Well, duh, Pa.

I didn't even see this coming. It must have creeped in so gradually that I didn't notice the subtle changes. Perhaps I should have noticed that constantly looking for my keys and losing the appropriate words in any given conversation was a symptom rather than a momentary lapse.

At this point you may wonder, "Well, she's gone and lost it, whatever is she talking about?" I think it has happened to most parents of children of a certain age. I'm stupid. I am not even "becoming" stupid, I already am. You know, where suddenly you don't have a clue about anything?

I thought this was farther in my future. I had imagined that eventually I wouldn't be able to contain the saliva in my mouth and I'd need to start wearing a bib all of the time. I wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time, and should I try, I would fall down.

I really thought I was getting "wiser" in my old age. I thought I was keeping one finger on the pulse of the young, incorporating what was cool, you know, I was "jiggy with it", wearing my "hater blockers" and chilling.

I have often wished that I knew what I am doing as a parent. It would appear that anything I have done thus far has been rendered useless and unnecessary. I love my kids to a fault. Perhaps that is the trap that got me here. I've tried to share my mistakes with them so that they might see for themselves how not to make the same ones. Free agency, shmee agency.

"Leave me alone" they say, or "Mom, you just don't know". The Army has the saying, "It's the toughest job you'll ever love". The Army has never been a mother, they don't know what a tough job is, and I'm fairly sure that the Army doesn't love you.

I'm gonna go find Pa, I think he may have forgotten how to breathe.

Special day, special memories.......

We love you and miss you every single day. Our heart is especially full today.
Loving you always, happy birthday sweet girl.

BUSTED!

Do you ever think it is ever okay to have a separate life from your husband that he just doesn't have a clue about? Before you judge me, let me explain further....

Remember how this last week my husband, Lee and youngest son, Mark went to Camp Geronimo and left me here to care for the beagles by myself? Do you recall that I mentioned that my older children were here but it didn't seem like it? Okay. The third Wednesday of the month is our crazy, lettin' loose, screaming good time that 12 certain gals like to call "Bunco". We really do have a great time.

Well, Lucretia had her turn hosting and we were finished playing by 8:30 and kinda didn't want the evening to end. So, she invited us to go get our suits and come back and swim in her wonderful salt-water pool. It took a fair amount of convincing to get me to come. Here's why: I am not a great swimmer at all, I have an extremely fair complexion, and I am not fond of displaying my bod in a swimsuit. Anyway, it was evening, so no chance of getting a sunburn. There would only be women present, so if they were willing to put their suits on, so could I. And, I just love spending time with these ladies and it sure beat going home and being by myself...again.

Now, my husband is always trying to get me to go swimming. He has no qualms or body consciousness issues and I have the above listed issues. This, and I never get a chance to try and swim since he thinks it is an invitation to kiss me.

I had counted on my dear friends to keep the fact that I had gone swimming from my husband since I also knew that he wasn't even aware that I "owned" a swimming suit. I did my job of keeping my mouth shut.

Enter Valynn.

I'm at church yesterday cruising along, doing my Primary secretary duties, when who should come in to the Primary room and ask, "You went swimming?" Yes, for a brief moment my world came crashing down around me! Could I lie? No. So much for secrets from the husband, and here is the evidence.....



Sorry, I lifted this from your blog Michelle. And to further stick my nose in it, my husband has plastered this image on our computer as the wallpaper! Don't worry Valynn, I still love you:)

Put your face in the hole, please.....

It came, it came! If you were to peruse the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy and were looking for a licensed therapist, you would find the name of one BRITTANY JOHNSON!


That's right. She can finally pass out her business cards that she had printed up. Onward and upward, she can officially apply for a position.



Doesn't this look like heaven? It is. Anyway, Brittany is set up to come to anyone's home as she has her own massage table and massage chair. I'm so excited for her, can you tell?

Not all it's cracked up to be....

Lee and Mark are up at Camp Geronimo this week, and the older kids barely live here. I was looking forward to having the king-sized bed all to myself, to stretch out and get some good solid sack time.



Well, I haven't slept very much at all in the last 3 nights and I've got 4 more to go. I've gotten up just to clean the bathroom because at least I would be productive! I've decided that about the only good thing about everyone being gone (except for the beagles, of course) is that when I clean up a room, it actually stays that way. Now clean is nice and all, but it sure is lonely.

Having a little fun

What a great day to blog! It's so humid outside that all you can do is barely breath. I've been having a little fun "reconstructing" and whiling away the time until "Breaking Dawn" gets here. I wish I was somewhere else........


the beach perhaps.


Or there is always.........


Might just have to settle for a "Razzmatazz" at........



What do you do to stay cool?

It's July 6th already?

How about that? Six days into the month and I haven't posted anything yet. I was blogstalking my list and saw that Lanae had a little feature on her blog that showed when the last time the people she blogstalked last posted. Suddenly, I felt this intense pressure! And not just the pressure in my head from my allergies. Remember, we have two dogs in the house now? My eyes feel like there is gravel in them, my ears itch so much I wish I could stick my fingers in farther to scratch my brain. I'm writing this because if I were speaking to you in person, I'd only get a couple of words in at a time between sneezes. And then there is the watery eyes and drippy nose, so attractive!

So, Valynn, I am on board with anything "Twilight". You just tell me when and where. Andrew is in California for a week's vacation with his girlfriend's family to the place I have never been.....Disneyland. He's been my world traveler, experiencing all that I have not and certainly wish to. Brittany is now Assistant Manager at Domino's Pizza, making the sweet moula. However, I can't wait, and neither can she, to get her license so that she can get a great job massaging people. Come on Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy! Can you put a rush on this one?

Lee and Mark will be off to Camp Geronimo next Saturday for a week. This is Mark's first time to Scout Camp! Me? No rest for the weary. I never get a vacation and I truly need one. Oh well, I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead:)