While I'm at it - pictures!

A little glimpse of our summer....

Sunset on Donner Lake, July 4, 2010

How we watch fireworks every year - over Donner Lake

6th Birthday Family Party July, 2010

Her present from her brother.  SO excited!

She wanted the same cake as last year.  I think it turned out great!  (Yes, I made it)

Danish roll lesson with my Grandma

DS took a nice picture of us!

The true test... Dad said they were perfect! He hasn't had them in years and my mom could never get them right.  DD sure loved them too!

The Cast

DD doing her solo part during "So Long, Farewell" ("I leave and heave a sigh and say Goodbye. GOOOOODDDDDD BYYYYYYEEEEEEEEE")  Aug 1, 2010

Swimming with her BFF.  My dad put the big fountain in for the girls and they had a blast!

Mommy Brain

I completely forgot that I wanted to share some funny little things about DD. Now the Parenting Karma may strike me down for daring to write about it but DD has been gooood lately. She's been funny and happy and she's totally into Daddy!
When she was about 5-18 months old, it was all about Daddy. I would say, "DD say 'Mama"." and she would look at me, look at FG, give me a big grin and say "Dada!" stinker. Then something happened and it was all about Mom. I was the only one who could do anything right for her. I was the only one who could properly read a story, tuck her into bed, pour her cereal/milk/goldfish, I was the only one who could comfort an owie, the only one who could get up at night to fix whateverthefuckwaswrongat3am.
But lately she's been funny as heck. She has us rolling with her comments. DS has always been that way (I've got a doozy for ya from him I'll share in a minute). Last night at dinner, FG was messing with her. She said she wanted an Ice Age Pop for dessert and FG kept messing with the words. "You want a Sage Pop?" "Well that's not very proper grammar, I sage pop?" of course, he knew what she meant but was teasing in that Daddy way. She claps her hand on her forehead and says,"HOW many times do we have to go over this?" like a 60 year old woman. Killed me right there. At some point during dinner she told FG he was "the coolest". Then she got all excited when I proclaimed that I would help her bathe but Daddy was reading stories. "Yay! Dad! YOU GET TO READ TONIGHT!!" um, who are you because a few short months ago it was "I'll go to bed with no stories if Dad is the one who's reading, thanks." She asks about him all day now, talks about stuff with him, says she wants to do things with him. I just say Hallelujah!

Now DS's totally hilarious statement. Oh I still laugh my ass of when I think of him saying it. Last weekend at DD's birthday party I mentioned that SMA was coming to the party. DS heard me say it and said "He's coming? Are you sure that's a good idea? He can scare small children and the elderly." Ohmyheck. The way he said it was so serious. So of course SMA walks in wearing a basketball jersey and shorts with his ridiculous long hair flowing and his girly big sunglasses and tattoos in full view. I just start busting up. My MIL and Mom both tell him that he had better be nice because they are "the elderly". He was totally confused. He, of course, is a big softy and would never intentionally scare a child (or the elderly) and he loves my kids dearly. I guess DS understands the whole book & cover thing.

Progress

I'm starting to feel a bit better. I'm working hard at the things that have been getting me down.

I've apologized to my friends and told them that I recognize I haven't been a great friend lately. I poured my heart out as to my feelings lately in hopes that they would understand. Not as an excuse, but as a reason. They were supportive and it felt good. They do understand.

I've started getting up earlier and walking the dog a few miles. She can't take much more and I don't want to push her or me. We'll just work up to longer stretches. We walk quickly and it feels good. I can feel it in my thighs - yay! I'm trying to eat better too.

This weekend was a busy one but we managed to put some mundane and relaxation into it as well. DD turned 5 last week. (No fucking way!!!!) and she has been very happy. She loves it when it's all about her! DS is still over the top with his sensory issues coming out but we're trying. His literal constant talking is pushing the limits with both FG and I and then he will start whining like a freaking 2 year old. He's been doing this throw himself on the floor and pout routine a bit much lately which is absolutely unacceptable for an 8 year old in my house.

So I cried to FG last week that I just can't take this chaos anymore and no I did NOT want to leave on Sunday to take the boat out. I did not want to go anywhere or do anything. I don't remember the last time I cooked a meal and we all sat down together to eat. I want to stay home and have him clean up the overgrown yard and I need to clean the house. So Sunday, that's exactly what we did. After my walk, I started cleaning. I took a break to make a big breakfast for the whole family. Then I cleaned and cleaned some more. FG worked outside because um, I don't do yardwork. The kids happily played with DD's new toys and only asked for a cartoon in the late afternoon. I took the car to the car wash that has the free vacuums that will literally suck the stripes of a tiger. My car is now clean too. (Just like a house, I don't do messy cars very well. I don't like a lot of stuff in them and I don't like dirt on the outside or inside. That would just depress me every time I got in it and saw the sand, dog hair, toys etc on the inside and the dirt on the outside).

I made dinner and we all ate together. At the same table. The kids played outside. The kids went to bed at a fairly decent time (for summer). FG and I went to bed at a fairly decent time. Today, we get to go play at the waterpark. I don't have to worry about a gross house that I will immediately get depressed walking into. I already have dinner planned and shrimp & steak thawing. I've talked to a couple of friends. We're doing good. I just need to keep it up!

Now how about a couple of birthday girl pictures? She had a fabulously PINK party and oh my, we are overrun with Polly Pockets, princesses and fairies. The joy of FIVE!

I made her cake, like I do all of their cakes!DS ready to help her blow out her "5" candle.
Have a few pink presents!
Partied out.

It's just one thing and onto another

So I feel like the summer is rushing by us. I feel like we haven't had a lazy summer evening at all this summer! I miss the walks with the family around the block, the ice cream cones. I sit and think about how I never should have talked DH into getting a laptop and wireless connection in the house. He is outside but he's on his computer! Once this stupid golf tournament is over hopefully he'll have more time.
Lately it's been just moving from one thing to another and another. If I'm not getting ready for a bbq/gathering at our house, I'm wrapping a present for a birthday party or preparing to go somewhere else. I guess it's good to be social and have friends around though. I know when things DO slow down I say, "Gosh, I'm bored! I miss my friends!" but then I throw myself into something else and feel all overwhelmed again.

I can't believe it's July already and we already experienced the July 4th Holiday! We did have a great time, which was so refreshing. The boat - gotta love the boat. It's nice to relax but still being fairly new, it always comes with a little stress.

Here's a few pics of our fun day

Now my daughter is turning three. I chose to have her party this weekend regardless of the fact that her daddy is out of town and will miss it. If I waited a week, 1/2 of her little friends couldn't be there. But that leaves me to handle all of it. I had DH get the water and go buy the present - of course, I was on the phone with him while he did it, directing him to the exact spot in Toys R Us that it was located. I would have gone myself if I didn't want the kids to see it.
So I have to get everything including kids and their overnight stuff out to my parents house, get home and get ready for an event I'm attending with friends, then get up in the morning and finish getting things ready for the party, pick up the balloons and get out there at a decent time to get the place ready. It's not fair for my parents to keep my kids AND set up for the birthday party.
Then I have a day "off". I haven't taken the kids to the beach yet so I'd like to do that too. THEN it's on to the next event - a meeting at the house for DH and his buddies. I told him, because I have a reputation to live up to, that I would make some good stuff for their dinner. So it's just from one thing to another - again!