Pics from a greenhorn gardner

We have not only managed NOT to kill many of the things we planted but some have started to go crazy. Including the tomatoes-I think we got a little tomato happy, those plants seem so SMALL when you first get them!

Being the first time gardner not sure if this is normal, but I do know I better start liking tomatoes more, and soon!

The red leafy stuff was the lettuce we planted for spike the lizard-the stuff is up to my waist-think next year one plant for the little guy will be plenty:)

By the way to peas only bloom once?

Perks of Shiny Penny people

My oldest son is a classical shiny penny person. Example he could be doing homework at the breakfast bar and see some cool animal rush by outside and jump off the stool to go out chasing it or hunting it-and be gone for an hour. If there is a "shiny penny" distractor around he will see it and be awed by it. Sometimes this can be funny and other times downright infuriating, and sometimes helpful as this story explains.

He is verbally grumping around (think door slamming, Karen) about a chore given to him. As he is walking back to his room to do said chore he spies the stainless steel garbage can I bought for the downstairs bathroom on the kitchen table. This is no ordinary garbage can mind you, but one of those cool ones you step on the pedal and the lid goes up. He is working into a tirade when all of a sudden we hear, "ohhhh what this" clunk, clunk "hey this thing is awesome!" clunk, clunk, clunk and then he quietly heads back and does the task.

Gotta love those shiny penny people

Blame it on Bobbi:)

When Bobbi gave me the lovely "Dream" necklace I never dreamed (uh hum) that it would really mean it. As the summer winds down and the date of when I officially go back to work with my new job is soon approaching I have been having weird work dreams every night. I usually get these the night before school starts but never this early and so weird. The first dream was that I hung up on a parent-on purpose. The second dream was the director of HR came to see me on the first day and I had jeans on-he criticized me and my lame excuse was I was so nervous I forgot to dress up. Another dream was coming to work and half my desk was gone-it was given to a classroom assistant who whined about not having one.
So anyway I am sure this is not all Bobbi's fault and she meant dreams of a whole other kind but it was to coincidental to not mention:) Love you Bobbi!!

CRAZY I have a feeling I need to put my mediating practices into more practice to survive this first year.

On another note I got the COOLEST black dress in Chicago-for those of you who have seen my Athleta dress this one I must admit I LIKE even BETTER. I have never officially had a little black dress and this is just the one. Need to find a special occasion to use it. Hmm maybe the lake:)

Returned from the Windy City

We arrived late this afternoon from our 5 day vacation, four days of which were spent in Chicago, sightseeing, sightseeing and more sightseeing. Below are a few thoughts from the trip:

Best food-cute little place down the street-best breakfast ever!

Gotta go with Cheescake factory-ate a whole piece of chocolate cake myself

Worst food-Navy Pier "Italian" see pic above-yea a personal mini bottle of wine-love the wine glass

Second worst food-double stuff pizza-proud to say my double stuff pizza still rocks compared to Windy City's best

Speaking of food, too little exercise and too much indulgene has left me afraid to put on clothes or step on the scale-think I will give it a couple of weeks.

Most dangerous: Riding with cabbies-wow think I would be safer skydiving, seriously how anyone tourist makes it is beyone me.

Most politically incorrect moments: Youngest son is in cab and after hearing the cabby talk to hubby says to me, "Are we still in the United States, and how come I can't understand what they are saying" next moment we are at the hotel and the doorman who happeded to be named Julio, says something jokingly to younger son and younger son says back, "No way Jose" Yeah, beam me up Scotty

Best moments-Shedd Aquarium, fireworks, the boys LOVED swimming in Lake Michegan-twice! They were one of about 10 people over two days who braved the cold water.

Most touristy moment-The Navy Pier is just above Keystone for all you fellow south dakotans but is a rite of passage for Chicago tourists. So we made the best of it and made a "Build a bear" including one for my office-yeah carried the cheesy build a bear box around all night. Both boys loved it and want it to become an annual tradition.

Finally while asking oldest what his favorite thing was he says, "To tell you the truth, just hanging out with my family, yeah just hanging out and having all these cool moments is my favorite, it really is."

Most humorous but annoying moment-Hubby and I go work out at the hotel on the first morning and come back to boys watching "Monsters vs Aliens" that they had BOUGHT-thinking it was like our DVR-hubby was not impressed

Me to....

Could be ugly....

I am a little worried about the next two nights of boot camp. I neglected to tell anyone-ok well actually forgot under the influence of spirits that I saw the personal trainer guy who runs the camp at the *gulp* Dublin on Friday night. And not early in the night either but later after some loopiness had taken over AND I was dying to go to perkins for a big plate of deep fat fried something. I MADE the mistake of telling him this and recollect him saying something to the affect of "Be ready for Tuesday, now I know I need to work you really hard". Ummmm maybe he got loopy too and forgot. I could always call uncle don't want to blow out my other eye:)

Red eyed monster

So all my fears of having a big butt in my dress and sweating in my dress were completely overshadowed by the one eyed red monster I woke up to on Thursday morning. A broken blood vessel in your eye is not a pretty thing. I wasn't too worried about it because everyone said it did NOT look that bad. Leave it up to my 7 year old to be brutally honest, "Ewww mom your eye looks like a disgusting bleeding mess", umm yeah thanks little man-he continued to point it to people everywhere-even the cashier at the grocery store-"My mom broke a blood vessel in her eye, wanna see it? Look at them mom show them your eye". I seriously was over the redness until it started to hurt (I have had two childbirths completely natural and something like pain in my eye can set me off)-I mean seriously hurt at the most inconvenient time when my bestest friends were here for a fun relaxing evening. I should have aplogized then and there before everyone left for my lack of conversation (I was being an excellent listener though) and my boorish behavior about my initially unruly children:< It all worked out I think everyone had a great time including me and today I can actually roll the eyeball around without excruciating pain. I can't imagine what part of me won't look right in another years:)

To Bobbi

Bobbi-What can I say!! I LOVE the gift. I love that you can KNOW so many of us just from what we share in writing. The one thing I need to do more Bobbi is DREAM (not to be confused with running through worrisome scenarios) but time to dream and let the mind be unburdened. You rock, it makes my gift I have sitting here for you that I made months ago AND WILL get to you someday in person not so cool. But I know you will love it anyway:)

Whew....

How do you pack in a gazillion stories, details and thoughts in a quick, witty, and interesting blog post. I don't know if you can. Can you really reflect on 20 years in a nutshell? Where you have been, what you have done and where you are now without going through all the weird emotions attached or do you just enjoy the moment? I can say truthfully I enjoyed the moments-without the incredibly painful red eye of course (Don't worry Bobbi-more on that later) and all the crazy fears and obsessions I had about the "big" evening were mostly-mostly laid to rest. Did I feel like the awkard person at the kegger come Friday night like I used to? You betcha-I didn't think I would and still did. Was it because of self conciousness or not being "cool" enough, as was the reasoning in high school. Definitely not. Was it snottiness or boredom on my part? I don't think so. Does it make me a shallow person NOT to be like Karen and love to hear others stories? I don't think it was that either. I think at this age the need to be with those who love you best for all of your faults and ugly parts along with all the rock star parts matters more to me than anything. It is a feeling of HOME (I think Karen knows exactly what I am trying to articulate).

So here is to you my wonderful 20 year friends, as I sit here crying-the tears I couldn't last night with good byes- at the computer while 2 of you are on the road and one will be leaving soon. I cry for all the parts of me that have changed-the bigger parts:) and the better parts. Tears for the next 20 years and what they might bring and how I can't wait to share them with you. And finally sad and happy tears for all that I am blessed with.

Quiet...

The boys have gone with my inlaws for a couple of days while I put in some long days at work. They (and I) am used to one or both being gone with my parents but not this far away or with my inlaws, here are my observations.

We went to a grown up movie
It is quiet
I can't quite get to bed-I am sure because of work and not because the boys are gone
The cat is walking around lost
Spike the lizard was wide awake and looking around for his tormentor-I mean owner
There was no fights or back talk about bed, brushing teeth or general sibling picking
Did I mention...

It is really quiet


I miss them already

2nd time, fish, fire pit, and flowers

The good and bad of Wednesday

The bad
-My camera card is still not working and I have this great pic for Bobbi-the cool metal chair with a child painted pot with orange flower in it next to my red house, it looks very cool
-Overtired children-too much fun one day makes for irritable children the next-seems like the sibling discourse occurs like our rain lately-all day with loud lightening and thunder-all or nothing
-My concentration to get any one thing done-seems like my computer becomes a time sucker-need to just turn it off and do SOMETHING
-Blame not being able to concentrate on my new career transition-it is very difficult to feel competent when I have NO clue what I am doing-and I hate not feeling competent
The Good-
-Singing ABBA in the car at the top of my lungs WITH my children no less-they love it-Go Super Trooper
-My "special" gifts for my reunion friends arrived, I am very excited
-Making progress on the job and feeling a little bit more comfortable
-My newly planted pots and flowers have almost made it a week!