On Writing

I entered the Iron Pen competition again this year (I did it in 2010), with a poem and a fictional story.  Essentially, it's a speed-writing contest.  You're given a "visual" writing prompt (a picture) and you have to come up with your submission based on that photo. 

The writing was a BLAST!  I had so much fun with the story and waiting to see where it would take me next.  I have to say, though, at first I was stumped.  The photo was not particularly inspiring.  Then I started brain-storming a bit.  First I was going to write a murder mystery, but I quickly shelved that plan.  Too many questions to answer in too few words (there's a 4000 word limit).  For a murder mystery, you have to have a victim, who has a life that led to his/her death.  You have to have a reason for the crime (I suppose it could be random, but where's the fun in that?!).  You have to have a murderer, and a connection between the two.  And it can't be obvious or the story's no fun.  Way too complicated for this contest. 

So the new story was born, out of the old one.  I thought it was really good.  And it was a crazy, wild ride, writing and seeing where the story went.  It truly had a mind of its own.  I did find myself doing a bunch of internet research, and I'd have LOVED to do more in-depth research using historical documents and the like, but at midnight on a Friday night, well, that's not possible.  I pored over maps, after rounding them up from 3 different vehicles.  I went back to National Parks brochures saved in my scrapbooking piles. 

And the story was born.

And it was good.  My neighbor did some proofing for me, since it's nearly impossible for me to do that when I was so close to it....I knew what I meant to say, so I wound up reading that on the page, whether or not those words were actually ON the page!  LOL!

Neighbor loved the story and added some crucial comments; questions left unanswered, that sort of thing. 

I turned it in. 

And I didn't win.

Disappointing, for sure.  But it wasn't about the destination.  The journey was very important for me.  I haven't been writing much in recent years.  The contest was a challenge I *almost* bailed out of at the last minute.  Simply completing the story was a victory.

And yet.

Dh thinks that the judges were looking for something specific.  The contest is in conjunction with a local arts festival, and there is a bit of an environmental leaning to it.  Dh he asked me who my audience was.  When I answered that it was your garden-variety historical fiction buff (just like myself), he pointed out that perhaps I should remember the judges. 

Which brings up something very interesting.  Do I write the story that is emerging, or do I write something I think will win?  Obviously, I chose the latter.  I was hoping that a good story would trump the (admittedly assumed) bias of the judges. 

Of course, there's always the possibility that mine was one of a number of good entries.   Perhaps it made a short list, but a few typos and at least one run-on sentence tanked me.  All things being equal, I suppose those things could've done me in.  I'm hoping that the winning entries are posted online (the author would need to give permission for that and some don't) so I can see what won.  I'm sure I can be objective....right?

It's also possible that it's not as good as I think it is.

Naaaaah!

What I Learned Working Full-Time

1.  My family is more and less capable than I thought.  On the one hand, they pulled together and things worked out.  On the other hand, lots of things that I normally do weren't done and no one really seemed to notice that they needed doing until it directly impacted them. 

Bruce had to be more of a parent because I couldn't, for any reason, leave my job, if the kids needed something.  He had to make and keep orthodontist appointments for the girls, for instance.  Thankfully, his job is pretty flexible and he could take care of things.

The kids became more inter-dependant, leaning on each other, because I wasn't as available.  Shannon helped Alana finish up a poster for her county report.  Tristan helped Shannon with her math homework (that one probably would've happened anyway because it's been a loooong time since either of her parents have done that stuff).  They also became even more independent, as well, solving problems on their own.  Some of that made me feel guilty, but then again, they have to grow up eventually.

Now, the laundry and much of the cleaning fell to the wayside.  It seemed as if I was the only one truly aware of how underwear gets from the hamper back into the drawers.  While they all have an idea of how this happens, planning for it is apparently impossible for anyone but me.  *sigh*

There were numerous cooking "experiments" that went awry, and I have to say that grocery shopping in the evenings or on the weekends was a huge challenge.  I like showing up to a nearly-empty store on a Tuesday morning, thankyouverymuch. 

2.  I drive a lot less when I'm working.  I usually average a tank of gas per week.  While working, that went to about a tank every two weeks.  So, while I felt guilty driving the mile to the school every morning rather than walking, in the end I used far less gas.

3.  I also spend less money when I'm working.  Payday would come and go and the money just hung out in my account.

4.  However, my drinking increased quite a bit.  I often had one of my "alcho-pops" while grading papers or inputting things into the computer.  The bottles piled up to prove it. 

5.  One would think that I'd eat less and potentially lose weight, being on a stricter schedule.  Notsomuch.  I'd have my smoothie for breakfast, a snack during morning recess, lunch, and then a snack after school, plus dinner.  I don't think I ate too much junk because I tried to keep healthy snacks as my only option, but I didn't lose any weight.  However, I didn't gain any either.

Would I do it again? 

I don't really know.

Crazy Dreams

I've had some really crazy dreams lately, and a good friend (Hi Trish!) said I should write a book. I'm not sure anyone would pay to read my craziness, so here it is for you to judge.

The first dream features said good friend. I'd been texting her off and on and she wasn't responding. I wasn't really upset about it. We both have busy lives with husbands, kids, jobs, church commitments, animals and homes. Texting is fabulous because we can "talk" in spurts whenever we've got a moment or two. Apparently Trish's work had been really busy so she hadn't answered me.

My subconscious apparently came up with reasons why and it was a doozy! LOL! In my dream, I got tired of not knowing what was going on, so I went to visit her. She was divorced, without telling me, and she'd moved. She was also head over heels in love with someone else. In addition, her husband's mother, who is wonderful, had turned mean and crazy, just like Trish's husband. he'd hid the crazy meanness for two years and then unleashed it on Trish, who divorced his butt and then fell in love with someone else. All without telling me!! I had to go visit to find all of this out.

As if that wasn't enough, she'd bought a new house that was really cool. It was almost a treehouse, and, upon waking, I found that my dream-Trish-house reminded me of what I think of when I read about ekeles in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books. Seriously, the treehouse house was AWESOME!

Oh, and Trish could fly. Like Peter Pan, without wings, kinda swimming through the air.

And I couldn't. *frowny face*

A few nights later, I shared the crazy dream love with another friend/classmate. I haven't seen this gal in at least a decade as I don't recall if she made it to the reunions or not. I'm FaceBook friends with her, so I "see" her life there, but that's really the only contact I have with her.

In my dream, this classmate joined me at a Creative Memories convention. I have no idea why as she's not a CM Consultant, but whatever. Maybe she should be?

At the convention center, there was a bank, like the banks you have at grocery stores. Just a small branch, though larger than what I usually see around here, with a small waiting area, a coin counting machine, and maybe four tellers behind a counter. So my classmate goes into the bank, and the bank promptly gets held up. My classmate was then kidnapped by the bank robber. I could see this happening from a window outside, so I snuck into the side door of the bank and told one of the tellers to pull the money trap which would set off a silent alarm. Why the tellers were oblivious to the hold-up/kidnapping is beyond me, but they were, and no, I have no idea why they hadn't already set off the alarm, but there you go.

The alarm locked the bank doors, so the robber couldn't get back in, though he tried. Why? I don't know. So he went out the back of the convention center with my classmate. I followed them, as the only person in the entire convention to even notice there was a problem. The bad guy got away, but I couldn't find my classmate. Finally I found her in a hole, like dug in the dirt. She couldn't get out, but she was waving a construction sign and that's how I found her.

I guess I needed to be the hero?

In the latest crazy dream, I was starting my new subbing job, but when I got to the school, while hanging out in the teacher's room before school, I decided that another teacher needed my help, so I went to her classroom instead. In the dream, this was a perfectly reasonable thing to do as there was an aide or something in "my" room. But then the regular teacher showed up at school, still pregnant, and was wondering just what in the heck I was doing. She even said something like "Well, I was positive you could handle this, but now I'm not so sure" as we walked from to her class. Her kids had been unsupervised for a couple of hours, and were diligently working away on their math, bless their hearts.

That one was a bit easier to decipher it's meaning.......

Changes.....

There are changes afoot at my house this spring. I've been offered, and have accepted, a long-term subbing position teaching 3rd grade for a teacher who is having a baby this week. I'll start after Spring Break, April 2nd to be exact, and I'll teach at least until Memorial Day. The teacher is planning to be back for the last week of school, but we'll see what motherhood brings for her.

Apparently, the teacher had one long-term sub lined up, but she cancelled. The next sub needed at least 10 days off over the next 8 weeks, which the principal felt was simply too much instability and upheaval for the kids, so she called me and asked if I was interested. With a bit of trepidation, I said yes. The teacher and I have talked quite a bit this week and she has great confidence in me. I'm not as confident, but I'll do my best, and I can wing it with the best of them. There will be field trips and end-of-year testing in there, which will give me a bit of a break, so we'll see how it all goes.

I'll be at Alana's elementary school, and while I've never taught in this particular class, I have worked with the special ed kids from her class when I subbed special ed a few weeks ago.

I'm a little worried about the home front, honestly. Our family is structured around my being at home, or mostly at home. The older kids are quite used to mom picking them up from school every afternoon, and Alana has really never known me to be anything other than a SAHM. But, this is a great opportunity, and I can do a service for this teacher who needs someone she can count on to take "her kids." I understand and appreciate that sentiment. I'm fortunate to have a supportive husband whose job is somewhat flexible. He's already scheduled to take Alana to a couple of her orthodontist appointments that are during school hours and can't be rescheduled.

I think the hardest part will be not having any alone time, or at least not having as much as I'm used to. As it is now, if I need a break, I simply choose not to work on a given day. And much of my free time has just flown out the window. But, really, it's only for 8-9 weeks. I'll live and appreciate summer all the more, I think.

On a more practical level, how in the world do I get the laundry and grocery shopping done?! I'm going to have to go shopping on Saturday or Sunday, and I have to tell you, the thought of the grocery store on Saturday gives me hives! I may just turn into one of those crazy people who haunts the halls of Walmart at 2:00 in the morning! LOL!

Looking Back

It's easy, I think, to look back and lament the setbacks, frustrations, and disappointments of the past. I don't know why we're wired that way, or at least, why *I'm* wired that way, but there it is. I certainly do that when talking about myself, while, at the same time, building others up.

And I'm already rambling....

Anyway, I'm looking back at 2011 in a bit of a different light, wanting to celebrate what I've accomplished, rather than lament what I haven't gotten to yet.

As a family, we've switched to an all-cash economy, so to speak. As a result, we're spending more on what matters and less on what doesn't. When the cash is gone, we stop spending, at least until payday! We've paid cash for all of our trips--camping trips, a trip to northern Idaho, and my sister's entire visit in June. No lingering credit card bills to pay off. That feels good!

(Funny aside.....When we bought my new laptop, I paid for the second half of it using the CC because I wasn't sure where the money was--I knew we had it but I didn't know which debit card to use so I used the CC because it buys time to move money around if necessary. About the same time, Bruce was paying for wreaths for our church fundraiser with the same credit card. So we went from no balance for several months, to nearly $3K charged in 30 minutes. Not 30 minutes later, we had a message from our credit union, wanting to verify that the charges were legit!).

We paid cash for a new set of hearing aids for Tristan. Cash for all car repairs, cash for home repairs, cash for the deductible when I crashed the van, cash for all of the kids' activities, cash for my new laptop, and cash for Christmas.

I've struggled with this, honestly. Right now, we're focused on paying off debt and we're making progress. We paid off the bills from our Disney World adventures and we now own the our camping trailer. It's ours! But, the hard part for me is that it's not tangible. We're not buying anything or saving up for a big fancy trip or anything. We're just watching numbers on the computer screen get smaller. Big whoop.

But, today, as Bruce was doing the bills, he looked at the totals. We've paid off nearly $35,000 in debt! That includes car loans, the trailer, student loans, and the mortgages (we have a second). By the end of 2012, we should own both vehicles, and have the second paid off as well.

We've also got more money in savings than ever before. We've got a cushion against life, really. And that feels good.

Even when I'm being a whiny, petulant child who wants to go to the beach. NOW! LOL!

One of my goals, personally, was to use my reusable grocery bags more often than not. And I did it. I probably saved 100s of bags. And it had a trickle-down effect. The kids and Bruce all used the bags too, or they just didn't take one. I feel pretty good about that. And we'll continue that into the new year.

Because of the cash-only thing, I stopped buying certain things at the grocery store. Food prices are going up, but my budget is not. And gluten-free products/cooking can be expensive. So, over the course of the year, I stopped looking at things like soda, crackers, and granola bars as a "need," and saw them as more of a "want." I've done more baking, more couponing, and more sale-shopping/stocking-up, in order to keep the family fed with healthy food. Soda is a treat and we're all healthier for it.

Over Lent, I gave up ALL junk food and ALL computer games. Now, I do eat junk and I do play games, but neither holds quite the appeal they did in the past. Another score for me! :-)

While I always feel like I've got a loooong way to go, even my perfectionistic-self has to admit that the house is more organized and running more smoothly than it was a year ago. We've all gotten better about not keeping things we don't need. And I know I've gotten better about not buying something just because it's on sale, it's cool-looking but I have no idea what I'll do with it, or I think I "need" it. I've gotten better at seeing something and realizing that I've got something at home that will work just as well. I've got more work to do, but I'm beginning to accept that it's always going to be a work in progress and that's okay.

I've been more spontaneous this year, which for this "planner" personality, is a BIG deal. I'd like to continue that trend into the new year too.

So, what about you? If you're like me, you focus on what you need to fix, looking at how far you have to go, without seeing just how far you've come. So, how far have you come?

The Astonishing Power of Cup of Tea

We went camping over the weekend, down to Capitol Reef National Park. It was likely our last camping trip of the season, though I'm hoping to go one more time (That's another post, however). With us were 6 other families loosely (or not) associated with our church.

One woman, a dear friend, has had a rough time lately. Her mother is older and struggling with health issues. She's recently moved into a retirement center, and my friend is trying to handle her doctor appointments, financial situation, etc, etc. Friend's siblings are, shall we say, less than helpful. Friend also has an elementary-aged child and a college child who's recently moved home. Friend could be the poster child for the "sandwich generation," bless her heart, and it's taking it's toll.

Saturday night is traditionally potluck night. Everyone brings meat for their family, plus a side dish to share. There's usually a bottle of wine (or two) and beer to go around, plus chips, salsa, guacamole and other equally fancy appetizers. After the potluck comes the kids' favorite moment--S'more time! All across the campground you hear parents telling their children that, if they want a s'more later, they MUST eat their dinner. My children are often reminded that dinner needs to include more than chips.....

So, after dinner and a couple of beers, it started to get chilly, so I headed into the trailer to make some tea (mate, actually, which is a South American brewed leafy thing....they put it in "tea" bags for us white folks). Friend mentioned that tea sounded good, and after smelling the mate, asked me for some. I dropped in a few sugar cubes, the mate bag, and poured the hot water and off we went for more catching up.

However. My friend cradled that tea cup.....a Disney insulated mug.....and said "I'm blessed to have you." When I went on with my business, stirring, and squeezing, she took my chin in her hand. She looked me square in they eye and said again "I'm blessed to have you."

It was a powerful moment. Simple, really. All I did was share my tea; brewing a cup for each of us to ward off the fall chill. And yet. For her, it was so much more than that. And she made sure I knew it.

But that's the thing about those every day kindnesses. We never truly know when someone needs that. We don't often know how much those little things are appreciated. But those things can be so very powerful in the life of someone else.

So much to say....

and so little words to say it. That's not quite right, but it's close. I keep thinking "Oh...I should blog about that..." and never doing it. Now that I'm sitting down to do some writing, it all seems so, well, boring really.

Shannon spent the last week at Diabetes camp. This is her third year going and she loves it. She came home exhausted, a bit sunburned, and sporting "tattoos" drawn on her legs by her cabin-mates, plus sparkly toes and crackle-finish fingernails.

Because the boys left during the week (more on that in a minute), it was just Alana and I on Thursday and this morning. I slept in Thursday morning, but then Alana and I went out to lunch. She loves the Chinese buffet and we don't go when Shannon's home because there's gluten everywhere (the soy sauce is probably not gluten-free, plus the breading, sauces, won tons, noodles.....), so that's where we went. It was such a pleasant lunch, talking together, answering her questions and just spending some really good one-on-one time with her.

As has become tradition, we drove into Eden for lunch at the Mad Moose cafe. They've got espresso, sandwiches, soup, salads, etc, and it's always great food with great service for a decent price. They don't bat an eye when making Shannon's sandwich with lettuce instead of bread and she loves it. I had some fancy, yummy, sweet iced coffee concoction, with a burger. I haven't had a burger in AGES, and this was a perfect treat for me. On the way home, we stopped at a couple of fruit stands to buy cherries and raspberries. We'll be making some freezer jam on Sunday.

The boys, as I mentioned, left on Thursday night. Or that was the plan. They were taking the train from here to Sacramento. But, see, trains are a bit, um, flexible and unpredictable. Freight trains take precedence over passenger trains, so Amtrak actually tells you that the train could arrive up to 8 hours late. Yes, really. The train to CA was supposed to leave at 11:30, so the boys were supposed to be there at 10. A little late, but not a huge problem, right?

Yeah. So, the train was late. And getting later. We went to bed, if you can call it that, at 10, after learning that the train would be leaving at 3:00 AM. Yes, the middle of the night. I didn't really sleep, though, and finally gave up around 1:00. Bruce got up a little later, and called Amtrak for an updated departure time. 4:30.

I take sleeping pills or I don't sleep. I can't take those and then plan to drive somewhere in the middle of the night. So, Bruce took pity on me and had me drop them off at 2:00 am instead of 3:00 so that I could come home, take my pills, and get some sleep. The train finally left around 5:00 am.

In the meantime, the youth leader, who planned this adventure, is trying to shift the blame off of herself. She was mad at Amtrak and wanted all of us to be calling them all night long. Because bugging the people at the call center in Wherever USA will make the train arrive sooner? To be fair, this is the option the parents chose. Our other option was to rent vans and have parent chaperones drive straight through. This one seemed much safer.

So the boys are in Sacramento and it's not well organized. Bruce has come to the conclusion that Tristan is probably done with youth group. I've got mixed feelings about that, but mostly they're my own stuff. Youth group was such a fabulous thing in my life when I was Tristan's age. But he's not me. And he's got several other positive things in his life; places where he's making friends and enjoying himself; things that build him up and encourage him. Youth group has become a chore for all of us.

Okay, I've got more, but my fingers are tired and I can't type clearly, so I'm going to bed.

Updates

I keep thinking I need to have "meaningful" posts, rather than just my non-stop rambling, but the reality is that there's meaning in the ramblings. At least for me. And, according to my site meter, no one's really reading anyway, so I guess I'll write for myself.

1. Survived all the family closeness recently. That's a bonus. And, as far as I can tell, there are few if any hurt feelings. I hope anyway.

2. Summer has finally arrived. We've had a few weeks of warm weather, and a few weeks with little to do, so it seems like we're in the full swing of summer and it's nice.

3. My clothesline died. I'm annoyed. It drives me crazy to spend the energy (and $$) to dry things, particularly sheets, that will dry in half the time in the sun for FREE. But I've no where to hang them right now, so there we go. Bruce is scheming to use the holes already in place for the volleyball net to get me a new line. We'll see.

4. Tristan enjoyed Bell Tour. Though, by the end, I think he was peopled out. He's an introvert so being around people all the time is exhausting for him. He had a good time, and I think he'll go again.

5. Now, to work on cutting out some other stuff from his life. This is still a bone of contention with Bruce and I. Every activity the boy has a chance to do is one Bruce thinks he should. We're spending an awful lot of resources on that child and it's wearing me out. Bruce keeps talking about how it's all good stuff and will help keep him out of trouble. True enough, but there's only so much room in one person's life for all that good stuff. And Tristan really isn't inclined to get into too much trouble in the first place! Next summer, for instance, Tristan could go on Bell Tour, to a Boy Scout high adventure camp (Northern Tier), and to Mexico on a mission trip.

6. That was starting to turn into a rant about Bruce and I don't really want to do that. We're turning over new leaves in our marriage and I want to work to build it, not destroy it by ranting all over the very possibly public internet.

7. Bruce's niece is getting married in August in Washington DC. We're not going. It just isn't in our financial plan at the moment. I feel bad, but we've worked so hard, and this really is the first time something like this has come up that Bruce hasn't jumped all over, no matter the cost, and it's his family, so I'm following his lead. Not going means we can send a large gift card instead, and we're really not close to that part of the family. I think that's why Bruce is torn. Geography has played a role in the family distance and he'd like to bridge that. Not to mention, this is the niece everyone is so convinced will be a failure her whole life and we'd like to show her our support.

8. Bruce's parents are going to the wedding. They're flying, after calculating that it would cost 2x as much to drive their motor home out there. This is funny to me because FIL had such a hard time understanding why we'd fly to DisneyWorld instead of driving!

9. Bruce's Washington DC family hasn't seen his parents in a long time. 7 years, if I'm remembering correctly. A couple of the grandchildren have been out this way and have seen them, but I doubt they'd realize just how much MIL's health has deteriorated over the last few years. They're in for a shock, I think. And MIL is talking about how she's not sure she'll go....not sure she can make it, etc. I really hope she does because I just don't think the sisters have any idea how unhealthy she truly is. I'm sure she's not telling them.

10. Bruce thinks his mom isn't going to live for more than about a year. Another reason I hope she goes to the wedding. The sisters really have no idea and I know they'll feel bad having not seen her in so long.

11. Bruce wants to go visit his parents for a weekend again. You can imagine how thrilled I am about that. Yes, there was an argument. But, I think I won in the end. Now he's talking about going to a beer festival up there in September. Since this isn't something the kids and I will enjoy, we're possibly off the hook.

12. Shannon wants to take art lessons. And French. And tennis. Alana wants to take art lessons. And swimming, but only private lessons with our friend who's not doing them this year. And tennis. I'm hoping to find someone who can teach some art stuff locally for cheap.

13. I went to the doctor for my annual check up. To be totally honest, if I didn't need him to authorize a refill of my sleeping meds, and my insurance weren't essentially paying me to do it, I wouldn't go. I have lost a little weight, but it's bouncing up and down by about 2 lbs. Everything looked good, except my vitamin D was low, so I'm now taking my supplements again. So far, I haven't noticed a difference, but it's only been a few days. However, supplements mean I have to eat breakfast (or I'm burping up herbs all morning) and that's a good thing too.

14. My resolve not to play computer games keeps slipping, but I am getting better. I find myself staring at a Zuma Blitz board and wondering just what the heck I'm doing. And I move on to scrapbooking or laundry or something else. I've nearly finished two of the three Disney scrapbooks for the kids.

15. I've decided to catch up on the other stuff by doing it digitally, printing the pages, and slapping them in. My next task is to plan that out a bit. See, digitally, I can work on it just about anywhere, as long as I have power or my battery holds out (not long....the computer's old!). It doesn't make a mess all over a table. I can save the page, half-finished, and walk away. And, I can make one page, and essentially duplicate it for the other kids, swapping pictures in and out. However, I do need to do some planning so I can incorporate memorabilia and "regular" pages in there too. We'll see how it goes.

16. I've started "Soul Work" through the Brave Girls Club, introduced to me by a couple of very dear friends. It's been enlightening and fun. I've been working toward something like this for a long time, with that sense that something's coming, something's out there I need to learn. I don't know that *this* specific thing is what I've been waiting for/looking toward, but it certainly provides a framework for me to further explore things I've been trying to work through on my own.

17. YIKES! Be careful what you type in your browser or you'll find lesbian porn with your daughter sitting just a few feet away.

And with that, I'm going to take a shower and start my day. There are sheets to change and scrapbooks to create!

A tough day

Yesterday was rough.

I pulled into the garage Wednesday night, late, and apparently I forgot to close the door. My purse was stolen off the front seat of my van, along with the GPS out of the Pilot. My camera was in my purse, along with about $600 in cash, plus credit cards, ID, gas cards, the works.

Bruce was furious. I know he wasn't angry at me, per se, but it still really hurt the way he was talking to me.

I skipped my volunteer shift at the church in the morning, but I still had to be at the other church to volunteer at the uber-awesome consignment sale (volunteers get a ticket to the presale). I was there from 11:45-3:00, then went home to grab Tristan and we went to work by 3:45. I left work at 6:00 to get to the presale (found some really great stuff). On my way out, I missed the curb and sprained my ankle.

This evening, however, a neighbor called. She'd found my purse while out walking her dog. Much of the cash is missing, of course, and so is my camera and the GPS, but my driver's license, and all of my credit cards were still in there. There was also about $200 in cash in my Dave Ramsey envelope wallet thingey. I don't think the creep realized there would be money in there.

The neighbor was so kind....the first thing she wanted to know was if I was all right since my purse and all it's contents were scattered in the snow-covered field. Bruce and Tristan went back out to see if the could find anything else. They did find my journal and other miscellaneous stuff, but no camera. Bruce commented "you sure carried all sorts of stuff in there, didn't you?" Um, yeah, honey.

My purse is ruined, as is my wallet. Two days in the snow and rain'll do that. Most of the paper stuff is ruined too, coupons and the like, and probably my journal as well, but I might be able to salvage the writings and that's what matters. So, I'm still a bit discouraged, but feeling somewhat better tonight.

And the neighbor is getting some cookies! :-)

Ramblings on Frustration

I'm tired. This isn't a surprise to anyone who knows me, but it's frustrating to me nonetheless. I get particularly frustrated with myself because I say I'm tired, and then stay up to watch fluff on the 10 o'clock news. Yes, I know for many of you, 10 is early, but when I really need to be functioning by 6:30 or so the next morning, it's late. And yet.....

Of course, I have reasons to be tired. Last week was completely crazy and I demanded a high price from my poor body.

Wednesday: 9-1 Work at Dream Dinners. Run errands all afternoon, back to work at 5 until midnight.
Thursday: Taught 1st grade. Kids that age are adorable and totally exhausting. Set up at the Expo from 4:30 to 8:30. Home to finish up some final prep for that.
Friday: Expo from 8 am to midnight. Yes, that's 16 hours.
Saturday: Expo from 8 am to 8 pm, including take down.
Sunday was church and a nap in the afternoon, but then I had Expo stuff to sort out so I worked some on that as well.

I'm frustrated over Expo.
I'm frustrated that the kids' rooms aren't finished.
I'm frustrated that I haven't cleaned out much of the rest of the house.
I'm frustrated that I made mistakes at work, causing me to be removed from that particular task. I'm relieved to not have that added responsibility, and then frustrated because I'm relieved. I could use the hours to pay off the CC bill from the inventory I purchased for Expo.
I'm frustrated that I struggle to get dinner made each night. Last week we had eggs 3 different nights. That just screams "YOU'RE A TERRIBLE MOTHER!!!"
I'm frustrated with the word "budget." That's become a new 4-letter word in my mind.
I'm frustrated that I don't have time to read or create.

This week is Spring Break, so you'd think it'd carry a lighter load. And yet.

We're mucking out the kids' rooms this week. On Friday the girls got a really good start on theirs, with Bruce's help. I was really proud of them because it was their own idea and mostly their own efforts. Tristan has been working on his as well, though right now, it looks like a bomb went off. He's got his bookcase cleaned out as well as his closet, and has removed 4 bags of trash/recycling. The boy has no sentimental attachment to anything, though, as he was ready to get rid of ALL of his school projects from years' past. I salvaged a small stack and I know he'll thank me down the road....or his wife and children will!

We're in the midst of fundraising season, raising money for bell tour, Scouts, and the youth mission trip. I've written before about my frustration with the youth leader and her "youth is the only thing that matters" attitude, so I won't expand on that too much except to say that it's adding to my frustration.

I'm feeling a great deal of pressure myself to get the rest of the house cleaned out. I'd hoped to do the bedding switchover this week, but the weather, so far hasn't cooperated (I like to dry the bedding outside as the sun is a natural germ-killer/bleaching agent). Today is beautiful, but I've decided that chore needs to wait just a bit longer and I'll be okay with it.

I was also hoping to do the clothing switch-over too. But again, the weather is so fickle right now that it seems prudent to wait a few more weeks.

So, I'm frustrated about that, and relieved at the same time because it's one less thing I *have* to do this week. And then I feel guilty for being relieved.

I need to follow up on leads from the Scrapbook Expo, finish unpacking my stuff from that adventure, etc. One of the 6 consultants involved in that has been driving me crazy too. She treats me like I don't know what I'm doing, scolding me like a child, nagging, and so forth. Makes me completely insane! I haven't worked this particular venue before, but I have done trade shows and I've worked in customer service-type jobs for YEARS. I know what I'm doing. Further, she's the culprit in many of the problems, NOT ME, so it's very hard to listen to her tell me what to do when she's ignoring her own "wisdom." Clean your own house, lady, before you start white-gloving mine!

So, in the next few days, I need to:
Help the kids finish up their rooms
Get a hair cut
Go to the library
Get new shoes for myself and Tristan
Tristan's passport photos
Tristan to passport office (as a minor, it requires both parents to physically show up at the office to get him a passport, which he needs before getting on a plane for bell tour this summer..photo ID required and it seemed better to do a passport than a state ID).
Make contact with all the leads from Expo (there's 40-50)
Sort and inventory my submissions for the consignment sale. Hanging and tagging would be a bonus.

Looking further ahead:
Alana's birthday and birthday party
Consignment sale
National Scrapbook Day

Then I look around and see other people and start comparing myself to them. I have two friends who have very large families. They (seem to) keep their homes clean, do the laundry, cook meals for their brood and the entire community, make their beds everyday, can their own salsa, raise chickens, AND find time to be creative, all on a shoe-string budget. And they HOMESCHOOL to boot! Why can't I? *sigh* And then I'm frustrated with myself for the comparisons. I know these wonderful ladies have their own struggles and challenges, as I know them well and am blessed to be allowed to peak into their hearts and souls during the trying times too. So who am I to complain? And the vicious guilt cycle starts up again.

And yet, it seems that they THRIVE on just a few hours of sleep each night. Exhaustion doesn't seem to get in the way of their lives. But again, how do I know that? Maybe they just don't complain as much as I do? And then I have guilt.

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I wish that made me feel better.

Okay, so it does, if only a little bit. :-)

Why can't I cut myself a break? Why am I so very demanding of myself? How do I motivate myself to be the best Erica I can be without the damaging effects from guilt and perfectionism? Why do I do this to myself? And, more importantly, how do I stop?

It's barely 8 am

and I've already managed to embarass myself senseless.

Anyone who knows me, or even knows the tiniest thing about me, knows that I don't do mornings. Now, because the rest of the world seems to think that 7:00 am is a perfectly reasonable time to do things, I've had to adapt. But I don't like it, and I stretch out my sleep as much as possible (read "punch the snooze alarm several times and race out the door at the last minute"). Once upon a time, I actually got up and got ready for my day BEFORE I took the Jr. High kids at 7:20. Then I came back to myself. Now, I roll out of bed around 7:19, throw on some pajama pants, a sweatshirt, and slippers, and off we go.

(Yes, I've heard all the advice that I should get up early, get a better start to my day so I'm not running around like a crazy person, blah, blah, blah. People who say that are morning people so, of course, that makes perfect sense in their warped morning-people brains. The sane among us, the night owls, know better).

In spite of all of that, I pride myself on never going out in public without being dressed. I don't go anywhere in public in my pajama pants. Ever. I don't go out in public without at least a little make up on, and I'm usually dressed in something more than just a t-shirt or sweatshirt. It's just one of my "things."

The van needs to have it's inspections done so we can get new registration stickers for it. We opted to do that today. Bruce stayed home from work this morning to take the kids to school and then take me to the mechanic. Well, as we left to take the Jr. High kids, I thought I was supposed to go to the mechanic and he'd meet me there after taking the kids. I also thought it'd be a quick trip, so I wasn't dressed.

I drove over to the mechanic and the gate was closed. I pulled over and waited. When Bruce got there, I asked him what time they opened. 8:00 am. So what the heck am I doing here at 7:35?! Um, well, it seems we had a bit of a communication issue. He assumed that I knew they didn't open until 8:00, so when he saw me pull out of the driveway, he thought I was okay to wait or something. Who knows what goes through his head? Instead of calling me to ask me what I was doing, he assumed he knew. I assumed that he needed to get to work ASAP, so I was trying to get this all taken care of as quickly as possible.

So we're sitting on the side of the road, waiting for the place to open. But really, this is ridiculous. Alana didn't have her coat or her backpack, and I have things to do today, darn it. And really, had I known that I didn't have to be there until 8, there's a good possibility I'd have still been in bed! We decided I'd take the Pilot home and get Alana's things, then meet back at the mechanic. I get out of the van with Alana and then, because cars are coming, I can't just hop into the Pilot.

That's right. I wound up standing in the street, next to the Pilot, waiting for all these cars to pass so it's safe to open the door......IN MY PAJAMA PANTS AND SLIPPERS! The last car to pass me? A police car. Mortifying, I tell ya.

Alana and I came home, and I put on some real clothes. Or at least real pants and shoes.

On the upside, I've already started laundry.

Is anybody out there?

Really? Is anybody reading?

Over the weekend, I was reading back through my blogs. I used to be pretty funny at times! LOL! I guess I've gone into hiding a bit, for a number of reasons, feeling like I can't share my whole self. There are reasons for this, but most of them are silly, so I need to stop.

The other thing I noticed was that I used to have comments on my blog all the time. Now I don't. Makes me wonder if anyone is reading anymore.......

Looking forward to Lent

This year I didn't really get around to New Year's resolutions. I've got a list as long as my arm of things I'd like to improve, and I'm working more on monthly goals, but there has been a conspicuous absence of resolutions as such.

Enter Lent. I'm actually EXCITED about Lent this year! It's like I've finally caught up to the new year and am working on goals and resolutions. Or maybe I'm reframing my "year" into a religious context? From a theological/church standpoint, I've still got it wrong since the liturgical year begins with Advent (before Christmas), but I think it's still okay. God welcomes our awakenings whenever they happen, and I feel like I'm on the cusp of mine.

Since my post about how busy life always is, I've pretty much stopped complaining about how busy things are. Life is good; really good, with jobs for everyone, worthwhile activities for all of us, and friends and family who care.

Back to Lent.......As many of you know, I give up things for Lent. It's a tradition that goes back centuries, when folks gave up something to commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, being tempted by the devil, in preparation for Easter, which truly is the point of Chrisitianity. The older I get, the more seriously I take Lent. And it seems my children are getting the idea too. Last year, Tristan gave up soda. This year Alana is talking about giving up something (I suggested whining, but that only made her whine). Shannon, jokester that she is, has already decided to give up gluten! Which takes me on another tangent.....a friend of Shannon's at church is going gluten-free for Lent. She said, "If Shannon has to do this all the time, I can do it for 6 weeks!" The young lady is 12. Yeah....WOW!

See? Lent can be a powerful thing. And I'm hoping it'll be powerful in my life too. I need a jolt or 12. I'm giving up my usual soda and junk food, to be replaced by iced tea and crunchy healthy stuff like nuts or veggies. I haven't decided if popcorn is junk food or not. I suppose it depends on just what's on the popcorn.

I'm also giving up computer games. I added this one a few years ago, but found myself cheating out of habit. I'd simply click over the the game and be playing before I knew it. It was automatic, habitual, and completely brainless. All of the things I'm trying to reprogram. In place of computer games, I'm cleaning out closets, cupboards, and kids' rooms. And reading. Reading the Bible, reading for pleasure, reading for inspiration. And crafting. I think I spend waaaay more time playing games than I realize, and I'm hoping that this 40 days will be the reboot I need to break habits and move on into the life I *really* want.

Been doin' some ponderin'

And not much else it seems....

I was reading back through my blog entries and several themes emerged:

1. I'm forever talking about how crazy and busy life is, and yet I'm always looking forward to a time when things slow down. Um, yeah. I'm thinking that time is NEVER. Or at least not for 10 years or so, when Alana will be up and out of the house (that's hard to think about, btw). So, I need to embrace the insanity and learn to work with/around it.

2. My mother drives me crazy. Really, there's not much more to be said there........I probably should embrace that reality too.

3. I'm always tired. This one isn't much of a writing theme, but it's there, all the time. I use my tiredness as an excuse to avoid just about every unpleasant task around the house. And, because I don't do my "chores," I don't ever really get to play.

In light of all of this, I'm making some changes. See, it's really silly to complain about being tired, and then spend an hour playing around on FaceBook rather than taking a nap. Same goes for complaining about chores and whatnot, and, you guessed it, playing around on FaceBook instead of just getting them over with.

We'll see how these changes go, but for now, I'm working on a better evening routine, involving removing my make up before bed, and going to bed at a decent hour. I'm also going to try to go to bed "early" whenever possible to make up for the sleep debt I'm struggling against.

And based on the timing of this post and the number of times I've had to backspace off the typos, misspellings, and just plain weird typing, it's most definitely time for bed.

Good night!

4 Months?!

Yeah, yeah....


A friend (Hi Trish!) showed me this page and told me that she uses it to keep track of my inner-most thoughts and feelings. She uses it as a guide as to just how much she should be worried about me. Um, ok-aaay....I'm feeling a bit cyber-stalked.


Not really, of course, as this friend (Hi again, Trish!) truly is one of my dearest bestest friends in the world. And we talk/text/Facebook often enough that she's able to keep up with me.


And maybe that's the problem. I've fallen victim to the instantcy of our world (yes, I know, that's a made up word). Facebook is so much easier. Texting can happen anywhere. But it's also so superficial. I don't link my blog to Facebook because this is a more private space; a space where I can share things that I can't share as publically. I've got neices and nephews on FB; cousins, church friends (and aquaintances), classmates and CM clients. I can't vent there about the latest crazy that my mother has pulled (it's a doozy!). But blogging takes time, and introspection, one of which is in scarce supply, and the other I'm avoiding.


So, here's a quick (yeah, right) synopsis of the last four months (are we sure it's really been that long?!)


September--The kids both got insulin pumps. In their normal fashion, they each chose a different pump. I have to say, though, that I really think they each made the best choice for themselves and I'm proud of the way they handled the decision-making process. Shannon also got braces.


We painted our kitchen, in an effort to hate it less. It really does look good and I'm so glad we did it. WE have grand plans for that room, but any major kitchen renovations would wind up taking over most of the main floor of the house and we can't afford that right now. So, we're doing the little things to update while we save our pennies.


During that process, Max got into the mouse bait that was under the kitchen sink. She ate more than enough to kill her. And, being Labor Day weekend, yeah.....thank Heaven's for emergency vets, even if it did cost us $300, plus another $75 lab test later. Note to pet owners out there: read the packaging on pest control products....there's usually a note to doctors/veterinarians about accidental ingestation. One thing I learned is that the "blood thinner" poison/bait is the easiest to treat, so when the mice moved in this winter, that's the bait I got.....and, of course, we were MUCH more careful about where we put it.


October brought Croptoberfest, which is one of my favorite CM events. I love having clients/customers/friends in my home working on their albums. I get pretty passionate about it. Alana received her 3rd grade Bible (it's a tradition in the United Methodist Church). Alana also skated in the Halloween Ice Show at the ice rink. She was the cutest black cat!


Shannon reinjured her foot, going back to spring of 2008, so we wound up at the podiatrist. After x-rays and an MRI, it seems there was a very deep bruise on one of the little bones in her foot and the doctor ordered her back into her boot and onto crutches for 6 weeks.


Our church camping group went down to Snow Canyon State Park near St. George, UT and I rented a wheelchair for Shannon. Bruce wasn't so interested in the chair, but come to find out, he's never been on crutches so he hasn't the foggiest idea what that's like. Turns out it was a good idea after all as the restroom nearest to us was closed, so the closest one was quite a hike down the way. We also drove into Las Vegas to go to the Disney Outlet store (disappointing), and again, I was glad we had the chair. We made quite the procession, going through the mall with Max in her vest and Shannon in her chair!


We drove down the strip, but never really found a place to park, so we didn't get out and walk. It was still pretty impressive. I felt like the gawking tourist I was, though, pointing up at the Colluseum, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. There were even "canals" and "gondolas" at the Venitian! I'd forgotten that prostitution is legal in Vegas, so the people on the street wearing shirts that said "Girls to you in 20 minutes" came as a bit of a surprise!


For Halloween, Alana was the only child still young enough to dress up, and she went through a range of ideas, including an obscure Pokemon and an ice-skating vampire, before settling on a vampire bride. Shannon and a friend took their younger sisters around the neighborhood, and the older kids made out like bandits. Shannon's friend would go to the door with the girls and say "My friend's out there in a wheelchair...." and the neighbor would load them up! Sneaky little stinkers!


November--DisneyWORLD!!! It seems like we spent all year gearing up for that trip and it was SO much fun! There were a few moments that were frustrating or disappointing, but overall, it was a grand vacation. I had a blast looking for "Hidden Mickeys" throughout the parks. We went on most of the roller coasters, though there is not enough money in the world to get me onto the Tower of Terror. Alana, however, is grinning from ear to ear in the photo. My sister introduced me to the fun of "roller coaster posing" and most of my souvenir money went toward pictures taken on various rides.


The food was good (mostly), and I was THRILLED with the way they handled Shannon's gluten-free needs. Our first meal in the park was at Cinderella's Royal Table and the chef came out, put his hand on Shannon's shoulder and said "Now, what can we make for you today, Princess?" Both Melany and I got tears in our eyes. Everywhere we went, it was like that. It was an amazing attitude of "how can we make this a magical vacation for this young lady" rather than any negativity at all. And they knew their stuff! They'd bring a container of butter just for Shannon to avoid cross-contamination, and one restaurant knew that the immitation maple syrup might have gluten in it, so he sent out a little jar of the real stuff. They made her gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles, just like the rest of us were eating. They'd offer her gluten-free desserts, usually pre-packaged, and they'd encourage us to take the extras with us for later (I realize that they probably would've had to throw them away, but still!). At one little walk-up hamburger stop, Bruce asked if they had gluten-free buns (if not, we'd just ask for hers without a bun), and the manager personally made her burger for her. I imagine that some of that is that the managers have had more training on the subject so they handle it, but it just felt so special and kind.


Shannon had been cleared to come off crutches, but she still had to wear her boot for awhile, so the doctor recommended a "knee walker" for Shannon because Disney World is HUGE! It's like a scooter, but not. I'll have to post pictures of it. While chatting with Pinnochio, he took it for a spin, and at one of the character breakfasts, Stitch took off with it, riding it through the restaurant.


And we'll have to stop there as life is calling my name. Hopefully I can get back to this later this week.

A Quick Fly-By

1. My reunion was really fun.
2. Mom only made me slightly nuts while we were up there. She made up for it by driving me crazy once I got home.
3. The kids are on their way to insulin pumps. In true kid-fashion, they've chosen two different pumps.
4. There's only 4 weeks left of summer! AHHHHHH!!!! So much I still want to do with the kids and the house!
5. Max is now 8 months old and will be spayed tomorrow.
6. My kids like variety in their lives.....the girls are taking tennis lessons, music lessons and swim lessons. Tristan wants to play soccer again, plus music and swim lessons.
7. Me to Alana "Let's go to the library this afternoon." Alana "NO! I don't like to read books during the summer. (and in her most condescending tone) It's a VACATION!" Yeah, her teacher is going to love me.

Summer Craziness yet again!

Every year, I tell myself that THIS summer will be different. Um, yeah, I need to just shut up and enjoy the insanity because that's what it is! LOL!

Over Memorial Day, we went camping with our friends from church. We went to Palisade State Park, near Manti, UT. It was a lot of fun, but it was COLD. I was very grateful for the heater in the trailer because it dropped into the 40s at night. The days were pleasant enough, though, and the water was nice. The kids waded and played in paddle boats, canoes, and a lake kayak. It was a really laid-back trip, with no "must do" hikes or things to see, just books to be read, fish to be caught, and gossip to be had. LOL! Tristan caught a 12" rainbow trout. The irony there is that he doesn't like to eat fish. So he gave it to another of the boys who enjoyed it for dinner.

The last week of school followed, with kudos all around for the kids and their teachers. Shannon and Alana both won several awards, and I'm very proud. Shannon read more minutes over the course of the year than most of her class combined! So she won a $50 gift certificate for a college savings plan. Tristan did well, too, but they don't give as many awards at the junior high.

We also had the 6th grade party at a local park with bouncy blow up things (a bungee run and a water slide), plus grilled hot dogs and fixin's for lunch. That was a lot of fun and I'm so glad I was able to help out with it.

The week before, we'd had field day, with slip 'n slides and other fun outdoor games. The fire department came and doused the kids from the ladder truck, and I was in charge of popsicles for the entire school--500 to be exact! The local grocery store just happened to have them on sale that week, so we got all 500 for less than $35! SCORE!

The last day of school was awards and 6th grade graduation. Shannon is no longer an elementary student. It's bittersweet, that's for sure, watching her grow up.

So, let's see, then we went to the Outlaws for the weekend. You know how much I enjoyed that! But, we stayed in a hotel because MIL had been all worried about getting the house ready for our visit. We "did her a favor" and let her "relax and enjoy our visit" by staying in a hotel. She, in turn, wanted us to "share our opinion" about whether or not they need weekly help to come in and clean for them. I've actually been saying that for a while now, but, being an outlaw, my opinion really doesn't matter. FIL doesn't want to spend the money. My opinion, which I'm sure you're DYING to hear:
1. Yes, they need the help, though I think MIL would be rude, annoying, and probably racist, thus chasing away the people hired to help.
2. The house is getting to be too much for them. MIL is 83; FIL is 79. MIL is not in the best of health and she's not very mobile. Plus, she's losing her eyesight. I'm not sure FIL even sees the dirt anymore. I really think they need to downsize to something that's smaller and all on one level.
3. The biggest problem, though, is the overwhelming amount of STUFF! I've mentioned this about a zillion times before and it's still true. They need to get rid of about 75% of their junk.

A few anecdotes for your reading pleasure....
They cannot seem to comprehend even the basics of gluten-free eating. FIL suggested a sandwich shop and a pancake house for lunch. Um, HELLO?! I know some of the intricacies can be challenging, but how hard is it to understand that Shannon cannot eat wheat?! No bread; no pancakes. DUH!

At one point, MIL was sorting through a crate of papers on the desk. There was an old yellowing coloring book, but it had never been used, so she couldn't get rid of it. There was an old birthday card, signed by "Bill." No idea which of the 10 residents of the house it was for, and MIL couldn't remember anyone named Bill. So, I said, "If you don't know who it's to, and you don't know who it's from, then it's time to get rid of it." Oh, no! See, you can use the covers for projects! Um, with your failing eyesight? Really?! *sigh*

And the final thing, lunch on Sunday. MIL had been gunning for us to take her out all weekend. I told her that we generally don't go out much because it's hard to find restaurants with options for Shannon. She said she'd pay for it. Okay, um, how nice, but money is definitely NOT the problem. So round and round we went trying to choose a restaurant. How about Olive Garden? They don't have much for Shannon. Well, she can have salad. Gee, thanks. Chinese is out because most soy sauce is fermented with wheat. But can't she eat it if it's cooked? *snerk* MIL and FIL don't like Mexican much, so that was out too.....besides, MIL makes racist comments in Mexican restaurants. I mean, the nerve of Hispanics working there!

We finally settled on Johnny Carino's. Yes, it's Italian, but they have an entire page of gluten-free options. They GET IT! This is COOL! MIL had to comment on how expensive it might be, blah, blah, blah, and this is when FIL suggested that Subway might be a better choice. Um, NO! So we order and all is going well. Our waitress was on the ball with Shannon's needs, and generally lunch was pleasant. We paid for it, since there are 5 of us and 2 of them, and they split an entree while we ordered an appetizer. It just seemed like the thing to do. So, FIL "generously" offered to get the tip. Are ya ready for this?

The bill was $85 (not bad for 7 people at a fairly decent sit down restaurant).

FIL left......$7.00

Yes, a $7 tip on an $85 ticket.

And, yes, we added to it.

Really, because of the hotel, I didn't have to spend too much time with MIL. She rambled on here and there about stuff I don't care about, like reality TV shows and other random crap, but she wasn't horrible this tim earound. I'm really, really, REALLY hoping we've set a precedent with the hotel thing and we can do that every time we go up there. I'm also hoping we pick weekends that are NOT baseball tourney weekends, so the hotel is cheaper. LOL!

Then, we were home for 3 days, and the kids and I were off on another adventure! The Junior High Youth Group does a mission project up Pinecliff (our local church camp). I went so I could help Shannon with her food needs, and that meant that Alana had to come too, and we took Max, just for the fun of it! The mission project is basically cleaning up the camp to help get it ready for other camps throughout the summer. We cut down brush, dug boulders out of the parking lot (making it easier to mow), used said boulders to line the driveway and parking lot, picked up pine cones, and did some painting. That was Wednesday through Friday afternoon.

On Friday afternoon, more junior high kids arrived from around the state to participate in the junior high retreat weekend. Bruce drove up on Friday and took Alana and Max home. I was in a cabin with 6 girls, including Shannon.

I really don't think I'm cut out for the camp counselor thing. I don't think I'm very good at it, and much like last year, I don't feel like our cabin bonded very well. Time will tell, I suppose. The girls were sweet and fun, and maybe it's just that the three that I didn't know were introverts. *shrug* I keep finding myself in that position, and I probably will for awhile. I'm not comfortable sending Shannon up there by herself just yet as she struggles with being assertive about her food needs. For instance, she doesn't want to go first, even when told it's okay, because that's "butting" and that's bad. Sometimes, though, to avoid cross contamination, she NEEDS to get her food before everyone else!

The weather was absolutely frightful for the weekend, alternating between pouring rain, drizzling, and wicked winds. At 3:15 am on Saturday, our cabin door blew open and it would NOT stay closed. I finally put my luggage in front of it, but even then, it popped open a few more times. Several of the girls were up before 5:00, unable to sleep. We made the most of it, and we were extremely grateful for the space heaters!

So now I'm home, feeling like a tornado has gone through my house and we've got a busy week this week too. We're not traveling again until the weekend of the 10th, but then we've got another pair of back to back adventures.

This week, we have Shannon's birthday party on Wednesday, and then on Thursday, a coworker of Bruce's is coming for dinner. His daughter is a bit younger than Shannon and is also diabetic, so we're getting the girls together and sending them away to camp together in August. I'm looking forward to all of it, but my house needs HELP!!! LOL!