rain on tulips

all the kids returned from their respective camps. fuul and i escaped for a couple of hours tonight for dinner and live music and adult conversation. now back to the grind.

I had some free time today (well, a little bit) and roots that were showing far to much ’sparkle’ (or blonde, as Fuul would say — bahahaha!), so I went ahead and touched up the black in my hair, and for fun, put a peekaboo lock of pink in one side.

I pre-medicated.

I’ve got a migraine anyway.

Tomorrow, when the color looks good and the headache is gone, it will so be worth it. Maybe I’ll even get a photo taken or something.

AE is off to camp. (Was that really only 12 hours ago I dropped her off for her ride?)

Shopping was finished up.

EK, CC & GC spent a nice seven hours with a church friend, playing with kids and going to the park. CC crashed out on the couch within minutes of getting home!

I survived chaperoning Cub Camp with DS for seven hours on the hottest day this week — archery, carving, obstacle course, raven masks, button blankets. Got some sock-knitting done while the boys created.

Fuul got to girls’ camp in one piece, all packed up and ready to go. He’ll be doing his homework while he’s there then uploading it tomorrow when he gets home.

Home. Tired. Want to knit. Need to write — paper due for critique/edit next wednesday.

Overall: survival.

monday

• JS and DA have to be at the church at 5am for scout camp
• AE needs to be at her girls camp hike at 9am
• AE needs to be picked up at noon
• CC has speech at 1:30
• DS will be picked up for cub camp at 1:45
• must finish shopping for last minute items for girls camp for AE

tuesday

• AE needs to be ready for camp by 9am
• CC has speech at 1:30
• I am chaperoning DS & cub camp from 2-8:30
• Fuul is chaperoning girls camp overnight
• Yes, that means I have to find babysitting for 3 kids for the entire afternoon

wednesday

• breathe
• DS has cub camp
• Fuul comes home from girls camp

thursday

• DS has cub camp
• Family evening at cub camp; must get all the little ones there and back, without losing my mind

friday

• breathe… and then remember that I have a 6,000 word assignment due for my writing class the following wednesday… what are the chances I’ve even thought about it??

saturday

• sit around, waiting for the calls from various and sundry kids who are dirt covered, sunburned, and waiting for a ride home

Maybe I can breathe next month??

Sometimes things move along, and you follow the rules and make sure you’re doing everything you can and everything you are supposed to, and then someone comes along and in some off-handedly threatening way changes all the rules.

Yeah. That’s where I am today. And I have so many other things to do. And all the rules were being followed. Until someone else decided theyjust didn’t like the rules as they stood.

So *ppbbbbbtttttt!!!!* to them.

(No, it doesn’t make it better, but I gotta start somewhere, don’t I?)

“Just because we have chiseled abs and stunning features, it doesn’t mean that we too can’t not die in a freak gasoline fight accident.”

Fuul took me shopping today for my birthday, and I actually found a couple of dresses that look nice and fit! Both are floral and lighter colors than I had in mind, but the fact that they fit make up for a lot, and I don’t dislike the colors! (one is an aquamarine-y floral, the other a little more lime-y and cream floral. Both fit, hit at a decent length, and will be nice to wear for church! Not to mention they’ll look great with sweaters over top — heehee, more knitting incentive! LOL) I also got two new tshirts at Old Navy; one is a black v-neck, the other a pink not-quite-stripe-y perfect tee. Love both of them!

Now, if I could only find some good ‘beach pants’ for summer… you know: linen-y, rollable, midrise… I’m not picky or anything, am I?

We came home, had some chinese takeout, and I got in a nap while Fuul played xbox and the kids napped (the ones that were home, that is).

Now, back to editing/critiquing stuff for class, and maybe getting in a bit of knitting. (I’ve not knit at all since tuesday, and it feels a little strange!)

Well, here I am with EK at the hospital for her (how many is it now?) sleep study. She’s all wired up and in bed, but not sleeping. I have internet access (what can get past the system’s web-blocking software) but no email; I have pictures on my phone of EK all wired up, but no wire to move the photos to my computer.

So. Here we are. Think she’ll sleep early? (Think I’ll get any writing/editing/critiquing/knitting in?)

Only time will tell!

10:58pm: Still awake. She’s been almost asleep a couple of times, but every time something wakes her up, and we start over. She’s dozy now, and has a bottle, so I’m hoping this is it. (I’m really hungry… I picked up some Taco Bell on the way here, but haven’t had a chance to eat it yet, and I know if I open it up before she’s asleep, I’ll have her all over me trying to eat instead of sleeping!)

11:08pm: Or not. *sigh*

11:27pm: She finally seems to have given up her obsession with getting candy (don’t have any here) and fell asleep… here’s hoping it lasts the rest of the night! I’ve broken out the burritos, and she hasn’t stirred one bit….

12:06am: Its been long enough I think she’s really sleeping. Good. I thought I might stay up and try to get some editing/critiquing done, or maybe knit a little on the socks in my purse, but instead I think I’ll likely call it a night and see if I can’t get a bit of sleep. Woohoo… happy birthday to me!

We survived the zoo. Well, basically! Next time, we need to go earlier, so there aren’t so many meltdowns toward the end (and I’m not just talking about the toddlers, either!). Next time, I need to wear better shoes; no matter how cute the skull flats are, they are not meant for long distance walking on asphalt. Take bottles, even if its just for the ride home. Take a sign along that says “No, we’re not buying snowcones/elephant ears/snacks/drinks at the zoo today,” so I don’t have to keep saying it over and over again!

The kids saw lots of things, and loved them all. EK loved watching the jaguar wrestle with a fallen log. Everyone thought the tiger yelling was pretty cool. We learned some neat stuff about flamingos and owls and elephants. We saw ‘dinosaurs’ (komodo dragons). CC got to watch a huge truck move dirt. (What else could a boy ask for!?)

And now we’re home, watching a movie, feet up, toddlers napping, psyching up for planning dinner. (Or maybe we’ll just eat this entire bag of chips instead and call dinner a wash?)

The kids have been out of school for two weeks now, but my summer vacation may be starting up finally… keep your fingers crossed that the stomach virus that would not end is finally passed. Of course, its being replaced by the ugly head and chest cold that is running around.

But. CC’s speech teacher just called to reschedule speech from this afternoon, so I think we’re going to take the opportunity and run to the zoo, at least for the morning while its still cooler outside! (Supposed to reach 78 degrees, but with 80% humidity. Ugh.)

DA made it home from the young men’s Super Activity: a week of ATVs, golf, and beach play somewhere on the Oregon coast. He’s sunburned (but it looks more tan than anything) and tired and sandblasted, but happy to have gone and happy to be home.

DS arrived on a plane from his week with Grandma just before midnight. He’s happy to be home, though truth be told, he’d have been perfectly content to stay another month!

The water main that was leaking in two spots was replaced today. What was supposed to have been only an hour or so without water turned into about 8 hours sans water, because once they dug up the pipe to where the second leak was, it was running a river down the sidewalk. They’d hoped to leave everything intact until the last minute to hook things up, but that didn’t work out. And of course, today was the first really hot day in a long while, and we couldn’t run the A/C without water. It all seems well now, though. Yeah!

So overall, a better day! (Oh, and knock wood: it seems the last of the never-ending stomach bug that CC and EK were sharing is clearing out… finally!)

(Photo of DS somewhere in the two minutes between when we got to the gate yesterday, and when he got on the plane! I tried to get a shot in front of the plane out the window, but the sunshine just wasn’t cooperating!)

…Don’t you love his new haircut? I sure do!

Stomach flu running rampant through my house.

Last day of school. EK doesn’t realize yet that she doesn’t get to go back until fall.

Laundry beyond measure.

Fuul testing for college classes; last day to sign up is next week.

Packing to send DS to visit Grandma for a week.

Sent DA away to youth conference until Saturday night; Monday he leaves on a week-long YM trip.

AE has sleepovers and socializing scheduled nearly every day.

Planning on a weird week in July–DA/JS at Boy Scout camp, AE at girls’ camp, and DS at Cub Day camp… all the same week!

Bought a carpet shampooer; have done the living room, hallway, and nursery. Can I just say EWWW! (But so much better, now they’ve been done.)

Instant hot water thingy leaked/been replaced/much better now. Yeah!

City water knocked on our door yesterday; there is a leak in the pipe right where it connects to city water, but on the house side; made our consumption double last billing period. Landlord says we can write off difference in consumption costs off next months rent; hope it is fixed soon.

Knitting lots; writing little; overwhelmed trying to figure out summer stuff that isn’t camp or stuff while kids are at camp.

More soon, I hope!

Happy happy father’s day to Fuul and my dad and his dad and our grandpas and all the other dads out there!

(Fuul got to take a nap and we had French Pancakes for dinner, and now we’re watching Cloverfield… woohoo!)

*WorldWide Knit In Public Day

That was today. June 14^th

I went to a local gathering at a craft store, and sat outside in the overcast/windy/sunshine-y mix for about 2 1/2 hours knitting on my StormSurf Hoodie… I’m down to finishing the hood, seaming one side/sleeve, and doing the front band. Oh so close, and yet a world away!

They had a drawing for kits and books, and water and brownies, and good company!

When I came home, though, I glanced down and realized that my entire chest and both arms are bright red sunburned! Ack! I honestly didn’t think it was that bright or hot or sunshiney, but I guess I was wrong! As the evening as gone on, I’ve become more itchy/burny, and I’m afraid that tomorrow will be worse! Oh dear.

The upside is that while we were barbecuing for dinner, the phone rang and I got word that I’d won one of the drawings, and got a copy of Lion Brand Yarn Just Bags. Woohoo! Hours of knitting, a not-northwest tan, and a book! Not a bad day, huh??