Mama's little Sinead

In the interest of camaraderie, Thing 1 has shaved her head along with Nina. Nina never actually lost all of her hair, but the remaining straggles were bothersome, so this afternoon, Nina's dad shaved them both.
Otherwise, the week has been fairly uneventful. No pics or video from the contest. User error. There were three real contenders. The other two placed. My mother-in-law says I got screwed, but she's biased. I may try again in Milbank or Big Stone.
Got the kids collected from their daycamp yesterday. Spent a few hours with the kind folks who've been harboring the fugitives for the past two weeks. I'll have to commission a medal or something.
Thing 1 wasn't home 12 hours before she was begging a sleepover at Nina's. She did her share of chores before she left, though, so I guess it's all good.
Potluck tomorrow, so I'm off to put together taco salad fixings. You all enjoy your Sunday.

Can't trust that day...

At least good ol' Cliff was thoughtful enough to come check under the laundry chute where I'd been standing admiring the empty space I'd made, when the next load came down and buried me.

Monday Monday, can't trust that day....especially when I awoke this morning with an odd sense of optimism. Hmmmm. This is atypical Monday behavior on nearly anyone's part. Must have been that power nap I got yesterday. Thing 4 snuggled in next to me while everyone else was gone, and we zonked out for nearly 3 hours. Got a little recharge I guess. I've always been a fan of the siesta mentality: sleep through the heat and work when it's cool. Unfortunately, the rest of the Midwest doesn't operate on those hours. ANyway, I got quite a bit accomplished last evening, and awoke with grand designs for this week. This could be dangerous...

Fuzznut is back. I was dreading another kitty memorial post. Our cats usually have a tendency to go walkabout a few days at a time and then one day you realize thay've been gone awhile (except for actually finding MamaBob last year). Fuzznut had been missing a few days, and the Things were starting to fret when a neighbor kid reported seeing her at the local river swimming hole. Yesterday while I was powernapping, a neighbor parent had a batch of kids out swimming, and Fuzznut sauntered up to them and was promptly brought home. She settled right back in as if she never left, enjoying the clean litter box and gravy train. Now she is hopscotching on the keyboard. I could use a short vacation from the madhouse now and then myself, but I'll pick a luxury resort over a van down by the river.

Well, I'm not going to accomplish any of those great things sitting here. Any of you in my neighborhood: I have a contest in Willmar on Wednesday, c'mon out and stack the audience for me!!!

It's about time...

...for something to happen that's interesting enough to post about.
No such luck.
But I'll post anyway.
I spent Saturday night at my first 20 year class reunion of the summer. I went to school through the 8th grade in my hometown. It's small enough that they invited anyone that they could locate who'd been in the class. When we moved away, it was only 17 miles to the north, so I was frequently back to visit friends. The reunion for the class I graduated with is in August.
Sunday we drove. A lot. We cruised from my folks in extreme SW MN, to the southern 'burbs of the Twin Cities, then it was a speed run to the office supply store, then home 2 1/2 more hours in the van. With no AC. Yuck. Gotta get that looked at.
Got to IM a bit with Alex today, and get a ballpark estimate on her arrival (3rd wknd of August).
Now, it's off to tame the laundry dragon. If you don't hear from me in a few days, it won.

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

...or breaks a nose, I guess. There is a sad old hideabed on our porch. Last night we had some storms roll through, producing some lovely lightning. I pulled the bed out and flopped thereupon with the iPastor to watch the light show. Before too long, we were dogpiled by the three awake Things and, fittingly enough, two of the dogs. All was well until, siblings being as they are, the giggling gave way to some roughhousing. One reflexive kick later and Thing 1 went squealing to the kitchen with a bloody nose. Before too long the squeals dissolved to giggles, and after spattering me with snorted blood at least once in a fit of laughter, we got the bleeding stopped and the floor mopped and life returned to what resembles normal around here.
***
Yesterday's Netflix gem was a little Irish film called Waking Ned Divine. I never got the chance to see it when it came out a few years back. It was a fun little flick, worth an hour and a half of your time.
***
We spent the bulk of our Sunday at the park in Montevideo for Nina's benefit picnic. She had a blast, and it was amazing the people that little girl has touched in her 8 years. Friends and coworkers of her parents, most of her school, all of our church, people from EF, and perfect strangers who saw a poster or read about her in the paper packed the park for food, games, carriage rides and music. The Things and I, and even iPastor in a rare appearance, performed along with several other groups and a soloist over the course of the day. There wasn't a dry eye in the park when Nina got up to sing "My Savior, My God" with Thing 2. I'm a pretty proud wife/mama today, it was a great day for Nina, too. Thing 4 provided entertainment by raiding the goodie tent for cotton candy about a dozen times. My cafe employers were running the tent, and I warned them I would be missing work if I had a kid with a tummyache today. So far he's still sleeping off the sugar crash. I have a feeling Nina slept like a rock last night, too.
***
Our church is on deck to serve coffee at the little community center today, then it's back on the hamster wheel for us. The kids are working odd jobs to pay for camp, iPastor has been bumped to full time to help his supervisor cover for one of the other plants they guard, I'm on all week, and I have the first of two class reunions this summer on Saturday. If it's a bit scarce around here, we'll catch ya on the flipside.

***

Someone sent these pictures from the picnic Sunday.

Who can I make cry today?

Besides me.

8th Grade formal on the last day of school. Next year Thing 1 is officially a high schooler. She's at orientation for her first payroll job (McDonald's) today. *sigh*



Where are you going my little one, little one
Where are you going my baby my own
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door
Turn around (turn around)
Turn around (turn around)
Turn around and you're a young girl
goin' out of the door

Where are you going my little one, little one
Dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone
Turn around and you're tiny, turn around and you're grown
Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own

Where are you going my little one, little one
Where are you going my baby my own
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of my door

Two go out, only one comes back...

While cleaning out the outdoor toy bin, we came across a couple of kites that had been languishing far too long. The kids earn reward points at our Sunday night kids' program at church, and are able to redeem points for goods, these kites included. There was a stiff breeze this afternoon, following a squall and a downpour, so we decided to give the kites a try. One was too small to get much loft from the strong wind. Perhaps a tail will better balance it. It was fun for some short-string stunts, though. Sponge Bob and Patrick adorned the slightly bigger one, and it took off in the breeze easily. After a good half hour passing the kite around, Thing 2 lost it from her grasp and it bobbed and soared along the current in the air. Thing 2 followed after it for a good half a section. It reminded me quite a bit of myself in a cow pasture many long years ago. I was able to retrieve mine way back then, but she couldn't locate where hers finally went down. I watched her disappear over a knoll, then a few minutes later, reappear running between rows of new corn, learning a lesson about letting go. It was a lot of energy to expend on a two-bit kite, but she gave it a try and gave up when it became more than the kite was worth. Even with the loss, it was a good bit of fun for as long as they've lain unused in the porch.

School's out!

From a long weekend to a long week. After four days off, Tuesday was a little hard to take, but I managed to slip right back into the old rut and get to work. This week includes a groom's supper and wedding dance, so it'll be nice to see Sunday roll around.
***
We did a bit of rearranging on Monday, and so far the rest of the week I've made no real progress, but haven't backslid either.
***
The kids are done with school until August. Countdown until the first cry of "I'm bored"...
***
Under "C": "I have tater tot gravy in my ear."
***
I don't drink a lot of "road coffee." My schedule allows me to have coffee at home or work. Occasionally, if we're on a long drive or traveling at odd hours, I'll take my chances with a cup of convenience store java, but those times I usually opt for my beloved Starbucks Double Shot Espresso and Cream which I blogged lovingly about at the blog the domain ate last year (lots of caffeine packaged in four bladder-friendly ounces! hooray!) Recently, I needed java at an odd time, and swung through McDonald's drive-through. I had a surprisingly lovely cup of coffee. Small, three creams, just right. Just a handy tip for you coffee lovers out there.
***
Well, back to work now. You all enjoy your weekend off. Don't mind me. Really. I'll be fine.