an unpopular opinion...

I know, I know... I should be sad that my kids are going back to school tomorrow.  Really, part of me is reeling and wishing we could have another few weeks of summer fun - but the fact is that "Summer Fun" stopped being fun when it became "Summer of Kids arguing and Mom acting as Referee"  So that other part of me is humming "it's the most wonderful time of the year..." and making plans for tomorrow!  

At 7:20 W has to leave for Intermediate School - with binder, violin and gym clothes in hand - at 8:00 T has to get out the door and off to Middle School with his backpack and gym bag - then at 8:40 I will be driving P and H to elementary...  after the first day I will be walking them to school to save a little gas and to give myself a little exercise, but on the first day - I just don't have that kind of patience.  M (being just 4) will be the only one home this year and it has been so long since I tried to entertain just one child that I don't know what to do!  For the first day at least we have a full day of going out for a treat, playing a game together, reading books, popping popcorn, watching a movie, and going to the library scheduled...  that is, if she hasn't added to the list by the time we wake up!

I am looking forward to: being able to make a doctor's appointment for myself without trying to figure out who will be baby-sitting - running to the store without wondering where the groceries will fit around the children - and most importantly...  cleaning the kitchen table off and having it stay clear for more than 10 minutes!

Kudos and double admiration to those of you who can do all of these things while your children are home...  now you know why home schooling is not my cup of tea... if I drank tea that is.

So - I'm open to any suggestions (reminders) on how to entertain just one child... right now I have a feeling we're going to become a "foster family" for the neighbor girl just so M can play with somebody whose' idea of playing barbies doesn't end at sorting them into their proper boxes and making sure they are all clothed!!  

Finally made it up there...

Who's up for a theatre review?

I've been trying all season to get away to the Neil Simon festival...  for those of you who don't live anywhere nearby you have to know about this little gem - it's the only festival dedicated to America's most prolific playwright and hey, they plays are hilarious!  Cedar City (the home of this festival) also has a Shakespearean Festival and probably some other stuff... but I've gotta laugh sometimes, and this is the perfect opportunity.

This years' offerings are: Fools, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and I Do, I Do...

Despite NOT being by Neil Simon (a festival first) I Do, I Do fit right in with the humor level - and as much I'd love to run up and see Fools today (ugh these gas prices are killing me) I think I'm just going to have to be okay with calling it good with I Do, I Do as my show for this years' run.  

We knew from the moment that the recorded message over the speakers encouraged patrons to remove their electronic devices (cell phones) from their pockets and smash them into the floor to avoid interrupting the show that we were in for a funny night.  

The show follows one couple through their transitions of life and marriage.  Act I kept us laughing - even when the tone turned serious - maybe because we could relate to everything in this act...  Act II's tone was more slanted toward the serious but still hilarious.   The "business" of the actors (all that non-scripted stuff they do...) was by far the funniest of the show - watching Jan Broberg (who played the wife) trying to get into her "old lady" dress, I think I bruised a rib laughing.  

This show is actually a musical (another festival first I believe) and luckily both Jan and Rick Bugg (who played the husband and yes, is my uncle so I'm a little biased) have good voices.  My favorite song (probably because it's the only one I'd heard before) was "My cup runneth over", though they were all a riot... especially the one that bridged Acts I and II that talked about Men improving with age while Woman... go to pot. 

With apologies to both MC and MS (who live near this theatre), I would have loved to get together for dinner and chat pre-show - but it was a last minute trip and we barely made it in time for curtain :)  Speaking of curtain, that was a fun part of the show - both actors were just chatting with the audience as they got ready for the show, greeting friends and family...  getting each other breath mints... lots of fun!

what MUST they be thinking

first off - I have to apologize for blogging so much - it's just that suddenly I have an outlet for all the funny things I think that Q doesn't really want to hear about when he comes home... or in this case - the funny things that happen in our day to day travels.

So...  as I'm driving around with sweet 4-year old M one fine day and paying attention to all the cars around me I hear a soft whimpering whine from the seat behind me.  Turns out while I was being a responsible driver she was busy blowing me kisses which I was ignoring and not catching.  Luckily, this is the point in our travels where I come off the big hill and can play a little more.  So each time I hear a little smacking sound from the back seat I make a wild grab into the air to "catch" her kiss - she is giggling and happy and I'm feeling like I have earned my Mom award for the day.

Until I think about the drivers behind me and wonder what they are thinking - did I drive through a hornet's nest?  A car full of mosquitoes?  We were getting close to our destination so I just kept it up until the parking lot and put all those unknown people out of my mind.

I think we're lucky we didn't cause this:

with thanks to traffic-accident.blogspot.com :)

So there it is, my daughter was happy - I was only slightly chagrined, and hey - at least I wasn't picking my nose or wildly weaving in and out of traffic right?

They keep getting bigger!

my son T grew about 6 inches this year - and hit his official teenager-hood - and being the person I am (read as SHORT) this means that he passed me up in height.

Yikes....  I am taking this well... sort of.  The good thing is that I have learned a wonderful parenting lesson - and stay with me here, it's a deep one :)

You can't See Eye to Eye

If You insist on going Toe to Toe...

of course, since most of you don't need 4 inch heels to look in your kids' eyes, that may not apply in the same physical way :)

(and if anyone notices that this photo is pre-my latest haircut... it took me awhile to decide to post photos of myself on here... I didn't mind everyone thinking I looked like Audrey Hepburn!)

*with special thanks to my teenage neighbor for the hand-me-down huge shoes and my sweet grandmother for fixing that skirt after it sat in my closet for close to two years with a broken zipper*

Hobbies and Talents... or just ways to waste time.

H got invited to a last minute birthday party last Friday - and although I wasn't thrilled about running and trying to find an appropriate gift at the last possible second, I did want her to go since it was at the gymnastics studio I keep considering for the girls.  First they played "chicken" on a balance board - H rocked at this game - you go girl!

H jumped right into the fun, M kept back for awhile, testing the bouncy floor and such - but they allowed us to stay in the gym and observe while the party was happening... it wasn't long before M was jumping into the foam pit (repeatedly) and needing help to get out.  She's convinced that gymnastics is a lot of fun - I'll worry about letting her in on the discipline side if Q ever comes around.

T & W like to fill their spare time - when I don't allow video games - with anything that will also fill their tummies.  On this occasion they decided to bake a cake, and I caught them before they could remove the pink aprons (but the pink baker's hats were ditched faster) ... hmmm, should have cropped out that cluttered counter before putting the picture up 'eh?

As anyone familiar with the Po-boy knows, his favorite hobby is eating - and complaining about food... he did both as soon as the cake was done.

Myself - I decided that it was time to use some of the many scrapbook supplies that I have been "collecting" and I have successfully caught up to last years' back to school pages!  This is pathetic I know - but it is a step in the right direction.  Maybe when the kids go back to school I'll be getting closer to caught up...  yeah, right :)

All Megan's Fault

Okay, Meg's blog reminded me of the upcoming holiday "sneak a zucchini onto your neighbor's front porch day" on August 8...  Lacking the ability to actually grow any of these monsters (and since I can only really use 2 per year) I am going to be skipping that celebration this year.  Don't ask why I knew about this holiday - it is really a truly long and boring story... that and I don't remember.

In lieu of that rockin' night-time fun - I decided to find out what else is out there for me:  August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week and again, I'm going to be feeling left out of that one.  I was starting to feel a little like the whole world had reasons for a parade and it was just going to be me... all alone...  NOT having a parade - when Lo and Behold - the next item on the list was made for me!  August 1-7 is ALSO "Simplify your Life Week" - Don't laugh, my friend Tracey recently posted a bunch of ideas for doing just this... so that's it - look out world, I'm going to ParTay with this one :).  Hmmm... actually, now that I see the things I CAN'T celebrate I realize my life is getting simpler all the time :)

You want something to celebrate:  Check this and see what August has to offer you.  Then let me know which day you're celebrating what so that I can eat a cupcake in your honor.

This is a Stick up...

Hand over all your cash and no-one gets hurt.

or at least that's how it feels...  and trust me, my monster car stuffed with my monster kids hurts more than that little thing in the cartoon!