Ten

Turbo turned ten on Saturday.  Ten.  Double digits. A preteen. Ten years ago they gave a  newborn to two very inexperienced people and told us to take him home.
We were so young. Now we are older and for a couple more years, still considered smart by Turbo.  This will change.
Turbo is a wonderful boy. He's smart, kind, fun, active, an expert Lego builder, and all round great kid.  We get confirmation of this from the oddest places sometimes. He loves his brother, but gets annoyed like any older brother should. He loves Legos, video games, swimming, archery, camping, hanging out with his friends and being a boy.
He's come a long way.

I am loving watching, guiding and nurturing this boy as he grows up.  Turbo, may you continue to find the wonder in life and attack it with enthusiasm.

Friday Confessions

Ahhh, Friday.  It may have been a short week, but I'm still glad to see Friday.  I'm always glad to see Friday. Especially going home time on Friday.
With Friday comes the chance to confess, so here goes:

• Turbo has four days next week that he's in school. 
• It's a throw away week really.
• Field trip, field day, awards, cleaning out of desks and such.
• Not a lot of work will happen.
• They are really just clocking time.
• It's time to do a go through of Bruiser's toys.
• He has some that are too young for him and that he only plays with if reminded that they are there.
• Of to the grandparents' house and through them I will go.
• I will be doing laundry and detailing the vehicles this weekend.
• Sounds like a rocking good time at the Jones's, hmmm?
• We will find time for fun in there somewhere.
• I really like it when my mom brings breakfast with her in the morning.
• She watches Bruiser three days a week.
• I was able to get a crockpot dinner in before we left this morning because I didn't have to do breakfast for little boys.  
• It was so nice.
• I don't like breakfast.
• I often skip it at home.
• I eat something simple at work--yogurt, bagel, something.
• Just not really into full on breakfast.
• Maybe because most breakfasts come with eggs.
• Eggs and I don't really agree.
• I think they are less than appealing.

What do you have to confess?  Link up with Aubrey and confess it all.

Spin Cycle--Best/Worst

So for the Spin Cycle Gretchen has given us Best and Worst (inspired by Elizabeth's post).  This one leads to some interesting thoughts:

• Best: doing fun things with the family--road trips, dinner out, movie night, etc.
• Worst: the crash after a fun time.  There is something about doing fun things that seems to cause a crash to bad feelings, bad behavior, frustration. 
• Best: Turbo doesn't have to go to summer school this year.
• Worst: Now we need to figure out what he's doing all summer.
• Best: Finding an interesting new book to read.
• Worst: Finishing it and having good book crash.
• Best: The weekend is coming.
• Worst: Getting through today and tomorrow.
• Best: Having Turbo want us along on his field trips.
• Worst: Bus seats.
• Best: A good nights sleep.
• Worst: insomnia.
• Best: Wine
• Worst: Well there is no worst to wine.
• Best: These guys:

• Worst: They keep growing up on me.

So do you have some best/worst scenarios?  Spin them up and join Gretchen for the Spin Cycle.

Birthdayish, Randomish Tuesday

So with a holiday and a birthday, we had a full weekend, but it was wonderful.  Shall I tell you about it?  Why yes I shall:

• To start. this boy, the big one, turned 10.  i have decided to stop blinking, he grows when I do.  Just yesterday, I swear he was like 3.

• He wanted to take three friends to the zoo.  It was a big undertaking as the zoo is 150 miles away and is like a whole day and commitment and all that.  The friends we know well enough (we've actually met the parents so they know we aren't completely nuts) were mostly out of town---long weekend and all.  So we found the friend that wasn't and after dropping Bruiser on the grandparents--we headed to the zoo and Imax.

• So as shown, a great time was had by all.  Even if a golf ball hit our car and took out our emblem.  One in a million shot.
• Sunday started out with a trip to the grocery store and then getting the grill going for the ribs requested by Turbo. We had the grandparents from both side over and some friends. Great food and good times.  We couldn't have asked for better weather.

Opening presents.

Red velvet cake.

• Turbo had a sleepover with two friends.  All had a good time. Everyone lasted the night and no one got left out.  We are thrilled to have found another family to spend time with.  It's hard to find a family you can get along with and the kids get along too.
• Monday we headed up to the hills. I needed to have a trip out of town this weekend, even if we didn't go camping.

Even the dog got to stick his nose in the wind.

• I do have to say, everyone who went camping in our area needs to thank us for not going camping.  They had fabulous weather.  If we had gone, the weather would have sucked.  It's like Jones' Law.
• I still get hungry watching BBQ Pitmasters.
• We are off an another field trip for Turbo tomorrow.  After this he only has one more.  Of course he has two weeks of school left.  But he's not at the top of the list for summer school this year.  He's making progress!  Hooray!
• Tuesdays that masquerade as Mondays stink.

That's all the random my brain can come up with this week.  Go see Stacy for more.

And join up with Shawn and Impulsive for Talk To Us Tuesday. No rules, just fun, link up.

Confession Friday

Time once again to confess for Friday.  It's Friday.  Finally.  It's been a long strange week here.  Parts were fun, parts were less than fun.  Let's get on with the confessions, shall we?

• I don't like running.
• I don't like running in the afternoon more than I don't like running in the morning.
• It's easier to do when I'm not totally awake yet.
• Big weekend for us.
• Not only because of the holiday.
• Turbo turns ten.  10. 
• Tomorrow.
• How can he be ten?
• I don't feel old enough (most of the time) to have a 10 year old.
• I've managed to cook according to the menu all week.  
• I'm pretty proud of that.
• And there hasn't been too much complaining about dinner this week.
• Score one for mom!
• Now to do it all over again next week.
• Not a total fan of the repetitiveness of house work.
• But since the gnomes, elves and fairies haven't found their way to my door yet...

What do you have to confess?  Link up with Aubrey and confess it all.

In the Army?!

Yesterday was Turbo's field trip to the National Historic site of Fort Laramie. The fourth grades here learn about Wyoming history all year and then get to go on several field trips to visit some of what they ahve learned about.
Last week we went an saw Fort Casper and the Interpretive Trails Center.  This week it is Fort Laramie and next week we are off to register cliff and a state park.
As soon as the kids got off the bus they were lined up and marched off for uniforms.

All the kids, decked out.

My little soldier.

They were then sworn in and marched off to see the barracks.  After time there they were shown the officers quarters, the mess hall and then we headed to the general store.  All this while marching in rows and following directions.

Presenting on army life in the late 1800s.

All the fourth graders had presentations to give.  Turbo's group went first.
After presentations were over the recruits were marched over to receive their fire arms.  Nice pretend replicas sized for them to carry.  They were taught some commands and maneuvers with the guns and marched off to see more of the grounds, like the prison.

After the prison, it was lunch time and we gave back the uniforms and went to eat.  Then it was time to help them fill out the workbook that is available to kids at Fort Laramie.  For filling out the book, turbo got a nice little badge and he will get one next week when he finishes the workbook on that field trip.
It was a very fun day and a wonderful way for the kids to get a taste of what it was like back then. And Turbo looked adorable as a soldier.

Too Connected?

We Want To Know Wednesday and it's all about being connected. I am sort of not connected today, off field tripping with Turbo.

1.) How connected are you to your phone? Do you always have it on you? I try to have it with me.  When we got them it was for work, but now it's more so Turbo can get a hold of me.  It came in handy when a hanging plant fell and Turbo was a bit freaked by it.  Being under it when it fell didn't help.  He was able to call and I was able to calm him until we could get home.

2.) Would you be able to be away from your computer for an entire week? I was last summer when we went on vacation. It was kind of nice.

3.) If you had to get rid of one of the following, which would it be and why? Cell phone, computer, or TV? I get rid of the Cell Phone.  It's the one I'm least attached to.

4.) Do you think you could ever live "off the grid"? As long as I had access to books I could go off the grid.  the rest of the family might go nuts, but I could totally entertain myself with books.  I did it all the time I was growing up, so it is doable.

5.) Tell us about a time you disconnected from technology/the world and how you dealt with it. Was it good or bad? Well, like I said, last summer the lake we were at didn't have reliable internet and not so reliable cell service.  We were essentially disconnected for the week we were there. It was relaxing and really nice to let the boys play outside and to enjoy hanging out as a family.

Now you grab the questions and play along.

Link up with Kensie and Scriptor.  They would love to have you join in.

Randomness for Tuesday

Whew, Monday is over.  On to Tuesday.  Which is much better than Monday, since, you know, it's not Monday.
And Random:

• Cream of wheat makes a good breakfast if you have time. Turbo enjoyed his this morning.
• I really like having CMT or GAC playing in the morning.  Music videos are a nice way to start the day.
• Still running.  Not liking it, but hoping to see results soon.
• Off on another field trip with Turbo tomorrow. All day with about 30 9-10 year olds. Last week wasn't too bad, but I was so tired when we got home.  And I hate the bus seats.  Most definitely not designed for adults.
• I really get a kick out of Dog Shaming and Shame Your Pet. Mostly because my pets aren't so weird if other people's animals are doing funny, disgusting things too.
• Our weather this week:

• Has anyone else noticed the creepy pictures on Facebook that come with the offers to become a counselor in 18 months? Today's was a baby in an eggshell held in a hand. Yeah, not inspiring me to jump into the counseling business.
• A beach sounds heavenly right now. Cabana boys, umbrella drinks, no worries.  A few good books.  I could go for that.

That's all the random my brain can come up with this week.  Go see Stacy for more.

And join up with Shawn and Impulsive for Talk To Us Tuesday. No rules, just fun, link up.

Balanced Weekend

We came back, but for a while on Saturday Nick and I ran away from the kids, the house, and had some fun.  It wasn't much but after the winter spring we had, getting out and away can really make you feel better.
Friday afternoon we chucked work a bit early and I got a head start on the laundry and grocery shopping. Nothing exciting, exciting Friday nights abandoned us years ago. About ten years ago to be exact.
Saturday morning rolled around and Nick didn't wake up feeling good at all.  The kids went to Papa and Nana's for the morning and after a shower and some coffee, Nick felt better.  Better enough to head to Cheyenne.  We got to Sierra Trading Post and they had a tent sale going on of all the thirds and clearance and we got some great deals.
Then it was off to the archery shop with a detour to the new Sportsman's Warehouse.  It was packed so we didn't stay long.  We found the archery shop and then headed to the new Menards to see if we had won anything in the circular they sent out.  We had gotten $2, so not even worth waiting in line.  The line that was stretched around the store.  It was worse that Black Friday. We left.  Nick is not so comfortable in crowds and closed in spaces.
We went to get a new comforter and also hit Hobbytown and got Turbo a birthday gift.  Model  rockets should entertain him outside this summer.

From Bed Bath and Beyond, our new comforter

We had lunch and then headed home.  Papa and Nana were glad to see us.  They were tired after trying to keep up with the boys for the day.
Saturday afternoon we had cousins over for a sleepover. Everyone crashed in the living room and had fun watching old Muppet show episodes.

Sunday morning was breakfast, which Nick did up fabulously, and then the older boys and Nick went to shoot archery.
I finished the laundry, mostly folding, but I got it all done, even the sheets.  Tackled the dishes, and kept an eye on the boys.  Sunday was a day of not doing much.  Nick did do lots of outside work, but since we are getting rain (with a threat of snow) it was good that he did.
Sunday afternoon was relaxing, the only thing I would have liked to have gotten this weekend was a soak in the tub.  Maybe tonight.
How was your weekend?  Relaxing, busy, a good balance of both?

Weekend Confessions

Whew, survived another week.  And it was a busy week too.  Soooo happy the weekend is coming. Now on to the confessions:

• It was great fun going on the field trip with Turbo's class.
• I have two more to do.
• My adult body is NOT built to sit on a school bus.
• Turbo had a great time too:

Turbo is in the green shirt.

• The cat seems to think our bedspread is it's own personal throw up mat.
• This necessitates  a new king sized bed spread.
• Bed spread shopping is frustrating to say the least.
• They are never big enough for the oversized mattresses out there today.
• Most end up looking like your trying to get a queen bedspread to fit a king bed.
• We will go looking on Saturday and see what we can come up with.
• I'm thinking it's a wine kind of weekend.
• I've been a bad influence.
• I got a Kindle Fire HD.
• Now Nick's Mom has gotten one and my mom is contemplating getting one.
• Turbo had his Spring Concert last night.
• It was cute.

• And now a Woo Hop (Hoo) for Friday! 
• (This comes from an autocorrect mishap last week.)

Hope the weekend is everything you want in a weekend.  Go join Aubrey for more confessions.

Spin Cycle--Furry Friends

Pets are the topic of the Spin Clcye this week--Furry or not.  I have always had animals around.  Various cats and dogs as I was growing up, and once I was out of the house, getting a cat was a natural decision.
Nick has also had animals--cats, dogs, rats--since he was little.  He tends to be more of a dog person, while I am more of a cat person, but we each appreciate both.  (Except the the "presents" they leave, neither of us like those.)
Currently we have one cat and one dog.  Guinness the dog and Piper the cat.  We also have several fish and Turbo claims four hermit crabs.  Quite the menagerie.
Guinness is a totally slightly neurotic collie mutt.  He sees us as his herd and he's never more happy than when we are all in the same place.  He's 12 now and a bit slower as he has arthritis in his back hips.  He is still game to go play, he just pays for it later.

Our other furry friend is Piper, our cat.  She is a total cat.  She wants attention when she wants it, loves to curls up on our bed (occasionally yakking on it too), likes sitting on the window sills, and like sneaking outside when she can. She's 15 now and you wouldn't know it by how she acts.  She loves to play blanket monster and will still bat balls of paper around.
She also thinks she's ten feet tall and can take on any cat in the neighborhood.  Which is fun when she fights through the window at them at 3:00am. The window above our bed.  Yeah, fun.
I love her dearly in spite of the annoying things she does, even her aimed puking abilities.

So there you have it, the furry friends we live with.  Spin up your own post on pets and let Gretchen know, she'll link you up with the Spin Cycle.

WWTK-School Edition

Wednesday means We Want To Know.  And this Wednesday, I am field tripping with Turbo, so may not get it linked up with Kensie and Scriptor.  But I'm playing along just the same.

1.) How were you as a student? I was a good student, not quite straight As, but close. I would have been identified as a bookworm nerd in school. Even then, I was good with the trivia. Came from all the reading.

2.) What was your favorite subject and did you excel in it? In high school, I enjoyed everything but math, and I still did pretty good in that too. I didn't really excel at any one thing, but was generally good at all of it.

3.) What - if any - is your fondest school years memory?  From high school, probably my junior year. I was involved in swimming, speech team (Forensics, but not the criminal kind), and the drama group.  It was a good year.

4.) Did you attend college and if so, how was that experience? I went from high school to college.  I like college far more than I did high school. I fit better there.

5.) Would you go back to school - be it in person or online - if you could? (Or to earn another degree?) I have a bachelor's in history, and a bachelor's in Geology.  That is enough school for me.  I don't think there is a Master's in my future.  I just don't want to study or research that hard.

Now you grab the questions and play along.

Link up with Kensie and Scriptor.  They would love to have you join in.

Time to Random

Having made it through Monday, it is now Tuesday.  That means it's time to random things up in here.

• Mother nature has decided that we need some summer. Temps in the 70s. No wind. It's been really nice here.  All the plants and trees are sprouting green and threatening to bloom.  And just as they do it's gonna snow again.  That's just how things go here. Maybe we can get by with just a few rain storms.
• It was nice enough here to need to get the hoses around to water stuff. Bruiser helped.

• It has been nice so far--no bugs.  That won't last much longer.  Soon we will all be sporting eu de bug spray.  It's a lovely scent.  Better than the alternative of itchy bites.  Damn Mosquitoes.
• This weekend will be pedicure time.  It's warm enough to take the toes out again.  They need their summer coat.
• Poor Turbo got a cold this last weekend.  He's feeling better, but it's tough to be sick when it's nice out.  he avoided all the colds that ran through the house in April.  His number was up.
• Turbo's birthday is coming up.  We really have no idea what to get him for his birthday.  He's still interested in Legos.  However, he's also asked for a phone (that one is an emphatic NO), thinks he might like an mp3 player (but what kind to get him), might like a scooter, would enjoy a science kit, would like video games (summer is coming, not the time to get indoor activities). He's not into sports so that lets out an entire category of options. We are thinking scooter and maybe a new bike helmet.  He says he's out grown his old one.
• Why is it there's never anything worth watching on TV when the weather stinks, but let it get nice and all of a sudden there's tons of stuff to watch?
• Nick is itching to go camping. I kind of am too.  May not happen for another couple weeks though.  A cousin sleepover this weekend, next weekend is Turbo's birthday, then maybe camping.
• I have to dig out the flip flops.

That's all the random my brain can come up with this week.  Go see Stacy for more.

And join up with Shawn and Impulsive for Talk To Us Tuesday. No rules, just fun, link up.

Low Key

That's just what this last weekend was overall. Not too exciting, mildly relaxing and low key.
Friday Nick and I ducked out of work early since we had had to work the Sunday previous.  I got the grocery shopping done and we didn't do much else.  I had crashed down some steps and I spent the evening sitting on an ice pack and watching a lovely bruiser develop on my lower left back. I was sore all weekend.
Saturday I picked up my mom and with the boys we headed to Ft. Collins and some excellent thrift store shopping. 50% off and at one $0.99 blue jeans made for a very economical outfitting of two small boys.  Although Turbo is not so small anymore. I was able to pick up several pairs of jeans for him to grow into. Mom and I had a great time.
Saturday evening Nick cooked dinner--sort of Mother's Day dinner for me.  Steaks on the grill and home fires and peas.  It was delicious.  And I didn't have to do the dishes. Turbo got a sore throat and wasn't feeling good after dinner.
Sunday Turbo woke up with a fever and sore throat still.  He was in lump on the couch mode for most of the day.  I hope he feels better soon.  He really doesn't want to miss the field trip this week for school.
Nick did take Bruiser out to garage and they made me a picture frame.  Bruiser still needs to paint it, but it is a cute frame and has his picture in it.
We had Nick's parents over for lunch Sunday too.  Nick's mom's birthday was Saturday and with mother's day, celebrating both at once was easiest.
Nick had his Archery thing Sunday evening, so I managed the kids.  Turbo was easy--he just rested on the couch.  Bruiser, well he skipped his nap and was in full on bear mode.  Cranky doesn't even begin to cover it. It was a relief to put him to bed.
While it wasn't an exciting weekend, it was nice.  How was your weekend?

Friday, Time to Confess

TGIF! And I really mean that.  Friday took forever to get here this week. I am so so so glad to see Friday. Now to get to going home time--the best part of Friday.  Before that comes though, it's time to confess:

• I ran this morning.
• It's been almost two weeks since I last ran.
• Weather and work kind of got in the way.
• But we are going to have good weather for a while so running is back on the agenda.
• I start a run of field trips with Turbo's school next Wednesday.
• They studied our state history and now they get to go see some of it.
• Turbo really wants us to go with him.
• We will take it while he still wants us around him in public.
• Our days are numbered.
• He turns ten the end of this month.
• I get to take the kids and my mom shopping tomorrow.
• Gives Nick a day to himself.
• There was just enough frost/water on the steps this morning that I slipped and fell down.
• Yep, clutzy me is roaming free.
• It's a wonderful thing when Mother's Day falls on a weekend I don't have to do laundry.

So what are you confessing today? Link up with Aubrey and confess it all!

Spin Cycle--Obsession

The Spin Cycle is about obsessions.  Not something I really have.  Well maybe.  If you count books.

I am obsessed with reading. Romances, historical fiction, adventure stories, true crime, histories, mysteries, humor and the list goes on.  I have eclectic tastes.  Really it's whatever catches my interest. As long as I can read I'm a happy camper.
Nick laughs at me sometimes about my books.  I have them in every room in the house, even the bathrooms. This fact drives Nick crazy.  He's not a reader. It makes me feel good to know I can grab something to read if I need it.

Books in the living room

My "Library"

More of the "Library"

Books in the family room.

My reading obsession is so bad that, if pressed, I will even read the phone book.  Yes, the phone book. It's not really necessary these days, what with the Kindle apps, you can have books available anywhere. At least I don't have to weigh down the suitcase and worry that I will run out of reading material before we get back.
As far as obsessions go, this one is mostly healthy.  It doesn't impact those around me, much.  I try not to get consumed in a book to the point I tune out everything around me. It does happen, but only with new books.
I keep trying to share the love of books with the guys in my family.  It hasn't really caught on with them.  Nick has read some books, but he doesn't pick it as his first activity.  Turbo doesn't like to read. He likes graphic novels, but not regular books.  We have been reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone together. He likes the story, but the reading is not his favorite activity.  Bruiser might turn out to be a reader.  He likes books and he has had fun learning letters and I think he might take to reading, but you never know.
So what's your obsession?  Spin it up and let Gretchen know, she'll link you right up.