whip together a quick digital scrapbook page or two everyday? Wouldn't that be amazing? I could say it was my "me" time and get a whole bunch of memories put to paper (well, digital paper anyway) and then bind them all into a book at the end of the year.
I'm really thinking about setting a goal - maybe half that - like 15 pages a month.
This one was random and again, came together in under 20 minutes:
(Hey, you gotta get a quickie wherever you can these days!)
Granted, none of the above are complicated in the least, but each page took me less than 15 minutes. I can do that kind of scrapbooking - especially since there are no paper scraps to pick up off the table when I am done!
isn't that the way they should be? Friends, neighbors, family, food and water. It all came together for a great day!
We started off with a neighborhood parade . . .
It was very cute. Once the kids did the loop of our street, we headed out into the common area behind our house and relaxed with the neighbors for a while.
I then headed into the house and put the little miss down for a nap. I also pulled together my super-yummy buttermilk ranch potatoes and threw those in the crock-pot. I also marinated the tri-tip (which, incidentally, I ended up forgetting to take with us, so we have plenty of tri-tip to eat tonight). I made a huge batch of sangria. It was tasty, but too sweet. I should have stuck with my WT Wine Cooler - Fresca and white wine (preferably boxed).
We then spent the afternoon/evening at a friend's house. I was actually pool-sitting for them last week and they encouraged us to celebrate the 4th in their resort-like backyard. So we did! Two other fun families joined us and we had a lovely and relaxing time, bbq'ing and swimming.
John and Dylan rounded out their evening by jumping in the truck and driving up the street to watch the fireworks when they started out at the raceway. I stayed home (Halle was long-since asleep) and just listened to them. Fine by me!
Anyway. It was a great day and I was very glad to have John here to celebrate with us. Holidays are always tough for him to schedule off, so this was just a lucky break. That being said, he's back at work today while the rest of lie around, doing as little as possible.
I'm going to try and finish up a couple of projects that I've started around the house. But I'm not feeling the love for anything right now. Except maybe to lounge in the pool. Or read a book. Or both. But I really, really should do something useful. I should. But I probably. It is a holiday weekend after all!
Peace out!
it really bugs me when people don't update their blogs frequently.
So I totally know how irritating it is. Really, I do.
It still, however, isn't enough to kick my tired/lazy butt into gear on a regular basis.
I'm thinking about it though. Surely that should count for something. Shouldn't it?
I wish it was only my blog that I have been absent from lately, but it is not. It's like my mind has vacated my body. I've been making stoooopid scheduling errors (which is very unlike me) and very disorganized - also unlike me.
I was the official "VBX Photographer" last week at church. A job made much more simple by having someone else take most of the candids while I concentrated on team photos. But still, I stumbled. I actually tried to take some team photos THREE separate times! Seriously! And then I completely forgot (until Thursday) a couple of teams. I've made more lists than I can count - most of which were left at home when I needed them at church and vice versa. But in the end, I delivered all of the team photos and they were all there. None missing. Thank goodness. (Do you see why they put me in charge of photos versus children?)
Anyway, in the midst of my disorganization/inefficient time management, I have completely ignored my blog. Lame. So here is an update of sorts:
We had a FANTASTIC time camping last weekend. Eight families (16 adults and 19 children) made the trip all together. The weather was a little sketchy (hail and lightening at one point), but overall it was good enough. We rented a huge patio boat on Friday which was a great way to get out on the lake and enjoy the non-muddy water. With this being yet another drought year, the lake was low and the red-mud shores made the beach virtually non-existent. The red mud, however, fully amused and entertained our (older) children for hours. Hours and hours. Fabulous food. Beautiful mountains. Great friends. Campfires, complete with music and treats (and wine) . . . what more could you ask for? Halle was a trooper. Dylan (as always) was a great traveler. It was a stupendous getaway.
* that being said, we are neither caught up on laundry nor have the trailer clean . . . a full week later. Not for lack of my husband trying. But I've been slow and lazy. I must, however, pull it together since I've lent the trailer to my Mom and her SO for the 4th of July weekend. Which is coming right up. Yeah, I'd better get on that!
In other news? Um. The heat. 110 degrees. Enough said. Picture me like the wicked witch in Oz . . . I'm melting!
I'm sure there are lots of other little updates and tidbits that I should be offering up. But it's 5:04 pm and my brain has been on the fritz since early afternoon. I cannot remember sh*t!
I am blaming that brain-fritz on hormones or lack thereof. Just because that's an easy blame game. I met with my doctor again last week and have again upped the many versions of estrogen that we're trying to get my body to absorb. It's now a delightful mix of oral tablets, spray and cream. Just for fun. I've also tried to aid absorption by taking my afternoon/evening tablets with a wine cooler. Just to aid absorption and reduce my desire to go on a rampage. Trust me. Every little bit helps. :)
Oh yeah. I dyed my hair again. Less than a month after doing it the first time (and subsequently freaking out and having to have it turned blond again). Whoops I did it again . . . This time it's going to stay. Whether I like it or not. (And I really don't.) It's just very different. The only photo I have of it is from my very-tipsy date with my hubby - it's not very flattering,but dang, look at the size of those margaritas! Thank goodness they looked away while I poured mine into a to-go cup and then snuck it into the movie to sip all through The Hangover! Otherwise I may have slept the remainder of our date away at La Salsa. Anyway, behold the very dark hair . . .
OK . . . when I pull myself together (someday?), I'll post some pictures from our camping trip and other various moments from our recent (crazy, crazy) lives!
does that count as blogging? Because that's about as good as it's going to get for a while, my friends. I am officially, in over-my-head with this summer time thing. Whereas I am relived to no longer be making a sack lunch and carpooling every day at 7:40? I am drowning in the lack of schedule and predictability. Well, not drowning, per se . . . just momentarily floundering.
And now, I really, really must move beyond my list-making and actually DO something to prepare for our trip to the lovely Trinity Lake. Because I'd like to eat something other than a to-do list while we're there, thank you very much!
** Although I did buy margarita mix and an easy-up shade canopy. And a couple bottles of wine. If I had cookies or brownies? I may not need anything else to survive!
Oh, yeah . . . pictures:
soon, I think!
I am headed up to Redding this morning for an early budget meeting and a day full of work.
Then tomorrow I am getting a new hard drive on my 11 month old computer - wish I could blame the system or the computer, not alas, it it simply I and my overabundance of digital images. And two full - yet different - versions of Photoshop.
And then, in theory, I will have time to blog again! In the interim, I'd love to upload and post some new photos - maybe from our recent Fairytale-land/Funderland trip? But I cannot. No room at the inn for more photos.
But soon. Yes, very soon.
I'm going to barely skim over the grueling details of last night and today . . .
no sleep . . . coughing son . . . loads of work still unfinished with a looming deadline of tomorrow . . . tons of wasted work time . . . appointments with the allergist, with the determination that Dylan has a nasty virus, although if he doesn't get better by Monday, they'll want to rule out a secondary infection . . . 4th grade boy drama - heightened by the fact that I encouraged Dylan to go to school while sick - subsequently he wasn't well equipped for the 4th grade boy power plays that went on today . . . bee sting for Halle-boo, with a scary reaction . . . loads of Benadryll and phone calls with the pediatrician and now she seems OK and is sleeping (see above note, re: Benadryll)
Whew! Aren't you glad I only gave you the Cliff Note version?
Anyway, I am moving on to the good stuff. Since I never ate dinner, re: bee sting drama; I'm going this route:
At 2 WW points each, I'm having four, plus a glass of wine for a 10 point dinner.
Since I haven't been losing a damn pound for the last month? I think my restraint is admirable. I could have just said, screw it, and eaten the whole box. All 16 of them. So kudos to me!
Now, I'm going to go turn on my DVR'd Tori & Dean from last night and I'm going to enjoy every last yummy crumb of these cookies. And my wine.
And then? I am going to bed. Even if I DO have to get up at 4:00 to get my work done. So be it. I'll take what I can get!
Peace out! Happy last day of school! And here's to (please, God!) a good night's sleep. Even if it's just 6 hours until wake-up time.
** I stole that image of my favorite cookies from Google images. So if it's yours? Thanks. And sorry.
but I can't sleep. And I think that it is the lamest thing ever!
I am guessing that above and beyond my lovely hormonal deprivation, I just have too many things going on in my ever-disintegrating brain!
This is my absolute busiest time of the year at work. Busiest and most stressful. Because it is GOOD TIMES to have your agency's budget scrutinized by the public and the media . . . especially in this economic climate. Good times indeed!
The end of the school year . . . need I say more?
John has been gone for an Air Force training since Sunday and won't return until late this Sunday. It was necessary and non-negotiable, but still some seriously shitty timing.
Dylan is sick. Nasty smokers-cough and a killer headache. He's been getting through school OK, but crashing as soon as he comes home. I'm (sadly) thinking that he may actually miss the second-to-last-day-of-4th-grade tomorrow. And that's just pathetic!
Halle-boo is challenging at times (most times?). Love her like crazy - no doubt. But seriously? Is it so bad to have to get dressed every so often? Or to let her brother sit on our bed? Or have her Nana get her out of the car-seat instead of me She loses her shit like nobody's business!
The house and yard? Beyond messy. And I find myself not cleaning the house because I need to mow the lawn. And vice-versa. And the end result? Not a lot getting done around here at all!
On top of all that? I've been having weird and horrendous anxiety. Bad, yet unrealistic (thank God) shit. I've been losing sleep over Halle and our (above-ground) pool. I am so ridiculous that I can literally see her floating, face-down in it. And I, of course, think about this right as I am trying to go to sleep. WTH is wrong with me?
Anyway. Lots and lots of good stuff. Blessings abound. But I just want to sleep. Deeply and for 8 hours And have my brain act like it's slightly functional. And stop having crazy nightmares of hideous thoughts.
Maybe if I used my estrogen cream as body lotion? Could that work? Anything to get my body back into a mode that works. This "I'm a woman, but have the estrogen level of a man shit" is getting old.
Anyway . . . ignore me. It's all good. I'm just tired. And a little beat-down. But tomorrow is a new day. And thank God for that!
** Just to follow-up . . . yes, I did take a shower on Monday morning AND, as a bonus, another one tonight! There's no stopping me now!
I'm sitting here thinking that I can't remember taking a shower all weekend.
Gross. What the heck is wrong with me?
Sadly, I don't know the answer to that question, but it's nothing that won't wait until morning.
At which point, I will definitely take a shower.
Goals. They're good for the soul!
Peace out and welcome to the last week of 4th grade, Dylan-my-boy! Can't wait for some summertime with you, pal!
