average bear, and it is kind of wasted on a two year old. Dont mind me, Im just jealous.

Wow, I just read through this and this post is like a giant whine fest. Sorry 'bout that. Life is really good, it is. Im thankful for a lot of things like, my husband, who is a really great guy, my kids, who are really good, my parents who have done a lot for me, my dogs who make me smile and who also make me late for work because I cant stop kissing them before I leave, all my friends, both real life and those in cyber land, my job, it is a pain in the butt but Im lucky to have it. There Im feeling better already.

Ouch!!!

Last week (yes, Im slow in blogging, lately)N made me so proud because, after watching T do it, he now can do a back flip dive off the diving board. So, the next day after his first back flip dive, I wanted him to do it again.

Me: Do another back flip off the board
N: Moooommmm, again?
Me: Pleeeeaaasssseee?
N: Oh, okay.

He got up there, got into the proper stance and then sprung up off the board. Up. Not out. I could only just watch in horror as I realized that his body, because he didnt spring OUT, was not going to clear the board. He hit the board, with his back before hitting the water.

Thank God, he was ok and was able to swim to the side of the pool, where I helped him out. He had a huge long scape down his back...and it was going to get uglier as the days went on. It doesnt look THAT bad in the below pic, but the next few days it looked horrible, all bruised and scabbed over.

It is healing quite nicely though. I know one thing for sure, he will never have to hear ME ask him to do THAT again. I could careless if he ever goes off the diving board again, actually.


N's back after the dive.


N trying to smile, but WINCING instead, as he decides to stay out of the water for a while.


Doesnt really have a darned thing to do with this story, but isn't he cute?

Unbelieveable

Last night we went to a really cool soccer (uh..I mean football, to the rest of the world)game. It was my daughter's coaches playing against a team from one of the local men's leagues. Anyway, the coaches from the soccer camp S is attending are from all over the world. Her coach, while born in the states, spent most of the whole of his childhood in Haiti, as the son of Christian missionaries. Anyway, we were talking to a woman whose family is a "host" family for many of these fabulous (truly!!!) soccer players. The conversation between her and S went like this:

Woman: Oh, which one is your coach?
S: (insert name here)
Woman: Ooooh...yeah, I know him. He is from Hades (pronounced Hade-ees).

Upon hearing this I spewed a bit of my delicious Orange drink out of my nose, causing both of my sons to look at me in awe.

Needless, to say on the way home from the game (which the coaches, including the one from Hades, won, by the way)we had a talk about the difference between Hades, and Haiti. Though they both may be miserable at the moment, they are at last very different places indeed.

People NEVER cease to amaze me, and this is a perfect example of why.
In case anyone reading this does not know the difference between Hades and Haiti, let me help:

Hades is a synonym for Hell. This is Hell (or someone's interpretation of it):


This is Haiti.

Haiti is a very poor country about 90 minutes by boat from Disneyworld (that fact alone, blows me away. All those fortunate kids frolicking with Mickey and Minnie and 90 minutes away a whole country whose children are starving and are often slaves to abusive rich masters).

This is Hades; Hades is the name of Greek Mythology's version of the Devil.


This is a Haitian. A Haitian is a person from Haiti. Notice the difference, please.



Any questions? Good.

AWWWW Shucks...

My friend over at LLOL gave me this award!!! Now I must pay it foward (I actually like the movie of the same name)to fifteen other blogs...dont know if I can do fifteen, but Ill do as many as I can!!

So, here it goes

Heather Cherry
Erin over at Life from my Laptop
Sharon over at Sharon's World
A over at Parenting in Our Fishbowl
Tiruba over at TubavilleIts all Cupcakes
Corrine over at Buckfields Mad Mama
The Fox Den

Lisa over at The Grateful House
911 Whats Your Emergency?
The Accidental Mommy
Heidi over at Mommy Doesnt Live Here Anymore
Nan-Nan's Place

So, I realize I didnt name every blog I enjoy, but I would be here all day if I did...just know that just because you arent here, doesnt mean I dont love you!!!!

Joey goes missing....

So, I have had too much excitement today...that will be enough for the rest of the year, thank you. This morning as I was getting ready and all the kids were getting ready, the dogs, Joey and Carmen the Weiner Princess were carrying on and barking and whining, so I let them out back.

Our backyard is fully fenced, with an extra fence around the fruit tree area and another around the pool. Anyway, I notice Carmen at the back door wanting back in, so I let her in. No Joey. So, I whistle, to which he comes to %99.9 of the time. Still no Joey. So, I go out back and look around the corner to see if he is at the gate that leads to the front. Nope.

I walk around the yard, calling him to no avail. I check the shed, the fruit tree area, the pool area, the garage...everywhere he could have gone (even though these places were all LOCKED). I had the kids check all the rooms of the house just incase Im losing my mind (which I certainly am) and I already let him in and forgot about it. No Joey. So, about 7 minutes have gone by. I go out to the front yard and to the street and call him. Even though there is no way he could have gotten out...everything is locked and there are no holes that I know of in the fence. I couldnt see any holes....we have lived here with these dogs for five years..there has never been holes in the fence..

Anyway, my neighbor hears me yelling for Joey and comes out...and now Im crying. Yes, CRYING...see, I love my Joey bug tremendously and cant stand the thought of him lost or hurt or away from me forever.

My neighbor, me, and all three kids are looking around front and back...and now we can HEAR him barking but we cant.find.him.

About 5 more minutes goes by and my neighbor yells "Here he is!" The little turd was in a neighbors BACK yard three doors down!!!!! Behind a locked (with a padlock and a chain)gate. We have NO idea how he got there. My neighbor, who has a long rivalry with the people who live in that house, thinks they TOOK him. I dont know.

First of all, they would have to climb OVER our gate, and pick him up, and climb back over the gate, which is unlikely because A) Its broad daylight, and more importantly B) if a stranger (which is what they are to Joey) tries to pick up my bug, he would bite the crap out of them.

Im not sure what happened, but I guess Ill be spending my time after work doing a perimeter check for holes and gaps.

Carmen the Weiner Princess is the only one (other than Joey bug) who knows what happened, and she is NOT talking.

Down to the wire...

So, I have been somewhat absent on my blog and the reading of others' blogs, and well, basically just about everything computer related that does not have to do with my job. I have been preparing for a major inspection and it really stinks because A) I have to actually do some work and B) Some stranger will be sitting in my office inspecting paper work and I am not that fond of people I do not know. But, I will be pleasant, and nice and smile a lot more than I do on a regular basis. I will be a kiss butt to get through this thing.

It'll be nice to get back to normal life until the next inspection in August....I really need to win powerball or something, so I can stay home, play with kids and dogs, tend my garden, bake bread and make my own pasta and all that other really cool stuff that I dont have time for. Oh, and I would spend more time on the computer doing non work related stuff.

Things have been mellow on the home front. I'll post pics later of N's diving accident...it happened yesterday. T is gone for 3 days to Portland, so its just me and the kids. And the dogs, cant forget my fur babies.

I will actually have to cook dinner, or serve dinner (dont know how much cooking will be involved) when I get home, since he usually does it. I will know what its like to be a single working mother. Ugh...I miss him already.

An Adoption Contest

Go to Tiruba's blog and give your thoughts and win a groovy prize. Your helping kids too in the process! So its a cool thing....

Random Photos of our Summer thus Far...

I downloaded a lot of my pics into the computer today, so I thought I'd share some of the fun we have been having so far, this summer:

A and a huge bear!

At the playground

Visiting local historic sites with Grandma, Granpa and Uncle Will

Playing in the pool at home

N coming out of a slide at the waterpark.

A at the water park.

At the waterpark; S going down the slide...again.

At the train station on our little train ride in the mountains

Thanking my Lucky Stars

I woke up with a headache today. No, let me rephrase that. My headache woke me up. I say that like it's a regular part of me, because lately it is. Anyway, I got up and took something for it and realized that it was probably because I am dehydrated.

Did you know that swimming for hours in the hot sun and not drinking very much feels much like a hangover the next day? Well...it does. So, as I type this the kids (for the first time since they have been here)are getting their own cereal, and they are acting like its a big production. They are so easily entertained, which I think is great.

Yesterday we went to the annual Foster Parent Appreciation Barbeque at the local waterpark. Even though we have adopted our kids, we still get invited, which is pretty cool. I brought along one of the kids' friends too, so I had four kids (which, by the way, is no different than having three really)for the afternoon. The hub didnt go because the man has got to sleep sometime.

So, the four kids made me think that I could do four on a regular basis. I used to think, after the kids first came home, that people who kept adding to thier family after three were nuts. Now, I can see why that would be appealing. My husband would not agree though, Im afraid. He is after all the father of five now, and I dont think six or more are in the cards for him...Im just sayin'. I understand now, that s all.

We are very lucky to have the three that we do. Our prayers on the adoption and finding a good match were answered. Yesterday, at the foster parent bbq, I saw one kid about seven who used both hands to flip A off when he wanted to play. I also witnessed in horror as one boy, a boy N made "friends" with tried to teach N about how the jets of the pool "feel good" when you rub up against them.....needless to say I calmly redirected N's attention to something else. Dont get me wrong, Im in no way coming down on these kids. They are the way they are because our society has not treated them right or kept them safe from evil, or irresponsible people. It just made me thankful that we got the kids that we did, and I pray that these kids get the chance to heal with loving foster parents or adoptive parents.

If you stumbled upon this blog because you are interested in adopting kids from foster care, I hope I didnt scare you. All these kids are precious and they can heal, they just need a chance to. They just need someone to give them a chance.

I Really Love Him

So, I had another one of those heart warming, cute moments with little A (he's six) as I was tucking him into bed.

A: Goodnight, Mommy.
Me: Goodnight. Will you be as nice to me when you are grown up as you are now?
A: Yes.
Me: Really? What will you do?
A: I will hug you and kiss you.
Me: Good. Will you come and pick me up in your car and take me to the store?
A: Yes. And I will take you to Hawaii.


Sweeeeet. Im holding him to it.

Left Out of the Loop by my Stupid Town.

My town left me out of the loop, and I am mad about it. They have been building this big brand spanking new grocery store...it is huge and it has a mesquite (or so Ive heard) grill in it and all kinds of cool crap. I drive by everyday and stare with glassy eyes at the progress which was being made on it.

I, along with a lot of other people, have been waiting anxiously for a new store. All we have now is one Grocery Store, and another store which sells groceries and other things that begins with a "W" and which I will not name let alone set foot in.
So because since I wont set foot in the "store which shall not be named", Im basically down to one store, unless I drive 40 minutes, where there is a plethora of shopping choices. This new store was supposed to be open MID July....

Anyway, this morning Im taking the kids to the daycare and we go by the store. The parkinglot is FULL of cars.

ME: What? (feeling a little panicky and hurt)...Who are all those people?
N: Workers mom.
ME: Oh, right, they have to train everybody before they open....thats right..cool, this means it will be open ANY day now, Im excited.
S: Me too!!

Later, Im sitting at my desk at work (not working of course)and my hub calls me

Him: Well, its open.
Me: What? Whats open?
Him: The store, the new store
Me: WHAT???????????
Him: Its packed with people.
Me: Darn it!

I guess all those people in the parking lot this morning were PATRONS, evidently they are people which were in "the know", unlike me. What happened to the MIDDLE of July? I feel left out.....all those people in the shiny new store, with all those new smells and floors, and bathrooms and...and....but not ME, Oh noooooo, they couldnt let ME know. How the heck did all those people know? Because they are special thats why, and I hate them.

I Worry About Me

So, Im looking at my calendar on a particular day in July and it says:

BCBSF

I wrote it, its in my handwriting and I have absolutely NO idea what it means.
Hopefully, its not something I really need to know, because unless I have some major revelation between now and then, Im afraid that Im stumped.

Bring Cat Back Some Food?
Buy Cauliflower, Bacon, Sugar and Franks (Hot Sauce)?
Boys Can Build Sand Fort?
Bake Cupcakes Before Sam is Fifty?
Brain Crashing Badly Soon to be Forty?

I just really dont know.

Moral of this story:

Do not abbreviate on your calendar.

Random Thoughts From My Tender Head

Things are settling down now (I hope) from a very busy two weeks or so. We have had a lot friends and family visit, and then the fourth...and Im tired. Our pool is open, so that is kind of nice. One of these days I will try and enjoy it without a bunch of kids in it....that sounds nice. Me, and the swimming pool. Just the two of us....oh, and my hub can come too. I would float on my back in silence and watch the pelicans soar above. Ahhhh peaceful. I could do that now, all except the silence part. Oh and the fact that as I'm floating, a little elbow or knee would inevitably jam into my side or something. Now that they can swim in the deep end, no place is safe.

Now I'm just complaining, and I really shouldn't. Our kids are great; we are really lucky.

I have a weird head thing going on. Its like someone has shoved a stick in my ear into part of my throat and then shifted it up so it runs up along the back of my head on the same side that ear is on. Just under the skin. Its weird, my scalp is even sensitive to the touch...so, I have that going for me.

Work stinks. I have all this stuff to do, but I don't want to do it because I KNOW it means sending a bunch of stuff back to people, who cant seem to do things right the first time (or second, or third....) and quite frankly I'm not in the mood.

I have some groovy toy reviews I want to do. However, it would require getting my camera out and loading pictures, etc, etc,....but I will get around to it. Someday soon. Maybe this weekend, oh that's right, I have weeding to do this weekend. Yipee.

Truthfully, all I want to do is sleep. For a very long time. On the same day that I float in solitude in the pool, I also want to lay in bed, with my dogguses, and watch senseless crap on tv and nap, then watch more crap, then nap some more, maybe even have some pizza, or some oreos. Now I'm dreaming. Doesn't that sound great though...a whole day of that.

Hey, what is a blog for if you cant dream on it? What would be your "ideal" day at the moment?

Things that make you go "hmmmm".

My cousin has always had a knack for blurting out obscure, but quite correct observations. How she makes such observations is completely beyond me. I do know that she cracks me up. Here is her latest:

Me: Do you watch Nancy Grace? (Im about to talk about some case that was featured on her show).
Her: Sometimes. She creeps me out.
Me: Nancy Grace creeps you out?
Her: Yes
Me: Um...why?
Her: She looks like the Grinch.
Me: You mean the one that stole Christmas?
Her: Thats the one. Her eyes...she has Grinch eyes, its creepy.

I just chuckled and chalked it up to one of her wierd observations. Until last night that is. I was watching the Nancy Grace show, as I always do. And.I.saw.it. The Grinch look.

I tried to ignore it, I really did. But, alas, I cannot. I will forever see the Grinch in Nancy Grace, and Im afraid, during Christmas season, I will see Nancy Grace in the Grinch. So, thanks K, dear cousin of mine, for ruining two things I like to watch. Hopefully, I just didnt ruin for anyone who might be reading this, but I kind of thought I should share. After all, thats what Im here for.

See, look: