This should be interesting...

The boys chose new little memo books for daily lists. We are finding that the procrastinating, eye rolling, sighing, reminder after reminderand in general not getting stuff done by our two frys needs to end. Christmas break is an excellent time to start a new habit, model it and if needed some painful lessons. I modeled making the list-set a time limit: i.e. if you get home from school at 3 then you SHOULD be able to get everything done by 5-or no privileges for the remainder of the evening....hmmm no one has started a thing yet. It is now 3:27. Bets anyone on how the evening is going to go?

Favorite Christmas things

Wow, yesterday's post was a downer, feel free not to read. This one is much more fun. I did receive some very sweet gifts for Christmas and here are just a few of the faves. Kind of like Oprah's faves. (I am sure there isn't a car tucked in there, but oh well)

The socks are from the cutest little sped/preschool teacher in my building. She came in shyly and gave me the gift. I put it in the pile and said thanks. She asked if I would open it right away she wanted to know of I liked it. I did. They were cute as socks go. I came home though and put them on. I LOVE them! They are warm, fuzzy, and so girlish. I never find girlish socks in my laundry-ever. I love walking around with them in shorts, I might even tuck my jeans into them I like them THAT much. I feel 13 again-like with leg warmers, but much cooler-oh and I am not 13!


Now the gifts below are little confusing. The cookbook (may look familar to some of you) was really a gift from me to my hubby. I ordered it the very same day I got a text from Karen saying she was breaking up with PW-it wasn't good for the waist line. When I ask hubby weekly what do you want for dinner he replies "something good". I know he is meaning "NOT Cooking Light please". I thought this would be the ideal place for HIM to start making himself "something good" translation "man food please". I made migas and now my dad wants a copy!

The next gift is the griddle-heavy enough to break a leg if you drop it on your own. Hubby got this for me (see a pattern here?). He says WE are moving to all cast iron (thank goodness for the PW cookbook). I love it, I have dreamed of making pancakes, more than 2 at a time in my little pan. I did. My family will be happy though when I get the temp thing figured out. A too hot griddle gives you black undone pancakes. And a too cold griddle will give you milk white pancakes-not golden brown. I will keep practicing.

The last gift was the highly coveted Rabbit. A few years ago I bought one for my bestest friend Suree. When I go to her house I always open the wine and give small sigh, because I love the rabbit. So now I have one for my very one-and it is even better-it is RED!!

I was a little worried about the pattern of gifts though-they were so domestic...so wifely....gasp so 40ish and after 16 years of marriage. But you know what, we had the best time laughing about the rabbit being red, looking through the cookbook-my parents included. Joking about the heavier-than-heck cast iron griddle and all the things we could make on it or other puprosed it could have that they have now become my "favorite things"

whew

Well the flurry of Christmas is officially over. Now we are down to taking everything down and tucking it away. I LOVE Christmas and I always miss it when it is gone. I am avoiding taking everything down one more day but am trying to get into some normalcy. My "to-do" list and odd jobs along with errands just keeps getting longer. I blew off EVERYTHING the last week while my parents were here. Where is where the "whew" comes in.
First of all I love to have my parents visits, but I can't think of anything that stresses me out more. I worry that they are bored, I worry that my kids annoy them. I worry that they like living away from us, more than near us. I worry that they think my kids are spoiled, naughty, aloof ALL the time, based on the small snapshot they have while they are here. I worry that they can't wait for the flight back.
The time together is wonderful, but the times of small awkwardness makes the visits just seem odd. It is hard to be older and see your parents in a new light-I shouldn't say both, mostly just one. It is hard to see my children withdraw from them-maybe it is normal at this age I am not sure. And to see my parents not interact with the boys the way they used and I feel sad-is it the desire to, or just an age disconnect-I am not sure. Conversations are sometimes strained, it is downright ucomfortable. I don't like uncomfortable or strained...I feel bad even writing something so "down" after the wonderful holiday. Which it was, I can't imagine it without family, which some of us have to do. I will think about the time together, the board games, cooking and good conversation, because there is that to, and that is what counts. Maybe it is just one of those life transitions that are new-I know because I am 40 maybe:)

Happy Day-After-Christmas

I LOVE this smile and that he always willingly obliges me. (We are in need of a hair trim though)

I love this look almost as much-he is changing SOOOO much-I can hardly stand it!

Hmmm not quite a smile or the goofy look I am used to...Love those lashes

A little ray of light...

I have a great gift story and pics to share, but feel a little funny taking pics for my blog girls while my parents are here. This blogging is a little strange to them. I will instead post some pics from our annual Christmas Vacation excursion to the little iced over creek. After much present opening, eating, movie watching, and video game playing (I have yet to get a turn at Donkey Kong). We all needed some outside time.

40 in a nutshell

The big birthday is officially over. Came in with a bang and out with a quiet whisper last night. All the things I had on my birthday wish list came true.
A night of dancing-and I mean dancing-disco ball included
Guitar serenade by Big Fry
Kindle from the hubby
All the staff at work dressing up "spangly" for the day-that is another story
Small fry asking for more "kids cereal" since it was MY bday
30 bday cards from a fifth grade class
Could have done without the naughty kids at school who didn't here the announcement obviously. But all in all 40 came and went like any other day. Just as it should be

Ugggggg

Karen is glorifying in xmas baking, Bobbi is baking for birds, and Carey actually bought a candy thermometer. I on the other hand just remembered at 9:40 (PM) that I need to make the multi-step cranberry crumble bars for the PTA cookie/bar exchange tomorrow night. I must say though licking the cream cheese layer mixing bowl is very satisfying! I actually like the crumble bars, it is the one time that streusel like topping works for me.

Here is something I am looking forward to making (see above) Swirled almond apricot bark and pistachio, cranberry, candied orange bark

Annual Tree story

You can not go a year without me having a tree story. I LOVE my trees, I LOVE picking my trees, I LOVE decorating my trees. This year I have YET to have a tree upstairs-see post below. I have a tree waiting in the garage for me to bling it up. I have a tree in the basement that I LET the boys do all by themselves-I swear I didn't touch a single ornament (because the tree gave me hives!). The story of how these trees got here is the really fun part.

For once both boys go with me to get a tree (you may recall NO one goes with me because it takes forever). We decide a tree for up, a tree for down and they can pick theirs. Before we get to the tree place small fry is already asking me how long will this take. We walk up to the gate and he continues to say how cold he is. We walk through some trees he says "Oh mom can't you just pick one fast, I am really cold". I give him the friendly public warning (I have to give these because it is mortifying as a principal to have a student or parent see you chewing out your kid in public). I tell him I wait for you ALL the time while you pick out legos. He replies, "Not very patiently". Any way we keep looking and he keeps whining. I give him the non public warning and may have used words like "ruining Christmas for me". I tell them we are leaving, no tree and get in the car. They follow me like little trolls begging to keep looking. We get in the car and go home. I ask hubby if he will go with me I get a big fat no. About an hour later small fry comes out with his PJ's on and glum, he asks if we are going to have a tree this year (I think I threatened there would be no xmas this year or next). I say of course, I am going to get tree now. He hesitates, "Can I come?". I say sure, he says, "Ok but give me a minute I have an idea" He comes out with an armful of clothes. "Don't worry mom, I have a plan this time, I will put on layers. See, then I won't get cold, you can take as long as you want". We did and next time we get legos with our allowance I will wait with smile on my face and positive body language, and I will let him take as long as he wants.

No time for Christmas Nazi

I am feeling a little scattered this Christmas. I am not sure why. I have boxes of decorations everywhere, that I meant to get up but didn't. I have cards that have names, but left them with no addresses as of yet. I had a great shopping spree with Suree-even wrapped a bunch the day after Thanksgiving and the rest still sit in bags. I have a tree downstairs but not upstairs-that one is in the garage waiting for the weekend. I can't tell you what it is. I am hoping when I accused my youngest of "sucking my Christmas spirit right out of me" at the tree place that it was really just sarcasm and not an omen. My favorite holiday of the year along with my excitement just hasn't arrived yet. Oh, I have my car cd player filled with Christmas CD's so hopefully that helps. I hope it finds me soon

Not good

My son got hit in the nose today at lunch, I think he actually said punched. And on purpose. For no reason. He didn't tell a teacher. There were tears. This was after I bit his head off in the car and hadn't even asked about his day. I suck

Eating a Pomegranate

How to eat a pomegranate (if you are an 11 year old boy)

1. Cut pomegranate in half

2. With your bare hands break it into chuncks

3. Dig into the flesh to pick out the seeds, causing a beautiful purple juice to stain your hands

4. Pick out the plump little seeds

5. Pop the seed in your mouth, be sure to wipe your hands on your JEANS

6. Eat the juicy part of the seed very loudly and spit out-with intention- the hard seed back onto your plate

7. Repeat, there are LOTS of seeds

Learning points

This weeks learning points:
Leave the room while your 11 year old eats a pomegranate
Using sacrasm with same 11 year old in the morning is never a good way to start the day and does not create "good mom" feelings

A Tale of Two Cheeses

The frenzy of cooking for thanksgiving is over. I don't know if I can have one more glass of wine-mulled or otherwise, another bowl of popcorn that went with every family movie we watched, or cook anything for a few days. Like Karen mentioned on facebook, jammies and sweat pants are looking good right now and I have one more day before I need to get into a pair of dress pants. Sigh.

Even worse is hubby is in a cooking frenzy of trying new recipes. Don't get me wrong this a great thing, any help in the kitchen is wonderful. The difficult part comes with hubby's recipe choices vs. mine. While I pour over cooking light and Jillian recipes he pulls out the one Food Network magazine I have and chooses a bobby flay mac and cheese-I can safely say you will not find this mac and cheese in a calorie counting cookbook. This recipe also comes with four different cheeses that-for those of from Rapid might jknow-are hard to find here. He sends me to the grocery store list in hand-first I can't find fontina.

Second he needs Irish cheddar-well-ok I find some English Cheddar-he doesn't look impressed when I bring it home and tell him, well they are right across the channel from each other. Thank goodness I did find some Irish Cheese-not sure if it is cheddar but hey at least we are on the same island now.

He is disturbed that I didn't bring home American Cheddar, now I must draw the line. American cheddar is orange, we don't need it to say american, we all know cheddar is cheddar in america and it is orange. He is not convinced.

He moves on to his homemade vegetable stock that he is going to use for guess what?? RAMEN NOODLE SOUP. Yes you read correctly, perfectly good homemade veggie stock to be mixed with packaged ramen noodles. Need I say more...I am going to need bigger pants or more wine!

The letter

I received a letter the other day from a "frequent flyer friend" (those kids I tend to see a little too often in the office if you know what I mean). I had written her a note, about 4 sentences, telling her what a great year she was having etc. I had been wanting to do it for awhile and finally had made the time. I recieved this (down below) the next day-hand delivered with a big hug. The teacher told me it would have been a day earlier but she had asked the teacher to proofread it so it could be perfect:

Dear Mrs. Daniel
Thank you for writing me a letter I really appreciate you doing that. That was nice of you and you are right I am working hard, being respectful, working better in my classroom. Everywhere I go but on 11-18-10 I was in in gym playing soccer. Manney evidently kicked me because he was trying to get the soccer ball. I have a question for you. How are you these days? I hope you are having lots of fun and I hope you are happy for me because I haven't been in your office this year excpet for the Ashly thing. I hope you are having good days. By Mrs. Daniel again have a nice day.
Sincerly
MC

You know what MC-Today was an AWESOME DAY and I am happier for you more than you will ever know!

it is a sad day

Dear Mrs. Daniel
Thank you for contacting Sahalie with your order concern.
Item 46335, black boots, size 6.5 are no longer available and we were not able to fulfill your order, and your card was not charged.
We apologize for any inconvenience

Facing your fears

At work I often talk about change with teachers, trying something new, learning in new ways and to quote Eleanor Roosevelt-"Do something each day that scares you". They quote it back to me often. Now, I don't think being scared every day is a good thing but I do try to model to my kids that facing fears can be done. When Carey wrote about surfing and sharks I laughed and made reference to Shark Week. Most of you like me grew up with JAWS and since then my fear of deep water or any water in general is always there. My small fry has never had that fear-he snorkeled like crazy 3 years ago and was excited to do it all again. UNTIL he A) Remembered shark week and B) Hubby saw a big fish with some kind of fin sticking up our first morning and jockingly said shark. Well this was all it took. The first time we went to snorkel, small fry made it about 2 feet into deep water and turned back and refused to go out. This posed a problem as we had just reserved an ALL day snorkeling trip out in deeper waters. He adamantly said "I am not going, no way". We cajoled, convinced him the turtles would be there and reassured etc, he wasn't budging. I finally told him that deep water scared the heck out of me and that he was the one who 3 years ago got me out of the boat. That we would never do something we thought wasn't safe. The whole way in the shuttle he was saying, "Well I'll think about it". We get to the lagoon, he sees the first beautiful blue fish from above and says "I'll do it, I'm scared but I am going to go for it-mom will you hold my hand" You betcha buddy-Will you hold mine?

A little risk is a good thing, you can't enjoy the ride if you don't get the heck on!

photo essay part 2

They wouldn't all fit

To answer Karen's Question: Been there and Back baby!

Here is a large photo essay. If you are looking for a get away this is the PLACE! It rocked!
I tried to get a picture of the lounge door, of a familar friends name. It is a little blurry because everytime I went to take a pic, small fry stepped on the sensor and it slid open! Photos say it better than words, but I do have a few stories to share:)

Checking it off

Well the necessary "stuff" for the trip is in the basket waiting to be dumped in the suitcase
The few lbs I would have liked to lose before we left didn't happen-well who cares anyway
Small fry-the calculated number man has to have the agenda and timeline repeated every day, his mind races a million miles with all the questions:
What time are we leaving, when does the plane leave Rapid? How early do we need to get up? I am getting up at 3 (I quickly say I am NOT).
Can I bring my beyblades? No never mind they won't make it through the metal detector
What time are we coming back?
I need to see if I have make-up work
We are swimming in caves mom-you can't be scared you just have to
Will we see turtles-we are snorkeling right?
Did you look up the weather-no hurricanes right?
Where are my goggles..
and so on and so on
ARE WE THERE YET

The new friend

I am leaving you with a few must write posts before I go:)
Big Fry has been talking about this new friend-this is good because Big Fry is a very selective friend maker and it isn't always easy. Middle school friends make me nervous. I don't know who they are, who their parents are, is this kid a "nice" kid and so on, all the nosy important stuff I need to know. As we wait at conferences Big Fry says there he is my friend____. I see the new friend with his mom and dad. Skinny, slight kid, mussy hair and glasses. And as he turns you can see some facial scarring and a slight disfigurement. You can just tell he is a "fringe" kid. I walk up and say " Wow am I glad to meet you, Big Fry talks about you all the time." I introduce myself to his mom and dad. There is it is, my son-probably a fringe kid to. Not part of the cool table, not part of the starting line up, doesn't have 200 friends on facebook-heck we don't even let him on. But he is a kid who looks beyond the person and sees a friend for who they really are. Will they be friends all year? Who knows, middle school is fickle. Are they grasping at each other because they are on the outer circle. Maybe. Would I have it any other way? Nope.

Today's verification word is crudd

How appropriate-not that the day started that way. We went to big fry's conferences they were all good. Middle school teachers either A) Don't think my child has quirks because all tweeners have quirks, B)Don't care about son's quirks as previous teacher's did, because they have too may flippin kids, or C) Don't sweat the small stuff if the grades are good. I think it is a combo of A and C. We come home feeling pretty good. Elder son is loaded with his "future" work to finish so he won't be behind after our trip (did I mention we will be in Mexico soon? I think I have once or twice). The only downside is the first 3 assignments for the new quarter for two teachers are F's because "AHEM" they are not handed in AND he has to look at the teacher and ask "What was that again?". I will admit the good grades of the first nine weeks lulled us into complacency. We hadn't been checking the planner as diligently as we were and the online homework help didn't show anything. So he missed 3 things due last Friday, WHICH we then had to cram tonight-on top of a science test he can take early tomorrow. Needless to say we didn't touch the "future" work. AND someone had a not very nice adult hissy fit about said child's rude tone and following comments-the parenthesis comments are the ones I wanted to say and didn't:
"You are invading my privacy, I don't need to show you my work!" (After gaining 40+ lbs to bear you, you have no privacy)
"I only have one headphone in, I can still hear you and do my homework-and I bought it with my money" (Sorry buddy at this point there is no money you get that is yours)
"Fine, don't help me then, I will just get an F and go to summer school" (If my ego could take it I would)
I am going to chalk up his mood to A)Hormones, B) the time change and/or C) short timer syndrome before our trip
I need to think more like a middle school teacher-if most of it is good don't sweat the small stuff ,and some of the ego has gotta go. Sometimes they gotta fall flat on their face to know how to get the heck up.

hunting trip #2

Bird wise we faired a little better than trip one. Big Fry took down his first bird-I wish I had the camera with me when he came over the rise of the hill holding it up in the air triumphantly. We also fulfilled our promise of letting him drive the car in the field. Now that was an adventure. The day ended with us hot and sweaty after changing a blown tire. Hubby drove over some nasty piece of old farming equipment, thank goodness it wasn't me:)

Must resist...

My new favorite catalog is having a 25% off sale on everything.....I must resist....Oh they have the boots that go perfectly with my wrap dress!

Today's laugh out loud moment

We went and got flu shots today (before Mexico)
First of all Big Fry was able to get the mist and Small Fry was not, to which Big Fry offered to take the "needle" when we thought they were out of mist. He thought this was a way to support little brother. Come to find out they have some left. The funny part is we get in the car and Big Fry says, "How does the mist or shot work when it just comes out the other end?" Apparently to an 11 year old everything that goes in your body must also come out.

Did I mention we got flu shots BEFORE Mexico? 7

Scientist turned writer?

Maybe...here is what scientific big fry wrote for his family metaphor poem:

Books on a Shelf
My family lives inside a library:
My dad is like a history book that holds all the records. He keeps everything on track so things don't become exaggerated.
My mom is like a fantasy book. Like a painter out in the open painting a grassy green meadow and always creates happy endings.
Quinn is an adventure book. He goes wandering off into the big blue ocean. He is constantly swimming underneath the waves.
I am a non-fiction book that shares all the true and interesting facts of our family.

*sniff and smile

the WRAP

The wrap is here! That was the one good thing about Friday. It is glorious, I put it on right away, over the pj's I had on (pj's were on at 5 after my terrible Friday). Here are my objective observations:

It even looked good with the pj's.
The fabric is oh-so-soft and just the right weight, not too hot.
I think I will wear it over everything!
I think I need really funky boots to go with it (which will be hard, because I am on a serious spending grounding)
Totally worth every penny

Not a TGIF

Today at work was not one of my finest. The morning started out very well, then I come back to the building and it all falls apart for various reasons:
1) Dealing with mean girls who have been tormenting another girl with names
2) I snap a teacher's head off for no reason
3) Vent to the secretaries about a fellow principal
4) Hit the wall with my sinus infection and don't make it to bingo
5) Did I mention dealing with mean girls-I think that is where it all started

I hate days that I am not proud of, this was one of them. I hope to chalk it to being human and move on.

The wall is still here...

...it calls itself a sinus infection. The good side, my wrap is here!

Secret smile

Small fry was given a new mp3 player and we spent the other night downloading new music to it. I say new, meaning new to him. He quickly and strongly exclaimed that I needed to delete all the "kids" songs. Goodbye Jonas Brothers (thank goodness), Kidz Bop, and the Chipmunks. We went through my library together and had a blast. He now has an mp3 player full of Tom Petty, ABBA, and Pink. I know his liking in"my" taste in music won't last too long (Big Fry is a prime example), but for a little while I will have a secret smile. Watching him bop around singing "Amercian Girl" as loud as he can, especially when he thinks know one is watching makes my day. Especially when he is just in his underwear Ever do that? Sing as loud as you can when no one is watching? I do all the time, it is liberating, try it.

The wall has arrived

After a week of bringing home my laptop, tucking kids in at 8 and then working until 10:30 or so, a night of parent-teacher conferences, neglecting all exercise and healthy eating habits along with pheasant hunting today I have hit the wall. The cold I have been fighting the last few days is here to stay. I think in a sneaky way by body and brain is saying STOPPPPPP! So I will leave the basket of clean laundry to be put away in the basket. The laundry in the dryer-in the dryer. My laptop at school (until tomorrow). The basement photo project unfinished. Have hubby order some chinese and lay in bed and read. I really need to have the wall go away by tomorrow, it just has to.

voice message

This was the voice message I had from big fry as he was home sick with pink eye:
"Mom, I am just callling you to let you know the cat puked under your bed. You will need to let dad know so he can help you lift up the mattress and stuff to clean it up under there. I am too big to fit under your bed. I was watching tv and heard her puking. Just wanted you to know, bye"

Damn, what day was that message??

Still obsessing...

Finally got the black wrap though, switched the green shirt for a lavendar one. The boots aren't quite the same but don't have the heart to spend money on a 2nd black pair, when mine are very funtional.

Where is the time going?

I haven't been posting much but please know I am checking in on all you and your daily lives faithfully. We have been keeping busy here, so busy I really don't have much to write outside of the daily grind that becomes our lives when school starts. Big Fry is mostly enjoying middle school, is holding his own with all A's and B's and best of all 4th chair for the upcoming orchestra concert. The kid didn't even know (yep that is how aware he is of status like things). A neighbor mom informed me. I told big fry how awesome that was-he shrugged. I said it is like getting 4th place in something. He replied, "Yeah but not as big of a deal as BMX though, that is wayyyy better." Than he cried because my mom and dad are living in AZ have yet to see him play. Since my parents moved the relationship has just not been the same-that's a whole other post. So I emailed and begged and offered to pay for a ticket so someone could come.

Small fry is enjoying school, his favorite new show to watch with dad is Swamp People. Now if you would like your IQ to go down a little each time you watch a show this would be the one. Kind of like Deliverance meets the bayou. Which is why I am able to type to all of you right now, I can hear the lilting accent of the bayou people on the tv downstairs along with the hissing of crocodiles.

Today I enjoyed a fun mom day with Suree. It was our second attempt to make it out to the pumpkin patch which was closed again. So we went bowling, now that was exciting to watch-my first time in like 10 years. I think all four kids beat the adults easily. Think it was the lane bumpers that may have helped. We ended the day enjoying some fun in the leaves. It is good to have a happy day!

Tonight's goal

Tonight's goal is to take a hot bath, do nothing, and go to bed early, because my Saturday wiped me out. Got up early, painted the school office until 1 (makeover for the secretaries). Came home and made a batch of jalapeno jelly to can, cleaned house, made appetizers and sangria for Silpada party, chatted with guests and chose my free stuff. I think 9:00 was the first chance I had to sit down. I am more than ready to sit and relax. Oh and now it is Monday all over again tomorrow.

Ooooo, ahhhhh

From my new fave, fave catalog. The wrap dress (with the long sleeve T-insert pic is the outfit I am pulling together). The brown skirt not so much, it is the shirt and turquise wrap that caught my eye. I could flip through this catalog ALL night.

These things were excellent

These things were excellent today-
Hiking
Golden leaves covering the trail like a carpet and floating down from the trees
The flash of the sunlight through the leaves shining off big and small fry's heads
The gurgling of the water over the rocks
Spashes of red leaves sprinkled here and there and dark green ferns turning yellow and brown
Small fry following big fry down the path with nets slung over their shoulders and backpacks full of snacks, actually quite in the prettiness of it
Squashing mushrooms that let a little puff of pollen from the top (this was highly entertaining)
Jelly Belly sodas (green apple and tangerine flavor in a old time glass bottle) and rice krispy treats on big granite rocks
Indigo girls blaring on the way to our destination

I meant to post lots of wonderful fall pics, but didn't have the memory card IN the camera. I think I enjoyed it more. We all took time to watch and listen to the awesomeness around us, especially me. So now you can close your eyes and create some imagery of your own

These things are good....

These things are bad...
employees
F's on online gradebook
sad parents
Today-today I actually thought being a teacher looked pretty darn good

These things are good...
Big fry and joining weight lifting club
Soreness after a crossfit WOD
Big Fry's attempt at poetry assignment (the first line is a kicker)
Small Fry and our cartooning adventure

ahhhh, nice

I saw this in the Sahalie catalog and it was a must have. The black wrap dress I had to send back-to big. I hate getting something from a catalog and then it doesn't work-think Karen and boots. It is totally cute, can't wait to wear it. (The cream one) with fan, it says "Live Free"

New addiction

As a way to better communicate with middle school parents one can check out his or her child's grades, DAILY. As an overbearing lecture, worrier, perfectionist, and compulsive "checker" of all things online I am not sure if this is a good thing for mom or son.

Where to start

I hate those days when I can't decide where to get started. I need to finish laundry and go to work. Small Fry wants a haircut. The lawn needs to be mowed and I need to some cooking for the week. The house needs straightening and some toads need to be released. All this needs to be done by 3 to head for racing. I want to go shopping (definitely and avoidance activity), or ride the Mickelson Trail or go Kayaking, anything but the have-tos.

Maybe....

Here is the famous 1-click sword. Ordered twice. I was pondering that maybe I should have kept if for myself. Maybe I could have done this...

I know one person in the family who would have appreciated it:) He always a Jennifer Garner fan

Really??

After getting up at 5 AM to work out, staying at work until 7:30 this evening I come home to relax and find the following:
An 11 year old who has been home since 4 WITH his dad and now as he is showing me his planner realizes he has homework (to hubby's credit he asked him more than once)
An 8 year old who has homework due NEXT Monday, and needs me to find a family pic for it right now
An 11 year old who very honestly and solemnly asks me if you press the "Buy-with-1-click" button on amazon does it really order it?
An 8 year old who wayyyy after bedtime is hearing knocking noises in his room and finds out it is his favorite fish light as it moves, he is in a quandry-light? No light?
An 11 year old who is crying out of guilt of being curious about the one-click button AFTER I show him a confirmation that I will soon be the proud owner of not one, but two decorative martial art swords.
Finally the fish light is off, the bathroom light is on, and now a big fry that can't sleep because the bathroom light is on. And me? Well I promised myself no wine until Friday so that is out and I still sit here in my dress clothes...hey it is only 9:10, I can just go straight to pj's. A glass of wine in PJ's would be even better

Just so you know it is not all doom and gloom, big fry's first 4 grades are all A's and one missing assignment turned in and full credit for. Small Fry loves his teacher, which is very rewarding after last year experience, and hey tomorrow is already Wednesday

Not forgotten

Small fry's racing weekend was a little more painful. The group of 8 year olds was packed. Full gates, meaning 8 riders at a time. This my friends is a little intimidating, especially when we don't encounter that here. Small Fry was intimidated and fell back each time, he eeked by to make it in the final races, but was definitely disappointed. Sunday he fell and took a handle bar to the ribs, he wasn't quite the same after that. He did run to the finish line to meet his big brother after the main race to "help him with his trophy mom, it will be heavy". The funniest part is our neighbor is a bmx expert and tells us to keep track of points etc... and to stay when the races ar over because they give out "state plates" to the top riders by age group. I NEVER keep track of points and we high tail it out of Aberdeen as fast as we can. Well this year she texts me on the road and says small fry received a 3rd place plate, meaning 3rd out of the 8 year olds in the whole state. He was on cloud nine and ran down to their house early this morning to pick it up.

We screamed our heads off, ate too much junk food, watched a group of 30 and over moms race-hmmmmmmm. isn't there a quote somewhere "do something that scares you every day" And plan to do more traveling next year, I can't wait!

Change in fortune

Last summer Big Fry and I had a "come to you know who talk" about racing. He told me at the time, "I am tired of being last mom for the last 4 years". The last month of this summer has been a different story, well almost, he has still been last here at our track. But his atttitude and ability has been far from it. He tells us it doesn't matter what place he gets, but that when he is racing the expert riders that he is "almost with them" and has come out of the gate in front. This weekend at Aberdeen for him was awesome. He raced his butt off, was first a couple of times and finished 2nd overall. You could just feel the confidence ooze off of him. He did better then his little brother who always comes home with the biggest hardware, and is excited to race more. Sometimes those late bloomers are the funnest to watch.

Speaking of wicked...

Ok, Carey brought it up. I can have a weird/dark sense of humor. Luckily hubby shares it with me, this is our new favorite show. We have netflix on demand so are catching up with previous seasons. It was the opening song that totally got me.

Once in awhile

As women we are great to point out our faults. Our weight, our skin, our body parts, our motivation. You ask what our faults are and we can name plenty. At the same time we can talk up our kids, our hubbys, our friends, and our coworkers about what is great about them. So once in awhile I think it is ok to share what is cool about us and have a little pride in who or what we are. I had a fellow boot camp person/coworker tell me about her conversation at boot camp and mentioning to another person that her principal (me) comes to the class to. She was describing me to the other lady, "you know shortish brown hair, comes with her husband..." The other gal right away says, "Oh I know who you mean, the one with the kick ass legs". I may weigh more than I used to and some of the parts aren't all in the same perky place they should be but to be at age 40 and have "kick ass legs"?

I'll take it, and be proud of it

Really??

What's worse than being an obsessive worrier? Having a child who is one uggggggggg.

Well...

The morning started out with my 4th Monday in a row going for the 5 AM workout. Little did I know that I grabbed small fry's mp3 player, which is chock-full of Jonas Brothers, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Kidz Bop. Do you know how hard it is to be motivated to ANY of those at 5 AM? Luckily big fry had downloaded some other stuff along the way.
I spent two hours serving little packaged lunches because the new school oven didn't quite do what it was supposed with the lunches that came frozen. I was glamorous in heels though.
Talked to big fry on the phone who immediately told me about the kid who flipped him off. Thankfully this was overshadowed by meeting a friend. HER (yes her) name is Stormi, with an "i" not a "y" as I was strongly told. She goes by Stormi because she doesn't like her real name. He took my advice and sat with a group, that mysteriously was lots of girls. Do you see a pattern here? Lunch was awesome and no homework, so he was going to "hang loose" after school.

Oh and the shirt and tie we shopped all around for? Well small fry came in with pants to short, an old Big Fry shirt on first thing this morning. I pulled rank (and a passive aggressive guilt trip) and told him everyone would have on a new shirt for the first day-he obliged with a striped polo WITH the too short pants. He LOVES his teacher.

Well day one is out of the way only 174 too go!

Here it is

Here it is the eve before the first day of school. Big Fry has his backpack packed and ready to go, inlcuding the first piece of homework, done a day early. I don't know who is more anxious for this whole middle school adventure. I just keep looking at it that way or else I may just start crying my eyes out. We are as prepared as we can be- locker opens, lunch number memorized, and lots of reminders that it will be FINE. Of course when we walked through his schedule who should he have in his first period class but a former tormenter from last year. It took all of my willpower to not turn around and confront the little-you-know-what with his mom standing right there. He SOOOO wants a new start and I can tell he has really high expectations-I know just how he feels in more ways than one. It is going to be a long day until I can get home and ask him how it went, I so want to see that wonderful big smile he has cross his face.

Small Fry is ready to, his biggest dilema is to wear his shirt and tie or not.

Goodbye summer,

The last weekend of summer, what a great way to end

Detours

It is almost time to officially say good bye to summer. Besides the hubby not being home hardly at all, this summer was a blast. I can say I truly I didn't get one thing done I planned, not the weight loss, not the house projects, not nearly the amount of reading or working on homework with big fry as I should have. It can best be described as a detour. Instead of making lists I did the best of truly playing in the hear and now, going to the lake AFTER lunch, taking road trips on the spur of the moment and putting many, many obligations aside. With that being said, I can feel myself moving into school mode. I went out with some principal friends for the evening, it was fun and I have missed the conversation and friendship, it is a special bond. I am looking forward to the school year and moving forward in big ideas and visions, hugs from kids, talking to parents, collaborating with teachers, and helping a learning community grow. I can't imagine a different job and how much I love it. I am excited to hopefully make a difference.

A misunderstanding, Push-ups, and Laurena

We sign up big fry for a week long strings retreat-his first real over nighter. We think this will help him see not all kids are mean like he has experienced, and meeting new kids is a good thing-which he will soon do in middle school. He starts to waver the week before, "What if they are mean?" I tell him, no way these kids are nice. Forward to the second evening I go to pick him up and help carpool to swimming. He looks pathetic and tells me I don't think I can make it, "They are mean and I am really homesick". I am devastated. Just for once can he find a group to hang with, just once. I talk to chaperones at the pool and observe him and the other boys. I see lots of roughhousing, pushing, shoving etc, which he does not do well with, he likes his space and reacts to this like it is "picking". It is the physical rough housing that they are doing to impress that opposite sex that he just doesn't get. We go back to camp, talk to the director, he decides to sleep in his own bed and head back bright and early.
The next evening, I hesitantly go to check on him. He asks me to come back in an hour-this is a good sign. I get wine (I may need it) and go back. I see him with a group of boys AND girls. He promptly tells me"I am staying"
Fast forward to the end-in the car. He tells us of Push-ups, this kid who has Edward-like hair (Twilight) and biceps like diamonds. Push-ups hung out with the youngsters and was very entertaining. They call him push-ups because he is "super buff mom!" We also hear of the great "misunderstanding"-you can almost see the quotes as he says it. Noah is in love with Laurena and when Laurena talks to Alec ,then Noah is furious. "It got physical mom", so I am told. They worked it out because ALL of Laurena's friends kept saying, "Lauren wants you to talk to her". He is not sure why:) Then Laurena and Noah broke up
This behavior baffles me until I am in the bed that night and look at it with the lens of a 6th grade girl, which I once was. Boys rough housing each other like birds showing their feathers to impress and catch the eyes of any females nearby. All communication with the opposite sex is through your best girlfriend who then talks to the best boyfriend of the boy you like. THIS is middle school communication and I better start remembering it.

By the way Big Fry had a blast, he pointed out Laurena-I have to say the boy's got taste. When I asked him why he thought Laurena wanted to talk him to so much he immediately said, "I made her laugh, alot" I bet you did buddy!

This one first

Karen's request for tantalizing stories from strings camp will have to wait. Today the boys had the scare of their life. I am constantly warning them about snakes OTHER than gardners that they love. You know the kind with rattles on them. I worry that the desire to grab will override safety. Today that was tested. I took the boys to a pond near a friend's house. The pond is at the bottom of a very steep hill and most of it I couldn't see them. They head down shoeless with nets in hand. As they are walking up I hear big fry-in a voice I have never heard (now I know it was sheer panic)-tell small fry to get back and quickly. The tone of his voice causes me to head at break neck speed, because I can't see them. They come up through the grass panting and small fry is almost crying. Big fry tells me he is walking and hears the noise and stops (like Reptile Gardens tells you to do) and sees it in front of him by a rock, coiled up and head up, hissing and rattling. He tells me all he could think about was keeping his brother away.

So see all those nature shows, like SHARK WEEK can be very helpful:)

Just imagine...

Karen tells the greatest stories about her new experiences with middle school dances and such. So imagine this same age group combined with high schoolers at camp-an overnight camp-for 4 nights. Add that to one very honest and talkative Big Fry. Whew my head is spinning trying keep up:) Oh and yeah the orchestra songs and practice were pretty good to.

"This one time at band camp..." Yep you get the idea now.

For Carey...

Did you know that sharks are more attracted to noise than blood? So this guy he does this very scientific experiment for Discovery Shark Week. Which will draw more sharks, chum or noise? Smashing a water bottle underwater attracted more. Just saying you may want to practice paddling quietly:) Oh and bull sharks are very dangerous because they have been know to be NOT picky eaters.

2 things

First, big fry went away to his first ever overnight camp and won't be home until Friday night. He was nervous and skeptical. By the time I left he had a pop and a friend and they were exchanging boy conversation that I won't share. I think he will be fine. As for here at home, it is only the first day and it was quiet. And a little lonely.

Second, I was on facebook-stalking people I recognize- if their security allows it. I found a person from high school who had pictures of her artwork, I didn't even know she was an artist. I never had her in any art class in high school, and I took all of them. They were beautiful, daring, and emotional.It was a weird concidence, after having met the cool art girl with Karen, I happened on another artsy person. Small Fry's coach lives with a woman and I went to their house. SHE was an artist, it was all over the house, daring cool, out there art. I am a little jealous (I know a very bad emotion). I miss art, real art. Not the photography I do because it is instant and fits into a busy life. Or the domestic decorating. But cool art-painting and drawing, collage, pottery-all of it. I miss the creativity it brings and worry that I have lost the spark and when the time comes (when I have the time/space) I won't be any good at it. Sigh

Dessert anyone?

Yummy and under 300 calories-ok until I added the homemade ice cream-WHICH works much better with cooled ingredients. I think the dessert makes the fake vintage bowls look pretty darn cute.

Almost...

I almost took a picture of the "stuff" that collects in different parts of the dishwasher drains after 4 years. In the parts that you need a screwdriver to take apart. ALMOST, and you are all lucky that I didn't-ICK and I did not resemble the smiley woman above.

The best adventures are the unplanned ones

The usual silly child calm and peaceful...
A picture for scale-my worrisome nature allowed little climbing

Small fry and his new animal tracking pocket guide, in case we needed to identify the prairie dog prints

Big Fry's close up, not a zoom len my friends

In quiet awe (he sat like that for quite awhile)

I could write about my super annoying hubby and his perpetual bad mood about work and its carry over affect at home-I won't it is just venting and does no one any good.
I could write my soap box message about women and weight that has been weighing heavily (no pun intended) on my mind-I won't

I could write about the cool vintage ice cream bowls I got and the homemade ice cream I tried to make to go in them

I had planned to write a whiney message of my summer being almost over and how I am approaching super sad about it-this has truly been one of the best summers (hubby's work aside). But I won't, instead I will write a cool story of another adventure.

Somehow our best fun mom days wind up being the ones I didn't really plan for. MY plan was to go on the Mickelson trial to which both boys wrinkled their noses at. So instead they choose the hatchery at Spearfish. On the way to Spearfish I see a sign: Exit 23-The fastest way to Devil's Tower. I ponder, I have never been either have the boys-I cautiously throw out, "Who wants to go to Devil's Tower?" Right away Big Fry is on board, Small Fry wants to know how long and do I have enough fuel. I purposely don't tell him how long A) he will whine and B) I don't know. We hit exit 23. I have to tell you the area around Belle Fourche is not that great but once we hit Wyoming I was in love! I want to retire right there in that little corner, in one of the old barns/houses I saw and was dying to jump over barb wire fences to take a pic of.

The trip was awesome, seeing the big cone for the first time for all of us was awesome. We hiked around took some pics. My most favorite pic, I couldn't get. It was of Big Fry in the prairie dog field, commando crawling like a true Nat Geo photographer to get up close and personal. We ate at a little paneled table in a small dive in Hulett and headed home. The sky was super blue and the day was super fun. I love those days where the stars align, everyone gets along, and the following conversation with Big Fry takes place: Mom, it would take men along time to make this, huh-if ever. Me-You know what I don't think men could make anything this beautiful. Big Fry-your right mom, no way, only nature could make something like this.

Racing, racing, racing

We have completed 3 days of hot, windy racing. Both boys made it to final races on Friday and Saturday. Big Fry could have made it to the main today IF he hadn't come up on a wreck and showing a great act of sportsmanship by stopping while someone got up-he later said there wasn't room, so the kid could get in front of him, he would have gotten first. Uggggggg almost more than my competitive heart could take.