Updated Score(s)

Scorpions on my fireplace hearth: 0 for 3
My brown Tommy clogs: 3 for 0

(Mwwaaahahahahahahahaha ...)

Loads of laundry I have put out on the clothes line: 7
Loads of laundry that have been left on the clothes line, as John predicted: 0

(HA!)

Times I have watered my yard and had my feet chowed on my fireants: one billion
Times I have watered my yard and managed to avoid any fireants: 0

(Why can I not avoid the stoopid ants? Because they are everywhere, but I have been explicitly forbidden from using ant poison. To the point where it has been put away out of my reach. Gah.)

Times today that Sam and Evie have been really mad at each other: 8
Times today that Sam and Evie have played together like best friends: many more than 8

Oh, what a complicated life I lead ... Kevin came by yesterday afternoon, which made my kids so very happy. Ok, I was very happy, too! It's always fun to see him, especially without his friends. Not that I don't love his friends, because I think we all know that I do, but it's very unusual to see Kevin without anyone else. Also, he managed to meet a girl at a party in Austin that lives 2 streets away from me! What??? Only Kevin can pull that off ...

We went to church this morning after dropping John off at work. I had a very nice time, although it would have been better with John. (He did manage to al least be off most Sunday mornings next month, so I am very pleased about that!) Pastor Oliver has been teaching on Romans 6, and it's been great. I've always loved Romans, and I enjoy the way he speaks, with a sense of humor yet very, very honest and direct. I finally got to meet his wife, Pace, last week; she is good friends with my auntie Rebecca, but I kept missing her at church. The Olivers are about to have baby #6, and I am so happy for them, and only slightly jealous. :)

Sherry is coming to visit next weekend (yea!), and Saturday is the Bastrop Gardens Butterfly Festival! I've known about this since they started planning it, and when I saw Linda (the Bird Lady who lives next door and works at Bastrop Gardens) a few days ago, she made sure that we were going to be there. Of course!! I can't wait!

And on that note, I have to go straighten the kitchen and feed my children, because we have to go pick John up from work soon. Woohoo!!

SARAH!!!

To a certian friend of mine who has been out of the country for the last few weeks (and missed Brea Day with another friend in The Woodlands), WELCOME HOME!!! I'm so glad that you're back, and I missed you so much. I am so sorry that you aren't feeling well, and I hope you feel back up to 100% soon. I hope your time was wonderful, and I can't wait to hear about everything soon. Drink lots of water, and try to actually get some rest.

YEA!!! YOU'RE HOME!!!! :)

Pregnancy foods

I try to behave while I'm pregnant when it comes to food, and I do pretty durned well, too. I eat whole grain breads and bagels, I eat lots of fruit and veggies, and when I binge on something sweet, it's usually a can of pineapples or a huge glass of juice. I try to snack on things like graham crackers (the low fat cinnamon kind) and apples, and if I'm wild and crazy, I may eat 6 tomatoes in one day. I did that yesterday, and it was soooo good. I eat salads, I stay active by working in my yard and chasing my children and doing light yoga, I drink very healthy herbal teas, and I've even inspired John to consider working out.

However.

I am craving fajitas from Chuy's with a ton of sour cream and cheese, along with a bowl of queso the size of my head, accompanied by a Dot margarita or a couple of Coors Lights (I know, I'm a cheap bear kind of gal), then a huge piece of espresso cheesecake and a cup of good, strong coffee to finish off my dream meal.

Or a Snickers. That would be nice, too.

xxsighxx

I guess I'll go get supper ready. Healthy leftovers. There's not even any ice cream in my kitchen for me to sneak while I'm getting my salad ready.

Poor me.

Why I Keep Him

'Man, I feel so bad that I was so upset with the kids yesterday afternoon. They really know how to get on my last nerve and set me off!'

'Babe, eveyone gets upset with their kids. You didn't yell or anything, you just sent them outside until you were a little calmer. I think you did really well.'

'Well, I still feel bad about it.'

'Look at it this way. You aren't that drunk mom that Dr Phil had to yell at on national TV. You are so much better than she is'

'Oh my gosh, you're right! I'm NOT the drunk Dr Phil mom!! Baby, you know just what to say to make me feel better.'

'Well, I try to always do my part in maintaining your mental health, honey.'

Goodbye, My Friend

And now, the time has come to say goodbye to one who has been in the family longer than even the kids.

Jeep, dear, you will be missed by all.

How many times did I beg and plead with John to drive my car to work, so I could drive the Jeep on my day off? How often was I the designated driver, driving home with the top down on a warm summer night? Do you remember the time Lyndsey came to visit, and stayed for a week, and we drove around all the beautiful parts of Austin at midnight, with no top, windows, or doors on Dear Jeep, because it's just good for your soul? How many times have we listened to Yes and the Toadies and the Beatles and yes, the Dixie Chicks while driving to Barton Creek?

Remember when I was very pregnant, and couldn't drive Dear Jeep, because in order to reach the clutch, I had to move the seat up so far that my large belly actually pressed against the steering wheel? Remember the first time Sam rode in the Jeep, with no windows, and laughed the whole way? Remember all the sudden spring rain storms we got caught in, when the top was down, and arrived at our destination drenched but laughing?

Remember how much we hated the stoopid jeep we rented in Hawaii, because it had small tires and a bikini top, and it just wasn't Our Jeep? Remember that I was the first and one of the only females to drive Dear Jeep? Remember how many times I totally got whistled at (in a very innapropriate yet very flattering way) while driving the Jeep by myself?

Good times, good times.

Goodbye, my dear friend, and may we one day be able to rehab you so our kids can have as much fun in you as we have had.

Well, maybe not quite as much fun ...

you know you have todlers when ...

~you forget how to say the word 'caterpillar,' because you have spent the last 2 years saying calapettar. I had to call John yesterday to ask him what the real word is, and he actually had to think about it for a minute, so I didn't feel quite so bad.

~you get really, really excited when you get to take a shower that lasts more than 3 minutes, and takes place between the hours of 7am and 9pm.

~silence between the above mentioned hours is cause for panic.

~you have three or more different food groups in your purse.

~at a birthday party, someone else's kid throws up, and you continue to eat your hotdog, unfazed.

~you have to remind your children before company comes over that they have to flush, and that they must be fully dressed before leaving the bathroom.

~you know the number to Poison Control by heart, not because it is posted on the back of every phone and is on the fridge, but because you have called them 4 or more times.

~you point out a cow when you are driving, then realize that you are alone.

~you can name every Von Trapp child, but honestly don't remember the last time you saw a movie in the theater.

~you know how to remove and reinstall doorknobs.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Other news: we are having the pastor of a church we've been visiting, Bastop Bible Church, over this evening. Seeing how I was raised Baptist and all, there will be pie, ice cream, and decaf coffee. I'm actually looking forward to the visit. He seems to be a really nice guy, and his wife and my aunt are very close friends, so I've nothing but wonderful things about them!

If I haven't mentioned before, I LOVE living out here. The thought of moving any closer to a city than we already are makes me very nervous. I never want to move to a place closer in, or with a smaller lot than we've got here. There is so much to do out here, and so much that we're able to teach the kids from what we see every day, and it is so amazingly beautiful and peaceful. All you city folk are just plumb off yer rockers! :)

Oh!! I have 2 canteloupes!!!! I am so excited! They're so tiny and fuzzy and cute!! I thought they would never start producing fruit. Now, if only the watermelons, pumpkins, and squash would follow the canteloupes' lead ... Hmmmm ...

Off to The Woodlands tomorrow to have a girls day with Marg, and then to Katy to have supper with Mom. Then back home! I think it will be a long day, but I'm going to be kid-free, probably for the the second time since we've moved out here, so I can live with my long yet quiet day. :)

More Questions ...

'Mom, could a squid bite God?'

Uhhhhhh ... I don't think you and Evie are allowed to talk to each other any more. Ever.

Musings and Ramblings

July 4 was two days ago. This is a holiday that can piss me off sometimes, because people are stupid. I know that this country isn't perfect. I really do get that. But I love it here. I love that I can go to church. Or not. Whatever church I want to! How many people don't get what a big deal that is?!?

I love that I can hate the president, or love him. I love that I can vote for anyone of my choosing, be it Kinky Friedman or Mickey Mouse or some guy whose name I've never even heard.

I love that I can read, write or publish any book I want. Or not. I love that I can listen to any song on any radio station. If I don't like something, I can just NOT LISTEN TO IT or NOT READ IT!! I love that!!!

I love that I can not have any kids, or that I can have 15 kids. I love that I can have 15 boys, or 15 girls. I love that I can raise my kids.

Are things in this country flawed? Hell yeah! So many things are wrong! I hate that I am in the largest marketing bloc, but the smallest voting bloc. If the people near me in age would start voting, then ... holy shark repellant, Batman!! Do you have any idea what could be acomplished?? I hate that more people don't vote! But I sure do love that they have that choice. (I just wish that people who don't vote wouldn't bitch. At all.)

I love that I can donate money to my church, to the Republicans, to the Democrats, to a cult, to Hollywood, to starving children, to the KKK, to the ACLU, to the library, or to a college fund. Or all of them at the same time. Or to none.

I love that I can protest, burn a flag, write a nasty letter to a politician I don't agree with, or simply hug someone who fought/is fighting to make sure I can love all the things I've mentioned.

And to all those people I just mentioned, from the kids at Lexington and Concord, to the kids at Normandy Beach, to the kids in Korea and Vietnam, to the kids in Iraq, just one thing.

Thank you.

the Beach

We're in Galveston, having a great time! I totally stole my mom's laptop for a few minutes (um, with her permission, because I fear her. She is tall and strong and could take me down with one blow). We've had a strange rash of toe injuries so far, but all is well other than that.

John and I went for a walk on the beach last night around 10:45, and saw about a milliondy cute little crabs. We also saw some blue crabs, one of which kept charging John, apparently with the intention of taking off his foot and then eating him. It was an aggressive little thing. So tonight, we're going to go down there with nets and buckets and catch as many as we can ... and then cook and eat them.

This beach house is awesome!! There are 12 or 13 of us here tonight, up from 9 the night before last. Kevin invited the majority of the people here, and I just love all of his friends! I made tacos (chicken and ground meat) last night, and John and I made hamburgers and hotdogs today, with the very valuable help of John's mom Sherry.

Sam and Evie have absolutely no fear of the water, which kind of freaks me out. But John and I watch them like hawks when we're down there, and they know they're not allowed in the water without one of us at all times.

On that note, supper is ready and I'm starving! I'm hungry pretty much all the time, and have lost the ability to eat more than 3/4 of a bagel in one sitting. :( Eh, whatcha gonna do about it? :)