Day Five

I didn't blog the last few days because I noted during my last posting that I didn't have much to say. I didn't want to bore anyone. Alas, I'm still not sure I have much to say but I'll risk that.
Yesterday my sister and her 2 kids, myself and my 2 youngest ventured to Adventureland which is an amusement park about 2 hours from home. We left around 8 and started our adventure at 10. We spent 7 hours at the park, with my energy fading as each hour went by. We eventually had to pull the children out of there as everyone wanted to go on "just one more" ride.
We drove 1/2 hour to my in-laws and dropped my 2 kids who will return home on Friday evening. I was COMPLETELY wiped out! I came home and crashed by 9:15 and slept until 5:30 am. I NEVER sleep for 8 hours. Still, I woke up in a fog and am finally getting to feel "with it".
Yesterday, while my oldest daugheter was at marching band practice, there was a high speed chase near her school. At some point, the vehicle drove up onto the grass, driving over the area where my daughter and her fellow musicians usually practice. When the police finally apprehended this fellow, they found he was drunk, on cocaine, and had weapons in his vehicle. It is amazing what people will do and how many lives that are truly endangered by folks such as him. Having said that, tonight I am beginning to co-facilitate another OWI Victim Impact group. This is a group that folks who have been convicted of at least 2 OWIs have to attend. The unique thing about this group is that individuals who have been directly impacted by drunk driving come in and speak to the group. We have had EMTs, hospital chaplains, law enforcement, widows, moms, dads and offenders on our panels. It is a very rewarding experience and it is our attempt to change and save lives with these groups.
I am alone today. I wish I didn't have to work at all today but I need to go in around 1:00. What will I do until then?

Day Three

I must be tired. I can't even remember what I did today. Oh, its coming back to me now. I didn't do much. I made it to the grocery store, the mall and Target.
My youngest presented with a temp of 101 degrees. We are really trying to get her well so we can make it to Adventureland on Wednesday. She would be heart-broken if she couldn't go.
I did manage to start several projects. I've noticed lately that I start a lot of things but don't finish many of them. Projects started today were: cleaning out the garage, getting together LOTS of GOODWILL stuff, moving/getting rid of things out of the office to make way for our new furniture, painting the office, and just other things. Wow! I guess I did do a lot of stuff. Hopefully I will finish at least a few of these things before hubby gets home.
Things I did today that my husband usually does:
1) purchased and put in 2 bags of salt for the water softener (I'm not sure if I have to push a button or do anything else to get it to work.)
2) Set a different mole trap and this time I did it right!! Watch out you little booger! I'm gonna get you! (Sounds like a line from Caddy Shack).
3) Climbed up in the rafters of the garage and retrieved a can of paint.
4) Began organizing the garage and collecting things for recycling.

I'm sure my husband will be impressed.

Day Two

I survived my first night without hubby. One down, 7 to go.
My 6 year old daughter said we had better be bed buddies since I didn't have anyone to sleep with last night. I woke up at about 1:30 am without her in my bed. I thought that a good mom would go and look for her offspring if she was missing so I found her in her bed whimpering that she misssed daddy and her toe hurt. I hustled her back into my bed and we tossed and turned for another hour before we fell back to sleep again. I awoke around 6 am and silently slipped out of bed while she snored. I REALLY need time alone in the morning to get my thoughts together so I was hopeful. As the coffee perked I could hear her footsteps upstairs. She was awake too early, again.
She was coming down with a cold so I recruited son #2 to stay home from church with her. Daughter #1 and I went on to church but before we left I found 6 year old passed out in her bed, snoring.
We got home from church, had lunch and I took my usual nap. My naps are about 20 minutes which is just enough time to take the edge off.
Around 3:15 son #2 and I took an hour long bike ride. What a perfect day!! I got nice and sweaty but it was worth it. I think that's the first time I have been on my bike this year. Wow! That's pathetic.
I spent early evening pulling weeds and giving the mosquitos a snack of myself while doing so.
Children #2 and #3 are at youth group now so I need to pick them up.
Hopefully tomorrow will go as smoothly.
THINGS I DID TODAY THAT HUSBAND USUALLY DOES:
1) Put soap in the dispenser that is attached to my kitchen sink. (I feel like I'm playing twister when I'm doing this.)
2) Set a mole trap. (I think I did this correctly but probably not. Time will tell.)
More tomorrow!!

Home Alone

Not really alone, I guess. My husband and oldest son left for a week long backpacking/hiking trip to Wyoming today. This will be weird. We are not used to being apart for very long so I am a pretty dependent, pathetic excuse for today's liberated, self-sufficient woman. What can I say? We make a pretty great team.
I am here with my other 3 children and have taken most of the week off of work. Wednesday we head out to a nearby amusement park and I'll be dropping off the youngest 2 at grandma's for a few days.
What is in store for me? Of course I have a ton of things I think I'll accomplish such as weeding my many, many flowerbeds, painting a room or two, cleaning out our junky office to make room for some new office furniture I've ordered. How I will every find another place for this stuff is beyond me but I'll give it a try.
I hope to blog about my week, what I get done, what I don't get done, what I find I don't know how to do (that my husband usually does), if I hear any funky noises during the night etc. Should be an interesting week!! Stay tuned!!

July in Iowa

Now here is a common sight this time of year in our wonderful state....A teenager forced into exhausting, physical, horrible labor commonly known to us midwesterners as detassling. My poor daughter! She entered into this experience for the first time last year and swore/promised she would NEVER do it again. Somehow, either out of force or reason, she was convinced (threatened) that she should try it again. The hook...a guy she had a crush on was going to be joining her crew!! That did it. She started, albeit quite reluctantly, on Tuesday.
Bless her heart, she rises at 5 am, catches the bus at 6 am and didn't return home today until 5:30 pm. She is a true sweetheart, with the unbelievable wit she inherited from my mom and never, ever complains. I love her!!
I'm certain she will thank me when she receives that big, fat, juicy check in the mail in a few weeks. OOHHHH I'm a good mom!?!

Time flies by....

Guess what this little guy did today??

He got his first round of senior pictures taken!!
I simply cannot believe this. I'm speechless. Its unreal to think he will be starting his senior year next month. I've already told my boss I will take the next year off for mental health reasons. Yes, I will be one of those moms who will cry for the next 12-18 months and it will have nothing to do with hormones. It will be because my baby will be growing up and leaving my watch. Am I overreacting? Maybe, but this is new territory for me and I am not looking forward to it.

Summertime

Does it seem to anyone else that this summer is whizzing by? I took 3 solid weeks off work this year. I did it last year and it was wonderful. I thought it would be the same this year. Actually, since the middle of May, I have only been to the office about 5 times due to some scheduled vacation, my dad's death and to flooding that forced my office to close. I return to work on Monday and I can't say I feel well rested. The vacation we took was fabulous but not extremely relaxing.
On Saturday we took our 3 youngest children to my in-laws where they will stay until tomorrow evening. We drove to MPS after dropping them off and stayed at my brother's place where we were finally able to slow down and unwind. It was a wonderful visit.
Tomorrow my kids return and on Saturday daughter #1 leaves for camp until the 13th. On July 12th, my husband's birthday, both my sons leave for different camps, one to work and the other to play. It won't be until August 3rd that all my ducks are back in the nest. I just love it when we can all be together. Its kind of unsettling for me to go to bed without everyone being close by. I guess its a mom thing.
For those of you who have never seen or met my ducks or husband, here you go.