Family Photo

This is the family photo I like. I still don't know how they got so big.



This one is okay, but Will's head is floating. He had on a dark navy shirt that blended into the black background.



Will appears to be sneering in this one and Ann has a goofy look.



This one I like, but Will's head is floating again.



And here are Sir D and I. Holy cow! Who's that slightly pudgy middle aged lady? I know it's not me cuz last time I looked I was a smokin' hot, skinny teenager, right? And what happened to Sir D's hair? I remember running my fingers through those thick locks...um, never-mind.

Some days I really worry about that boy.

Scene:

14 year old boy laying on couch. Supposed to be studying for a science test, but instead has the papers lying on his head.

Mom: You know you have to actually study those papers. You can't lay them on your head and hope that the information will seep into your brain.

Bob, peeking out from under the papers: True. What if I eat it?

To Quote Chicken Little...

I thought about writing about the yummy taco soup I made last night, or the fact that my 14 year old son has decided he wants to look into becoming a Fireman or a Police man. Just what every mother wants to hear; that her son has decided go into a profession where he’ll either be required to run into burning buildings or get shot at.

I could write about the fact that my girls would rather have a messy room than play with their friends or watch TV. I know this because they cannot do either until it’s clean, and they are not cleaning it.

I could write about the fact that I’m making real headway on my book which is exciting, though somewhat disturbing since all I can think about is my characters and what they are doing and what they will do etc, and you know, that’s disturbing because they don’t actually exist.

But I’m not going to write about any of those things because there is something bigger that has me just a little freaked out. Normally I don’t listen to the Chicken Little types who run around telling you that the Sky is falling. There all the same, those types that spread fear.

The thing is though, this time it’s not the fear monger types that are running around yelling ‘The Sky Is Falling!’ It’s financial conservatives and liberals alike. ‘Economic Experts’ like the economics editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal and president of Euro Pacific Capital and author of Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse and other big smart important people I used to ignore.

One lady asked if the thousand dollars she had stashed in a federal credit union was safe. The expert replied that yes it was. Even if the bank failed there are safeguards in place to make sure you will get your thousand dollars out, and then you’ll be able to go buy a tank of gas with it, so great will be the devaluation of our dollar.

They were actually saying it might be a good idea to stock up on non perishable food items while you’re money is still worth something.

I don’t mind saying people, I’m gonna have to stop watching the news because while I have not yet seen the effects of this mess that Washington has made, I’m told that hurt is a-commin’ and it’s starting to freak me out.

Perhaps it’s time to go to Wal-Mart and stock up on TP and canned veggies.

I'm Home

I pulled up in the driveway at about 8:30 last night and was immediately greeted by kids running toward me with hugs and kisses. Even the teens! Okay there was less running and fewer kisses from them, but there were hugs!

I slept so well last night, listening to Sir D breathing beside me and knowing all my kiddoes were downstairs safely in their beds. I was home with my people where I belong.

This morning I woke up late and so did the kids. I know Sir D did not get them to bed on time all weekend. He likes to let them stay up late, mostly because he's gone in the morning when the're grumpy. But it's okay. I love for them to have Daddy-time.

It is raining outside to day. I love rainy days. I feel like staying in my PJ's again today and just playing with my kids, reading books, writing...

Sadly, it is back to reality today. I have some chores to do, some school to oversee with the kids.

Life can't be lived in my PJ's, but a girl can dream.

Back to work...

It's A Flurry of Activity!

Since I have eversomuch time on my hands today I have done not one, but two reviews on my Homeschool Review Blog today.

Go check it out.

Happy Saturday!

Good morning! I realize it may not actually be morning, right now when you are reading this, but it is morning when I am typing it and it seemed a proper greeting.

I am currently sitting on the bed in the hotel room, surrounded by junk food and nice clean white linens and NO ONE else. I am alone in the hotel room. ALONE.

Now, perhaps I am sounding too happy about this. I do love my people dearly. I do actually choose to stay home with them and teach them at home and be with them always, because I love them. But sometimes my brain needs a break from all the stimuli. There is precious little stimuli in this hotel room.

There is no talking. There is no tv on or radio playing anywhere. There are no ridiculously large teenage boys bumping onto everything and shaking the place when the walk. There are no bouncing little girls. There is no dinner to cook, no laundry to wash, no dishes to do, no floor to clean; I could go on but I think you get the point.

My friend had to get up and go to a seminar at the hotel, poor dear, so she'll be out most of the day. I could have slept in after she left, but strangely enough I didn't want to waste my alone time. So I'm up drinking coffee and writing. In my PJ's.



This is my uniform for the weekend. There might be a slight variation in the color of the PJ's if I should happen to spill something on these. I did come prepared with extras just in case. Once a girl scout always a girl scout.



Funny thing though. Even though I brought all that stuff, I only brought one change of clothes. That is mostly stuff to do and eat while I am alone here in the hotel room. There are more books in there than clothes.

My inner teenager is horrified, but the Mom in me, the one who wants to lay abed all weekend and read and write won out.

Enjoy your Saturday, I know I will!

Let the fun begin!

I am heading out of town today.

My friend has a seminar to go to in Austin, and I'm tagging along. I will be spending the days eating peanut butter M & M's drinking Coke Zero (they totally cancel each other out!) and working on my book, and some other writing I need to get done. I will be doing this alone in a hotel room.

Alone.

In a quiet place.

That someone else has to clean.

And no one will talk to me or question me, or interrupt my train of thought.

Oh, Happy Day! I am positively giddy with anticipation.

Then in the evenings, my friend and I will eat peanut butter M&M's drink Coke Zero and talk.

So, pretty much it's a variation of the peanut butter M&M's and the Coke Zero all weekend.

If I can get the hotel Internet and my computer to talk to each other nicely, I'll upload some photo's. Though none of me, because I plan to be without makeup and in my PJ's ALL WEEKEND!

Do they make a mouth guard for this?

I went to pick up Ann after her dyslexia class yesterday. All the teachers bring the students out into a small lobby area and all the parents wait in there to pick them up.

When Ann’s teacher, a sweet black lady about my age (exceptionally young, ahem) came out, I noticed she had a new hair cut. It looked very nice on her and what woman does not want her new hair style to be noticed and appreciated?

Um, the kind wearing a wig.

Yes, yes I did.

I walked right up to her and said “Hay, new hair! I like it.” Not “What a lovely hair cut you have.” Or “very nice new hair style.” No, I said ‘New hair.’ Because I have a possibly fatal case of Foot in Mouth Disease.

I have to say that I didn’t know she was wearing a wig. Really, I promise. Ann pointed it out to me on the way home.

When she told me I replayed the conversation in my head and realized why Ann’s teacher seemed less than pleased for me to comment on her new hair in a room full of people.

I should not be let out in public without supervision.

Oh, hang it all!

When I came home today, this is what I saw.

Bob's most current project, the merging of several bicycles into one super-bike, hanging from a tree in front of my house.

He got tired of leaning over the thing to sand it, so he decided to suspend it from the tree for easier access.

Interestingly enough, I was not surprised to see a bicycle hanging from a tree in my front yard.










Nothing surprises me anymore.

It's My Day

It's my day to drive the carpool downtown to take the kids to their Dyslexia class.

I woke up with a killer headache and a bit of an off stomach. Humm. I think I am getting sick, yet I get to drive downtown.

As if downtown traffic is not enough of a headache, and won't make you sick to your stomach all by itself. I got myself a head start.

I think it's gonna be on of those days.