Kids on Vacation!

When Mom propositioned to sweep my kids away to Branson for a week, I have to admit that I wasn't too thrilled with the idea. I mean, I like having my kids around. Sure, they're messy. They dominate the conversation. They're incredibly expensive. They eat lots. But, gosh, I love 'em. But what could I say? No?  They have jobs to tend to?

So, after a teary goodbye Saturday night, our kids took off with my parents. And, it's actually been kind of... AWESOME! Now, I do miss them. Really I do. Can't wait to see them tomorrow when they return. But the last few days with my hubby have been really sort of fun. I remembered why I married him and he remembered why he married me. For some reason, I've been much less bitchy and he's hasn't been nearly a...well, he's been very nice.

What's going on? We have great kids! It's so strange to feel this way... And answer me this:

My kids have a list of chores every single day, so logic will tell you that when they are home, my house should be sparkling clean for the summer. This week it should be a disaster since they are gone! But no. It is quite the opposite. Truly, an enigma. Or not.

Kids on vacation with my parents - this was in Hawaii.

But the house is much too quiet. And it's starting to get boring around here. We need them back. After all, absence does make the heart grow fonder. As a matter of fact, I can't locate my husband right now. Honey? Oh, Honey? Where are you?

Electronics Free Week? OMG!

See these lovely, voluminous elephant ears? The beauties reside outside our front entrance, eager to greet our scant visitors. Sorry to wallow in my conceit, but every year I attempt to grow these most awesome of plants and fail miserably. And at the beginning of this summer season, it had appeared I was en route to do the same. The plant was gangly. Almost dead. I was heartbroken.

Isn't that what we always do when something doesn't work out? Just keeping doing the same thing? Waiting for a better result? Then, we bitch.


But I did something different. I changed the location. I starting talking to the lovely greenery with each nightly watering. And voila. Finally, results that exceeded my expectations!

Doug and I have been quite annoyed with our children's seeming addiction to all things electronic. WAIT! Aren't we the parents? Don't we have the right of rescission?  Yes. Yes, we do.

So, next week will be declared E-Free week! No computer, DS, phone, TV (very limited anyway) or WII. And it will be hotter than Hades outside! What will these kids do???? I'm sure the first order of business will be to....mope.  I've always bragged on their creative minds. Let's just see them prove me right.

Thoughts on Tinkling

Upon exiting the grocery store this evening, I rushed my family to the car with the pained knowledge that a twenty minute drive would be endured before my bladder could experience a euphoric sense of freedom.

"Why don't you just use the bathroom in the grocery store, Mom?" Alex asked in her intelligent sort of way.

Good question, my astute daughter. However, if you must know, the grocery store (any grocery store, really) is my least favorite place to pee.

Other locales that don't make my favorite place to powder my nose?

• Any sporting event (baseball games to be specific). The younger the team, the worse the facility. And if toddlers with dirty t-shirts are playing around the area, just forget it. What is that liquid you slosh through in your flip-flops to get to the dark, abysmal latrines anyway? Sewer backup or it is, you know, that dirty kid's pee? It can't possibly be water from the faucet that had absolutely no pressure whatsoever.
• Target. Love the store. But the restrooms are a haven for the poopers. It must have something to do with the time of day shoppers make it to the store. Right after they've just finished their riblet basket at Applebee's? I'm just guessing. Maybe next time I'll ask the girl in the next stall what she ate for lunch.
• My son's bathroom. Enough said.
• My mother-in-law's bathroom. But not for the same reasons as not wanting to go in my son's toilet. Obviously, her toilet is as clean as a whistle. I honestly can't explain why I don't like going in there. Maybe it's because I feel inferior since there are absolutely no rings in her toilet. None. Nada. And I guess I don't want her to think that I ever pee.

Now, when I need to use the loo, I prefer to be in the sanctity of my own sweet bathroom, the one attached to our bedroom. But there are other honorable mentions:

• Johnny's Italian Restaurant. Ah, the ladies' room takes me back to the 1940's, despite being born in '69. Yes, a true powder room indeed.
• My mom's bathroom. Still love to look at all her cosmetics and jewelry. I try not leave a mess. Really, Mom.
• The stalls at work. Because I've developed this tea-drinking habit, the restroom at work has become quite a place of comfort for me...especially in the morning. While I used to feel guilty about my visits, it's really something I can't help. Besides it gives me a little exercise and like my husband says, "Who cares? At least you're getting paid for it."

Well, enough about this. I need to go. I mean, I need to GO!

Power of a Picture

So I'm doing my morning stretches (something close to yoga), and I notice a tree frog on our window! Of course it delights me, so I grab the camera to snap a shot. But it is a clever hopper, and it foots away quickly.  However, as I glance out the window, the sunrise catches my attention. So, of course, I realize the frog led me here for a reason. (Very soon this blog post will begin to sound like the children's tale "If you give a pig a pancake...")

And as I scroll through the pics to find the photos to add to this blog, I find myself overwhelmed by the happy events on this little device we know as the Kodak. Gourmet cupcakes of my daughter's making. King Cole the 8th on a typical imaginative day. Another  (perhaps the same) tree frog playing elusive games on our deck. Percy, the dog, to the nth degree. Flowers (even though I was a bit perturbed with my daughter's use of camera without approval, the artistry is impressive.)

The other day, my work week took a morale boost when my friend Janet sent an email of a pic of Cole as a baby. The power of a photo. I knew he was cute...Wait! I have completed gotten off track and hardly have enough room for the original sunrise photo. Oh, well. You've all seen a sunrise, right? If not, see blog header. And if you give a pig a pancake...