endearing!

yes oh yes it's that's time again

Years ago I wished I was one of those mothers who cried when her children went back to school. You know the ones -- sniffling at the bus stop, hugging and smooching in the hallway, their children perfectly dressed and groomed (if you are one of those moms, bless your heart, really). But, I wondered to myself: WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? WHY AM I FEELING SO RELIEVED AT THIS MOMENT?

I'm old now (43) and smarter. Maybe I'm just more comfortable with my selfishness.

Kids exhaust me. As much as I love my two daughters, they exhaust me. Did I mention they exhaust me??? I think my problem is that I'm so "intuned" to them (Is that even a word? I don't think so cuz the spell check underlined it). Some might say I'm neurotic. I like to think of myself as INTENSE. I need to always know what's up. Every stinkin detail, no matter how insignificant or boring (I'm one of those annoying moms who sends text messages to my teenage daughter on a very regular basis. This is where an unlimited texting plan comes in handy).

This little trait I have causes me to be aware of any ever-so-slight change in my kids' mood or general demeanor. I THINK SHE'S HUNGRY... IS THAT SHIRT TAG BOTHERING HER? SHE NEEDS A FRIEND OVER!!! It annoys me, this gift I have (I use the word "gift" very loosely). I try to change it, act all casual and cool, but it creeps back before I realize it! I'm wondering if others have this problem. I really don't know. But I've often wondered.

So, when summer is done, and I send them off to school, it means that for 6+ hours my "kid gauge" can get some rest and fuel up for the wild and crazy AFTER SCHOOL time, in which my tank must be full. I need my tank fully loaded for THAT.

How to make a 10 minute bike ride last 2 hours

1. Offer to take two six-year-olds to store for CANDY -- on bikes
2. Realize that all six tires are flat
3. Dig out pump from garage and fill tires
4. Go in house and get band-aid after bike falls on leg while filling tires
5. Start riding bikes
6. At first corner, turn around and go home for water
7. Start riding bikes
8. Stop at park to let monkeys do the monkey bars a few times
9. Start riding bikes
10. At same corner, turn around to go back to park to look for lost butterfly ring
11. Accept the fact that ring is lost
12. Start riding bikes
13. Realize you forgot the bike lock and leave kids at park while you go get one
14. Start riding bikes
15. Argue about who gets to be in front
16. STOP and argue some more
17. Start riding bikes again
18. Listen to kids argue for 3 blocks about who is the oldest
19. Listen to kids argue for 3 more blocks on whose SISTER is the oldest
20. Watch helplessly as one kid crashes into a bush
21. Recover and start riding bikes
22. Get to store and lock bikes
23. Go into store and check out candy selection, which of course is wedged next to checkout
24. Change mind 1,237 times on desired candy
25. Make final decision on candy
26. Argue in store about whose candy is best
27. Knock over bin of gum while in checkout lane
28. Pretend not to see annoyed people behind you
29. Pay $7 for two snacks and a soda
30. Go outside, unlock bikes while man sits in truck and stares at you while you freak out
31. Pretend not to see man staring
32. Be told by an annoyed six-year-old to SMILE AT MAN!!!
33. Bike home vowing next time to take the *#!$@# car!!!!!

the end

summer over?

Most of the pools have closed here in Green Bay... it's eerily quiet lately. Everyone's sorta moving slower I SWEAR.

In Wisconsin people really "SUMMER" hard. We have to cram it all in a few months.

Our family tends to do less than most people though, as vacations and getaways aren't something we like, quite frankly. Our oldest daughter Molly would love them, actually, but the rest of us... BLECH.

We get away very occasionally and I am always so relieved when we are home. The practical side of me is very strong and I can't wrap my mind around spending so much money on something NON-TANGIBLE. I hope I'm not sounding dreadful here. I am not an anti-vacationer, really. More power to ya!

When we are hanging out at home, we love popsicles. Or should I say my husband and daughter do. We go through them like water. Samantha has been known to snag one in the morning when I am having one of those "can't get out of bed" issues.

Hope you are having a good-relaxing-end-of-summer time.

picnik.com! molly! and foot!

I've been using picnik lately for my photo editing. I like it better than Photoshop! Maybe it's because it's so much simpler.

The pic above I did for my husband's new etsy shop! I had a blast with the digital daisies! ;o)

This is our Mols. She's going to a party tonight. My eyes are swelling with tears right now as I type. I keep staring at this picture. Over and over. She's 15. I can't seem to believe it lately. She's a young woman. There's things I wish I would have said and done, but all in all we are so proud of who she is and our joys and struggles of raising her all make sense somehow.

On another note: while I was loading up my stuff for a farmer's market I did Wednesday night, I stepped on the curb wrong and heard a POP and felt the pain go through my foot immediately! UGH!!!!!! I couldn't walk that night or the next day without a cane, and even then it was very painful. Many of you know my hubby had surgery on his achillies tendon a few weeks ago, so we have a wheelchair, crutches and a cane in our house! So Rick let me use the wheelchair, LOL! Hey... if I don't laugh, I will surely cry and cry! Long story short, doc doesn't think I broke anything. Perhaps a tendon or ligament snapped. I have an air cast on and have to take it very easy for a couple weeks. If the pain gets better it's probably not broken. Please say a prayer for us over here! It's been one thing after another. I tell people who come over that they must enter AT THEIR OWN RISK!

:) Liz

swimming

Took some pics of Samantha at a local Green Bay waterpark we love to go to. It's cheap and plenty big for a six year old.

I realize I need to get some pics of my 15 yr old daughter, Molly! It's always about Samantha on here and I'm feeling the guilts, right now, at this very moment. But, I plead with you! Do understand that she's 15 and really doesn't want to be with her ma and pa much, so how do I get pics??? Sneak in her room while she's sleeping? Or snap one as she's walking out the door? Sigh. I miss my girl.

Our new attitude (me and pops) is we are going to let go a bit. Not nag as much. Blah blah blah. We'll see how long we last! Her clothes are heaped in her closet, but I am going to try the "tough love" approach and figure if she has absolutely NOTHING clean to wear then she will HAVE to put her stuff down the shoot, which mind you, is literally RIGHT outside her bedroom door! ARGH!

For those who have or had teenage girls (15 yr olds, specifically), tell me it gets easier. I thought middle school was bad!

Liz