Friday, September 23, 2011

a day in the life: {fair} 6:30pm

done.

a day in the life: {fair} 4:45pm

7 1/2 hours and still going strong.

(they just made these ropes)

a day in the life: {fair} 11:15am

free milk. apparently there are pink cows around here somewhere.

a day in the life: {fair} 10:30am

oh sister, I know how ya feel.

a day in the life: {fair} 9:42am

a day in the life: {fair} 7:06am

dead tired. went to bed at 1am, alarm quacking at me at 6am. snoozed till 6:30.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

L.A. Fair

Tomorrow we are going to the L.A. County Fair!



I never went to the L.A. Fair as a kid. My parents always said they would take us, but because it's always in September and we were in school, they would go with us while we sat and suffered in class.

But since we started homeschooling we've been able to take field trips every year, and we have such a blast. Of course it's never less than 95 degrees and we boil our booties off, but the new baby piglets and chicks make it worth it. {Every year at the end of our trip I'm so hot and exhausted and frustrated with the crowds and rude kids that I swear never again. But September rolls around again and I'm so excited.}

I was hoping Big Hunk could come along with us (and was counting on it, actually) but he can't make it. So I'm going to pray for an extra dose of patience and for a massive storm to blow over and calm down our day by 20 degrees.

If I actually remember, I'll try posting some pics during our day.

That's assuming my brain hasn't melted by noon.

Slug Bug.

Do your kids play this game? Ever since Mike (9) got back from summer camp this year, it's been nonstop in our family. {well, at that point it was "punch buggy", and it just felt unnatural to say that.} {and our game is only a contest, not a reason to hit our brother or sister and make Mommy's nerves shoot out the window.}

I never realized how competitive we are until this seemingly harmless game found it's way to our little brutal family. Or how bad my eyesight is.

What should only be a quick little "slug bug!" comment in an otherwise boring car ride, has turned into us teasing each other as we peer out the windows scouring parking lots or opposing freeway lanes. And it may or may not have ended in tears one night when a certain male member of our family (Big Hunk) yelled so loud that it scared a certain little 7-year old that was blissfully staring out her car window, reflecting on her day at Disneyland.

Hypothetically.

Our rule though is that the game restarts everyday. So if we pass those same Geek Squad cars every single day, you better be the first person to call it. Is there one broken down at the house down the street? Call it.

Ikie is easy because she wants to win, but doesn't want to take her eyes off her DS. Or she is just zoning and doesn't see it until she's the 4th person (of 4) to realize there's one right outside her window.

Big Hunk is a pain though. I swear he has the eyes of an eagle and can see them 3 miles away. He's 9 years older than me and I keep hoping his eyesight will wane, but by time it does I'll be 70.

But you be certain- when that day comes and I'm driving my little Lincoln Towncar with my hands at ten and two and my head barely over the steering wheel, and my husband is in the passenger seat dozing off with his wraparound sunglasses, I will be ready.

Friday, September 16, 2011

I've never been more thankful for shoes.

The fam & I went out to dinner tonight, and afterwards decided to get frozen yogurt.

Well.

After filling up our adorable Hello Kitty cups with yummy candy goodness (and a little yogurt too), we decided to sit outside. So. We all headed for one of the wrought-iron benches that sat next to a pretty fountain.

I spot some sort of (what I thought to be) old fruit on the bench, and reach my leg up to sweep it off with my flip-flop.

Keep in mind it was about 8pm, and dark out. Apparently a lot of things can look like mushy banana at 8 o'clock at night.

Well this mystery "fruit" just smeared. All across the bench.

I instantly think it's peanut butter, so I just laugh and sit down anyway. {I was at least a foot from the stuff, mind you}

Well my darling husband is severely grossed out and says "It looks like poop!" but I don't believe him and just follow him as we walk to a different bench.

Sure enough, he smells my shoe and it's poop. POOP!

At this point I'm laughing hysterically and my poor husband is trying to rinse my flip-flop in the fountain. I'm pretty sure people were pointing and laughing at this point. And Big Hunk couldn't stop freaking out that there would just be poop sitting (lying?) on a bench.

So I can only count my blessings that I ignored my mommy instinct and didn't brush off the "fruit" with my hand.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Testing

Downloaded the Blogger app for my iPhone (why can't I ever start sentences with "I"?? "I downloaded..." It's a sickness) and wanted to test it out real quick. Of course 2 weeks after I get my new laptop and am excited about finally blogging again, I find the Blogger app and can do it from my phone anyway. But shhh! Don't tell Big Hunk! He might steal my laptop away!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The most wonderful time of the year.

Have you ever seen that commercial with the dad dancing up and down every school supply aisle, while "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" played on the store speakers? That commercial always made me crack up. Still does, even though I am jealous of that guy because he clearly gets to send his kids off everyday, and mine are always in the next room, fighting.

Nah, it's not that bad. And I really do love homeschooling. Especially in September! Everything is fresh and exciting. January, however, would have me dancing up and down the aisles if I could take the rest of the year off.

We started school today and I wish I could bottle Ikie's excitement as she completely 3 1/2 math worksheets, constantly asking to "do more school." Any bets how long it will be before she's groaning and saying she hates school?

But both kids were eager and happy to learn today, so I will take it one day at a time. We are using Five in a Row again, after a really successful last year. On top of that, we are also doing math (of course, blech) and Apologia science again. Last year we did Apologia Astronomy (LOVED it!), so this year we are starting their zoology studies. We are in Zoology I, which is the flying creatures of the 5th day. So far I can tell we'll be studying wasps and beetles on top of the furry flying things, so that should be fun.

Tomorrow night the kids go back to Awana (except this year it's not Awana anymore, they're calling it ITZ), and I start Bible study again. I can't wait! I miss Bible study SO much during the summer and can never wait to go back. I stepped down from any kind of leadership this year (last year I was an assistant group leader) only because I have so much going on with children's ministry.

Okay I'm even boring myself here.

Really quick and I'll explain more later, but have you heard of the book The Beauty Detox Solution?


 I'm still not too far along in it but have been reading Kim's blog and Facebook updates for a few weeks, and about a week or so ago started her Glowing Green Smoothie that I've been reading about everywhere. My goodness, I have never felt better. I just feel so good. My energy is a million times better (today I didn't even need coffee *gasp!*) and my skin has completely cleared up. Yeah, we won't even go into the teenage acne that decided to camp out on my face on my 29th birthday and never leave.

Anyway.

Gotta get rest to handle the 2nd day of school excitement.

Melly out.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Hey you.

I'm back.

I created another blog several months ago to cut down some walls of anonymity (which I hate), but it has really hit me that though I can't really stand using code names for my kids and husband, if it's what I have to do to keep my kids safe, you do what you gotta do. I would so much rather annoy everyone calling my kids Mike (the boy) and Ike (the girl) and still be able to share details of my life, than share everything under the sun with no boundaries and later realize how much it hurt us. I read so many blogs of people that have no problem opening that window to their life and I guess I tried to be like them, but it's just not worth it. I don't want to live with trepidation of sharing what we did over the weekend or what we do, all just because I share our names and I'm afraid someone will put 2 & 2 together.

Don't know if it makes sense to anyone else. ;)

Anyway. I'm back. Partially because of what I've written, and also because the most awesome husband in the world (mine) bought me a laptop for my birthday yesterday (my 5th annual 29th birthday!) and I feel like blogging is an attainable goal again. It was just flipping impossible to sit at the desktop computer for any length of time without the house falling apart! Not to mention I just feel like we have too much going on. Now I can divert my eyes from the trillionth episode of Sports Center my husband has on, and bore you to death instead. It's a win-win.