Saturday, June 30, 2007

Plans?

The question I keep getting is this:

So, what are you doing on the 4th?

Well, to be perfectly honest... I dunno.

One of my friends is going to DC for the night. Another is going to the equine center to see the fire works. Yet another is at the beach...

You got anything exciting going on?

Friday, June 29, 2007

What to do???

I want to go to my Jazzercise class this morning. I'm getting back into shape and as a friend told me the other day, I'm dwindling... I hope that means I'm looking thinner.

I really need to pack the children for camp. They leave on Sunday. Yes, it's going to be a week at home alone for the parents. What WILL we do??

Mr. and Grambug wanted me to go to Costco today. I declined with the statement that I really needed to get the children packed. (Mr. and I can hit Costco on the way back from dropping the children at camp.) Besides, the last two times I went to Costco the only joy I got was the free snacks. I usually treat myself to a very berry smoothie -- they didn't have any! Do you know how disappointing that was for me?? I was crushed! The lack of smoothies two times in a row was not good for my Costco psyche.

So, after I declined that exciting offer, I got an email from a friend I haven't seen in a LONG time. She wants to meet for lunch. You know, lunch sounds so much better than chores.

So I thought to myself, "LBC, you can do it all before Mr. gets home from work at 2:3o or 3... You are superwoman. You can do the laundry, pack the kids, get to class and have lunch. Whatever you don't get done before you leave, you can finish when you get back or gee... Even better... you can make the children to do it. That will work."

So, I got up and started the laundry early early this morning. Guess what?! I'm almost finished!!

Okay, so, I thought I could do it all until Mr. told me - on his way out the door at 6am - that he'd be home at noon. NOON?!?! Where did that come from??? I can't pack two children, go to a morning Jazzercise class, have lunch, AND get home before noon. Before 2 maybe, but noon??
If I can, at least, get the laundry and packing done, I won't feel TOO guilty about not being here when he gets home...
Hmm..... Maybe he'll be late...

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Thursday 13


Thirteen Things - In no particular order - LadyBug Is Thinking About Today


1. Today is the last day of band camp for my cherubs.

2. They have had a banner week - camp, pool parties, ice cream, fun times with good friends...

3. I am finally back to scrapbooking.

4. I'm only a year behind... That's not so bad, is it??

5. I went shopping with my mom yesterday and got some real bargains. I'm not sharing because some of them are Christmas gifts and I don't want you all to know how cheap I really am.

6. We upgraded our cellphones yesterday. We added a line for #1. He has been warned... That phone can disappear in a matter of microseconds if he abuses it. He is to use it only when it is absolutely necessary. He is to use the land line to call his friends. :-)

7. Our old cellphones were the kind you could drop and then accidentally kick across the parking lot when you went to pick it up and it would still work... Yup... we were using dinosaurs...

8. I'm not so sure these are as durable, but they are wicked fun!!

9. Do you want to know how much it cost me to upgrade? $0 - yes -- nothing... nada... zip! That makes those phones so much more fun!!

10. The children go off to Summer Camp next week. They are going together. Do you know what that means? That means Mr. and I will have the whole house to ourselves for a whole week. What will we do??

11. I'm on the prowl for a new camera. I'd like a digital slr. I think I know what I want, but I'm open... Any suggestions??

12. Should I get a photo printer to go with it? If so, what kind? I'm pretty picky about my pictures...

13. Digital processing.... Where do you get your digital pix printed? I usually use snapfish, but their uploading keeps pooping out on me. (Okay, so I have about 65 pix to upload... so... Even if I can only do them 5 or 10 at a time... that would be fine... really...)

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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Snip Snip...

You Are Scissors

Sharp and brilliant, you can solve almost any problem with that big brain of yours.
People fear your cutting comments - and your wit is famous for being both funny and cruel.
Deep down, you tend to be in the middle of an emotional storm. Your own complexity disturbs you.
You are too smart for your own good. Slow down a little - or you're likely to hurt yourself.

You can cut a paper person down to pieces.

The only person who can ruin you is a rock person.

When you fight: You find your enemy's weak point and exploit it.

If someone makes you mad: You'll do everything you can to destroy their life
Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

I'm not sure I agree with all of this, but considering there were only 5 questions...
What do you think? Is this accurate??

Monday, June 25, 2007

Rockin' Girls

Renee over at Fefyfomanna gave me this cool button:



Now I must choose 5 women bloggers worthy of this beautiful pink button and that shouldn't be too hard. If you get tagged, grab your well deserved pretty pink badge up there, slap it on your site, and then list 5 Rockin' Girl Bloggers. Here's my list...in no particular order:

Petroville - She's the sweetest person I know. She's hysterical, she's real, she's absolutely gorgeous and I wanna be just like her when I grow up.

Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl - I just love her! She's funny. She has a heart of gold. She'll be famous one day - I'm sure of it. Oh and I'm so pleased that she's my friend.

Clearly Ridiculous - She's a scream! The blog fodder this one comes up with is priceless! Oh - and I know her, too!

Nicole - She's my sweet sister. She's funny, she's creative, she's just the best! Her pottery is to die for. Check it out while you are over there visiting her.

Susan - She's got four boys and she's still relatively sane! I admire that. She's just an all around nice person and she visits me often.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Polo

I love polo and not the Ralph Lauren kind.

We used to go all the time when we were young and had no children. We loved pulling up to the field, unloading our grub, and spending the afternoon with a mimosa in one hand, some munchies in the other, and chatting it up with all our friends.

Well, those days are back!

Except that we have to park a little further back than we are used to, it's arena polo not field polo, and it happens in the evening. But, when in Rome...

Last night we went to polo - the Grandbugs, my friend R, and us. (R's husband and son, HP, were off on another adventure.) LLB was a little disappointed that HP couldn't come, but had fun with the Dancing Princess.

My car came with it's own table - I always loved that little feature!! So, I got the table out, set it up, and covered it with a table cloth. We were hot! Last time we went, a lady showed up with a stuffed fox (yes, a real taxidermy fox!). Maybe next time we'll bring a toy stuffed animal of some sort... Unless R brings one of her husband's hunting trophies... That could be fun!!

Our food kicked serious butt! We had mimosas, wine, beer (in bottles because we know that cans are just not acceptable), 4 kinds of finger sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, mozzarella balls, cheese and crackers, humungo strawberries, goldfish, and Route 11 chips. I'm sure there was more, but I can't remember it all. Needless to say, we were very popular! We had a lot of visitors and we love to share. :-)

My favorite part about polo is the people watching and the chatting it up with good friends. Last night the preppy set was out in full force. I'm all over khaki pants, crisp white shirts and navy blazers, but really! I'm so not into seersucker pants. The madras shorts - okay... Even the pink button down shirts and pastel ties.. but not seersucker... (I don't think I could ever get #1 to wear or even want him to wear pink seer sucker pants with a matching bow tie unless it was for a Halloween costume!)

We had a great time! I can't wait to go back!

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Life in general...

Okay, I've heard from a few of you that you'd like me to wrap up the sleepover. Somehow I thought I'd already done that on Thursday morning, but I guess you want to hear all the nitty gritty...

The girls got quiet around 5:30am. They were still chatting, but NOT as many of them were chatting. This means that some of them fell asleep. Amazing, isn't it?

At 7:15, after I'd fed the boys and cleared their plates, I opened the back door and said, oh so sweetly - I might add, "Time to get UUuuuuup!" I said it with joy. I said it with glee. (Payback for keeping me up all night -- simply priceless!)

They emerged from the tents bleary eyed and virtually comatose. I smiled...

They straggled in to breakfast in clumps of two or three. I made waffles for them and I had 3 kinds of cereal: Fruit Loops, Cheerios, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. They came and plunked their exhausted selves at the counter. I plopped waffles in front of them and they ate them. I'm not so sure they actually tasted anything...

LLB does not do well on no sleep and neither does her mother. She was particularly crotchety until I gave her a look that said, "Shape up our you'll not be going to the water park today." That snapped her back to reality and she returned to her normal jovial self.

The parents arrived between 8 and 9:30 depending on their schedules. In between getting girls out the door, I had to have LLB ready to go out for the day looking fresh, rested, and presentable. I brushed her hair. Know what I found in there? S'more residue... Marshmallow in the hair does not make for an easy or painless brushing. I told her she could suck on her hair and have a snack later. She was not amused. I gave her two braids and then drowned her in sun screen. LLB and her friend A left at 9:15 for the water park. I kissed her on the top of the head and sent her on her way. "Goodbye! Have fun!" I hissed a "Be nice!" in her ear.

My house was empty by 10. I cleaned up the kitchen. I checked the clock - 11am. I decided to have a cupcake and a glass of orange juice. I thought I deserved a somewhat unhealthy snack at that point.

I couldn't take a nap - I knew I'd sleep too long and I had to leave to get the boys at basketball. #1 and I dropped his friend W at home and then we went to have some special time just for us - we hit Mc Do. for a quick lunch. Then we went to the library to get some books. I did take a short nap at 3pm. #1 said I snored. I think I deserved a snore AND a drool...

LLB arrived home at 9. She and A had had a marvelous time at the water park. She had fallen asleep in the car but she was still so tired that she could barely walk. A was in the same predicament! They were pretty funny!!

Once in the house, LLB stood still long enough for me to take her braids out of her hair. She handed her brother a souvenir she purchased for him. (He was touched by her kindness. It was really sweet!!) Then she went up and flopped into bed. She was out cold in a matter of seconds.

I'd say she had a great party...

Friday, June 22, 2007

Friday Feast

Appetizer
Name a funny habit you have.
I don't untie my shoes when I take them off and I leave them right where I take them off. This little habit drove my college roommate crazy.

Soup
If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick?
Sax or Piano

Salad
How long is your hair?
Shoulder length

Main Course
When was the last time you forgave someone, and who was it?
I forgive people all the time... those who cut me off in traffic, those who drive too slow, children who leave messes around...

Dessert
What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
Besides Mr? Oh... Hmm... I'd have to say my dishwasher or my mixmaster that I really wish was a red kitchen aid mixer.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Next time -- just shoot me!

The spa party is still in full swing at 5:20am. They are chatting. They are giggling. They are having a wonderful time.

The girls arrived at 6.
We served pizza and soda for dinner. Then they took off to play in the creek. At 7, I called them back up to the house to wash up so that they could do their makeup thing with The Mary Kay Lady. The girls needed some drying off so we did our bath salt thing then. It was great and they loved it!

From there we headed inside to get facials. They had a wonderful time doing makeup and asking questions. They were terrific!! And, they looked lovely when they were done.

While the MKLady was cleaning up, we did cupcakes. We then went outside to try to light the fire for s'mores. The fire didn't light so we came in and made them in the microwave. 12 marshmallows - 15 seconds - perfect s'more material!!

They changed into pajamas and headed out for some flashlight tag. This was at 11:30. Yes, it was late, but I was happy to be able to pick up my kitchen. A couple of them stayed in and watched Disney until 11:30 when I told the girls it was bed time. They headed for their tents.

At 12, I headed up to my room... My room has a window that is right above their tents... At 1, I went back down and told them to get to sleep. At 4, I got up to use the facilities and they were still giggling... Mr. got up at 4:40 and they were still talking. They are going to be totally useless today.

When Mr. was about to leave at 5, I came down. They are still chatting... the tents are still wobbling. They will probably fall asleep at 6. They are getting up at 7 because some of them have to leave at 8.

LLB is off to the water park with one of the girls today. I certainly hope she got some sleep...

Needless to say:
I will enjoy waking them up...

I will enjoy making their breakfast...

I will enjoy sending them home...

I will enjoy my mid-morning nap.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

I must be nuts!

So LLB's party is tomorrow.
It's a spa party - in case you forgot.

LLB is so excited! I, on the other hand, am a little panicky. She had a list with 18 invitees on it. I had hoped for a maximum of 10. Alas I have 13 who will be coming to party hearty and sleep over at The Crossing.

The MaryKay lady was spotted at the grocery store today. She assured Mr. that she's excited to meet LLB's friends for facials and makeup. OMG!! I forgot!! I don't even know if I can seat 13 girls around a table to do makeup. I'll be scrounging for seating over at the Grandbug's tomorrow... It's a good thing Gram has a "thing" for chairs...

I have the crafts: The bath salts are prepped and ready to be set out and mixed. The cupcakes have been baked and the requisite frostings, sprinkles, and candies are standing at attention in the cupboard awaiting their turn. I even have the food coloring ready so we have more than one color frosting. The s'mores ingredients are hanging in a bag in the pantry so all I have to do is grab it and head out to the fire pit. I'll stack the wood tomorrow when it's cooler...

I'll dig out the dozen different colors of nail polish I purchased as soon as I'm finished with this post. I have cotton balls and nail polish remover, too. They can do fingernails and then they can do toe nails. That ought to keep them busy for about 10 minutes...

Heck, if they get bored, they can sleep, right?

So... Wish me luck.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Messy Mahvin strikes again...

My house is a disaster!

I swear Messy Mahvin came by when I was out and had a field day! Zebbie must have had a brain fart let him in.

I've got socks strewn from one end of the house to the other. While I was following the dirty sock road hoping to find the wizard, I discovered piles of school papers, a gazillion pens and pencils in various states of functionality, a few dozen scraps of paper, and a laundry pile the size of Mount Everest. I had no idea Mahvin's mess making skills had been so perfected. He must have received an award at Messy School for most improved.

Yesterday, I kinda lost it. I made two piles by the front door - an LLB pile and a #1 pile. I rounded up all the stuff that Mahvin had left for me - because you and I both know that the children didn't make those messes... So anyway, I went through the house and collected their stuff. When the piles were suitably large, I called them downstairs and told them that I didn't care how they disposed of their piles, I just wanted them gone.

I gave them some options. They could put it all away, they could put it all in the trash, they could burn it in the fire pit, they could even phone a friend for a life line... the only thing they couldn't do was leave it by the front door.

Mahvin was unavailable to help clean up. The children were not amused! Did they really think Mahvin was going to stay to help clean up???

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Dealing with the Dickster...

Our ballet performances were this weekend...

We had the stage manager from h*ll whose name fits her personality - Ms. Dick. Go ahead... giggle... get it out of your system... I'll wait.

She had my LLB in tears and my #1 so angry I thought he'd burst. It seems she treated the girls with boobs like they had some brains and talent and treated those without boobs like babies who could do nothing. I was cool on the outside, but on the inside... well, that's another story. Excuse me... My LLB may be flat chested, but she knows what she's doing, where to be when, has passed her grade 2 ballet exam with honors, and probably knows more discrete mathematics than Ms. Dick can shake a stick at. #1 was ready to punch Ms. Dick's lights out for making his sister cry. (It was NOT a pretty sight.)

I spoke with the ballet lady. She went to talk to LLB and calm her down. As I was leaving, one of the other adult ballet people asked me if I had reserved space for the videographer. I said, "I can do that" and smiled. This woman knows me and knows I'll save the spots. Ms. Dick butted right in and said, "That means you need to save the seats." I answered, "It's all taken care of... (insert pause and grit teeth) Honey."

The next day, Mr. gave Ms. Dick a piece of his mind. He doesn't take to well to people who make his daughter cry. He basically told Ms. Dick to cool it - this production is supposed to be fun for the kids. This is NOT supposed to make them miserable and hate ballet. In School Suspension - that's supposed to make them miserable... She tried to defend her stupidity. Silly girl... She knows not with whom she verbally spars...

Later in the weekend, the kids were supposed to arrive at 4:30 for warm-ups. Who was there on time? LLB and #1. Shocked aren't you? Ms. Dick says to the ballet lady, "Who is that little blond one? She's always on time and doing what she is supposed to." The ballet lady says, "Oh, that's LLB. She's one of my best students." (The one you picked at the other night for no reason... MORON!!!)
Ms. Dick says very softly, "oh."
Yup... she has realized the error of her ways... karma... I love karma...

Saturday, June 16, 2007

#1 Cleans Up

Yesterday was a banner day for #1.

It was the last day of school and the long awaited awards ceremony.

We arrived early - very early. The ceremony started at 10:30 we arrived at 8:15. So? We wanted good seats! And, I had to help cut cake... and the parking situation was going to be hairy. What? I wanted a good spot in the parking lot, too!

Mr. set up shop in the gym while I went to cut cake. If you know my Mr., you know he can't just sit and read a book. He brought his PDA, his phone, and some real work and got down to business.

When I finally got to the gym to sit down, it was almost time for the show to start. The place was packed!! The 6th graders with siblings in the 8th grade were allowed to come and watch. LLB joined us and plunked herself between Mr. and Grandpa. Some parents showed up at 10:20 and ended up in the back of the room.

The kids processed in to Pomp and Circumstance while their names were read. It was very nice. #1 ended up on the end of the aisle right where we could see him.

They started with the awards right away. They had awards for all the subjects from Agriscience to Technology.

#1 got two for Drama - I knew about one of them, but two! Wow!! He got the best actor award. He also got the Thespian Honor medal for 100 hours of service. Then he got one for English - highest GPA. Geography was next - yup... he got one for highest GPA for that, too. Music - of course he got that one - he got it because he was Band Student of the Year for all 3 years. He also got one for Science - ummm... yup - highest GPA.

Then the big awards...
#1 got the best one!! He got the American Legion award. He got a medal - which I got to pin on him, a beautiful certificate, and $10 in gift certificates to our local ice cream shop. Yumm!!

I thought that would probably be the last award he got, but I was mistaken...

He got the Presidential Academic Excellence Award for the highest GPA - 4.0.

He got the Academic Achievement Award for 4.0 for all 3 years of middle school.

I'd say he cleaned up...
All that hard work paid off.
We are so proud of him!
Lets hope he keeps it up for the next 4 years...

Friday, June 15, 2007

Friday Feast

Appetizer
Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is ___________…
the neighbors are far away and it is very quiet

Soup
Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”).
No Stink

Salad
What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer?
Stupid printer driver just yesterday... Every time my printer runs out of paper during a printing session, I have to reinstall the printer driver. It drives me totally nuts!

Main Course
If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say?
Most likely to volunteer.

Dessert
What two colors do you like to wear together?
Black and beige.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Thursday 13


Thirteen Things LadyBug Is Thinking About Today


1. I survived Tuesday's 6th grade picnic.

2. The kids had a great time - Great food... great music.... great friends.

3. I survived Wednesday's 8th grade picnic.

4. The kids had an even better time!

5. They played games - volleyball, football, kickball... And they threw water at each other. - It was really hot out there so it was fine.

6. They ate, they danced on the lawn, and they included everyone in the festivities -- even the special needs kids. This group of 8th graders is so kind. It was very sweet to see.

7. Last night was the NJHS induction. #1 had to help induct the 7th graders. He did a great job.

8. Today is a half day.

9. We have dress rehearsal for Cinderella tonight. I might just be able to get to my Jazzercise class this afternoon after I drop them off...

10. Tomorrow is the last day of school. The children are thrilled!!

11. #1 informed me that he NEEDS a new polo shirt and khaki shorts for tomorrow's awards ceremony at school. He also told me that he NEEDS a haircut after school today. :-)

12. Think he wants to make a good impression tomorrow??

13. I think I can manage to squeeze in a hair cut and a quick stop for shorts and a polo.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!




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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Tuesday, June 12, 2007

It's all good...

That's what #1 says.
Some days I'm not so sure.

You know it's going to be a bad day when you reach for a towel after your shower and there isn't one.
I happened to find Mr.'s hanging on the other towel bar - and it was fluffy and clean.
So... it's all good.

You know it's going to be a bad day when you reach for your clothes that you've left on the bathroom counter and knock your shirt into the only blop of toothpaste in the sink.
I didn't want to wear that top anyway, so... it's all good.

You know it's going to be a bad day when you start to pull up your underwear and your thumb goes right through and makes a humungo hole... so attractive.
They were old anyway and I have a whole new package of undies in the closet, so... it's all good.

All this happened before 7am.
I'm not sure I should even venture out today.
Unfortunately, I don't have a choice. It's the 6th grade picnic and we have to get ready this morning. I was told to be at the school cafeteria with my chef's knife at 8:15. (The knife is to cut watermelon and strawberries, not students...)

Maybe I'll just leave the knife at home...

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Boys Primp

Did you know that? I didn't know that. My boy is not a primper. He doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror. Okay, so he doesn't comb his hair either...

Anyway, Mr. and I chaperoned the 8th grade Beach party on Friday evening. We were assigned to bathroom monitoring. When we first got this job, we weren't totally thrilled, but it turned out to be the place that got the best breeze - I'll get to that in a sec.

There is this woman, who I'll call Martha Stewart -- Martha for short. She planned and organized this party with a couple other women. Our assignment on Thursday evening was to help set up the hall.

Martha arrived with lighted palms, a 3 foot tall shark dressed in a hawaiian shirt that held munchies, a gazillion grass skirts, an umbrella, a pile of beach towels, and enough strings of xmas lights to light up New York. She put us to work.

Martha has a motto: Presentation.. Presentation.. Presentation. We were to make sure that we lived by that motto while we were there. Two of my friends and I were told to string lights on the umbrella - she started us out slow so she could see how good we were. Now, I am a professional level Christmas tree light stringer - I used to put 1800 lights on my tree every year all by myself.... I know how to string lights!! Martha scared me - she rocked me to my light stringing core. What if I wasn't good enough?? It took the 3 of us to string one umbrella with lights... When we were finished, we called her over and held our collective breaths... She approved. We were not to be sent home for crappy decorating skills. From lights we were moved to different tasks. We decorated our butts off until Martha deemed us done. And when we were done, the place looked like a luau paradise... She's good... she's very very good!!

We arrived at the hall on Friday with #1. I gave him some brief rules:
1. The banner across the far end of the room was to be protected. Do not let anyone tear it. We need it for the picnic on Wednesday.
2. No being wild and keep your friends in check.
3. Have fun and dance!
4. If you need anything - we'll be hanging out by the bathrooms.

The kids arrived and were duly impressed by Martha's decorating. The DJ was late, but when you are only paying the guy $100... you really can't be picky. While we waited for a boombox to arrive, the kids milled around and chatted... and picked their leis apart. We had green leaf leis for the boys and flowers for the girls. The girls kept theirs around their necks... the boys' ended up strewn across the floor. That gave Mr. an excuse to check on the dark corners of the room... He found a push broom and swept up every half hour or so...

The more kids arrived, the hotter it got. The air conditioner was NOT working. It was 95 in the shade with 90% humidity that day. The air was cooling down, but really... the AC is what we were counting on... Eventually, we had no choice... we opened the doors -- something we really didn't want to do because the possibility of escapees got huge. The other possibility of party crashers was also greater. (Not much happens around here, so if there is something going on at the local hall, the older kids get wind of it and try to crash.) But, we are tough... we got rid of the few that showed up.

My favorite party crasher story is this one:
This kid and his friend drive up and park. The check in guy is outside and sees them. They walk up to the check in table and try to tell the guy that they are middle schoolers. Do they think that we don't know that 8th graders don't drive yet? Morons!!

Then there was this story...
This red - candy apple red - truck with two guys in it drives around the building about 6 times. Do they think we don't see this flaming red truck with snazzy wheels going around and around? Do they think we are stupid AND blind??? This kid gets out and says he wants to talk to his sister Amber. One of the moms asks, "What's her last name?" "Ummm she's my sister." "What's her last name?" "Her name is Amber." "What.is.her.last.name?" "Never mind." And he gets in his truck and drives off. MORON!!

Okay, so now you want some bathroom stories...
We've got a few.

Girls go to the bathroom in flocks of 5 to 25. Note: there is zero air conditioning in the bathroom. It is a sauna. Add 25 girls and you get.... an oven. They didn't stay in there very long. They did their business, washed their hands, checked their hair, and left. Trust me... I know these things. Eventually they stopped going in there because it was just too hot.

Boys go to the bathroom in 2s and 3s. Who knew?? Their bathroom was just as hot and miserable as the girls' room. You'd think they would want to get out of there asap... Boys primp. They go in there to primp. One gaggle of guys went in and must have been in there for a solid 2 min. Mr. went in to find out what mischief they were up to... They were primping. They were combing their hair over and over.... they were washing their faces... Good Lord!! Who.knew???

Some boys wore enough clothes that they could change their outfits. I had no idea that boys did this sort of thing. They would go in empty handed wearing jeans and a hawaiian shirt and come out in shorts and a t-shirt carrying a pile of clothing. What are these kids? Magicians?? Then, they'd get sick of that outfit and swap to another one. It was odd.

The girls gave up on their bathroom umm... I mean sauna long before the night was over. The boys.. they primped all night. Don't they know that heat and humidity really do a number on the hair??

Friday, June 08, 2007

Friday Feast

Appetizer
What do you consider to be the ultimate snack food?
Hmmm... this is tough... I like so many snack foods... Almonds are healthy, chips are tasty, doritos... Oh, how I love the crunch... Cheese and crackers, shrimp cocktail, once in while popcorn is terrific... I dunno.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), about how popular is your last name? Zero...

Salad
Who is your all-time favorite sitcom character, and why?
Lisa Simpson - she's smart, funny, talented, and strong.

Main Course
Do you shop online? If so, name some sites you like to browse for goodies.
Do I shop online? Do bears poo in the woods? Oh my gracious, of course I shop online. I shop at smartbargains, overstock, rugsdirect, landsend, llbean, hannaandersson (although, not so much anymore), there are just too many sites to name.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I think ___________ should be ___________.
That's easy: I think SCHOOL should be OVER!

Thursday, June 07, 2007


Thirteen Things LadyBug Is Thinking About Today


1. School gets out next Friday.

2. #1 has one more project to finish...

3. Tonight I have to go to the 8th grade dance site and help decorate. The theme is beachy luau. It should be really fun!

4. Tomorrow night LLB and #1 have a Jazz performance at 5:30

5. The Jazz teacher - a teenager - hasn't bothered to reserve the performance venue yet...

6. I'm a little bit - okay a lot annoyed because I didn't want the children to do another performance. Cinderella is next weekend, for crying out loud! Oh - and did I mention that #1's 8th grade dance is tomorrow night at 7???

7. The children also have a band concert during school tomorrow afternoon. That should be fun!

8. LLB has her doctor appointment tomorrow morning.

9. Do you think we have a lot crammed in there for tomorrow? I didn't plan 99% of this -- just so you know.

10. Sunday is the church picnic. I couldn't get the fried chicken, so we are doing burgers and dogs.

11. I'm going to set up the picnic on Saturday evening. I certainly hope it is supposed to be nice on Sunday or we'll be eating inside.

12. Next Tuesday and Wednesday are the kids' school picnics. The girl that is planning the 8th grade dance does both the picnics, too. I'm so glad her kids are in the same grades as my kids.

13. And you thought I was crazy....

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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

It's Almost Pahty Time

LLB's birthday was in April.

We didn't have a party for her because we were just too busy. She totally understood when we pushed it off until after school gets out.
We also couldn't figure out what kind of party to have.
Yes, we needed a theme. These things can't be rushed, you know.
And no we couldn't think of anything good until now...

LLB has decided to have a spa sleepover party. (There are currently 15 on the list and I'm hoping that most umm... I mean some of them can't make it.)
Yes I'm insane. I may have to check myself into the local loony bin sooner than I thought.

A friend of mine is a Mary Kay lady - a very BRAVE Mary Kay lady. She's going to come out and show the girls how to take care of their skin and how to apply makeup correctly. You know... so they don't look like Tammy Faye or Elvira. Then, if it's a nice night, the girls can do pedicures and nails out on the back deck.

Of course I know that that's not enough to keep these invitees busy , so we'll do smores around the campfire once it gets dark. And then, to make sure they get good and tired, they can play flashlight tag on the back 40 (until they can't run one more step...)

I'd personally like to put all of them in a tent for the night, but our tent only sleeps 4. Hmmm... can you fit 15 girls in one tent?? They are small, right? I guess I could stack them like sardines... I may try to find a cheapo tent at our local mega-discount store. Then I can leave them out there with the dog - for protection against bears and other critters of the dark that might find little girl ankles just the right size to gnaw on. Yup, I'm likin' that idea. I'm not sure the dog will like it, but it's certainly worth a try.

So I have a couple of weeks to psych myself up for this. Any words of wisdom besides "run for the hills"??

Did you know....

That if someone drops the rice container and the cover pops off the rice multiplies before it hits the floor?

Poor Mr. had a rice issue yesterday. The container slipped out of his hand in our little teeny tiny pantry under the stairs. He says he told me it had happened. (I think I may have been asleep on the couch when he mentioned it.) Needless to say, I didn't know. I was doing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen when went to put something in the pantry. I discovered what looked like a whole bag of rice sprinkled everywhere. If I had toddlers, I would have thought they'd gotten in there and had a party. Now, the pantry is really teeny tiny and to say that it was everywhere is totally relative. I was going to take a picture, but the camera wouldn't fit...

I got out my trusty Kirby, attached the tube, and started to vacuum the rice. Well, the more I sucked up, the more there was. I didn't think I was ever going to finish. I would suck up a pile and get to an appliance or a jug of oil or a bottle of wine. (No, I didn't drink the wine because my Kirby did not come with the bottle opener attachment.) I would move the object and discover another pile of rice. This happened over and over. It really was unbelievable...

When we emptied the Kirby bag, it was full - very full. Fortunately it was strong enough to handle the weight of all that rice and didn't explode on the way to the trash barrel...

Monday, June 04, 2007

Monday Again??

Wow... It's Monday already?

I'm not mentally prepared for a Monday... Saturday? Sure.. I can do that, but not Monday... not yet.

Since I have no choice but to deal with the fact that it is Monday, I guess I'll tell you what is going on this week.

Jazzercise... I need to get in shape. I feel much better when I exercise.

I'm taking Grambug to the dentist on Tuesday. That also means shopping and lunch...

#1 has his first meeting with the high school band this week. He's nervous, but excited. I don't know what this meeting entails, but we'll throw his sax in the car just in case.

#1 has his 8th grade dance this weekend. The theme is beach/luau. I bought him a wicked cool Hawaiian shirt to wear.

LLB has her well-baby checkup.

The children have the last band concert of the year for their schoolmates on Friday during school. LLB has been polishing up her solo this weekend.

I have to plan the church picnic for Sunday. I'm thinking fried chicken would be good - there is a lady in town who makes the best fried chicken around!! I'm going to drop by and place my order. The parishioners bring a side dish to share, so there should be plenty of food.

Well... my week is pretty quiet. Don't tell anybody!! I'd like to keep it this quiet, thankyouverymuch.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Decisions... Decisions...

So I suppose you all want to know what I decided about the PTO thing...

Well, I thought about it for quite a while. I knew they were going to ask me...

The girl that is the co-chair is a terrific person and is as busy as I am. We chatted and we decided that together we'd make one okay President. She's in the schools alot as am I. All the committees are in place and the only thing we have to find people for is to pass out schedules in August. We know who did it last year and we know that they will all do it again. We also work well together, so it really won't be all that bad. The job is such that we can make it as involved as we want. We don't want an involved job, so...

The children did the American Cancer Society Relay for Life last night -- it's an over night thing. We left them at 10 last night. At 4 this morning I got a call from a tearful LLB. It seems that one of the younger kids puked all over himself and on her. They were sleeping under the stars and this poor kid just upchucked everything he ate. He got some on her sweatshirt and her sleeping bag... The eeewww factor was more than she could take.

I got in the car at 4:03 and hauled butt to get her. I packed up the tent they didn't sleep in along with all the other crap they needed and was home by 6:15. (#1 was asleep in the car before I left the parking lot. LLB waited until I hit the highway and then she was out like a light.) I had the tent set up in the yard and the laundry in the washer by 6:45. At 7am I looked outside and it was raining on the tent I set up in the yard to dry. It's going to sit out there until the sun comes out and dries it...

At 8am I got a call from a kid that went to the Relay but had left at midnight. He didn't take his stuff with him when he left -- I still don't know why. I dropped his sleeping bag off on my way home, but I had no idea he had more crap...
"Hi, is #1 there?"
"He's in bed asleep. Can I help you?"
"Yeah... What happened to my stuff at the Relay?"
"What stuff?" (Like this is my job to watch your stuff that wasn't labeled...)
"Well my sleeping bag was on my porch, but where is the rest of it?"
"I dunno."
He was a little pissy. But, hey... it's not my job to take his stuff home.
His mother jumped on the phone when he got snippy and I told her what I knew -- which was not much. The stuff is with someone... I just don't know who yet. She thought they had until 9am to get it, but with the rain, everyone left early. Besides, is it really my job to track it down?? I told her that I had no idea he had more stuff. She gave me a list - a pretty long list of stuff - and I told her I'd get back to her... We had a good laugh over the whole thing... Kids!!

I'll keep you all posted.

It's 11am. LLB is still sleeping. Upon her arrival home, she jumped into the shower. She just had to get rid of the eeewww factor. #1, fresh out of bed and the shower, is currently ensconced in front of the TV with his eyes glazed over. He'll be moving in slow motion for the rest of the day...

Remember when I told you that #1 was up for the Champion of Excellence Award at school... Well, I was informed by a secret spy that he did not get it. He is up for a couple other really big awards though, and will definitely get one of those. I was a little disappointed - as I'm sure #1 will be, but it is nice to know that girl that is receiving the award is a deserving student and only beat out #1 by less than one point... That makes losing a little easier to swallow. :-)

So, I've caught you up... I think.

Friday, June 01, 2007

I have a dilemma...

I have been asked to be PTO Co-Chair.
I am busy... very busy.
I'm told it's not that big a deal, but I think I might know better.
The girl who I would be co-chair with is terrific -- and she's a worker...
I dunno...
What do you think? Should I do it?

Friday Feast

Appetizer
Name something you think is “the best.”
My Mr. He's the best!

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today?
Right now... umm... 1. But, I haven't started my day yet.

Salad
What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face?
Water... plain water.

Main Course
Tonight is a blue moon! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.”
I agree to be the PTO co-president...

Dessert
When was the last time it rained where you live?
This past Sunday... but it was only showers. We need rain.