GROAN!

1. I think I liked it better when it was the DOG who was vomiting. Sinus medicine never did that to me before.... ??? (I had a long hour and a half last night.)

2. Josh took the truck today. Um...why? If he calls, I'll have to ask him.

3. Kids are going back for a reprise of Grant The Mean and Abbie The Complaining. I could cry. Guess I'm not a supermommy after all. How did I handle this last time? Let's try crayons.

4. My mommy talked up her phone bill, and now has taken to writing me emails, but the power went out on her this morning, so her email was brief, and somewhat curt.

5. Japanese Festival is next weekend. Eek!

6. Just next weekend. Did I mention that?

7. I have to make the Indonesian Roast Pork tonight. I was going to make it yesterday, but the pork roast was still frozen in the middle. Now I can't con Josh into slicing the onion for me. Bummer.

8. Josh says that due to some government change, when his GI bill runs out, his Veteran status can get him free tuition and a small book allowance to any University he can get into, so now he can get his degree from Wash-U instead of UMSL. He's very excited, but it's still years away. He's had nothing but A's since he started going back to school, but I think he's worried that calculus might change that.

9. I have my windows open.

10. If Josh doesn't put his old, and now slightly moldy tupperware in the dishwasher, I am going to divorce him.

11. The Japanese Festival......it's this next weekend.

12. If I don't clean my house, my mommy is going to have a heart attack when she comes to get the kids on Saturday morning.

13. I started reading Seventeen by Booth Tarkington when it was sunny outside. Now that it is cool and cloudy, I've stopped.

14. I regret to inform you that I did not in any way win Saturday's lottery. But I bought a new shower curtain liner anyway.

15. I need to win the lottery.

16. I'm going to cut several inches of yellowish-brown frizzle off the ends of my hair just as soon as this Japanese Festival is over. But I still don't know how I'm going to have it at the festival.

17. I don't feel particularly ready for the Japanese Festival....and it's next weekend.

18. It would seem that, at least for the current season, Wal-Mart does not carry quiche in the frozen food section. I wish I were better at making pie crusts.

19. What is it about the people in this country that they think that if they show up, they've gone above and beyond? When was the last time you saw people working diligently or that you got service with a smile? I am SO glad I am not married to one of those people. Josh is pretty not great at service with a smile, but he knows that, and is smart enough to not work with customers. What he does do is work while he's at work. Yay for Josh. But, I'm still going to divorce him if he makes me put away his moldy tupperware.

20. Today is yours to do with what you choose. I hope you make a good choice. (For example, you could send me an email.)

p.s. About that Japanese Festival...you're coming, right?

Giggles, Horror in the News, and Dog Vomit.

Me: Just because something is obscene, doesn't necessarily mean it's funny.
Josh: Sure it does!
Me: No, obscene is obscene and funny is funny. Sometimes they connect in a kinky sort of way, and sometimes they just stand around and stare awkwardly at each other. That's you.
Josh: WHAT? Next you'll be telling me I'm the smelly kid!
Me: Well, that, too.

And then we giggled for half an hour.

I watched about 10 minutes of Hellsing Ultimate yesterday. Heh, heh, heh. But it won't play in our room, so I would have to wait until the kids were really in bed.

So. Rain. Almost killed me on the way home last night, but it is also bringing more of this delicious cool weather. And maybe I'll even make tea. I say that a lot, but it really doesn't happen so much in the summer. But all this rain has inspired me. Might even make chicken noodle soup and wheat bagels with cream cheese for lunch. Doesn't that sound like rainy day food?

Grant and Abbie painted rocks at their grandmother's house yesterday while Josh fixed her computer. I think Mariah must have actually painted the ladybug rock that Abbie took home.

I've been reading about the re-appearance of Jaycee Dugard, the kidnap victim who has resurfaced after being abducted, imprisoned and raped repeatedly. Horrible stuff. There really aren't words. And yet... Look out. Here I go on journalists again. An article states that the mother of the kidnapped girl took weeks off each year at the time her daughter was kidnapped and at Christmas, to stay home and cry. Why did they put this in an article? Doesn't it sound like a mother's personal grief to you? Is there something especially newsy about it? Personally, I found it very natural, understandable and even normal. Or - looking at it as a cheap attempt at swaying my emotions - was there something about the facts of this little girl's imprisonment that was going to keep it otherwise from the very top of my list of repulsive and gut wrenchingly horrible acts?

Ah! Journalism!

Had to take a break there, while Jake puked on the floor. Hey. He hit the linoleum. I'm calling this a partial victory. Now if only he could have let me know 20 seconds earlier, when I had him outside on a leash, that would have been even better.

My children are busy putting socks on all the stuffed animals. This might rate video.

We're going to read more Lion, Witch and Wardrobe tonight. (Sorry for taking shortcuts with the title, there, but it's just long.) Josh will be home, so maybe he'll even listen, too.

You know what I wish I had? Ok. The list is long. But recently I decided that I wish I had a fold-out couch. Not only could I put guests on it, if I ever had any, but Josh and I (or the kids and I or even all of us at the same time) could lie down together to watch movies without moderate to extreme discomfort. But maybe they don't get as uncomfortable as I do. Man. I feel like a little old lady. Guess I will have to buy more lottery tickets.

Time to check on the sick dog. Hope you are all having the best Friday ever! Or, at least a good one.

And you're reading this because....?

Did you hear about that guy named Eddie? Oh, my gosh! Don't tell him I said this, but...

Hi, Eddie.

You know, it's never the people you expect to wonder what you are thinking who end up reading this junk. My husband, for instance, could probably concoct 3 birthday lists for me if he ever decided read this, but no. Just not the type. (Just like I'm not the type to tell you what I want for my birthday if you ask me. Or even if you don't.) On the other hand, I can complain about him all day. He'll never know.

That would be a great segue into What Is Wrong With My Husband, but I'm out of material on that one. See the benefits of never being home? Well, I shouldn't say that. One of the earliest patterns of our relationship is that I always blamed Josh for everything when he wasn't there. How we made it through 2 years of long distance relationship and then two overseas deployments is one of the Earth's great mysteries. One of the others is how I've managed to live in the same house with him!

Abbie just told me that this plastic hanger with a ribbon wrapped over it is a toucan. A girl toucan with a bow. I am required to be friends with it now.

You know, when I was little, I used to hold my mother's big, round make-up mirror like a plate and walk around pretending I was walking on the ceiling, stepping over light fixtures, etc. I wonder if she looked at me like I look at Grant, who is 5 and still walking around with his head covered with a blanket and two hats. Sorry, one is a real hat, and the other a yellow plastic kitchen strainer that he has been telling us is a hat so long I kind of forgot its original identity.

I saw the movie Push. I've been wanting to see it forever. I was all set to be let down, but I enjoyed it. The writing was natural, the acting believable and even though the plot was a Sci Fi staple, I didn't find myself annoyed about it at all.

If you had a random special ability, what would it be? And before you ask, no I would not want to walk on ceilings like a little fly. Let's just say I've grown out of that phase.

I've been fighting sleep for hours. And making the kids fight it, too. Grant told me this afternoon that my eyelids look purple. But I'm actually looking forward to bedtime for reasons that don't necessarily involve sleep, too. Tonight will be our second go at reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Our first chapter book. Monday night I read the first chapter and a half, and they seemed to keep up reasonably well, especially with a little explanation. And translation. I have to remember that they don't know what it means to "have a row," etc.

I want dessert. Well, and quiche, still. I think.....cheesecake with strawberries sounds especially yummy right now. Or I wouldn't say no to my mother's banana cream pie, either.

Got Netflix in the mail. Dragnet and Laura. (FYI, Laura is a black and white murder mystery.) Usually, I would be trying to get the kids in bed early so I could watch movies, but something tells me that tonight when the kids go to sleep....so will I.

I need something to read. Heather recommended a series to me, and it sounds fun, but it's another young adult series. I don't have anything against them (Obviously! I practically collect them!) but it might me nice to find a series that is grown up and well written at the same time. And fun. Twilight. Fun, but not particularly well written. Stephanie Plum. Grown-up, but not particularly well written. Harry Potter. Well written and fun, but not very grown-up. Sigh!

I guess it doesn't have to be a series, now that I think of it.

Anyway, there is a diaper with my name on it. Am I a lucky girl, or what?!?! This kid is killing me with the refusal to potty train.

Hope you have a fun filled evening contemplating your superpowers.

Great weather and Love That Chicken From Popeye's!

It was a "Yahoo!!!" sort of weekend, but it's more of a "Geh" kind of Monday morning.

The weather has been so great! For our picnic on Friday, we had turkey and cheese sandwiches, cheese bunnies (they are some crackers that my mom gets the kids), and cookies. And we had the old owl salt and pepper shakers that my grandmother used to take when she and I had picnics that involved boiled eggs. We ate, and then we ran around in the front yard.

Friday night we went to Culvers in Wentzville as our fancy eating out adventure. We wanted to eat on the little patio, but wouldn't you know - it started to rain just as we got there. The food was still good, though. Then we went to Wal-Mart and I got some lotion and Josh got new shorts and shaving cream and deodorant and some other random stuff that I don't remember.

Saturday was Zoi Sherman's first birthday party. It was so funny. We were all excited because it was so close to us. Even the people who live "by us" live in Wentzville, and it's a 30 minute drive. We laughed when we found out just how close to us it was! As the crow flies, I'd say it was about a mile from my back door. The Shermans (Shermen? Hee hee) have a friend of the family who owns some land back there. There is a large, well kept lawn with enormous trees, giving a very park-like feel, and children's playground equipment for the owner's own grand kids. Plus, a pond/lake with dock, slide, paddle boat, and small sand area. Oh, and a terrace with picnic tables for grilling. Add the great weather and you couldn't ask for a better setting. (Unless it was a winery in Augusta, but I'm trying not to dwell...)

Chris Sherman, for those of you who don't know, is an old, old friend of Josh's. They were roommates when I met Josh. Their apartment was so gross, that someone walked in one time and thought they'd been robbed. Josh blamed Chris for the housekeeping at the time, but I know better. Just the memory gives me the urge to arm myself with Lysol spray. Chris and his wife, Alena, live in Florissant, but we have only seen them once since we moved back to MO. (And none before that, so really it's once since I lived in Columbia.) But now that they know where we live (they passed our neighborhood on the way), maybe we'll see more of them.

Abbie and Grant love babies. And they are sweet to babies. They like to hug them and talk to them and bring them toys. So, Abbie and Grant were a big hit with the mommies of the babies. There were also lots of other little kids around, so they pretty much had the time of their lives. Alena's family is Russian. They all speak it. It was kind of nice to be around that again. It must be so neat to be bilingual.... The food was really great, too. They were going to make kabobs, but ran out of time, so they just grilled the marinated meat, and we ate it like finger food. There was a great recipe for cucumbers that I got, and the potato salad was just like my mom's, so I had to ask what was in it. Miracle Whip. Hee hee! Yep. Sounds like my mom.

Zoi was a good little birthday girl. She appreciated all her presents, and even wore her little pink crown for the cake. She was getting tired at that point. Her mommy had a terrible time trying to get the candle lit. It was really windy. And then she ended up blowing it out herself, because Zoi just sort of stared at it. At first, she thought the cake icing was very neat to play with, but when she shook her hand and it stayed on there, it was all over! Well, even if she didn't think so, we thought the cake was yummy.

We were blocked in with about a zillion cars, so we stayed longer than we had planned. Even waiting as long as we did, we had to ask someone to back up so we could get out, and still ended up driving through the grass.

Then Josh's grandparent's called to ask why I never go and see them. Sweet, don't you think?

Sunday was practice. Josh and the kids dropped me off, and then went to feast on hot dogs from Quick Trip. At practice, we re-learned one of our old songs the way it was "originally" done by the Japanese group. I think it will be easier for us new kids to re-learn it, since the way we did it before is still tentative in our impulses. And we learned a completely new song! Sadly, I can only remember the first line, now. I knew it would be like that. Well, after a few more practices I will have it down. I had to leave just before the end, and I accidentally ran off without my Omiyage bacci. Oops.

We got to the grandparent's place over on Hoover, and Grandpa was there, but Grandma was in her room avoiding us, and I never saw her. Grandpa has this routine where every single time we go there, he kidnaps Josh to the basement or the back yard and I don't see him for sometimes an hour. So...I can't say the visit itself was any fun. When we were leaving, Grandpa went into his other routine, which is to try and give us two or three carloads worth of stuff. He gave me a punch bowl with 12 cups, two extra coffee cups, the vintage clear glass kind, and a fancy pen set. He gave Josh a pen set, too, and two board games (one of them is the original 1977 War of the Rings) and the kids got a stack of books, Abbie got a little plastic Marvin the Martian (she loves it), a tan pound puppy with floppy ears, and a 5 foot long snake-like dragon. Grant got the Batman car he left over there a year ago, a remote control CAT dump truck that plays loud music and that Mommy can't wait for the batteries to run out on, and his birthday presents: a tackle box with real hooks that we have put in the garage, and Batman: The Sunday Comics 1943-1946. It's hardback. We also got a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, a dozen bagels, two long Italian bread sticks (2 1/2 feet each), 3 asiago cheese focaccia from St. Louis Bread, a box of tomatos, and about 10 mini bags of chips. I swear we tried not to steal half the house, but that's just the way they are. You should have seen how much stuff we didn't end up taking. (Stuffed bears, wall art, whole bags of potatoes, dishes, boxes of Christmas angels...)

I wonder why that is. Do you think that people who lived through the great depression have a tendency to horde? My grandmother has a pantry with canned goods ceiling to floor in her laundry room.

Sunday night, I can't remember why we were so late getting back. I was going to run out and do the grocery shopping and Josh was going to stay home and do calculus, but instead, he ran off to Popeye's and got chicken and biscuits. YUM! It was exactly what I wanted, but I didn't know it until I took my first bite. I got some milk and stuff and returned that library book at last.

Abbie's been having nosebleeds again, but otherwise, we are all happy and healthy. Well, I guess. I saw a picture of me from Saturday and you can see big purple bags under my eyes. Maybe I'll get good sleep tonight. You never know.

YAWN!

I need to go investigate the kitchen and see if there is anything I can make these energetic children for lunch. Oh! I got grapes again. They are huge and sweet.

Hope you are about to start your week off right! Good luck to all of you!

Sleep: The stuff dreams are made of. (Hee hee)

Boy, did I have a night.

Yesterday I was in Rolla. The kids and I had spent the night at my mom's house and we took Jake to the vet in the morning. I was right about his ear being infected. He has medicine now. And he's covered shot-wise for another year. Kinda makes me wonder about the kids....

We got back home much MUCH later than I had planned. I was still unpacking stuff my mom had sent with us and cooking dinner. Josh said they'd had a slow day and could get home by 6:30. Well, he actually came home at quarter til, so I really rushed out the door to practice. At least I'd told everyone I might be late, because I was.

Practice went okay I guess, especially since I hadn't stretched. I wish I could have practiced playing Odaiko for Drive, since we didn't get to practice that while the rest of the group was gone, but Eddie wanted me to play woodblock instead. There was lots to do, and lots to discuss, and we ended up leaving almost an hour late. There was still construction on the way home. Geh. And then I talked to Josh before bed....which happened at 1.

We had some pie together. There is a place in Rolla called Slice Of Pie that makes home-made, yummy, abundantly filled pies. I am particularly fond of their blackberry crumb. I went in there to get a special treat for Josh, since he's having such a rough season. This Calculus is a huge and stressful work load, in addition to his stressful new position at work. The problem is that the pie I know he loves is a frozen one, and with a 2 hour drive back to Warrenton in a hot car there is no point in getting it. I shopped around, but the other ones he'd like were also frozen or refrigerated. But then there is the famous Toll House pie. It's like a giant chocolate chip cookie in a crust. I'd never had it before, and it was one of the three that were recommended when I told the lady at the register that I had a long drive. So, what I did was get half of a Toll House pie, and half of a pecan pie. I like those, and it was another of the recommended ones. I almost got peach pie, but I don't know if it would get eaten. Slice of Pie was serving quiche for lunch. I REALLY wanted a piece, but they aren't cheap, and no price was listed. As it was, I spent almost all my cash on the pies. I'm still craving it. I wonder if they have any in the frozen food section at Wal-mart....

And now. On a subject that has recently come to my attention. I don't like being forced to hear the sad stories of people I hardly know. Just because it may involve someone I am moderately acquainted with does not suddenly make it my business. Okay, I admit it. I gossip. But I don't want to be chucked head first into the very personal events or conversations (especially those) of a mutual acquaintance. Especially the unhappy ones. Now I'm having nightmares about the tortured face of a woman I've met three times. And I'm furious about the things that I'm suddenly thinking and feeling. I lie in bed unintentionally writing helpful speeches that I have absolutely no business ever delivering.

I didn't sleep well. Slightly better than at my mom's, where I was sharing a bed with Abbie and she thrashed all night. Speaking of Abbie, she woke up at 4 with a "sick" diaper. (Trust me, you don't want any more details than that.) I hauled myself out of bed and cleaned her up, but it took her nearly an hour to get back to sleep.

Today, we've had our share of problems. But I took a shower and have decided that I can't possibly be upset on a perfect day like this. In a minute, I'm off to make sandwiches to eat on the front porch for lunch. Yay for Friday! You should have lunch outside, too! It's a picnic kind of day.

Rushing Toward Bedtime!

WHEW! Just heard that all the Japan go-ers finally made it back home, about 12 hours later than scheduled! I was a little worried about them. The delays were from weather, I think. We've been having rain. Now that I don't have to worry about those guys, I can enjoy it properly.

Just found out today that Josh actually does have Labor Day off, so he might end up spending the weekend at the Botanical Gardens with me. That would be so fun! We might stay with someone from the taiko group so as not to put 100 miles a day on the car. Don't know any details yet.

Josh is at his first Calculous class right now. Eek! I'll hear how it goes later.

Kids have been pretty good lately. Very cute and lovable. They still get fussed a lot, but it's nice to have it be for general rule neglect as opposed to angry violence.

I watched Prince Caspian. It was a terrible bastardization! So now, of course, I am reading it so I can revel in discrepancy. I am nothing if not predictable.

The weekend wasn't too busy. Did grocery shopping on Saturday, and had Steak N Shake. Did you know that on the weekends you get a free kids' meal for every $8 you spend? Or maybe it's just the Wentzville one. Anyway, it's fantastic. Josh talked me into a full sized chocolate milkshake. Next time I am really going to get the kid sized one. It's delicious, but not worth sloshing around for the rest of the evening.

Sunday we had a giant can of ravioli and some green beans for dinner, and I made a chocolate pudding pie for dessert. They don't keep well, though, after they've been cut. All the pudding sort of avalanches off the crust. It's funny....but not so much appetizing.

I guess I'd better go. It's time to brush some little teeth! Have a happy Monday evening, and Welcome Home Travelers! Missed you guys!!!!

Y-y-yawn!

Geh.

Eh.

Ngh.

Hi.

I feel like lead. I'm a little behind on the sleep and a little caught up on the taiko. Today is a lounging around in pajama pants and go shopping at L.L. Bean for clothes I will never own kind of day. If I were to complete my wish list today, I would need about 600 dollars, I think. There are some cute corduroy pants, and the rest are shirts. I like the colors this year. Dark purple, dark blue, dark green.... If you haven't spent quality time with your L.L. Bean catalog yet, you should.

Josh is listening to the book on DVD of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on his commute to work. So, I'm reading the book at home, too. Hey, it's almost like doing something together. Josh is on his new schedule now. He's here until almost 9 in the morning, and doesn't come home until after 7. He sleeps later, and doesn't do any of the things he used to do in the mornings, like let the dog out. And we have already eaten dinner when he gets home. One doesn't often consider the impact one's schedule has on one's happiness. And he finds them frustrating. He says they sit around a lot. Sorry, by "them" I mean the employees in the new department.

Josh doesn't make Abbie do the things he's asked her to. If you tell the kids to clean up, Grant will, and Abbie will place herself just out of sight and play. When I'm here, I go and drag her back to whatever she was meant to do, and stand there until she does it. Josh, no. I'm not boiling over about it, though. I mentioned it, and hopefully we can be consistent and convince Abbie that the rules apply to her, too.

I want to watch Prince Caspian. I own it, but have never seen it. In fact, lying around in bed watching movies for me and eating desserts sounds like a wonderful, albeit unrealistic, way to spend today.

Oops. I haven't returned The Da Vince Code to the library. Maybe that can be the tomorrow plan.

Gonna make chicken thighs and green beans and new potatoes tonight for dinner. Sounds ambitious, considering my current state of mind, no?

Grant's issues lately involve pretending to cry when he doesn't get his way, which I have told him that 5-year-old boys don't do. Other than that, he is a pretty darn nice kid. That's not to say is perfect, he is a little boy, you know! So there are infrequent instances of pushing or arguing with Abbie, but he's mostly a great guy.

They're not doing too bad. I just wish it would cool off again so I would feel better about turning them loose in the back yard. I was talking to my mom about next summer, and between the two of us we have made great plans for assorted sports and swimming lessons.

I didn't see any meteors last night. I was stuck in traffic on K on the way home and was at a dead stop for 10 minutes. No meteors. None when I got home and stared off my deck, either. And during the 3 times I found myself awake during the night, there were also no meteors. It reminds me, though of when we were kids on Mimosa Court in Rolla. My mom would wake us up and we would sit on the front porch in blankets staring at the sky....and not seeing any meteors. I think in all the years we did that, Brother and I maybe saw 10, if you added both of ours together. I don't know if Mom even saw one. But any time they said meteors were coming, out we would go, to the chilly front porch.

The taiko gang are still in Japan. The sightseeing part of the trip has ended, for the most part, and now they are practicing and performing with the taiko dojo in Suwa. So, fewer pictures are being sent our way, but it is still very exciting. I hope they are doing great and having fun. Meanwhile, we are here getting ready for the next big thing, the Japanese Festival. It's about time I invited everyone I know to that. My family won't be coming this year, with the potential exception of Josh, so I am hoping to get some sort of representation.

Well, I must go. Abbie is being Little Bo Peep. "Sheep! Wheyayou? Mommy, please find me sheep." Funny! Happy Wednesday to you.

Miss me? ^_^

Hi! I haven't written in a week! I meant to, at one point. I don't remember what form of interruption presented itself.

This week...I fought with Josh some. It didn't have it's usual recreational feel. For a while, I didn't know what he was mad at. Stress, mostly. But that was no fun. What was fun, though, was seeing all the pictures my buddies in Japan were sending, and reading Amy's account of the trip. Living vicariously through them was frequently the highlight of my day. And I am enormously jealous of Amy's phone. It takes better pictures than my camera! Someday, when I win the lottery..... The kids had a rough week, too. Lots of wild playing that often resulted in injury took place, but, as you might suspect, no listening to Mommy's warnings did. Abbie got her lip bloodied once. I was tearing my hair out most days, and vented my distress by not cleaning the house. Wow. Very frightening.

What I did instead was read The Da Vinci Code. What an exhausting book! Dan Brown jumps right in, head first, into intensity, then waits for a particularly suspenseful moment, and changes perspective. The jumping back and forth between characters and such was, I though, a rather obvious plea for my attention. The fiction part was exciting, I guess. It was kind like reading an adventure movie. As for the religious controversy...it really wasn't any more than taking things that have been said for years, years and years and taking them a step further. Or not even that. More like a half-step. The fact that Brown applied the conspiracy to any and everyone he could reach was more than a little hard to believe, but he's just a fiction writer. I don't know why anyone got offended, really. Anyway, now I've read it. It will not be making my wish list or anything, but I'm glad I did.

Then..the weekend. Josh and I got tired of fighting and decided to be friends again instead. That was Friday. Saturday morning, we got ready and headed off to Little Dixie Lake. My parents were there, and my grandmother came, too, and Nanny. It was the hottest day we've had all summer, worse luck. However, there was a nice wind, most of the day. It was wonderful! It made everything not just tolerable, but enjoyable. We had a picnic lunch of sandwiches (I love my mommy. Can't afford Swiss cheese myself, you know.), Pringles and green grapes. We all brought grapes, and we all brought peanuts. Isn't that funny? Mom brought plain peanuts, Gran brought salt, and Josh brought honey roasted. We had juice and cookies and water and ice pops. We rented a row boat for the day for 5 dollars. I loved it. I love rowing. I knew I would. Grant opened his birthday presents from my mom and Brother. Puzzles, and a DVD of all the early PIXAR short films from Brother, and from Mom a book, a wizard's had with a dragon on it, and....a Transformers fishing pole! So Grant learned to fish. He was much better at casting than we expected, and before long, he'd caught TWO FISH! We let them go, of course.

Wouldn't my grandfather be pleased?

The day was great and everyone had a great time. As we were packing up, Grant mentioned wanting to go to Mimi's house, and Mom said, "Sure! Let's get the car seats switched!" So...my children went to spend the night at my mom and dad's house. At first, I was upset. It was so sudden. My babies! But Josh saw the possibilities immediately. Before we had even got back to the highway, he was calling people to go out. That plan got changed to dinner with Johnny, and then a movie. But then Johnny couldn't make it to dinner after all, so we ate at Applebee's by ourselves, and then went for the first time to our movie theater in Warrenton to see the latest Harry Potter movie. Then, I spent the rest of the evening filling Josh in on what was left out of the last two movies. He actually seemed to enjoy my reading to him.

Sunday was taiko, and I worked hard. Hopefully there will be positive results from that, but who can say? Then the kids came back in the afternoon. Did I tell you that they saw the first Harry Potter for the first time last week? Well, the first time with parental consent. We're watching it right now, in fact. Grant is wearing his new wizard hat, complete with dragon, even though the dragon is removable. Anyway, it makes a nice change from Shaun the Sheep, who has otherwise been filling my days.

Harry Potter seems to be a minor theme in my life lately.

So, weekend was good, and Josh starts his new schedule today. He'll be helping out in the deployment department, just like last year, and is being groomed for the lead position, just like last year. The only difference is that this year he is being told by the owner of the company that he is shortly to have the other guy's job. Well, we'll see. It means a raise, so we're looking forward to it, and the hours can be worked with after Josh has had the job a few months. Maybe. So, probably good things ahead, but we won't know for a month, and I'm not holding my breath, considering that it's just like last year. And next week Josh's classes start, but he hasn't told me that schedule yet.

My mom also starts teaching her evening class today. She called earlier than usual this morning, because she plans to be very busy most of the day writing out her lesson plans for the first few classes.

It rained last night, but I haven't checked to see what that means for the weather this week.

I'm making sloppy joes for dinner tonight. I figure that's something I can make early for the kids, and that will re-heat well enough for Josh when he gets home. And we still have left-over picnic junk food for dessert.

Well, I'm off to check on my Japan correspondents! Hope you have a wonderful and happy day!

Let the birthdays begin!

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. My family sang to his voicemail. He called in the evening to thank us from just outside of Raceland, Louisiana. Dad was on his way to have shrimp po-boys for his birthday dinner.

We took the next in line for Birthday Boy to the zoo. I thought the forecast would scare a lot of zoo goers away, but we circled the zoo looking for a place to park for a whole hour. Then some guy up at the art museum was leaving and let us have his spot, so it turned out we were only up the hill from the north gate, and had a very easy walk. We met Helena inside and stood in line for the stingrays. ...and it rained. It rained and rained and rained and Abbie stabbed me with her umbrella and it rained some more. Kids and long lines were not a match made in heaven. Hell, maybe, but certainly not heaven. For pre-schoolers, mine did okay. About a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Stingrays feel a lot like catfish. The smaller, mud-colored ones were actually quite friendly and even cute. Abbie was a little too splashy for them to get close to her, so eventually i took her to the gift shop, while Grant, Josh and Helena bought little fish to feed to the stingrays. We bought Grant a birthday present from Abbie: a little plastic blue stingray. He loved it, and so did she. She almost didn't let him have it. Then, it was off to see the animals! Since we were soaked, what could be a better idea then going into the sub-zero penguin house? So we did our popsicle impersonations in there (very fun) and even saw the grizzly bears on the way. Grizzly bears don't mind being out in the rain.

The otters weren't home, of course. I suspect they spend their entire day in the children's zoo, which I have never been to. (When I win the lottery...) It was really pouring on the giraffes and Okapis, zebras and camels, but they didn't seem to notice. The big cats were next, and it turns out even they don't mind a little drizzle. And we took Helena to the butterflies in the insectarium and they were a big hit, even though she gave the spider displays a wide berth. Then, the rhinos and hippos and elephants. By then the weather had cleared.

We all had dinner together, too. What a great day! Even though my hair was something of a bad joke by dinnertime. I actually changed my wet clothes in the car, and was much more comfortable, except for my socks, which had to wait until we were home.

Today was practice, just me and Helena and Rieko. Individual attention makes for a good practice. Tiring, but good. I will not be at practice on Tuesday, but I can't wait for Thursday's practice!

As for Tuesday....a little boy I know is turning five. We're going to make that cake, and Grant wants Beefaroni for dinner. How funny is that? Josh is going to stay home, and so am I. I think it's going to be very fun.

In the meantime...I'm tired! Going to see if the whole movie thing happens tonight, but I'm not counting on it. On the list before that is baths for the kids.

Well! I wonder what my friends the world travelers are up to right now. All I know so far is that poor Melanie couldn't sleep on the plane. That's how I've always been, so I know how she feels. Have they been to Mt. Fuji yet? I want to know!!!! I didn't go to Mt. Fuji when I was there. The mountain we hiked on was called Mt. Takao.

Oh, I almost forgot. This morning I left the house with sopping wet hair because I was all excited to play a CD I'd just made on the way to practice. I made it from a bunch of MP3's that Josh got from a guy at work named Ron. However....Ron does not get a gold star. Of all the particular songs that I was interested in burning, only two were the album version. Some were recorded from radio, and some were live. One had a skip. Rrr. Now I'm all disappointed. But I have hopes for the future.

My brother's birthday is next Saturday. Josh is a nonconformist. All my other boys have August birthdays.

Anyway, I must go. Hope you are having a wonderful and happy day!