To she who keeps us all organized

Dadgummit, I'm an hour too late to officially say Happy Birthday to Emilie on my blog!

But she got all kinds of attention today anyway. She went to the doctor last night with fever and coughing and came home with antibiotics and a possible diagnosis of p-u-monia. Yep, two doctors arguing over a chest xray--Is it pneumonia or not?--decided to treat her as if it is so. Because she had "all kinds of squeaking and squacking" going on in her lungs, so they said.

Too much stuff going on in combination with heavy duty allergies=a day off from school for your birthday. Not a bad deal. I know, right? (Just had to say it, after all Emilie says it 100 times a day these days.)

I even heated up leftover taco soup for her lunch when she finally woke up at 2 p.m. after going to bed at 9 last night. I told her never to forget I did this for her and never to say I never fed her when she was sick. ;-)

Because I felt so bad for her, even though I said we'd probably wait to celebrate until the weekend, Kristen and I made a pit stop at Target after piano lessons and bought a little cake and the rest of her heart's desires for her birthday--the sequel to Gregory Maguire's Wicked, and another book he's written about the ugly stepsister or some such character.

I was already in possession of the requested Across the Universe DVD and a few other random movies I thought she'd enjoy after an unfortunate trip yesterday to Blockbuster's previously-viewed-movies-for-sale section. (It's always unfortunate, because I always buy a lot of movies there when they're four for $20. Many I've seen and enjoyed. The pitiful part is I often never rewatch them. I just have some kind of weird emotional attachment to movies I liked. Let's just say this was a *highly* unfortunate visit because I kind of hit the jackpot.)

If we can score tickets for the David Wilcox concert at Bend Studio in November, including one for Emilie, I will be Mom of the Year, except for that minor matter of driver's ed ...

Sorry, sweetie, you don't have time for driver's ed. The only possible time slot in your busy, busy schedule is really already filled. With sleep. Maybe when you're 20.

BUT ARE YOU SERIOUSLY 15!!!!! O.M.G.

Look ma, no hands!

It's pitiful that I haven't updated in more than three weeks, I know. If you're still reading, thanks for checking in faithfully anyway! I guess I'm going to have to start jabbing Kristen in the side to get her to say something new and hilarious, huh? ;-)

Seems like I always post on the first day of school, though, so I must keep up the tradition.

Fall is not in the air here. Not at all. I didn't even get that weird little rush that usually comes with the first day of school, where you can somehow imagine fall is coming, even when it's still blazing hot. Now, if school had started LAST week, in the midst of some cooler, rainy days, maybe.

Today was surprisingly easy for day 1. I'd estimate about 15%, or 10 of the requisite forms are filled out (with exactly the SAME FREAKING INFO as last year! Can we just get a computer generated form to check off "all info the same as last year" puleeeze?!?!).

One started 6th grade, and bopped off with her friends for her second year in a school she likes. One started high school, and I have to admit that Julie of the non-teary first days of school (Can anyone shout, "FREEDOM!" with me?) had just the tiniest little lump in her throat as she drove away from dropping her oldest girl off. (First day privilege. She'll be waiting for the bus at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow with all the other freshmen whose parents believe in building character, saving gas and the environment, and the statistics that say it's safer to rider the school bus anyway.)

I simply had a quick realization that this is child two of three to start high school, and that really makes the remaining years of my hands-on job as a parent seem short. Even more considering how easily she jumped out of the car (well, not really jumped, but she wasn't nervous at all and neither was I). I must be doing something either really right or really wrong for her to be so confident. :)

My consolation is I had my children fairly far apart (five years between 1 and 2, and four years between 2 and 3). Originally, I said it was so I'd never have two in diapers at once, but more to the point, I realized how much I'd enjoy getting to know each one of my kids individually for a pretty long period of time and that I'd be a much better mom that way. We are not all wired the same as moms. (It was also nice having older kids who could tote the stinky diapers to the garage.)

So, Kristen will be a while in coming to this day of starting high school, but I'm sure it'll be here in a flash. And she'll be the one sitting in the car, clinging to my hand, saying, "Noooo! I'm not ready!"

Or maybe she won't, and I'll shake my head again.

Now, if I could just figure out the second-year college student and exactly where my responsibilities lie in helping him become an adult, I might sleep at night. This is harder than I thought it would be.

(photo credit: macwagen, creative commons)

Expired, more or less

We are not the best at scanning the pantry for expired items. In fact, I've been known to use items if they're within reasonable reach of the expiration date. (Like, you know, a couple of years if it's not obviously perishable. Or sometimes, within a few weeks for cold stuff. Case in point, we are all still alive.) I tend to think of those dates as "guidelines." And don't worry, if you're a guest in my home for a meal, I'll serve you only the freshest food.

But it came to my attention this afternoon that we've been overly lax. My daughter was digging through the pantry and stopped to stare at a box of Hamburger Helper Lasagna. Now, I've scanned this same package many times (I shudder now to think how many) and never found an expiration date, but the thought of making lasagna from Hamburger Helper just doesn't appeal. So, I pass it over, but leave it alone ... just in case.

I heard an exclamation from the kitchen: "GROSS!"

After a few minutes, when I was ready, I responded: "What?"

"Mom, this box of Hamburger Helper has a Jurassic Park sweepstakes that ended October 31, 1997!"

Dang.

I told her to throw the sauce mix away, stick the box on the recycle shelf, and put the pasta bag back in the pantry. I'm pretty sure pasta doesn't ever die, but I'll check to be sure in a few years.

Bow to the Queen in Charge of the Cat's Delicate Stomach

At 7:30 a.m., I dragged myself out of bed to take the middle kid to colorguard camp, which she has every day all summer. nearly every week all summer. (It feels like every day.) As we walked through the front hallway, she asked, "You know there's cat barf there?" and pointed to the very edge of the carpet--the half inch that comes right before the tile, because that's how our cat rolls.

She has kidney disease and frequent hairballs and pukes a lot. We're not sure from which affliction, but at least a few times a week.

A few minutes ago, my younger daughter passed through and pointed to the same spot. "You know there's cat barf there?"

I predict that before the day is out, my mother or husband will point to the same spot and say, "You know there's cat barf there?" Well, maybe my husband won't. He might actually clean it up because he's cool like that.

If my son hadn't already absconded after only one year of college, he'd probably stroll through and say, "You know there's cat barf there, right?" (He'd add the "right," just for kicks.)

And I even know what you're saying. "Julie, you know there's cat barf there, right? And you haven't cleaned it up a full seven hours later?"

To all of you (minus my reading audience, unless you are one of the other mentioned parties), I say, "YES! I KNOW THERE IS CAT BARF THERE. BUT IF I AM APPARENTLY IN CHARGE OF CLEANING UP THE *FAMILY* CAT'S BARF, I WILL CHOOSE WHEN AND HOW TO CLEAN IT UP. IF I FEEL LIKE PASSING IT BY AND CLEANING IT UP LATER, DAG NABBIT, I WILL. AND ... BESIDES ... HOW AM I ANY DIFFERENT FROM YOU?"

Hmm?

Really, I'm not bitter. I'm not rebelling. It honestly just cleans up better after it dries and gets hard and crusty. Then you can just scoop it up, spray a little Oxy miracle spray on it, and voila! No cat barf or nasty stain from scooping it while it's ... okay, never mind that detail.

But, still. I'm just saying.

You know your kid's a nerd when ...

... she's been groaning endlessly about school for the last two weeks, especially considering we got out of school two weeks later than usual because of the new later start, and then, when the big day comes ...

She comes home, celebrates, goes swimming, invites girls to sleep over, and ...

Asks if it's okay if they go back up to the school in the morning to help teachers clean up.

Kerrville, at last

I was waiting to post "the next day" until I maybe got the energy up to transfer video to my computer and upload a bit of the Kerrville performance to youtube, but ... I'm still waiting. It takes a lot of energy to do file transfers, you know.

So, until then, maybe this'll hold you:

Ryan playing at Kerrville.
I think his eyes were shut because of the sweat
rolling into them and burning. It was just a tad warm.

Check out those birkies.

Kicking back after his turn.
The outdoor theatre leads straight out the side
to the campgrounds and Texas Hill Country.

With his fellow songwriting competition winners,
from Texas A&M, UT, Texas State, and of course, UNT.
Guys in the middle are festival peoples.
Note: It appears the rolled up brown pants are part of some uniform??
The others didn't get the memo, apparently.
The other guy's were missing the holes in the backside, too.
(I forgot to make a note of the names of the other musicians. I do know the cute girl next to Ryan is HalleyAnna, and the guy with the shades is her string bass player, and they are called Starboat.)

Proud sistern. Before hippie chick transformation later that evening.
(Tie-dye dresses and airbrush tattoos.)

Next up, San Antonio. And maybe one day, video.

Nine

OnlyninemorenightsofdidyoudoyourhomeworkdidyouputupyourlaundrydidyoudothedishesdidyoubrushyourteethisyourswimsuitreadyisyourtowelreadydidyoupracticedoyouneedlunchmoneywhattimedoIneedtowakeyouupwhattimedoweneedtoleavearewetakinganyoneelsewhattimeshouldIpickyouuptomorrowdoyouhavesectionalsdoyouhavecolorguardpracticeareyoureallywearingthat?

And then I can go quietly insane on my own schedule for the summer.

Middle child

Poor Emilie, I think I don't blog about her enough. She is an easy kid, so dependable, and such a joiner. We have given up trying to keep up with her activities. She has to tell us where and when she needs to be all the millions of places she goes.

She doesn't have a shy bone in her body--at least not that we can find. Saturday night, she and three of her (girl) friends attended the church youth group's annual Thrift Store Prom. The four of them went to Goodwill ahead of time and purchased two suits and two evening gowns. They were each other's dates. Resourceful little chickadees.

She earns a ton of money babysitting, and is in great demand because she actually plays with the kids and does the dishes (like we were expected to do when we were babysitters years ago). She frequently offers to pay for extra items she needs for band or winterguard or school out of her earnings. Sometimes we let her--I think it makes her proud, and she's learning the value of budgeting her money.

Today, however, I got a little worried she might be experiencing middle child syndrome. The mail came, and we had a packet hand addressed to her from the Thomas Jefferson School in St. Louis. A private boarding school.

Should I be concerned? Hmm?

Kristen says ...

Gail's blog about her witty grandson Sam reminded me of "Kristen says the darnedst things"--a category I've neglected for a while. :-) Either she's getting older, or I'm getting less observant. I fear it is both. So, to that end, I will regale you of a recent tale.

You know there are two givens when you have kids. (At least.) The first is they will follow you into the bathroom and it will be at least 18 years before you have the assurance you will be able to do your business alone again. Maybe more. Anyway. The second is when you hear a suspicious noise, or silence, whichever the case may be (and often scarier in the second incarnation), and you ask, "What are you doing?" you know what the answer will be, right? Exactly. "Nothing."

Well, this morning Kristen proved one of these points, but she's wised up on the second. I was in the shower and could hear little noises coming from the other side of the (frosted) door. So, in good mom form, I said, "What are you doing?"

She said, "Just standing here. Breathing."

Dadgummit. Just when you think you've got them trained.

And just so the other two won't feel left out:

Ryan texted me the other night, very excited, from college. "Mom, I just found the Denton Piggly Wiggly!" That, my friends, is scary. He's apparently been missing his small town grocery shopping exeriences from East Texas and Alabama.

And Emilie? She is quite the wise one. She recently dumped her boyfriend of more than two years (yeah, she's 14, but I think it's easy to stay committed for two years when you only see them five minutes a day during passing periods). We were talking about it in the car and she said, "I just wasn't interested in such a serious relationship at age 14." Go, girl. And if she kills me for this, it will mysteriously disappear from this blog without warning. :-D (You may wonder, but the kids are always asking me if I'm going to blog things they say, and they almost look happy about it. Watch out, Jerry Springer.)

What would I do without my kids to make me laugh?

ABC Family's values

Wow. I was just sitting on the sofa surfing while my kids watched ABC Family and their ten-millionth episode of Boy Meets World (which my son says is the Brady Bunch of their generation, along with Step by Step and Full House, by the way).

The show ended, and the between-show commercial spots ran. An ad for HP Pavilion notebooks was what caught my ear:

"Get a new HP (model whatever) out of your parents for just $999! Or a (model whatever) for $499!"

Things have come a long way since, "Follow your nose!" and "Frosted Lucky Charms are magically delicious!" and "You sunk my battleship!", haven't they?

The ante has been upped.

My girls snuck looks at me after the commercial, and Emilie said, "Ridiculous."

It might have been the "WHAAAAAAT?!?!" I let out spontaneously that inspired her to say the right thing. I hope not. Kids are smarter than we think. That's what scares me.

My world crumbles when you are not there

Just when I think I've seen and heard everything, I look up and Macy Gray is singing on Sound Stage on PBS, and my daughters are standing behind the kitchen counter ... they're finger painting, but now they're also following Macy's directions—waving their hands in the air, throwing their heads back, screaming, and looking especially beautiful. Just as Macy Gray promised they would if they would just do what she said.

And I'm sitting on the couch, rolling and laughing, and it's so funny it is especially beautiful. And I'm just a prisoner of their love. J

I may appear to be free
But I'm just a prisoner of your love
And I may seem all right and smile when you leave
But my smiles are just a front
Just a front, hey
I play it off, but I'm dreaming of you
And I'll keep my cool but I'm feignin'

(From Macy Gray, I Try)

When a mom gets desperate, she heads to Walmart

When the girls came up with this yesterday (and yeah, Madlibs helped, but still), I knew summer was indeed here and it was time for some serious action:

Cake Recipe

For this recipe, you will need:
82 cups flour
6014 tablespoons butter
654987 cups sugar
25648 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons poop extract

In a thick bowl, beat butter and sugar until bouncy. Add eggs sickly, if you add them too stealthily, the batter won't mix well. Add milk.

When mixture is nice and pink, begin adding flour. Be sure your mixer isn't set too bumpy, or you may end up with flour all over your butt. Add the poop extract.

Pour batter into a pointy pan.

Bake for 45 minutes at 123,456,789 degrees.

Congratulations! You've just made a delicious poop-flavored cake!

So, last night, being the good mom I am, we headed off to get dinner and supplies at, oh, around 8 p.m. We trudged back in around 11 p.m. with our stomachs full of McDonald's hamburgers and fries (hey, we walked them off for hours at Walmart!). We also had three sacks full of fun and games from Ross and Walmart. Ross is a great place to find cheap, and sometimes even educational, entertainment items for bored children. The girls are now the proud owners of:

• Two beading kits (one's a little more advanced and growny-looking for Em ... Oh, 'scuse me, GROWNUP looking. I thought I was back in Alabama for a minute.)
• A Mexican Train domino game with 91!!! dominoes --when they're done playing the game, they can make those domino designs you knock down in 10 seconds after building them for HOURS. Woo hoo!)
• A story-book creating kit (which I'm sure their nephew Ian will appreciate)
• THREE dance/fitness videos (salsa, jazz, and hip-hop, and they actually use them as opposed to the adults I know who buy them **Julie looks around innocently**)
• Hmm ... a 500 piece puzzle of a cute little baby dressed in fairy wings
• An AMERICAN IDOL dvd game (Bama may get in on this one.) I heard peals of laughter coming from upstairs in the wee hours, and I have my suspicions that box got opened right away. It is unfortunate, however, that they know none of the songs. (Got ear plugs?)
• A tiny pottery wheel, complete with clay. We do have to go back for C batteries, we realized today. We forgot to check the box. I was hoping it was manual labor.
• A Mancala game, which has already gotten hours of use
• And for all I know, a partridge in a pear tree.

I did this same thing last summer and it worked pretty well ... for at least a few days it seems. This year, I told them not to open all the packages and do everything the first day. They only did half today. But, they ended up recycling those things over and over last summer, so I think it's money well spent. They also fought less for three days or so last year, which was worth the investment if nothing else. All in all, less than $75, and I bet that goes a lot further than a week of summer camp for one child for $200!

Highly recommended for parents of bored school children out for the summer everywhere.

Winding down the school year

It's been a pretty busy week between the funeral services for Martha and getting ready for Ryan's graduation and company coming in, and school ending for another year. Not much time to blog or write or even work. It's been interesting, though, as I've caught myself thinking so many times in the last several days, "This is the last time I'll..." and fill in the blank. Kind of bittersweet, yet happy.

• Last goodbyes to Martha
• Last time to go to an award ceremony for Ryan as a child. We went to the Betty Lynn Buckley High School Musical Awards last night, and although Urinetown didn't win in the actor or best musical categories, it was so much fun to see Summit and the other nominated schools perform their best scenes. They did win best set and costumes, and it was cool to see some celebrities. Lou Diamond Phillips presented the best actor awards and the kids had no idea who he was. Heh.
• Last times to take Kristen to elementary school in the mornings. I will no longer be an elementary mom, and that is so weird. I think I'll move back to the Arlington district so she can be an elementary kid for two more years. Or not.

I'm sure I'll be a blubbering idiot Saturday when Ryan walks the stage. Can't believe my baby is all growed up and about to go off to college. He marches to the beat of a different drummer...well he marches to his own drumbeat if you think about it, but I sure am proud of him.

Proud of all three kids, more than I could ever express. Kristen got up and sang with Ryan at Martha's funeral--we never imagined she'd actually do it when her aunt asked her to, but she was a little trooper. Like Todd says, she knows she's got a good thing and so when she gets up to sing, all that fear and timidity somehow melts away.

And Emilie--we'd never get anything done around here without her. She is the glue. She is the only one in the family other than Todd with the gift of organization, and the ONLY one with the gift of being on time and the gift of liking to get up in the morning! Ryan has Emilie to thank for making it to class several times this year, and I'm the mom. How weird is that? :-) She and her friend Elena, seventh graders, played in the high school solo and ensemble competition a few weeks ago, a song Elena's grandpa wrote for them, and received the highest score and the judge said they were the "highlight of his evening."

They are just all so amazing. I am humbled. As seems to happen frequently when you become a parent, I started on one subject, and finished with my kids. Thanks for listening. :-)

Resourceful little duckies

In our house, we have started a new system. When one of the girls uses the words, "blame," "fault," or "fair," their allowances get docked a dime. (Only we keep forgetting.)

They are very creative children.

Kristen and Emilie are supposed to be sorting and putting up a load of their laundry. Kristen was taking a lot of time to do hers. When we griped, she came in with a long face, bearing a sign that says, "Save the children." I'm not sure where she got it, but I think it has something to do with Ryan spending the night in the park last weekend for Invisible Children's Global Commute.

Todd said, "We are not amused."

I laughed my head off and said, "No, not for very long, anyway."

Then Kristen said, "I didn't tell myself to do it. Ryan did."

Need. Rope. Or duct tape.

As much as I love my little darlins, there are some evenings when they wear me out. Mostly the ones when they are all three home at the same time, which only happens about once or twice a year these days, and ALWAYS when Todd's out of town.

Believe no one when they say it gets easier when they grow older. Lies from the pit of hell. The problem is, they're bigger, stronger, or smellier than me now, and I can't control them.

Girls, Girls, you're both pretty...

This is what a former coworker used to say her Grandma would tell her and her sister when they were squabbling. I thought that was cute at the time when my girls got along so well...
Now, I understand.

Suddenly, my darling daughters have turned into emotional, mood-swingin' beings who bite each other's heads off given half a chance.

And I took them to the mall today. Together. With an extra girl.

What the H-E-double-hockey-sticks was I even thinking?

Brand New

New for 2007

New Brother-in-Law

New Hairdo

(I know, I know, it looks like the same old hairdo to YOU.
But there are highlights...and less poofy bangs, trust me.)

New Scarves

New Baby in the Family

Isn't she lovely?

Happy New Year!

Thappy Hanksgiving

I'm still out there...wherever there is. :) Just haven't been much in the blogging mood lately. Thought I'd post a small list of things I am thankful for, in honor of that holiday tomorrow.

1) My middle child in the living room working hard to play Fur Elise from music with left AND right hand after I showed her the basics today, and no formal lessons. What a hard worker she is.

2) My little daughter who checks in for hugs and kisses as often as possible every day.

3) My old boy and his holiday attire today for a family movie outing--a t-shirt, black polyester jeans, and a knitted scarf wrapped around his neck.

4) Heather, who successfully remembered to thaw her turkey ahead of time, and her holiday crazy husband, her Cabbage-Patch lovin' kid, and Baby D.

5) My husband, my Toddy, my best friend, who supports me in my wild and crazy midlife crises quite well...for an engineer. ;)

6) The rest of my family and friends--too numerous to mention specifically, but all as unique and inspiring as they come. Seriously.

7) Grace.

Belated Bday Musings

Well, I neglected to mention that my baby turned 18 earlier this week. For his birthday, Todd and I registered him for the draft. ;)

(We actually did, much as I was not excited about it...we browsed to the website just to see how it was done and went ahead and filled out the form while we were there. Woo hoo. Pray this war's over soon.)

Kristen and I went on a special shopping trip for bday cupcakes, but while we were at the store, decided to buy 18 items Ryan has liked to eat over the years (past OR present) and gave them to him in a big shopping bag along with a couple of lists I made (18 favorite foods, 18 favorite songs, 18 important events since he was born) and a sappy little poem I wrote. :)

The winning item in the bag was definitely the maggie-roni and cheese IN THE ORANGE BOX!!! (No Kraft Mac 'n Cheese for my thrifty Ryan Scott.) I think, however, the pickled okra and pork rinds conjured up bad memories and nightmares. Heh.

Happy Birthday to the cutest little knucklehead nerd who ever lived.

Oh, yeah, I had a birthday lately, too. Nyah. I wasn't too excited about it, but I got some cool stuff from my family and friends, as well as a surprise announcement from my little sis. She's getting married. Wow. :)

My best/funniest gift award goes to Gail for the second year in a row. I was raving on and on about a B&N gift card Teri gave me, talking about how I was going to go buy the Stephen King book on writing, and all the while a gift bag from Gail was sitting at the Jason's Deli table under my nose...containing, you guessed it, the book. How well that girl knows me.

The really pretty origami paper from my dad "for when you are sitting around doing nothing" was also pretty funny. (The inscription, not the gift.) I don't get much of that (sitting around doing nothing...I sleep when that happens), so I think I'm going to frame it! Trust me, it's frameable, as weird as that sounds.

Calgon, please. And yes, I'd like to super size that.

May I just scream that BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK SUCKS!!!!

Thank you.

(Anyone know where I can find two packages of 9X12 manila paper?)