My Camping Badge

I'm going to earn another Mommy Merit Badge!

We are going camping this weekend.

I am not ready.

I have not gathered a thing. Shopped for food. Or planned anything.

If the kids weren't so dang excited, I would bag the whole trip and stay home to get some things done before school starts on Tuesday.

I have no business even sitting here, typing this post.

Chaos reigns about my house.

The only redeeming feature about going camping this weekend is that I will be able to hopefully just "BE" and relax. There will be no jobs to worry about, no floors to vacuum, no dishes to wash, no laundry to do, no sports practices to rush to, no clocks to watch, no schedule to maintain. When I finally get to town and to the grocery store in a few hours, I plan on picking up at least 2 books and a stack of magazines, including the sleazy gossip rags. By the time we get back I will be unbelievably relaxed and mentally ready to face the impending school year.

But that relaxation will last only until we pull back into the driveway on Monday and the insane schedule that is our life starts once again and harsh reality slaps me in the face.

Two of the three kids have practices on Monday!

This One

RUBY

• Asked her 13 year old brother today if he was gonna get married when it is snowing outside. Cuz she is.
• Is getting 2 new frogs for her aquarium tomorrow. Their names are Lily and Tad.
• Is SO excited about school. Only 8 more sleeps!
• Her voice has changed a bit because she has so many teeth missing right now. Three (!) in the front and one more loose on the bottom!
• Is starting to sound out words and figure out what signs say.
• STILL won't wear underwear.
• This is going to be a problem in about 8 days when school starts.
• Can already dribble a soccer ball better than her brother.
• Named her butt cheeks, Fluffy and Puffy. Her tummy is Muffy.
• Wants to work at Sonic before she has kids and as a teacher after she has kids.
• Wants to have 3 kids and drive a truck.
• Her favorite colors are blue, and white and red.
• Her best friend is Jimmy. He LOVES Ruby and she loves him too. Only she loves him like a brother. Poor Jimmy.
• She has several boyfriends, most of which are her brother's age.
• Her brother's friends (her boyfriends) usually tell Jacob to tell her to put some clothes on when they are over. We have a problem keeping clothes on this kid.
• The new rule at the swimming hole is that swimsuits must be worn at all times. No skinny dipping Ruby!
• Never had or needed a spanking, point your finger at her and she cowers.
• Her favorite song is Rascal Flatts "Me and My Gang" She likes the "It's a brother and a sister kind of thing" part. (Cuz she has a brother and a sister)
• She likes the music in the car so loud that she can't hear herself, or anyone else, sing. And she likes to listen to Sugarland's "Stay" over and over and over. She sings it at the top of her lungs.
• Is my baby and is growing so fast that she really isn't a baby anymore.

My favorite movie of all time

Red Dawn is my all-time favorite movie. I have no idea when I FIRST saw it, but I know I have seen it MANY times since then.

Somehow while watching this movie I identified with many of the characters and it helped make the Cold War more of a reality to me (albeit in a chilling way). For me, that movie helped me grow up and realize that the World was bigger than just our country. I knew it was a fantasy movie but it also got mes thinking, “What if that happened? Could/would I do that?”

It is also a movie about teenagers, the Wolverines, not being able to rely on adults. And even though this movie does not have the greatest acting or script I somehow can't resist watching it and crying through it, whenever it is on. I also own a DVD copy for melancholy times.

This scene when the Dad says, "Boys! Avenge kills me.

And when Daryl is shot for his traitorous ways also gets me.

In fact I cry all the way to the end when Matt and Jed are on the swings dying.

Although most of the Wolverines are killed, a voice-over appears at the end of the movie by Erica, one of the two survivors, showing a World War III memorial. The American flag flying above it implies the United States had - eventually - won the war.

The exact quote framing "Partisan Rock" is:

"I never saw the brothers again. In time, this war, like every other war, ended. But I never forgot, and I come to this place often, when no one else does."

"In the early days of World War 3, guerrillas, mostly children, placed the names of their lost upon this rock. They fought here alone; and gave up their lives, so that this nation shall not perish from the earth."

Vegas, baby!

Did you know that you can fly to Vegas from Redmond, Oregon for only $59 one way?

And Redmond is only about 200 miles from here, closer than Portland.

That is only $170 round trip with all the taxes and fees added.

Yep, the trip is booked for October 9-12 with three friends!

I am so excited. I have not been to Las Vegas for three years. I can't wait.

The atmosphere is fun, the food is great, and the shopping is so fabulous!!!

Top 5 Sports Movies

We are a sports loving family.

There is not a week out of the year when one or another of the kids are not participating in some sport of some kind.

Jacob plays basketball, baseball an football and also competes in track for his middle school. He also goes to golf camp every summer and hikes and hunts.

Hayley plays basketball, softball and soccer. She also plays volleyball whenever she can, goes to golf camp in the summer and hunts.

Ruby is just getting started. She will be playing her first season of soccer this fall and I highly anticipate that she will be soon following in her older siblings footsteps of playing a sport throughout the year.

All of the kids swim.

Me, I walk, run/shuffle a bit, throw and catch softballs and baseballs, shag basketballs and play horse, suck at golf, and hike. I have no time to really join a league or play anything competitively for myself--Who would drive my kids to their events?

We watch a lot of sports movies. They can be so inspirational.

My family's top 5 sports movies (in no particular order):

• Remember the Titans
• The Sandlot
• Friday Night Lights
• Blades of Glory
• Bend it like Beckham

Kind of all over the place, but then so are we!

What are your family's top 5 sports movies?

Time flies

This picture was taken in August of 2005. This picture was taken in August of 2008.

It's Been Awhile...

(That's a great song! I love Staind!)

Here is a bit of what has been going on—

• Ruby lost another tooth and the tooth fairy came the SAME night that she put the tooth under her pillow! Jacob and Hayley's tooth fairy was really the pits and always took at least an extra day, sometimes 2! (Hey, it took 3 kids to finally get it together, what can I say...)

I love this picture. She is very into hairstyles lately, but never wants to brush it!

• I had a Stampin’ Up Club workshop at my house. It was not my month to hostess, but my house is more conducive to entertaining, so I got to be the hostess. The best thing about having a party at your house is that it gets cleaned. Really cleaned. Company cleaned. Not just family cleaned.

• Hayley’s Classic soccer team had a qualifying tournament in Canby. We stayed in Newberg at the Shilo Inn and went to the Drive In movies to see Wall-E (I do not recommend Wall-E, it is very slow and much too long.)

This is Hayley and Max, the stockiest Border Collie I have ever seen. He goes through seasonal depression in the summertime when we are so busy and spend too much time away from home.

• The soccer team placed 4th in their bracket and went on to round 2 of the qualifying tournament this weekend in Keizer. They lost both games, but Hayley finally played like she can.

• Jacob went on a 50-mile hike of the Pacific Crest trail from Timberline to Cascade Locks. All went well until the last night when he was eaten alive by mosquitoes.

This is one of the pictures I took the day before he left just in case I had to make LOST posters, or he didn’t make it out alive. Yes, I am morbid. My kids tolerate me.

• Football has started. I hate football. I hate the fact that he looks like he is getting beat up and that he likes to hit people, and is pretty good at it too. I cannot stand to watch Jacob play even one minute of football. He says football is his favorite sport because he just plays and doesn’t have to really think.

• I finally got my “Welcome Back” letter from the school district and will start on Aug. 28th. There was some worry that the start of school would be delayed due to un-completed renovations and the fire in July.

I know I am biased, but they really are beautiful!

• The girls decorated an onion to enter in the County Fair. The theme was, “It’s Magical!” their onion was a wizard. Pretty cute.

• I spent oodles of money on nothing at the fair.

• I helped a friend who owns a start-up catering company by serving salads at a company picnic. Not only did I get paid very well for my time, I also got to bring home leftovers to my perpetually starving son.

• Seriously, I really didn't believe people when they talked about their teenage boys eating them out of house and home, but OMG. My kid can really EAT. A LOT. ALL THE TIME

• I've purchased two pairs of soccer cleats, one pair of foot ball cleats, two sets of shin guards, 6 pairs of soccer socks, two soccer balls, and one football mouth guard. I have a lot more I need to buy, but I am TIRED OF SHOPPING! Can you believe it? I want to stay home.

• My beloved Honda Odyssey ( I do have 3 kids... someday I'll get to drive something cute!) rolled over 100,000 miles. I was too sidetracked to take a picture like I wanted, but plan on getting one at 111,111 miles.

And this is a portrait of me taken while driving down the North Umpqua Hwy. I am concentrating on being a safe, responsible driver, not on taking a great picture!

Exciting News!

At 5 years, 8 months, and 3 weeks, Ruby officially lost her first tooth tonight!

I say officially because she did have one of her top front teeth pulled a few months ago because it was injured in a bleacher accident. Her freshly lost tooth is a bottom tooth.

Here is the photo proof:

I got nuthin'

Blah, blah, blah...

BORING

This is my life right now.

I can't WAIT until school starts again and I get to go back to work!

Ruby is having a movie marathon day and so far we have watched: Finding Nemo, Enchanted, Veggie Tales, and Cinderella 3. I am cutting her off when this one is over.

Hayley is at soccer practice. This is her first year of Classic Soccer and their first tournament is this weekend in Canby.

Jacob is on Day 2 of his 50-mile hike of the Pacific Crest Trail from Timberline to Cascade Locks.

Once again, the kids have much better lives than I do. My major source of excitement the past few days has been.....ummmmm.......I can't think of anything!

Life Shuffle

This is a fun challenge that I am sure has been over-done by now.

I stole it from here.

Put your ipod on shuffle, then answer the following questions with whatever song comes up.

This was fun to do and I am surprised at how appropriate the songs were!

1. What would describe your personality? : Here Comes the Sun (Dan Fogelberg)

2. What do you like in a guy/girl? : They Do, They Don't (Jack Johnson)

3. How do you feel, today?: Never Been to Spain (Three Dog Night)

4. What’s your life’s purpose?: The Little Things (Colbie Caillat)

5. What is your motto? : Right Where I Belong (3 Doors Down)

6. What do your friends think of you?: Look After You (The Fray)

7. What do you think of your parents?: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John)

8. What do you think about very often?: This Time (3 Doors Down)

9. What do you think of your best friend? : Get Stoned (Hinder) yikes!

10. What do you think of the person you like?: Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts) How sweet!

11. What is your life story?: If Everyone Cared (Nickelback)

12. What do you want to be when you grow up?: Back 2 Good (Matchbox 20)

13. What do you think when you see the person you like?: Don't Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley)

14. What do your parents think of you? : Every Other Weekend (Reba and Kenny Chesney) this is very appropriate

15. What will be played at your funeral? :Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)

16.What is your hobby/interest?: Take This (Staind)

17. What is your biggest secret? : Gravity (John Mayer)

18. What do you think of your friends?: Hotel California (The Eagles)

19. What should you post this as? : Who Wants to Live Forever (Queen)

Sorry Toni about the "Get Stoned" entry. :)

38 is the new 18

I caught a bit of the CBS Early Show this morning while I was getting the day started. One of the segments was titled "Fifty and Still Fabulous, Madonna, Prince & Michael Jackson Still Thrive At 50, Whether It Be In Music Or The Tabloids" The segment asked "Is 50 the new 30?" and then went on to take a look at what each of the pop icons was up to.

So, if 50 is the new 30, then 40 is the new 20. I can kind of see this as I get older. I don't FEEL any older. I still feel like I am that same person I was then. Of course wisdom and experience gained over time certainly play a role in who I am today, but I can still remember what is was like to be 18, 24, 32....... (I also remember being 11, 13, 16, 19...my kids hate that!)

I really do feel like there is so much of my life left to do. I am a college student! I still don't even know what I want to do when I grow up! I have no idea where I want to live the rest of my life. (Although I will be here or close to it while my kids are growing) And, someday I would like to get married again and enjoy that relationship. So I guess I buy into it.

50 is the new 30.

40 is the new 20

and (YES!!!) 38 is the new 18!

This picture has nothing to do with the above post. This is Ruby, SO excited to have a batting helmet of her very own (Hayley's old one), that she would not remove it at all. Even in her car seat. Even to sleep.

A long time ago

Look at how cute we are! Our smiles are huge.

Look at how young we are

::sigh::

A powerful, moving blog

I came across this blog recently on another website. Matt Logelin shares his feelings and grief over being a widowed father. His wife Liz passed away the day after their daughter was born four months ago. He uses powerful language and his photography is amazing. Have a fresh box of kleenex handy as you WILL cry.

It's the beginning of Shopping Season!

For me back to school marks the beginning of my shopping season. It begins in August, and doesn't end until January when the post Holiday sales end.

This month I have to buy:

Football shoes for Jacob,

Soccer shoes for Hayley,

Soccer shoes, shinguards and any other gear for Ruby.

New sneakers for school for all 3 kids.

Cute-pie dressier shoes for the girls.

Another cool pair of sneaks for Jacob (you know--so he can rotate).

New socks, and underwear for all 3 kids.

Clothing to outfit them all (WHY do they have to grow so fast?)

SCHOOL SUPPLIES!

Yikes! I am getting excited (and a little overwhelmed) just typing it all out!

Then October brings more shopping, for Halloween costumes and a head start on Christmas so I don't get anxiety.

November brings Ruby's birthday and a LOT more Holiday shopping.

and then comes DECEMBER. For me, I have found that no matter how much I shop early for Christmas, I LOVE to be out in the hustle and bustle during the frenzied Christmas shopping season. Even if I have bought and wrapped every single gift by Dec. 1, I still need to go out and absorb the craziness at the mall.

As much as I do like to shop, by the end of January I am shopped out. AND extremely broke.

For the rest of the calendar year, I usually only buy as needed, not too many sprees and splurges. Of course, everybody always NEEDS something so there is always something I NEED to shop for, but for the most part I steer clear of the mall.

I really am an idiot

I caved. Cleaning has happened, but not to the degree that I threatened. I want to have the TV on. Sometimes disciplining the kids is harder on me than it is on them!

They must think I'm an idiot!

OK, I admit I'm a pushover. For the most part, my kids have it made.

All I asked today was for the kids to get their crap out of the car so that I can vacuum. I swear that we could live for weeks with the amount of paraphernalia that they leave in there.

So they said they did it, so I head out with the vacuum happy to be completing this chore.

They are liars!

OMG, there is really no place to shove stuff in a car, granted, I do drive a Honda Odyssey, but they did. shove. sh*t. anywhere they could.

So, as the result. The kids will be on Amish restriction. That means that they are electronic free. No computer, cell phones, ipods, gameboys, wii, TV, DVD, phone, and anything else that has to be plugged in or charged.

What they WILL be allowed to do is clean.

And usually I am so easygoing that I seldom bother with the upstairs of the house. It is their domain and I'm not too anal about how it looks. You know, keep their bedroom doors shut and all that.

Not now. Not this week. This is the week that it is getting deep-cleaned. Every nook and cranny. I swear, my brother and I invented every trick my kids could ever try. There is no hope for them to EVER pull a fast one on me.

I hope they will learn this soon, life will be easier for all of us!

<

Yikes...I guess I am the parent of the century.

It's just Ruby and I tonight.

The older kids are off spending the night with friends. Ruby is VERY excited to pick the movie we will be watching tonight.

What movie does she choose?

WEDDING CRASHERS. She says it is her favorite movie.

Luckily at 5 the risque humor goes WAY above her head.

(And her attention span is not very long, she doesn't watch much of the movie before she gets bored.)

Ringtones

I don't hear very well.

I especially don't hear the ring of my cell phone very well.

My solution to this is a loud, obnoxious song as a ringtone.

Currently it is Ozzy's Crazy Train .

I jump with fright every time my phone rings.

It is perfect for me!

So, is there anybody out there?

What is your ringtone?

The day Glide High School burned

I was at Jacob's baseball game today when I got a call from a friend that our small-town high school was on fire.

As with most very small towns, the high school in Glide is a very important part of our community (there are only 700 students in the whole Glide school district). This summer extensive renovations have been underway and a new library/media center are being constructed and most of the other buildings are having long-needed renovations. The buildings were built in 1953 and except for necessary maintenance have not been updated at all since the 70's.

Anyway, soon after the announcement about the fire the cell phone network took effect and we learned that the library was gone, the home ec and science classrooms were gone, and the main office and gym were threatened.

Fire personnel from all over Douglas County were called in to battle the blaze and help control the spread of the fire. At one point I counted 16 firetrucks lining the highway in front of the high school.

I was able to get some pictures, and I will post when I upload them, but are some from the Roseburg News-Review.

The part of the building on the left is the library. The windows on the right are the main office which hopefully was spared. At this point the Gym also was saved. I am sure that there will definitely be smoke and water damage to both areas.

Although none of my own kids are high school age yet, the kids I teach are. This will have a huge effect on these students and the community as a whole. It is a shame that just as the buildings and facilities are getting much needed updates and renovations, it will all be somewhat set back by this fire and its impact. My son, who definitely takes after his mother, when told about the loss of the library, cried. Truly he did. As a voracious reader and book lover he understands that the loss of the library is HUGE .

And even though there is insurance, and things can be replaced and rebuilt, there are only 55 days until school starts again, the district will have to make some creative arrangements and move pretty fast so that the impact on students can be minimized.

The Center of The Universe

A field about a mile down the road. This is Little River.