The Days Roll By

We probably ought to start a new project soon. It's been terribly quiet, here. Actually, the guys did build an HD antenna the other night. It's mounted on the wall (and needs some aesthetic support...) but now we get a few channels on TV. I celebrated last night by falling asleep watching My Name is Earl.

Scouts is a little wonky, at the moment. Everybody who is supposed to move up to a Boy Scout Troop has been holding off to see where the Den Leader and his son are going to go (so that they can all go elsewhere). The entire Den. In retaliation, he's refusing to declare until everybody else does. So, we have all these boys in limbo, who should be in Boy Scouts, but are, instead, stuck at the Pack meetings. *sigh* Last night, we broke the standoff and declared our Troop and made arrangements for James' crossing over ceremony. What we didn't do was mention that it's a one-year trial, and if this guy ends up being "the adult in charge" at any point, we are out of there. The leaders of the Troop know our stance. We'll see how that works out.

In the meantime, the Cub Pack is really growing and changing, now that this guy has released his hold on it. The Pack Master has grown into his new role so beautifully, and all the parents are stepping up to assist him and support him. I think the Little Guys are in for a Spectacular Year.
Smidge loves being a Tiger! I love the Tigers! Oh, my, they are adorable. And enthusiastic. And cute. And just oh-so-precious. And did I mention adorable? It really is like a big ol' litter of fuzzy little puppies, all tumbling about together. Except they don't bite your toes, or pee on your lap. And they're funny! So really, they're better than puppies. Plus, they grow up into fine young men, and that is encouraging, as well.

We've got a busy day ahead of us. The boys start guitar lessons today, I think. (I hope. It's one of those things that crept up on me.) Groceries and cleaning out the car and working a bit more in the basement. It doesn't sound like much, but it's all good stuff. A clean car feels fantastic. Food is always good. Always. And the basement is rather exciting because Zorak initiated this particular project, so I have hope it will stick! The boys have already made great use of their new work area, and they're loving the new "space".

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Fantastic Fall Days

This is the best time of year, down here! Spring's a close second, but this is pure Heaven.

The boys are outside, trying to find the "best" way to make yourself sick on the tire swing. James' favorite, so far, is to lie face down on the tire and have someone twist the rope to its max capacity. It works well enough to make me queasy from the front porch! Ugh.

The Littles are roaming about, finding new fungi that have sprung up in the past week. There are still flowers in bloom, here and there, and EmBaby keeps us in kitchen bouquets every day. What a beautiful use for flowers!

I'm inside solely because Zorak actually mentioned last night what he'd like for supper tonight, but I cannot, for the life of me, now remember what it is. Yes, I know the answer is more likely to be found in the kitchen than the computer. But I had cooker's cramp, so I came to decompress a bit before trying again.

We got so far behind on the extras in the peripheral of our life while we were finishing the house, and as much as I'd love to say we got right back on that train, well, we're not really "runners" and the train was going rather quickly, and... and... yeah. Things are still popping up to catch me completely off guard - like Cub Scout Camporee *this weekend* - and we were supposed to go camping with friends sometime *this month* - and books! - and switching the boys' music schedule to squeeze in guitar lessons - and probably getting a guitar - and now it's only three weeks out from the Big Surgery - and ACK! Sometimes, I really wish I was a drinker. At least then, I'd have an excuse.

But, barring an out-of-the-blue drinking binge, which would be really difficult to explain later, or severe head trauma, which I'd just rather not even entertain the possibility of dealing with, I guess that leaves us with the tried and true, "Suck it up and get moving" approach. It's no fun, but it is effective. And consistent. (So why does it make me want to throw a little bitty tantrum and yell, "I don't wanna!" - how's that going to help?)

CHICKEN SOUP! Aha! That's what he wanted! I think. Maybe. Well, we have the ingredients for it. And the weather's perfect. And it'll let me get on with putting the rest of the things in order. So, yes, that's what we'll be doing.

OK, time to chop! (And hey, the kids just wandered in, looking blissfully unaware that they're about to be put to work! Heh. Love that.)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

My-my-my-myyyyy Papaya!

John butchered a song, just for me, while we were making the fruit salad Saturday! I'm so glad I let them "help" in the kitchen back when they weren't much actual help. Now they really are a riot in the kitchen, and they like being there.

We had the boys' belated birthday cookout last night. We had rain for ages. Then it cleared up, with stray downpours on the various days we tried to have the cookout. I chose my words poorly at some point in the planning process, by referring to the get-together as a "BBQ", at which point, James decided we had to use the grill. So. There's that. (I can't complain. I'm the genius who's always telling them to be precise in their language. Obviously, I need to be a little more precise about "Mom's limitations" from time-to-time, no?) Finally, however, Saturday dawned dry and clear and glorious.

It was a small group, and a little disorganized (which is sort of our signature *sigh*), but a really wonderful time, regardless (hopefully, also, at least a little, reminiscent of "us"). They got to play with their friends, and see Uncle Wil, and shoot off fireworks and enjoy a small bonfire. Both James and Smidge feel duly celebrated, now. Good stuff.

We served fish tacos (those hamburger baskets for the grill work beautifully for fish, by the way -- we may be the last people to know that, but in case we aren't, now you know), tropical fruit salad (fresh papaya tastes SO much better than dried papaya! WOW!), beans (of course. If you're eating at our house, there will be beans. Always.), rice (again, sometimes we are just. so. predictable.) and homemade carrot cake (because there just isn't a mix that makes it worth it to not have to shred that many carrots).

The boys helped with the cake decorating by making the molded carrots to put on the cake. Oh, too cute! Thankfully, because they'd been working in the kitchen all morning, their hands were washed repeatedly and well by the time we got to the Making of the Carrots.

I'm still stuffed. They're still glowing. And it's raining again. :-)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Virtual Friday

Tomorrow, Zorak is off for the day, and so are we. Well, from school. There's still work to be done, wood to be hauled, equipment to be moved. But, in theory, we're off for the day. Which means today we must bust a hump and really make some progress.

It's been a slow week. It's been one of those weeks where you look at the children making origami (drawing pictures, having swordfights) and you think, "I'm pretty sure the math we JUST went over isn't done yet."

No sooner have you made the rounds, getting everybody back on task, only to return to your original spot to find the beginnings of a paper crane...

a stunningly complex rendition of Harry Potter Meets Captain Nemo...

and clue in to what's happening, just in time to duck a particularly wild sword thrust.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Feed them. Get back to the repeating part.

Collapse into a heap around ten PM, with a glass of wine and a pile of peanut butter cups. Watch as many episodes of Chuck as you can before your spouse starts making snarky comments about how he could be an inept spy, too, if it would help.

The down side is that you get to get up and do it all. over. again.

The up side is that you DO get to get up and do it all over again.

Today, I'm taking the sword to the crane for "history". But I think we may just call the drawings "art". I'm out of wine.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy