How do you get out of a job?

Tell the little kids to do it for you! Sound excited, like it is a game, and they will follow along!
If nothing else, Ryan is smart!

But I am bored!

The kids are officially home for the summer. The last day of school rang in last Thur. But life was too boring to be home on Friday and so one went to his girlfriends house and another went to her girlfriends house. And that left the house rather quiet to the point I could have sworn it was still a school day. The weekend was not much different as my older kids tried to find any way they could to get out of the house. Or away from me. I am not sure which. I try not to take it personally cause I am like the bestest mom in the world and who would shy away from my peppy it's-summer-time-dance while holding a plate of homemade cookies!!? (I am thinkin it might be the dance though.)

And so Monday rolled around and again I was asked if so and so could come over or if so and so could pick so and so up and they go over their house, etc etc etc. And my comment was something along the lines of "If you think I am going to be a free babysitter or you are going to live over someones house all summer....you have another thing coming! Spend time with your family!" Or something along those lines anyway.

I think my kids are so used to going that they aren't sure what to do with themselves once going isn't an activity! Where I pull up a floatie and relish in the glory of nothingness, they go into withdrawal.

Yesterday Megan spent time with the daycare kids and her sister. Ryan grumbled around the house in a mood cause he was bored.

Dunno. When I was home for the summer I didn't run to someones house. There was no one who lived near us! We just hung around the house. Slept in. Went for walks. Played outside. Went swimming. Read a book (Lordy I am not sure my kids know what that is!) There was no cable. No AC. No video games. No on demand movies. Come to think of it.....how DID we survive?

I am sure some more homemade cookies and hugs to wake them in the morning and another it's-summer-happy-dance will improve their moods.

And if not....I always have my floatie to escape! And a batch of homemade cookies!

The great escape

We are off today for my brother in laws birthday party and I have to say that I wish I woke up sick or there was 10ft of snow or the car wouldn't start or.....well just about anything would work. I hate going to family gatherings. Coming from someone who comes from a small family, you would think I would love it. But Todds family gatherings are not that much fun. There is no partying and laughing and games in the back yard with children running everywhere. These family gatherings are rather...um....interesting.

First let me give you a bit of a background. Todd is one of 4 children and he was the 'oops' baby. The late in life "opps honey, I am pregnant" baby. His siblings are all older. Much older. And his mother is one of 13 children. 12 being all girls. The oldest is in her late 90's. They are all widowed. There is only one who is still married and that is the youngest and the only boy. This Uncle is only about 17 years older than Todd's brother who is now turning 60. Ok....following along? The siblings all have children except for one. And those children are older and some with children of their own. I am stuck in the middle. Too young to click with my sister in laws and too old for those with kids. So that usually leaves me with "the aunt's".

Imagine if you will a group of women all in their 80's or older, smelling of Bengay and perfume, all sitting around in chairs and chatting about the good old days. There is everything from "remember when we had to chase the chickens in the backyard and kill one for dinner" to "in the depression we didn't have XYZ and survived" to "Oh you so have to try this medication I am on. It so helps my joints!" Not that it is all bad. I rather have gotten to enjoy the stories.

Then there is the Uncle. Uncle Jonnie is a make all his own. Picture if you will, a 70 year old man in a light blue 1967 polly suit with a comb over and a glass of wiskey in his hand. You know when he is there because you hear across the room "Where are my pretty girls??" Uncle Jonnie loves the women. And he shows it with lots and lots of kisses and bear hugs. Anyone under the age of 50 is not safe. And if you happen to be a 5 year old in a dress and hair bow....well there is no saving you.

There is no chidren at this particular party today. So that means I have to bear it all alone. Just me and Todd. My plan? I am making the great excape! We are taking two cars. Todd can stay all he likes. I am going to say my hellos, eat lunch, get my Uncle Jonnie bear hug and make a run for it. I figure it might take some swift moves, ditches and few "I have to go to the ladies room" to make it to the door. I have been making the play in my head for about a week now. But nothing is foul proof!

We shall see if I make the great escape.........

Wish me luck!

Go team USA!

"Donovan Strike Gives USA First World Cup Group First Place Finish in 80 years"

If you know me, you know that I am about as far away from being a sports fan
as one can be. Music, theater, dance is more my cup of tea. But since I am
also a soccer mom I cannot ignore the US victory!

So here is a shout out and a cheer to a job well done USA!

On a side note....

We don't have much planned this weekend. And yet, I feel like it is gone before it has even started! Maybe I should say we don't have many EXCITING things planned for this weekend?

Megan is already hitting me up for a sleepover. For two different girls. And Ryan wants a friend to sleep over too and his girlfriend to pop in for a visit. For some reason, the end of school equals panic mood for Megan and Ryan who think they will never see their friends again and they just must sleep over!!! There is no way I am having a houseful of kids! So I told them to narrow it down. And I made the mistake of saying we might go to the beach. I will not be living that one down even though I do not know what I was thinking cause I know I will not have the time to go to any shore line over the next few days!

VBS shopping is scheduled for Sat. Along with swim class. So I am figuring that Sat is shot. And Sunday we have to bring our children to church so they can become beggars. The church will not donate more money for my VBS cause and suggested that I place children at the doors with baskets in hand and have them beg for donations instead. Ok maybe not in those exact words but the end result is still the same! So my kids and a few others that I enlist, will be standing at the doorways of our church on Sunday with a mission in mind......look cute and pitiful and beg the money out of the older peoples pockets. A little eye batting and lip pout might come in handy! I know my children are very good at that so we should make out well!

So I am thinking I am going to be stuck with a houseful of kids this weekend who have the anticipation that they are going to the beach but instead are going to be greatly disappointed.

Today? I plan on sitting by the pool while the kids run ramped around the back yard and bask in the glorious sun! I am going to enjoy it while I have still have one more day of peace!

Have I mentioned how much I love summer?

Come on over Matthew and pull up a floatie!

Well, we woke yesterday to find that my tv guy actually fixed our cable and the start of summer began and school only has three days left and a long lost Aunt had gifted Todd her huge home in FL right on the beach and that we had won the lottery and if you believe all that I have a castle in Ireland I can rent to you for vacation!

Well. Ok. The parts about school and about summer being official was really true! And I am doing the happy dance!

But the rest you will have to leave it up to your imagination cause I really have nothing else exciting to offer right now. Along with summer comes lack of excitement and, for the sake of the blog, entertainment. There is no stress of after school activities or rumors to listen too from PTA moms or waiting with anticipation to see if we get Doogie Howser for allergy shots today.

Ok....Doogie is still on the summer role call. That doesn't really stop for the summer. But that is about it. We have gotten down to which swimsuit to put on today and if we should go for a walk because of the heat.

And I am ok with that. I like not having much to think about for two and 1/2 long months!

Todd actually had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to join a bible study group. Now, if you know Todd, you know that it is more likely to snow in June than to see Todd sitting and reading a chapter from Matthew. But he was invited and is excited about going. However, it is my summer. And NOTHING comes between me and my Coppertone. Not even a dude called Matthew. So as much as I would love to go simply to see Todd read the bible AND talk about it....it still does not outweigh my excitement of which blow up float I should lay on...pink or blue. I am standing my ground. Summer is MINE.

So Todd is off to bible study alone. Which, I am sure, really doesn't bother him. And he comes home and chats to me about it. Perhaps now we can have some really mind blowing conversation on the bible instead of Todd telling me to "go ask the Pastor" when I bring the topic up!

Maybe come August, when I become bored with floating around in the pool, getting a tan with a glass of iced tea in my hand...I will go with him.

More likely not.

More likely it will snow in June!

But one can hope I suppose.

Beep!

We have been having some issues with our tv over the last few months. Started out of the blue with these lines that come and go all over the screen. Mainly at night. And only on one channel. We have called the cable people in several times and they have been out here a good 5 times or so. Most times they leave, with a pat on the back, and tell us it is closed caption. But this looks NOTHING like closed caption. It comes in script and different colors and sometimes stays unmoving and other times moves all over. We have no clue what it is but is not closed caption.

But I think the best visit was the last guy who came. He was checking in with the office and while he waited he asked me what was wrong. I told him and his response was "closed caption". I gave a sigh and probably a little eye roll and described what it looked like and how it was in script.

His comment was ....you are so going to love this..........
"Oh yeah. Closed caption. That is for the deaf. They put it in script but when the deaf hook up their devise to the tv, it changes the script into beeps so they can hear it and know what is being said."

Seriously! Do I really need to elaborate on that one???

Then I had one guy who told me it was the closed caption and tried to take it off for me. But we don't have the original remote and he couldn't find the menu on the universal one we use. So he tells me he can't remove it because I need the original. My comment back was "How did it just get put on then if you need the original remote to put it on and shut it off?" He never did answer me.

We still have the script. And we still are waiting for them to look into it. The last guy was at least honest and said he had no clue and had to talk with his supervisor. But since it has been 5 days without a word, I am assuming that means he doesn't know, doesn't care and we will never see him again.

And so my tv sits in my family room still with pretty coded script that comes and goes. At this point I have learned to not even pay attention to it till someone comes over and asks me what that is.



On a side note....
While I was skimming my pictures for a photo of the scripted tv (which, of course I could not find) I came across these rare pictures with Ryan and had to share!



Normally Ryan is way too cool to take pictures for me which is why it is very rare.

I am so going to have to bribe him with those one day!


(which, come to think of it, may be one reason why he doesn't take pictures for me!)

Did I do that?

It is my fault! All my fault!!

I just want to make sure everyone understands that. Even if I don't. It is my fault a bill doesn't get paid. My fault if there is no underwear to put on. My fault if it rains and it seems.........my fault that my daughter forgot her lunch money and now cannot find it. She doesn't put it in her lunch account on Monday. Then waits till 7:33 this morning to look for it. The bus comes at 7:34. And if she missed the bus, it would seem, it would be my fault too cause I was not finding her missing lunch money that I gave her the day before that she forgot to put in her account.

Hummmmmmmmmmm.
Ok. I shall leave that comment at that.

My other daughter was playing outside today with some of her friends I thought to share cause, well, they are just too darn cute!

Look at those summer babes!


And I took some pics of the girl singing in this years children's concert at church on Sunday. I am not sure what happened. But this time it was my fault cause they are way too blurry. Either that or I need glasses. But I will share the few I have that will not make you crosseyed.

You can truely see how excited and happy she was to be there too. She really did sing but unless you were there sitting in the front pew to see the slight movement of her lips, you would never have guessed that sound was coming from her mouth. I guess you will have to take my word for it!


On another note I also snapped this picture of Delaney and her friends. Megan looked at it and asked me where I took the picture and I said the front lawn.

Her reply was, "No really. Where did you take it!?"

I was not sure what she was asking. Or implying... so I repeated, 'The front lawn!"

"Come on mom.....that isn't our grass! There is no holes in it and it looks green!"

Well now........I would love to say that I have a magic camera. But since the concert pictures didn't come out so well, I think it is a safe bet it isn't that! It was probably the angle cause she is right, our lawn normally tends to look like a golf course after a week of beginner golfing camp. During a drought. And that picture really does look good!

For the record.........

#1 The picture IS my fault.

#2 The lawn is Todds!

Mrs. WHO?!

I remember the 1st time I was called Mrs. Chapman. It was at my family doctors office. The same said doctor who saw me grow up over the years with loose teeth, chickenpox, tonsils and the yearly flu! And about a month after my marriage to Todd, I had gone in to get a check up for my new job and heard.......Mrs. Chapman! Beside the fact that it took me about 2 minutes to realize they were referring to ME. It took me another 2 min to realize my mother in law was not in the sitting room with me!

I was NOT Mrs. Chapman! A 60 something year old woman at the time. A 60 something year old woman who was my husbands mother!!! I was Kimberly. The same Kimberly I was a month before Aug. 11th. The same Kimberly with the tonsils and chickenpox! NOW I am called Mrs. Chapman? Surely they must be joking!

Well that day is long gone. Not the shock of being called Mrs. Chapman. But the shock of that 1st moment.

It was just replaced.

By my sons girlfriend.

Who just left for the night and said..........

"Thanks Mom for dinner! See you later!"

My head popped up and looked where she was no longer standing and I stood there with shock on my face. Surely I heard wrong. Did someone just call me MOM that was not one of my children?! MOM? As in mother aka mother in law aka a 60 something year old woman who was my husbands mother!???

Good Lord........what is next? Grandmom!??

I am so not ready! I am still stuck on Mrs!

Hopefully I have a very loooooooooooong time before that. Which is good. Cause someone just called me MOM and I think I am still numb from it! It could conceivably take another 20 years before the circulation comes back!

Peek-a-boo!

My crafty girls!

Make her a list Mommy!

Summer is almost here and I cannot express to you how excited that makes me feel. After a long winter of snow and cold and more snow, the idea of summer has me dancing in my seat. The days are longer. The sun is stronger. The birds are singing in the morning. And I am living in bliss already just thinking about the next several months!

I have been making mental lists in my head on all the things I plan NOT to do. No after school activities. No PTA meetings. No soccer. No church activities. No "Kims bus service" making the rounds to pick up and drop off kids.

Nope. My goals this summer run along the lines of reading a book on the back porch. Rocking Delaney to sleep while we sit outside, watching the fireplace and the fireflies dance around us. Swimming....ok lounging on my mat in the pool while the sun wraps me in its warm arms! Some icecream stops at the local custard stand, fresh picked produce, barefoot walks and sitting on my front porch watching the world go by comes to mind too. Throw in a nice vacation and some beach romps on the shoreline and I picture a lovely next three months! I LOVE summer!!

And Delaney seems to as well.

Delaney and I went out this morning and sat in the rocker while we watched Megan get on the bus and I was talking with Delaney about how Sissy will be home soon to do things with her over the summer.

"Make her a list Mommy!" she said back to me. "Tell her I want to go outside and play chalk with her and go for walks and ride my bike and swim.....make a list so she remembers!!"

Now several things came to mind in that moment. The 1st being that she is most certainly my child cause it is obviously in her genes to make lists it seems. I am so proud that some of my organizational skills rubbed off on at least one of my children!

Then there is the fact that Delaney is obviously making summer plans of her own and dancing in her own little seat at the prospects! That's my summer baby!

Of course, I am not so sure how Megan is going to feel over her own little "Sister Do" list that is being put into motion. I am sure Megans idea of summer has something to do with sleep, texting and an occasional romp in the pool with someone closer to her age. Little does she know she is going to have a 3ft something shadow over the next several months. Or that her many talents will be put to use making art projects with chalk and sidewalk paint!

I am sure that they will work it out. And the Delaney will be in her glory at her new playmates and freedom because her sister and brother will be home. I will have to get back to you on how the playmates feel.............

After I decide to finish my mental lists while sitting on my front porch drinking iced tea and watching the world go by.

This needs no comment.....

This, that, and the other

So my weekend goal was to attack the shed my husband likes to ignore and pretend is not there and in need of desperate help! He takes his things and piles them in the shed or behind it or beside it and lately in front of it and goes about his way. I know that I am tired of looking at his wheelbarrow and the pile of last years garden hoses. So I know my neighbors are really tired of looking at his stack of wood and left over this and that, that Todd refuses to throw out cause one day you just never know.

So when things of his takes over my household, I put on my 'I am in charge' hat and walk out to attack. I believe God gave us trash cans and the neighborhood dump for a reason! So my plan was to get rid of anything within my sight and to erect a small fence across the back so the neighbors do not have to look at the stuff from the view of their family room!

BUT...........my constructive plans got pushed aside. I know Todd is sad about it too!
We just had too much to do and a change in plans that was not expected.
I have my annual CT for my sarcoid, Megan had a MRI for a knee injury and of course, they could not do them at the same time so my day looked something like this........
9:30am on the road
10am Swim class
10:40 drink some really nasty stuff for my CT scan that they like to call a smoothie but totally LIE, while dressing a wiggly and wet 5 yr old!
11:15 Arrive to Booth Radiology and sit for 15 min while the office girl tries to figure out how to put in the computer my CT scan of the chest and another for the abdomen.
11:30 sit on the CT scan table while the nurses call the front desk to ask about how to do a CT scan of chest at the same time as the abdomen while I drink more of the their oh so yummy smoothie.
12noon Leave for lunch with the girls
1:15 arrive back at Booth Radiology for Megans MRI.............

Yeah you are getting the boring idea! Throw in a stop at Target for returns and Walmart for errands and a drive to another town for a gift card....it made for a very busy and brain tiring day!
Although I think the girls did much better at it all than I did cause I know I was ready for bed when I got home!

Sunday we had our pastors going away party which took up THAT whole day too.

I can't say I had much of a relaxing weekend unless you count laying for 15 min in a CT scanner.

On a funny note.....
Delaney has seemed to taken to my neighbors mother. She has been having some medical issues and so she comes and stays with them on occasion for a few days so they can watch her. Delaney, who seems to be attracted to any older person over the age of 60, has been sucked to that house like a magnet! Now most times I think it is cute. She wakes up each Sat and says she is going to go over and see "Grandmom". And when she is there, Delaney chatters and talks the poor womans ear off. I am told she doesn't mind as she is the mother of 9 children but I dont' want Delaney to be a pest so I am often chasing her back home. And 10 minutes later she is back over talking to "Grandmom" about her latest Barbie and the last soccer game she got a goal in.

Well this Sat. she wakes and starts to march over in her jammies to see "Grandmom". I tell her that she went home and is not there. She doesn't believe me and goes to the back door with her hands on her hip to see. Well, she announces that Chuck (the neighbor) is not there. His car is gone. But Grandmom is there. When I tell her that she is not Delaney insists she is but just inside. After a bit of arguing with her, she resorts to crying because she cannot go over and see her!!

I am thinking on putting ads out to local retirement homes and renting her out so she can get her fix on "Grandmoms" all she wants! Rent a grandaughter! Wouldn't that make news!? I figure it would benefit everyone if you think about it. Delaney gets someone who she can tell her stories over and over again too and they don't care cause they probably don't remember she told them 10 min ago anyway. The senior gets the attention of a little girl who loves them just because they listen to her and pretends to have an occasional tea part with her. And we pack away the money into a college fund that we get for renting her out! A all win situation if you ask me!

And on a final note:
Surely God has a funny bone! For the last two months we have had rather warm days for spring in NJ. I roasted in long sleeved tees and capris for a while because I thought for sure that the weather would drop from the unseasonably 90 degrees were were having in April! I finally dug out my summer clothes to sort through last weekend. And today I am sporting a nice pair of jean shorts, green tank top with a tied side and snazzy brown flip flops.........and FREEZING! It is supposed to hit 77 today. I was not concerned over that cause the humidity was enough to melt your eyebrows off the last two months! Humidity makes what I have on perfect for 77 degrees. Only it seems a cold front came through last night and took away the sun, warmth AND humidity! So here I sit in my freshly dug out snappy summer wear and freezing my ass off! I am thinking that I am going to go back in my bedroom now and find a long sleeved teeshirt again cause I can only grit my teeth so long before I cave in to the goosebumps!

Ironic, yes. Funny, no!

Well it is that time of the year again

VBS!

A fun filled week of kids, laughter, fun and games all centered around the learning of Christian stories.

Translated in adults terms........that means stress, screaming kids, throw up, back talk, paint in hair and dealing with parents, all done in 90 degree heat and no A/C. Always a fun opportunity!

Every year I say I am not going to do it. It tends to be a week of free babysitting for SAHM's with nothing better to do with their time than drop their kiddies off for VBS and sit by the pool for the next 2 1/2 hours.

I say that with some sort of truth mixed with a bit of jealously.

Nothing tops my summer more than dealing with about 25 pre-k kids who have never been away from mom, while mom stands in the back of the room with her swimsuit on and cover up and chatting with the other community pool moms about 'Did you hear about XYZ?" or "I cannot believe how much they are charging this year for the hotdogs at the pool!"

I am very good at multi-tasking cause I so look forward to hearing about the cost of hotdogs at the community pool while I deal with about 6 crying kids at the same time as I am trying to read a bible story!

And each year I say I am going to take a break. I am NOT going to do it. I am not.

And then the quilt overtakes me. The director stands up in church and asks for help and as much as I try to slouch down in my pew, I KNOW that my quilts will get the better of me and I will do it.

Which is why I said I would do the director position this year.

The quilts and some insane tendencies too I am thinking.

And maybe so I can find out the price of the hotdogs at the pool! Cause I am always wondering about that.

I knew I was going to be asked. I knew the old director quit. I knew I was being eyed. I should have run. I should have slouched lower in my pew. I should have prayed for more strength. I should have found a better hiding spot! But I didn't. I did ask for a few days to think about it. But in the end, I would rather be the one doing the planning and doing it right than to be the stressed out teacher who got her info last minute and getting to listen about when the next swim meet is.

There has to be something better about the name of director. Right? Director. Leader. Excellent planner. The higher up. The go to person.

Ok I might be trying too hard to make it sound much better than it is.

I guess I will find out. I look at it this way. I will do my job to the best of my ability. And in the end, I can always hide in the church office when I don't want to be found!

(Geesh. I hope I didn't just give away my hiding spot! You didn't hear that............)

So say a prayer for me during the week of VBS which is set for July 5-9th. And a prayer for all those leaders under me cause they really have no idea how crazed I get when under stress. And one for the kids in my care.........And maybe one for strength.......And that I find a good hiding spot. But not too far away cause I have to be able to listen to what is going on at the community pool. I SO look forward to that.........