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?

I Confess

Well hallelujah, it's Friday! This has been the longest week. But now it's Friday and going home time is coming soon.  On to the confessions:

• The beyotchie Mosquitoes are here.  
• Time to start sporting the lovely Eu de Bug Spray scent whenever we set foot out the door.
• I neglected to don mine the other evening when going out for a moment and now have a bright red itchy bump on my leg.
• Damn mosquitoes.
• Laundry weekend.
• Stupid laundry elves have no sense of direction.
• And they took the dish fairies with them.
• After this week, it's definitely a rum and coke sort of weekend.
• Tasty TABS coming up!
• Shh, don't tell anyone, but this morning's run almost felt good.
• Looking forward to playing with the smoker this weekend.
• Smoking Chickens and having friends over.
• Nick still hasn't decided exactly what he wants to do for Father's Day.
• We will come up with something.
• He had a good week teaching.
• But he did Jones himself.
• He sprained a finger yesterday on the field trip.
• Going home time can't come soon enough.
• I'm so ready for the weekend, even if I have to battle the laundry.

Join in the confessing fun with Aubrey at High-Heeled Love.

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.

WWTK--Summer Foods and Fun

Time to give We Want To Know another run:

1. Would you consider yourself a healthy eater? Mostly.  I try not to over do it on the snack food and we don't eat out all that often. We have been staying away from the processed foods due my need for reduced salt intake. Homemade makes for better food choices.
2. What is your favorite 'summer' food? Steaks on the grill, but if we can get better at the smoker, bbq'd anything might take top place.  Of course ice cream, watermelon, and cherries all hit my summer foods list.
3. Do you have any hidden talents? I can pick things up with my toes.  I have really dexterous toes--but then so does Turbo.
4. What would be your dream job? Working in a library or bookstore.  Although I'm not sure how much work would get done.  I'd be terribly tempted to read all the time.
5. What is your favorite summer activity? Camping. If we had a beach close by I'd say going to the beach, but since we don't, heading to the mountains and camping and going four wheeling.  Or having barbeques with friends.

Now you grab the questions and play along.

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

Tuesday and Random

Tuesday.  I like it better than Monday.  I got to sleep just a bit more this morning. Didn't have to run. And now it's time to get all random.

• I have a mystery bruise on the palm of my hand.  I truly can not remember hitting my hand that hard, I didn't fall, not sure where it came from.  But it's there.  It's tender to the touch too.
• I have gotten an exercise pal.  I run Monday Wednesday Friday and my friend can now join me since schools out--no kids to get up and moving.  She can't run due to knee issues, so I run first then walk with her.  More exercise for me. And it's harder to skip now.
• Camping was fun.  I'm looking forward to the next trip.  Definitely Fourth of July.  Maybe sooner, depending on the schedule.
• Nick's teaching started yesterday. He likes the students and feels better about the class now that he has that first day over with.
• We hit a record high here yesterday.  90 degrees. Hey, for a place that doesn't see those kinds of temps until July and then only occasionally, that's hot.
• I really need a vacation--but one where I come home nice and relaxed and refreshed.  Maybe I just need to run away. Too bad schedules don't permit this right now. Being a grown up stinks sometimes.
• Love this boy.  S'mores make any camping trip better.  Although, I love toasted marshmallows best.

•  Still thinking about getting a tattoo for my birthday.  Leaning toward getting the zodiac symbol for each boy.  Gemini and Aquarius.

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.

Start of the Camping Season

We went camping this weekend. We so needed it. We came back tired, but relaxed.  Wnat to see what we did?

Claiming our spot.

The view from our spot.

Turbo loves to poke at the fire.

Got a glow stick!

All set up.

Collecting wood.

Hanging by the campfire.

S'mores

Roasting marshmallows.

S'more stickiness.

Morning hike.

The gang

Rock crawling.

The kiddos.

We went with our friends who are also family. Lucky when that works out.  We will have a couple more trips with them this summer.  We truly had a great time and I'm so glad we went.
How was your weekend?  Do anything fun?

Spin Cycle--You're Graduating

The Spin Cycle this week is commencement speeches.  This one is a bit hard for me.  I don't give speeches.  I avoid public speaking at all costs.  So coming up with a speech I'd give to a bunch of graduates is not so easy.  So let's see if I can spin this.
10 things I wish I had been told when I graduated:

1. Landry costs money.  Begging for rolls of quarters from your folks will be standard. You also have to do laundry.  Mom didn't come with you (at least she shouldn't have). Have a good laundry bag or basket.  You will be hauling laundry home at every opportunity.
2. Pizza is fine, so are burgers, but try to have veggies once in a while.  Home cooked food will be golden after cafeteria food.
3. Studying is necessary.  No more skating by without cracking the book. Talk up in class, answer questions, participate in discussions.  It's a fantastic boost to the grade, which the professor can administer at his will.
4. Go to class.  Yes, college is easier to skip.  But you are paying for it, so go.  Just be smart in the time of the classes you choose.  No one says you have to have 8 am classes.
5. For college graduation: you will miss being in class after about three months.  Work is fine, but rarely has homework.  Get a hobby.  Fit puzzles, read books, hang out with friends, otherwise those empty evenings will start to make more school seem appealing.
6. Enjoy life--not just school.  Join in activities, make friends, do sports clubs.  Keep the class load manageable, so you can have a life.
7. Have a job, even if it's just working some where on campus (actually these are the best jobs--vacations off, no trouble). Money is nice and you really can't ask for continual handouts from the folks (with the exception of the quarters.  Those are necessary, see number 1.)
8. It's OK to miss your family, pets, and home. 
9. It's OK to not declare a major right away.  Try a few different classes (maybe not underwater basket weaving) and see if something new appeals to you.  Take classes in what you think you want to do.  You may find you hate it.  Being undeclared is a good place to be so you get basic out of the way and maybe, don't waste time in something you find you can't stand.
10. Most of all, make the most of your time. Have balance, appreciate the opportunity you have. Life is a roller coaster and the ride only gets crazier and faster from here on out.

Yeah, a speech like that I might have listened to.  As it is I have no recollection of any of the three commencement speeches I have sat through that were directed at me.

For other spins on graduation speeches, go see Gretchen.

WWTK-Procrastination?

Time for We Want to Know Wednesday!  Half way through the week and Oh so ready for teh rest to fly by.  So let's answer some questions:

1.) What motivates you? Deadlines.  Really, I procrastinate something fierce. It's a talent, but I always get what needs to be done, done. I have gotten better about housework.  Keeping up with it is easier than playing catch up.
2.) Would you consider yourself highly productive or somewhat lazy? I tend more toward the lazy side of things.  Books and games call my name far too often. When stuff needs doing though, I do it and get it over with--chore wise anyway.
3.) What is your last "big" accomplishment? Um, surviving hte presentation at the workshop my work put on. I got good feed back on it and that was nice considering how much of a wreck I was before hand.
4.) What would you like to accomplish but haven't? I have a whole bucket list of things I'd like to do, travel, hot air balloon ride, oh, so many things.  We are in progress on raising our boys to be decent men one day. That is an accomplishment the we are working hard on.
5.) What would make it possible to accomplish one of your all-time goals? Time and money.  No really, if we can raise two decent, contributing people then we will have done fine.  the fun stuff, travel and such, would be easier with more money and time is something no one has enough of.

Now you grab the questions and play along.

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

Random Tuesday

Tuesday, I love you for so many reasons--you are not Monday, I can get all random, I didn't have to run this morning. Mostly the last reason.  And now on to the random:

• Turbo has exactly two and a half days left of school this morning.  That's counting today.  Yesterday he has a picnic in the park.  Today he has a half day field trip to the mountains.  Tomorrow is field day and Thursday is a half day. Why did he go to school this week?  I'm not sure, but he's having fun.
• Rockets are big in our future--good thing the smell of sulfur doesn't bother me too much.  Turbo had a blast (literally) launching the model rocket he got for his birthday.  Videos of the countdown and launch are here.
• Plans are up in the air for this weekend.  We'd like to go camping, but other obligations might keep us home.  We have a couple of BBQ to go to and the timing might not work to camp.  I'd love to go, but...
• Nick discovered Duck Dynasty last week.  He got totally sucked in.  
• We got a new rug for our front room/dining room.  The old one was fraying at the edges and by fraying I mean strings of carpet coming loose all the freaking time. tying up the vacuum and stuff fraying.  The new one is nicer to walk on and fits nicely and will be great until we redo the floor in there.
• I need to schlep the comforters from the camper to the laundromat.  King size comforters don't really fit in the machine at home.  Well, they fit (with encouragement), but don't come clean. Not a huge fan of laundromats.
• Nick starts teaching next week. A course about geology to some teachers who are working on extended education. He's nervous and excited.  The pendulum swings between the two.  He'll do great, but this is his first time coming up with the curriculum all by himself.  Last time he filled in for a professor and just had to teach what he was told to teach. I have faith that he will do awesome.

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.

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.