Girls Night

The girls and I headed back to GI town last weekend to spend the evening with my mom and grandma. Four generations of women enjoying the evening together...just because.

My grandma is crazy! Not mentally crazy...but the kind of 'cool' crazy I want to be when I'm great-grandma! She goes on outrageous shopping trips with friends, drives a Lexus convertible and looks amazing! She's been through alot too- five husbands and counting (just kidding! Actually her and her husband are celebrating their 14 wedding anniversary today! I think that's a record for her- seriously! Congrats you crazy kids!) AND she's beaten colon cancer which reared its ugly head a few years ago.

This is my gma 'striking a pose' when I asked for a photo.

Going home usually means my mom will have a list of stuff she needs help with. And I help as much as I can because...well, because she's my mom and I love her.

So we tackled a few items; hanging a new shower curtain rod (which required the use of power tools- so of course!), staining the deck, and weed/volunteer tree patrol.

Kynna and Pucca trimming trees and pulling weeds

mom and Kwynnie staining the deck

Kwynnie forcing a 'pre-teen full of attitude' smile...lovely isn't it!?

It was a fun evening - one that when done again will encompass the whole weekend instead of just one night. There just wasn't enough time!

The LOVE of a mother

The twins needed some pond water for science class. Most kids were going to a pond near their house or Holmes Lake to gather a sample...the twins wanted Davey pond water.

I had to run out there today so I said "Sure- I'll grab you some DAVEY pond water!" because that's what a good mom would say!

So armed with my gallon milk jug, I trekked out to the 1st pond aka frog pond (depending on who you ask). The pond is very bowl-like with steeply slanted banks and with all the rain- its quite full! You have to hop a barbed wire fence (actually climb a rickety old 'A' frame ladder dealy bopper thing that goes over the fence) to get there. I stood there and took in the whole situation and decided there were just too many variables and outcomes...outcomes resulting with me rolling down the banks and ending up in the pond... SO off to the cow pond aka turtle pond (again depending on who you ask).

This pond has a zero depth entry and looked much more manageable!

As I start towards the edge of the water - frogs the size of squirrels start jumping every which way! One jumped into my leg- and had my feet not been sunk in mud- I would have ran away, screaming like a little girl!

My plan for the zero-depth pond was not well thought! Because how do you fill a gallon milk jug in zero-depth water? Well, by now I'm muddy up to my ankles- so I figure what the heck...and I walk out into the pond. I'm now up to my shins in gross, disgusting, funky smelling pond water - and why? Because I love my kids.

As I'm hunched over filling my jug...I notice I'm sinking. Huh!? I try moving my feet...no luck! Well, crap! What now!?

I stand there holding my now full jug and wonder what to do. I'm thinking and I'm sinking.

Soon enough I realize- I'm already a muddy mess and it can't get much worse! I put the cap back on the jug and throw it onto the bank. I grab my left kneepit and pull up with all my might. I might have tried a wee bit too hard, because I lost my shoe. I looked like a not-so-pink flamingo stuck in a muddy yucky pond. lovely.

At this point I'm telling myself- its for the girls and I love them. Its for the girls and I love them. I throw my shoe on the bank, because I know if I try to put it back on- I'm going to end up on my butt.

Slop. Slop. Slop. I manage to get back to the shore. I empty out my shoe and put it back on my foot. Grab my jug of gunk and head back to the car.

Sure hope they appreciate this jug of DAVEY pond water!

Speaking in CODE

It can be as simple as spelling out the word rather than saying it. We've all done it. Trying to convey something to someone without everyone else know what that something is.

For example:

When John asks "Do you want to go on a walk?" - what he's really asking is "Do you want to go Home Depot or Lowes and walk around and figure out which projects we're going to tackle?"

Now I admit- those stores are huge and walking around them for an hour can be quite the workout (especially if little ones are in tow). I haven't quite figured out why we use that code...is it because he wants to disinterest the kids from going or is it because phrasing household projects 'as good for your health' may interest me more? hmmmmmm Either way - it works!

A friend of the girls came to stay the night- her mom dropped her off and said her boyfriend was in town and they were going jogging, and if we needed anything we could reach her on her cell.

Now I don't know about you- but if my long distance boyfriend was visiting, I don't think we would be jogging! I'm just saying! We'd go to dinner, a movie, shopping, mini golf (keeping it G rated folks! This is family blog) Seriously hoping D was using jogging as a code word for something else!!!

I have a friend who will call me up and 'ask me to breakfast'...which is code for 'I need to talk to someone'.

Or with another friend...its 'needing pie' which is code for 'something crappy just happened' ...the kind of crappy that can only be fixed with pie or chocolate or chocolate pie.

There are more but I don't want to give away their meanings. They are private...like secrets. So much fun- I love the look on the other person's face when you use the code word...its like being a kid again.

As I get older I'm finding more and more joy in the little things and this is just one of many.

Fun in the sun

The girls went swimming with their 'cousins' (not sure what level of cousins were talking about here...2nd or 3rd - removed, not removed...who knows! family is family) on Saturday...FUN FUN!

Here the girls are pointing out all the rules that were broken while we were there...oops!

Pucca and her cousin

Its so cute how they would hold hands and jump!

Pucca, L and A

The twinnies

It was a fun afternoon! Thanks cousin K, aunt S and girls!

First Day 2010

Its finally here! The girls went off to school this morning....YEE frickin HAW! We were all excited! Especially since I found out that there is a bus pickup right by our house! (Pucca is being bussed to an off-site this year because her school is under construction)

Pucca had her '1st day outfit' picked out weeks ago. The twins didn't decide until this morning. Everything went well this morning- pretty smooth! Its crazy how easy it is to slide back into a routine!

And for the grandparents:

Twins

(kwynnie tied her strings before getting to school)

Pucca

(don't you just love her little bow! Too cute!)

Getting on the bus...first stop on the route and only one at this stop

Twins getting out at school...they wouldn't let me get out and take a pic- so I quickly took this one. Kwynn was mortified when the flash went off! It was kind of funny!

Kynna and Kwynn have most of their classes together- which is a change. We'll see how it goes...they're acting like they don't know eachother- wonder how long that will last!?

Pucca likes her teacher and is excited to be back with friends. She gets to ride the bus home with her cousins- which is always fun!

Here's to a SUPER FUN 2010 school year!!!!

Saying goodbye

Pucca's bestest friend 'in the whole wide world' is moving...to Spain! Actually back to Spain- her family was here in the states for four years while her dad did some post grad work for the university.

Poor thing- she's going to miss her...but they are going to be pen pals- with all the benefits of the technology! Google Talk, email, snail mail etc...

(Yes- there really is that much difference in their sizes!)

With all the moping she's been doing- its a good thing school's starting soon! Only four more days...incase you were counting! ;)

Silly John

So what happens when John goes out to water the front yard on a Saturday night?

This:

And this:

oh and this:

And all of this:

oh- there's more!

And to top it off...Ems 'somehow' managed to sneak in the house, upstairs to the girls' room. Her muddy little paws and puddles leading the way! Fun times!

Something WAY cool!

If you live in the area and want to see something so fantastically awesome...stop by Gallery 9 on 9th street and see my brother-in-law's painting robot!

Not like C-3PO or anything...but a computer programmed machine that will paint any image you scan or upload onto it. The possibilities with this thing are endless! We are so proud of Luke and Doug- all the hard work they've put into it...its very COOL!

I seriously encourage you stop by- here's all the info:

Count down

So not that I'm counting...but there's only 11 days left of summer vacation! YAY!!!! Our family is in desperate need of routines and schedules! Talk about 'drama' the past few days! And don't even get me started on the bickering...holy smokes!

I'll be getting back into the swing of things as well...resuming my 'schools in session' motherly duties...

I'm a parent volunteer at the twins' middle school (helping with teacher appreciation projects through out the year- including the cookie drive at Christmas that involves baking 9 or more dozen baked goodies), student council advisor and day time helper (which basically means they can call me to help out with projects during the school day since I'm available...usually things like popcorn Wednesdays, book drives, special projects etc)

For Pucca's school- I'm the secretary for the PTA , co-chair for the two book fairs, and co-chair of the Spirit committee (which is in charge of the year book, monthly newsletters, classroom parties, t-shirt design competition and much much more!)

Summer vacation was wonderful...but there's definitely something to be said for routines. Our family seems to function and mesh so much better when chaos ensues...sounds crazy, but its true! Being busy and involved makes us value our 'family' time so much more...family game nights, Sunday afternoon movies while vegging out in the family room, working on projects around the house, weekends spent at Davey, watching Husker football...

There's also something wonderfully fulfilling about seeing your family work together to make things run smoothly...everyone pulling their own weight and helping where help is needed. And knowing that despite the craziness of the school day or evening meetings and practices...we'll all be together for dinner at the kitchen table.