...one of those weeks...

I found a pill.

A self-medicating pill.

Brilliant!

How many can I take in a day?

Child A still on crutches

Child B still sporting dry ringy patches that will stick around for 30 days

Child C still blotchy, yet no longer contagious

Dog A still making messes

Dog B joining in

Cat A moved onto mice (thank you neighbors)

Cat B has tapeworms

Mommy A has restless leg syndrome

insomnia

extreme heartburn (will baby have hair or no hair?)

anxiety

gestational diabetes

placenta previa

and, oh yeah, a very long "to-do" list

Daddy A is MIA (lucky man!)

Nanny still on vacation (hopefully, not permanently!)

Maid still inconsistent this week... what day are you coming??

Contractor still cannot remember who we are

Lawn guy still late (the rain... he's forgiven)

Dishwasher has same vile smell as washing machine (coincidence?)

Compost pile still wilting and maggoting

So far, I have taken 3 tablets to start the day!

lemons sometimes don't make lemonade

You know when you are going to have "one of those days" when ...

the day begins in the wrong direction:

* like when one child SPRAINS an ankle and the morning is spent waiting for XRAYS

* like another child is diagnosed with RINGWORM

* and yet another child is diagnosed with FIFTHs DISEASE

* so who will take care of the 5th DISEASE'd child because a Pregnant Woman should not be in their company ??

* the dog vomitted GRASS and CAKE at the back door and front door

* a cat brought in, yet, another SNAKE

* the washing machine smells vile

* the compost pile is molding

* Mommy NEEDS a NAP!!

Try on a Refreshing Drink this HOT Summer!

PUNCH FLOAT

1 scoop of Raspberry Sherbet

1 scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream

Fill with 7-UP

PS  Alcohol optional according to your individual tastebuds.

PPS  Sans alcohol for the little people!

It's Raining!

Leave those umbrellas at home.

The humidity is rising.

The temperatures are getting high.

It's raining BEACHBALLS, Hallelujah!

It's raining BEACHBALLS!

We are going to go outside and get ourselves soaking wet.

We pumped up enough beachballs to last all summer long.

Our pool resembles a Jimmy Buffett concert in Margaritaville!

The colorful beachballs are just what this neighborhood needs.

Along with Patriotic flags donning the sidewalk from Memorial Day to the 4th of July.

Happy First Day of Summer to All! 

Happy Daddy's Day!

To all the Fathers, Uncles, Grandfathers, Brothers, and Men in our lives ...

Happy Father's Day!

We give thanks to you for being the best role models.

PS  the Big Bobber Cooler can be purchased at "Bed, Bath, and Beyond".

twinkle twinkle

There are little fireflies that light up our front yard every night.

We spray ourselves with 'OFF',

The girls grab the nets,

And an empty jar with holes in the lid.

We stand watch on the front porch,

waiting to spot the first firefly near the oak trees.

Firefly Light

Firefly Bright

The first Firefly I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have the wish, I wish tonight

We catch fireflies and place them in our jar.

The release of the fireflies occurs in the backyard,

so that our yard becomes full of twinkling lights.

The release of fireflies is like watching 'fireworks'.

The fireflies fly up into the night sky,

releasing their TWINKLE.

We make our wishes!

We hope your firefly wishes come true, too!

another blog's giveaway

Check out http://allthemommies.blogspot.com/ for a giveaway from "Tiny Looks Kids Boutique".  Follow the directions at "All the Mommies" to enter for this Fabulous Giveaway!  Good Luck!!

Check out the adorable merchandise from "Tiny Looks" at http://tinylooks.blogspot.com/.

Adorable Green Paisley Dress!

Very clever and beautiful carseat cover!

wee tennis

Feeling overly confident and athletic since my LASIK surgery ...

surely, I have the BEST eye-to-hand coordination NOW.

LASIK not only fixed my eyesight, it fixed my ability to play TENNIS. 

I went to the club and signed up for TENNIS LESSONS. 

Lessons before ambitious Team.

Team of attractive, tanned, leg-toned, club women.

After registration, I quickly drove to the "athletic boutique",

which specializes in outfitting the "perfect" tennis player.

I walked out with some very cute tennis skirts.

FIRST LESSON:  I suck.

And the coach was extremely patient.

SECOND LESSON:  I still suck.

And the coach was helpful but awed.

THIRD LESSON:  I really suck.

And the coach offered to refund my "tuition" IF I never returned.

FOURTH LESSON:  I really really suck.

I picked up my refund.

And I now JUST wear the tennis outfits. 

Keep the racket in my car.

And use the tennis balls as STOP indicators in the garage.

THEN...

Wii Tennis came into my life.

I don my tennis outfits.

I attempt to play tennis with my Wii remote.

I COMPLETELY SUCK AT TENNIS.

EVEN Wii TENNIS.

I CANNOT EVEN MANAGE TO GET BEYOND - 

SERVE !

After each attempted Wii Tennis Game,

I receive the "polite, or not so polite"

YOU LOSE

desperate housewife?

IF I decided to UNPLUG all the technology in our home,

THEN I may be the perfect housewife.

For somebody.

For anybody?

Does sitting at the table

with a glass of soda

and a glass of wine

and a glass of water

and a platter of lemon bars

and a book of crosswords

and sudoku

and Soap Digest

and a smut novel

count as being

"The Perfect Housewife"?

Not desperate.

Not perfect.

Not ordinary.

Just housewife.

cats for sale

actually, you would return them because they are on the high maintenance end of felineness.  and I would not put any unsuspecting victim through the rigamarole that we endure on a daily basis --

so,

cats for rental ...

guaranteed to catch any critter that needs capturing in your home or yard

guaranteed to eat uninvited insects

guaranteed to be low maintenance for a short amount of time

guaranteed to perform properly and adequately

guaranteed to return to our home

ps... don't let their adoring furry feline faces deceive you

pps... the tennis ball is for me.  and parking.  and a guarantee that I stop. 

torrential downpour

there is nothing like a good rain at the end of the day.  especially when you want the sky to turn a little darker for the benefit of sleep time.  as every mommy and daddy knows, putting the children to bed "on time" in the summer is rather difficult -- nearly impossible.  how can they go to bed when there is still two more hours of day light? 

6.2.8

A photo recap of my baby's 2nd birthday party.  I love decorating and celebrating for birthdays and holidays.  I am passing on that love to my girls.  Because darling daughter #1 took it upon herself to design, create and decorate for her little sister.  Now that is "Sister Love" !  At least for the first 12 hours of the day, because by 8:00 pm they were very "tired" ... probably, of each other. 

"2"

My baby turns two today.  I do not know where the last 729 days have disappeared.  AND ... this is big ... she is potty trained.  Yes, she has been potty trained since she was 21 months old.  I did not have to do anything to accomplish this great FEAT.  She did it on her own.  No pullups.  No little potties to clean out.  No bribing.  No begging.  Nothing.  I am so proud of her.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Petra!!

Minnie Mouse Birthday Party photos to follow...

Until then... here are some photos of the butterflies that the girls hatched from caterpillars: