What Holiday Weekend?

Yeah, about the weekend.  We really didn't do much that was exciting. Nothing really holiday weekend worthy anyway. But today is Tuesday adn that means random, so here we go:

• I started Jillian Michaels 30 day shred yesterday.  Today I am sore, but will do the routine again after work.  I hate jumping jacks.  Or, rather, my bladder hates jumping jacks.
• Nick went up hunting yesterday.  Archery season started yesterday.  He will be back up Wednesday night to hit the trails for the wily Elk or Deer.  I really hope he gets one or , even better, both.  Our freezer needs the meat.
• This:

• I accomplished laundry this weekend.  All of it, event eh sheets which I have a tendency to let sit until I need to change the sheets. Right now nothing is in my dryer.  It's amazing.
• I also cleaned the bathrooms.  Not top to bottom, but the tubs and sinks.  The toilets get cleaned next weekend. Cleaning for me goes in spurts like that.  I also have a tendency to clean when Nick is not home. He gets to come home to a clena nice smelling place that way.
• Monster Trucks are coming to our town.  I think I should take the boys.  Nick will be hunting but I think I can manage the boys at an event like that.  I hope anyway.
• We have lost Bruiser's glasses.  Or Bruiser lost his glasses.  Whatever, the glasses are no where to be found.  A trip to the eye doctor is in our future.

And on that high note, after a night of reduced sleep, thank you insomnia,  I will leave you witht eh encouragement to go join Stacy for random Tuesday!

Oh! Random!

So we got through Monday (not that it was that bad) and are now safely into Tuesday.

Tuesday means random, so here we go:

• Sleep has once again become elusive.  I don't have ADHD, but is there such a thing as sleep ADHD?

• So sad to hear about Robin Williams dying.  He was such a fantastic comedian and actor. I remember introducing several friends to his stand-up comedy.  They knew him only from his family movies and were shocked at the language he used in his routines.  They could hardly believe it was Robin Williams. He will be missed.
• School shopping this weekend.  I can only hope I find some great deals for my kiddos.  Thrift store shopping expert here. I think I have a pretty good list of the things I need to look for. After the thrift stores Target should be able to fill in the rest. The boys have two weeks til school starts. We all need to stop blinking!

Well that about covers my random--Be sure to link up your random with Stacy! She who is now Random Queen, or our fearless leader of the random!

Prepping for Fun

This last weekend was all about getting ready to head out for a long Fourth of July Weekend. It was a good weekend, but sort of over shadowed by the fact that we all can't wait to get to the mountains on Wednesday.
Saturday started out with a trek out to the local garage and yard sales.  I went with a friend and while it wasn't a particluarly good day, I found a few things that were worth the trip.
While I was out, Nick's cousin stopped by for a visit, bringing donuts and two week old kittens that the boys got to help her feed.

Saturday afternoon Turbo had a birthday party to attend and we got the camper opened up so we could clean it up a bit and then pack it up for it's trip up to mountains.
Saturday night we had a thunderstorm come through, Nick stayed up way too late watching the lightening.  Storms fascinate him.
Sunday, I got the grocery shopping done and then we packed up and headed up to put the camper in the spot we want to camp in.  We are going back up on Wednesday, but if we wait until then to go up, all the good spots will be taken.

Our lovely spot.

A very dirty boy.

We are right next to the river and will be taking advantage of that to cool off, play and clean up, as the camp spot has fine black dirt very available to little kids. It also holds irresistible allure to kids.
Coming back from the mountain we hit rain and some light hail, but once we got home we found we had missed a major thunderstorm that came complete with a half inch of rain and a bunch of hail.

Snow? Nope, hail.

I conquered the laundry and over all had a busy, but good weekend.  Too bad Monday had to roll around.

Of Birthdays and Weekends

So this last weekend was very much a weekend, with the added fun of having Nick's Birthday Friday and celebrating it with his family on Saturday.
Friday Nick and I had a field trip for work and then team building which consisted of drinks then dinner that work paid for.  Not a bad way to spend the day.
Saturday, Nick was up early and cooking breakfast on the griddle we got him to go with his two burner stove.  It will be fantastic for camping.  Isn't too bad for making breakfast in the back yard either.

Nick's folks came over Saturday afternoon and we had fried chicken, corn on the cob, and there was chocolate pie for the birthday boy.

They got Nick a wench for the four wheeler.  We spent the rest of Saturday installing it.  The directions that came with it were awful. Thank goodness for Google. I was able to find a decent set of directions that saved us untold headaches. 
It is on and working.  Nick really want to go play in the mountains now.
Sunday brought smoking meat and several squirt gun battles. Summer is definitely here.

It was very hard to face Monday morning.  After a weekend like this one, Mondays should be outlawed.
How was your weekend?  Great, or are you happy to see Monday?

Some Mondays

So after a pretty decent weekend overall, Monday reared it's ugly head.
First the weekend.  Friday night a friend of Nick's came over and we ended up enjoying the deck and have a few too many TABs.  We did settle on what we are doing for my birthday this summer.  Nick's friend S floats rivers--he has a cataraft and goes and does multiple day floats. He invited us to go float Dinosaur National Monument on the Green River over my birthday. I think it's a great way to spend my 40th birthday.
We stayed up far too late (2:00 am!!!) and I was up way too early on Saturday, but kids will do that to you. I got laundry sorted and the grocery run taken care of before Nick got up.  Once he was moving again, we got the smoker set up and lit and got the chickens rubbed and ready.  They turned out fantastic.

Yummy goodness.

We had friends over for dinner and it was a good time. However, Tabs did not flow as freely for Nick and I and we were early to bed too.
Sunday Nick took the boys for a four wheeler ride around town and then we hung out at home doing what ever Nick wanted to do. Much lounging ensued.  We did have Nick's folks over to grill steaks and corn. Next time I have to get more corn.  Both boys ate an entire ear each.

I conquered the laundry and got vacuuming done.  Successful weekend all around.  It would ahve been even better if Monday had not followed.
It's been a typical, manic sort of Monday what with getting kids ready, myself ready, trying to stay awake after an abysmal night's sleep, and trying not to get snappy (not much success there), dealing with Bruiser tears at daycare drop off, coordinating transport for Nick and I, making sure Nick get doctor appointments made.  Umm, can I resign from Monday?

Spin Cycle--Just Relax

Relaxing is the topic of the Spin Cycle this week.  Relaxing has been on our mind recently.  The ride we are on seems to be quite frenetic at the moment. Has been since January. I really just want off the ride.  Or at least for it to slow down some.
So how do we relax?  Let me show you:

Enjoy views like this.

Throwing rocks in a lake is good.

Four wheeling takes a lot of stress off.

Again the views.

Splashing at the lake is a perfect relaxer.

Taking road trips with these guys--fun and mostly relaxing.

Any chance to stick our toes in the sand is good.

Family road trip!

The view (and the kid is pretty cute too)

Launching a rocket works.

Camping of course.

Can't forget the toasted marshmallows.

There will be more short trips this summer.  No really big trip, but that's OK, several small trips can be just as relaxing.  It's not a beach with sand, sun and surf along with cute cabana boys bringing me drinks while I read trashy novels.  That of course would be ideal. Maybe one day when small boys are more grown up.
Go see Gretchen for more Relaxing Spins.

Rockets, Details and a Weekend

So I have come to the conclusion that weekends need to be longer.  This last one was full, felt like a weekend, it just could have used another day.
Friday evening we relaxed and introduced the boys to the classic A-Team TV show.  Turbo is hooked, he loves it. Bruiser is less into it, but he's little still. there will be more A-Team in our house.
Saturday started out slow.  Wonder of wonders, I slept in.  All the way to 8:00 am.  Yes, that is sleeping in around here. After getting trapped in a check out line at Walmart, then getting the rest of the groceries taken care of, I got laundry going and then detailed the car.  It's something I like to do in the spring/early summer.  Cleans the vehicles up and gets them ready for the summer road trips. I attack with Armour-All and Windex and the vacuum. Clean, nice smelling, shiny vehicles after a bit of elbow grease.
Saturday, Nick helped Turbo put together the model rocket we got Turbo for his birthday.  Saturday evening we had to go launch it.  After a bit of trouble getting the launch button to work, off it went and Turbo fell in love with model rocketry. There was  minor casualty--a fin fell off on landing but some glue and an overnight dry time it was ready to launch again. Turbo launched it twice on Sunday morning. The same fin fell off again the second landing, so better glue may be needed.

The two videos are of the countdown and one of the launches. Pretty cool all around.
I finished the truck detail on Sunday as well as the laundry.  We smoked some fish, watched the neighbors have a yard sale, and basically hung out.  Sunday was relaxing.
Overall, it was a nice weekend, I just could have used more of it. Especially before Monday rolled around.

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.

Turbo--At Nine

Turbo turned nine on the last day of school here--just as Memorial Day weekend was starting.
Nine.  His last year as a single digit.  After this he's headed inevitably toward being a teenager.  An adolescent.  No longer my little boy.
Right now he's all knees and elbows.  One poor knee seems to have a target on it as that is the one that he is forever scraping and banging.
He swings from being sweet and helpful to moody and distinctly not helpful in the space of minutes.  He finds his little brother a nuisance and fun to be with by turns.
He's baffling to me, this half grown boy.  One second he's ready to be independent and the next he is willing to snuggle up with me.  We keep getting glimpses of the teen to come.  It scares me a bit.  OK, a lot.
He's my oldest, my first, the one I got to make mistakes with first.  He has taught me so much and shown me that there is so much more to learn.

I love you Turbo.  Have a great year and enjoy being a boy for as long as you can.