Oh, ladies...

Men, just look away now and save yourselves.

It's that dreaded time of year again for me. The annual 'what will I wear at the pool' decision.

Alas, there will be no pics for this post. It was too, too terrible a sight. The shopping session highly amused my teenage daughter, who looks great in everything. She laughs now, but her day is coming.

There is not a swim suit out there that will fully constrain the sisters that are my bosoms. They will not be constrained, I tell ya.

I'm not small, I've lost some poundage and could stand to lose a few more, but I'm not too large, either. But in order to get adequate chestal region coverage, I have to try on the 2x and then it's just big all over.

I have fired the entire swimsuit manufacturing industry. Except maybe the Lands End people, but they are expensive and you know how I feel about mail order. And, you can't try it on unless you mail order and then ship back the rejects. It's just too much work.

So I will continue my hunt and wear last year's stretched out, thread-bare suit for now. It's unsightly, but it's something at least. If you see something good in a national department store, be sure to let me know!

Dutch for a Day

My children have participated in a Dutch Festival for the past couple of years. We are not Dutch, but that doesn't seem to stop them.

They have authentic Dutch dress, all the way down to the wooden shoes. They have learned authentic dances and have eaten authentic Dutch food. If you've never have a pofferjte, you are missing out. They are little tiny pancakes soaked in buttered rum. Covered in powdered sugar. YUM.

The parades in these festivals are something else. Thousands of wooden shoes clomp together in rhythm. Our local high school band even marches in wooden shoes and it really adds to their performance.

It's funny to see my girls willingly hold hands with boys. Not a peep out of them about boy germs. Same goes for the boys. They get out there and do their job, and save the cooties for the playground.

I'm glad the weekend is over. The schedule was grueling. School in the morning, lunch, dance at 1:00, ride floats at 2:00, eat bad food until 4:00, get my littlest to take a nap til 6:00, hair and makeup for Sound of Music at 6:30, show starts at 8:00, home by 11:30. Wash, rinse, repeat. Sunday was very welcome!

I wish we knew a little better about our own heritage. The Dutch people around here are very proud of their heritage and the festival is fun. I do get a little tired of hearing "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much", but other than that, it's neat to be part of a celebration like this.
My grandma always told me our family was part cowboy and part Indian. I'll settle for being strong stock of some hardy pioneer woman.

My little boy is growing up

Would you just look at the back of that head... ;)

When he got all dressed up, I had to find 'Buffalo Stance' on Youtube. (Yes, I am a total child of the '80's). I didn't remember that song being so risque. Yikes. I think I'll play him 'Sharp Dressed Man' instead.

My son received his certificate of achievement for surviving the middle school years. I was a little ambivalant about the whole thing, but it was actually pretty special, and I could see that it was meaningful for my son.

The boys in this grade had a wonderful coach who attended the graduation party and brought each of the boys gifts. I think it's awesome when a young man has an older man who is a good influence in his life. My son has an awesome dad, but I am always grateful for other men who make an effort on behalf of my son, too.

My heart literally squeezes when I think about my guy in high school next year. It doesn't seem possible. This looks like it will be the summer of the growth spurt, so maybe by August I will be feeling that he is a little more ready.

So glad that school is out for the year! Yay. I'm so happy that pool season is here. I will put off thinking about high school for awhile and just enjoy my family for a couple of months.

This morning I have...

snitched some pizza from the office fridge. But I know who it belongs to and she doesn't eat cold pizza, so I'm clear. I owe her a dinner out, anyway, so I'll make amends soon.

I am currently eating mini chocolate quaker rice cakes. Yum. But it's only 8:11 am. I have my iced tea ready so I think with the pizza and rice cakes, I'm covered until lunch.

But my lunch will actually be lunch-less. I'm going to set up for my son's 8th grade graduation party. It's a big hoo-ha, here. I'm not so sure it's such an achievement, except for that fact that they will all be in high school next year. Maybe it's more of a mourning than a celebration? But EVERYONE is doing it, so we are sharing a party with 12 other boys. I see lots of chips and punch in my future.

I am dressed so that I can go straight from work to the graduation party. I have new slacks that are actually knee-length, with a tank and a cardigan and ballet flats. Okay for work, dressy-ish for 8th graders. Should be covered, unless I spill my tea, then it's back to the drawing board.

Festival pictures coming soon.

Happy weekend everyone!

Farmer's Market Bag

These bags are made out of thrifted pillow cases. Because I used the seams that were already sewn, I didn't have to sew all that much. A very quick and easy project.

This one was made for a friend who is having a birthday this week. I can just see her walking down to put her apples and peaches in here.

After I become better at maintaining a straight seam, I might try to do these on etsy. Re-usable bags are all the rage and the cheapy ones you buy at the store don't really last that long. They get fuzzy very quickly.

So, not only have I thrifted, I have recycled, too! And this gift probably only cost me $1.00, plus my time, which wasn't much.

Owie

Sometime this...

Results in this.

It's not broken, just badly bruised. She'll have to use crutches for a couple of days and miss a week of softball practice.

All-in-all, not a bad trip to the emergency room if you have to go there.

I have so much to show you

But I have other responsibilities before I can sit down and play with the photos. I never edit them (except for cropping and red eye) but someday I want to get photoshop and then, watch out!

The festival was fun. Today is strike for the musical, which was a hit. And I am so proud (I feel like I can brag a little here) that I consistently got laughs in all the right places and a really big one on the last night. It felt really good. But I'm glad it's over.

My little one did an amazing job. I can see her doing musicals and drama for a while.

I have an awfully weird sun burn where the sunscreen did not quite reach. Splotches on my feet, a stripe on both forearms, and my lips don't feel so good. I am in desperate need of a pedicure, as well. It's time for summer feet!

So, I will be back, with pictures! As soon as I spruce up the house and take a nap.

Wax Museum

My little Sprite's 4th grade class gave history presentations yesterday.

This little one is very academic. She does reports for fun. She is always very thorough and competent and prepared.

See the little yellow sticker on her shoulder? That's what you press when you want the presentation to start. Most of the kids said, "Oh, hello... I didn't see you standing there. My name is...

Sprite did Sacagewea. Sacagewea had a son named Pomp. I bet you didn't know that.

We saw Charles Limburgh, Ice Skaters, Journalists, Princess Diana and even The Rock. And if all their buttons were pressed, we heard them all at THE SAME TIME! It was sort of like when 'Tickle Me Elmo' was popular. My kids would go squeeze all the hands at the same time and drive the Target employees crazy.

Besides all the amazing facts I heard, I also learned that I could never be a school teacher. They looked exhausted!

She's so sweet, this one. And amazing and smart and pretty and loving and, and, and.

Happy Birthday

Today is my man's birthday. He is a great husband and the best dad I know.

Happy birthday, babe! I hope this is your best year ever.

Jungle Kitty

It's archive day again!

In honor of the survivor finale.

It's archive day

In honor of our towns annual festival (and because I'm feeling a little lazy), I give you this two year old post.

Hmm. It's gone now.

Must've been a fluke. All's right with the world again.

What is that and how do I get rid of it?

Evidently, my posts can be rated now.

I don't like that. It's another pressure I really don't need.

Why did it just appear? I would much prefer someone just move along to greener pastures than give my post a 2 1/2 stars. You don't have to like me, but I don't want to know about it.

Now I'm self-conscious. Oh, the drama!

I guess I'll go fiddle around in the profile area and see if I can get rid of it. If I can't, just be nice and give me five! :)

My new best friends

This is good stuff!

I like the idea of using non-toxic stuff in my house.

I used to use Shaklee products, which are fabulous, but you have to order them and wait for them to come and pay shipping. I hate to pay shipping. But they were good and they worked. But they were terribly expensive for our graduate student budget. Green Works is only $2.67 a bottle.

Lots of other green cleansers seem to be rather high in price, too. Method from target is okay, but I never feel like things are super clean. I would often get my bleachy product out after I used the cucumber melon cleanser because the counters stayed sticky. Kind of defeats the purpose, eh?

But this stuff! Wow! It smells so fresh and doesn't hurt my sinuses. No residue. My bathroom is sparkling! I hope they aren't pulling a fast one one me.

And also, how did I ever live without the wet jet? It's so easy to mop now.

Plus, when I ran out of the cleanser it came with, I pulled out the pliers to pry the lid off the bottle and put the Green Works in! Don't tell the swiffer people.

I have this morning off, so I am in a cleaning frenzy. My mom is coming to visit on Friday, then we have our local city festival and the show goes up, so I'm taking today to get the house in shape. The upstairs is done.

Now I will quit procrastinating and get the downstairs going.

Let me know if you have any good, healthy products that I should add to my stash.

Almost there

Here is me in my habit. It's not quite right yet. I haven't been successful at keeping the whimple in place. Definitely not the most attractive picture I've ever taken.

Also, the blue polish and the jewelry have to go. My friend thought is was funny to see the blue nails against the habit.

The show is coming along quite nice. I can't wait!

It is so much fun to be in a show with one of my kids. I hope we get to do this as a family a lot more in the future.

I'm not looking foward to stage makeup. Last year I got the biggest zit you could believe. It would not go away, I tell ya.

Oh well, the show must go on.

The good, the bad and the ugly

It's another new day!

The laundry fairy has deserted me.

Snow in the forecast.

Today...

Well, it hasn't been a total day relaxation, but it's been good.

I took the kids to school then went to work out. I came home to eat breakfast and I finished a book (that had a bad ending).

Took a shower and put on comfy clothes.

Spent a leisurely amount of time in the grocery store and came home to unload. There is something very gratifying about a full fridge, freezer and pantry. It makes me feel very grateful.

Went to pick up some of the kids from school. My boy is away in the Big, Big City on his 8th grade trip. There is always something unbalanced when one of my chicks are abroad.

Next, I will finish the kitchen clean up and make something healthy and wholesome for my family to eat for dinner. Then off to rehearsal.

Not a bad day at all.