School's Out

So, I'm looking with ds for Alice Cooper (who I admit some find disturbing) so I can share a bit of my youth. Which means I dance around the computer to an old song while my kids cringe, when we found this. Which I think is more disturbing than plain old Alice by himself. Who thought this would be good kid material? Did they listen to the lyrics? The song isn't about school exactly, ya' know?

I Don't Wanna Go Back

to real life that is. We had a wonderful holiday weekend. We cooked out, went out with friends for a grown up dinner, flew kites, the kids camped in the yard, took bike rides and generally enjoyed the outdoors. Oh, and we saw the Indiana Jones movie too. And my peachy girl discovered peaches

Just Me

I must be the only person in America who doesn't watch American Idol. That seems to be the top story on the news, my boards and in blogland. I'm so uncool. In other news, $50 to gas just the mini-van. Don't ask what the great big honkin' Amish van costs to fill up.

Still Alive

No, I haven't been killed in a driving education accident. Just busy.
*soccer, baseball, soccer, baseball, repeat
*parent/teacher conferences
*teething baby who must be held
*Blue&Gold Cub Scout Banquet
*sewing girl scout badges on nine vests
*gardening
*8th grader returning from D.C.
Along with all the usual day to day dreck.
School is over next week. Yeah! The minions, er slaves,er children will be home to help.
Amazing what a loving brother and Motrin can do.

My untucked Tiger Cub

Driving Me To ....

I spent a totally fun rainy evening teaching my dd to parallel park. It makes me appreciate the simplicity of changing diapers and the reasons some people may take nerve pills.

Two Non Related Things

Check out this
for a very cool graph about spending. Maybe the coolest graph ever. Of course the section for full service restaurant meals and new vehicles is broken out of my window, but still.
And now for something completely different

Can you tell these two are sisters?

Canoe

My boys went canoeing Saturday. Here's a pic of them e-mailed to me. Don't they look manly.

Happy Mother's Day

Song for a Fifth Child( or Sixth or Seventh)

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Yesterday

Me, migraine, ack!

Brownie Trip

I took my Brownie troop on a field trip today to spend all that cookie money (imagine my sarcasm here, since the girls get a not very large percentage of the take.)
First we ate here.

Our waitresses.

Then we went swimming here.

This is what I now deserve.

Sugar and Spice

The one on the left is sugar, the one on the right is spice.

This So Figures

A flash back to college. I may have to put on radiomargaritaville, pour a Rose's and rum and read my copy.

You're The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!

by Douglas Adams

Considered by many to be one of the funniest people around, you are
quite an entertainer. You've also traveled to the far reaches of what you deem possible,
often confused and unsure of yourself. Life continues to jostle you around like a marble,
but it's shown you so much of the world that you don't care. Wacky adventures continue to
lie ahead. Your favorite number is 42.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Any Exclamation Points Out There?

You Are a Dash

Your life is fast paced and varied. You are realistic, down to earth, and very honest. You're often busy doing something interesting, and what you do changes quickly. You have many facets to your personality, and you connect them together well. You have a ton of interests. While some of them are a bit offbeat, they all tie together well. You friends rely on you to bring novelty and excitement to their lives. (And while you're the most interesting person they know, they can't help feeling like they don't know you well.) You excel in: Anything to do with money You get along best with: the Exclamation Point

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Are You a Mom?

In Honor of Earth Day

We sat on the earth.



Ok, it's really an ancient Jasmine sleeping bag, and I laid down, but you know, it's the thought and all.

Groceries

People ask me how we can afford to feed the family. Well, it's not like we have a choice right? I shop at Aldi's and then pick up specialty things at chain stores or take advantage of their weekly specials. Some weeks are better than others. Here's this week's menu and cost. I didn't add everything because of course some things we had on hand. This is just what we spent
Bfst- a combo of eggs, waffles, pancakes, sausage, pb toast and homemade chocolate bread and homemade bread, 'fake cheerios' on the weekend
Lunch-sandwiches and leftovers for 4yo and me, kids and dh take sandwiches, soups, fruits, water, chips or pretzels
We have been very busy so dinners have been quick as you'll see
Dinner:
Mon-grilled pb, choc and marshmallow or grilled cheese sandwiches, applesauce
Tues-bacon, pancakes and hashbrowns
Wed-meatloaf, carrots, potato
Thur-spaghetti and sauce, broccoli, homemade garlic bread
Fri-homemade pizza, pop ( a treat for my kids)
Sat-hot dogs, pudgy pies , s'mores(planning a cookout),
Sun-turkey roast, green beans, dinner rolls (got free)

snacks are fruits, crackers or popcorn or cookies/muffins/bread that I may have made

Breakfasts 2 doz eggs 3.18
toasted oats 1.69
chocolate bread 1.50
a loaf bread
.5 jar peanut butter
cornmeal muffins .66
2 pkg brown& serve sausage 1.94
1 pkg waffles .99
homemade syrup .25
pancakes 1.00
6 gal milk(week) 16.02

Lunch 5 chicken nuggets .80
4 oz cheese(48 oz) 7.56
fish 1.20
12 apples 4.48
6 bananas .99
strawberries 4.00
2 can veg soup .94
50 slices bread(4 loaves/week) 6.00
3 pkg cold meat 8.97
1 can applesauce .89
10 granola bars 2.89
1 bag pretxels .99
1 bag chips .99
1 box animal crackers .99
1 pkg cheese sticks 2.89

Dinner 2 batches pancakes 2.00
4 boxes bacon 7.96
7 potatoes 1.10
1 onion .33
56 oz milk
12 slices bread
4 oz cheese
1/2 jar peanut butter 1.29
.25 chocolate chips .25
handful marshmallows .25
homemade minestrone 2.00
2 # ground beef 6.57
2 eggs
.5 C oatmeal .15
.5 C catsup
1 3# bag carrots 2.00
box spaghetti 1.5
jar spaghetti sauce .99
homemade bread .75
broccoli 1.50
pizza crust hm .75
pizza sauce hm .99
moz cheese 3.49
pepperoni 2.00
1 walmart pop .55
1 pkg hot dogs 3.59
16 slices bread
leftover pizza sauce&cheese
cherry filling 1.55
butter-4 stick/week 2.18
lemonade 1.79
marshmallow .99
chocolate bar 2.00
grahams 1.18
2 turkey roasts 6.00
dinner rolls free
green beans .39
chocolate cake hm 1.00
navel oranges 1.99
grape juice 1.09
kroger pop 5.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
~137

Get Your Insulin

Because she is just that sweet

I Obviously Have Too Much Time

Just a cool slo-mo shot of a water balloon popping.

Letters I Can't Send

Dear Helicopter Parent,
Because I allow my children to eat candy, hang upside down on the monkey bars, ride their bike on the street and do not attend every sporting event does not mean I am a neglectful, unloving parent.
Yours,
Non-Child Centered Mother

Dear fellow mom at the McDonald's PlayLand....
Children and their parents do not need to be flashed by your bare @$$ when you bend over, sit down, squat, whatever. Wear underwear that CYA...or better yet, get a BELT!
Sincerely,
Embarrassed Mama
*
Dear Husband:
Please get off the couch.
Please stop trying to convince me you are narcoleptic.
Please pick up your pants.
Love,
Your adoring wife

Dear fat on my body,
Pursuant to my personal provisions for my forthcoming career, you are hereby being evicted. You have 90 days to vacate. I demand you cooperate with my efforts. You can take your roommates Gray Hair and Wrinkles with you when you go, too.
Although I appreciate the extra effort you've shown in my chest, I no longer wish to carry your weight.

Signed,
Thelma Thick Thighs

*note: some of these are paraphrases from a board I visit, but they certainly pertain to many of us

So We Played

No posts because we were far too busy playing. We got the rooms moved, did all sorts of family stuff, and celebrated another birthday. E turned 16 on Monday. I finally bought her the futon I promised her 3 years ago. (I'm glad she's patient) so her room now looks like someone's studio apartment. L (who is 9) is pushing her to move out as soon as possible, because she wants the room. The boys seem happy in the cold, dank but video game rich environment of the basement. There was even some evidence that spring may come to Indiana one day soon. Sorry no pictures of E or her room. What could be less cool than appearing on your mom's blog. Now on to next month when she can take her driver's test. Please Lord, let her get her license to there will be one less kid to cart around. Did I mention it's track season,...and soccer season....and baseball season.....you get the idea.