The Party's over...

in more ways than one.

Did I mention I was going on vacation with my entire family (yes, that's my parents and siblings and my family and their families) we were a party of 15.

These family vacations always sound like a great idea in theory - and it was a pretty fun time but you know sooner or later someone was going to get crabby. Yesterday was my day. I got some news Tuesday which could drastically change life as I know it, all in the context of one email. I can't say much more right now as I don't have the full details but I'll give you this hint - right now you can color me BLUE.

And speaking of blue - swimming pictures - there is a lot of blue. Hey I know it's a stretch but I had to find some segway to moving on...

SOOOO - all in all it was fun. There was sun. There were water sports and sandy beaches and cool breezes off the lake. There was shopping. There was nothing that resembled camping. The vacation was good - most of the time - except for those crabby moments - but really other than that - it was good - seriously.

I had intended to write more but I'm still in a fuzzy vacation brain state of mind. Tomorrow there is laundry and getting back to the real world. The party's over - SERIOUSLY :-)

Well, maybe I am a little bit like her...

I think I have mentioned this before - and if you know my mother you know it is true - but my mom can't stand things being the same for too long. She will wake up in the morning and decide that a room that was perfectly fine the day before needs to be repainted, or redecorated or rearranged or rewhatever. Seriously, she will decide to paint and have the job done before she has changed out of her pajamas. Me, I like to sit on things a little while. I HATE it when I don't think I have made the most perfect choice. That there may have been a better choice. That if I had it to do again I'd have made a different choice. Never mind that nothing has to be permanent, in my mind there is only chance - get it right or you're out (I know I know - it explains a lot). BUT sometimes, just sometimes I will do a major thing on a minor whim. Today was one of the days. I started out with the intention of REALLY cleaning the downstairs bathroom, as this is primarily the "guys" bathroom I usually let them do the cleaning - but their idea of clean and my idea of clean - vastly different. So while Alex and the HotY went to see some World War II B52 Bombers which were being showcased at our local airport I decided to tackle their bathroom. As I was spraying and wiping and disinfecting I noticed that the wallpaper was peeling in a corner. This is wallpaper which has been in place for approximately eight years. It's nice tasteful wallpaper - but wallpaper none-the-less and really, I was tired of it. So I started picking at that little corner and before you know it I had torn off an entire strip of wall paper. So I started on the next little corner - and BAM another strip of wallpaper gone. I was methodically working my way around the room, truly not thinking that much about what I was doing when the phone rang - it was the HotY wondering if I thought it was worth $850 to take a ride in a B52 Bomber - well of course it is not - Holy Bananas you had to call to ask THAT question??? So we got that business straight, I hung up the phone, took a step back and looked around the room. WOW, I had almost completely stripped all the wallpaper. And I did it on a whim. There was no pre-meditated thought involved. No second guessing. No wondering what the right color for the walls will be once the paper is removed. Nope, just tearing and admiring how much bigger the room looked without that green paper on the walls. This is just the kind of thing my mother would do, maybe I am a little bit like her after all - DO NOT TELL ANYONE!

TTFN... if you need me I'll be at Benjamin Moore trying to decide on paint - don't look for me anytime in the near future this could take awhile :-)

I'm glad THAT wasn't my mistake...

So that concert to be given by David Garrett in a small community near me - not so much. There is a theater by the same name in St. Louis which is where the concert is REALLY being held. Many of the on-line ticket vendors incorrectly listed the concert. OOPS! And I thought I could screw things up :-)

My girlies are with my parents for the next few days. I miss them. I always think I want a little peace and quiet but when that happens - it is not all that. We had a girls night out last Friday and I got a few cute pictures of them while we were eating.





I love those sweet faces!

Crazy busy with signs, and work and getting ready for vacation. Maybe that is why I can't write. I have too much to do :-) But you know this blog thing - it's a great procrastination device - but don't tell anyone :-)

TTFN...

Oh, and I'm on Twitter now (amgrimm1). I KNOW. I have so little to say - but it has to do with Etsy. I can't explain it but really the Twitter thing - it wasn't my idea - REALLY! Trust me. And I'm not advising you to follow me because if you think this blog thing is lame I won't even get into the banality of the Twitter...

How much is too much???

So I am not really a concert going girl - unless it is an outdoor concert. There is something about listening to good music under a clear sky with a warm breeze. But there IS a concert I'd really like to see - David Garrett - have you heard of this guy? I hadn't until just a short time ago and now I'm very intrigued. I love the violin - and the way he plays is beautiful. Look him up - even if you don't like the violin you'll be glad you did (well if you are a female anyway). Here's a nice clip of him giving a little background on his life. Anyway he is coming to a smaller community near me - but the tickets are almost $400 each. WHAT? WOW! That might just be too much - even for a girl who doesn't get that caught up about money. Oh and just for listening pleasure - listen to this. It is so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes.

So in other news, I've been out of sorts - I just can't get into a writing mode. I know it's all been a little flat lately - sorry. I'm trying I really am. Don't give up on me 'cuz you know that's my biggest fear (well after that fire thing anyway) - people giving up on me - seriously :-) Now you know my secret...

TTFN...

What about the tinker the tailor and the candlestick maker…

So I’ve been checking out wedding blogs lately (hey I never get tired of looking at pretty dresses and gorgeous jewelry) and I’ve noticed something - these weddings are over the top gorgeous, fully coordinated and EXPENSIVE. Doesn’t anyone throw together a wedding with six months and five thousand dollars anymore? Sure, the new wedding look is simple and understated yet elegant – but, trust me – not so simple or understated or cheap (but definitely elegant).

It takes a lot of time and money to put your initials on every solid surface within spitting distance, to pull a few flowers from the garden to make an “informal” wedding bouquet and to stand on the corner of a city street so a journalistic photographer can take a cool picture for your wedding album (I won’t even get into the goodie bag deal – lets just say the only goodie I ever took home from my wedding going single days was the best man).

(image provided by Zinke Design)

Don’t get me wrong. I love looking at these weddings. I love seeing the gorgeous brides in their Vera Wang wedding gowns and three carat diamond wedding bands showing off their custom designed table centerpieces and the candy counter treat table. BUT, where is reality? Where is the college loan debt? The rusting car and studio apartment? The borrowed veil and quarter carat diamond? The pimple on the chin and smeary mascara? The REAL people REAL wedding? Does it no longer exist? Is everyone marrying a doctor, a lawyer, a swindler or a saver? What happened to the tinkers, the tailors and the candlestick makers??? Seriously. I want to know. Where have all the real weddings gone???

TTFN…

Disclaimer: This blog was not written to offend any brides that have held or will be holding an awesome wedding. Seriously I love you - it gives me something pretty to look at. This blog was written in jest – and a little envy - but mostly it was written in wonder. How can there be so many fabulous weddings when there is so little fabulous money????

And if my reference to the doctor, lawyer, tinker and tailor sound familiar – well of course it’s all in a song

Say it with pictures...

we had a nice 4th of July weekend with my family at my parents. Swimming, s'mores, fireworks, camp fires, sun and fun all with running water and indoor plumbing. Please explain to me the allure of camping when you really can have it all in your own backyard :-) Seriously...

Here are some pictures to enjoy. Can't think creatively tonight. Stimulation overload ;-)

It isn't always a BIG thing...

Okay in the entire scheme of living, dying and surviving this is one of the most trivial things I have had to say in a long time - but sometimes you just have to take a minute to regroup and focus on the non-important things.

Last night I watched The Notebook. I know some of you are probably die hard Notebook fans, having watched the movie over and over and over again, but I have only seen it twice (including last night’s viewing). It isn’t that I don’t like the movie – I do – especially the scenes where they were young and romantic and living life in a simpler time. But there is SOMETHING that bugs me about the movie. It bugged me the first time and it bugged me the second but I didn’t know what it was until I was watching the end of the movie last night. It has to do with the casting of James Garner as the “old” Noah. Why would they cast James Garner in this role? There is nothing about him that resembles the actor (and I’m ashamed to say I don’t know his name – this is the kind of stuff I have my friend Amy for – she’ll know the actor) that played the young and blond and baby-faced Noah. I know people change as they age but this was a complete miscasting as there wasn’t even a passing resemblance between the two actors unless someone had some really bad plastic surgery along the way. So I find that disappointing. It makes the movie a little disjointed for me. I’m not sure who should have played the elderly Noah. Maybe Robert Redford or Michael Douglas. What do you think?

So there you go - my big concern for Monday, June 29, 2009. It’s been a pressing issue and I’m so glad I finally got to voice this major life disappointment – aren’t you glad you stopped by today :-)

TTFN… Who would play you in the movie of your life – young and old???

No, I have not been eaten by a dog...

for those of you who may have been worried about me as I have been absent since my last post.

THE DOG has been to puppy preschool and is doing much much better. The trainer assured us that she was not aggressive and her attacking me is a sign of affection. I had a chat with Ms. Dog and informed her I was not at all thrilled about her own special PSA's for me and we seem to have come to an understanding. She is still not completely cured from showing me the love but it is much, much better.


The girls are spending the next six day's with the HotY's parents. I miss them already although they called within two hours of leaving so Lauren could tell me about stopping for ice cream and stubbing her toe - full details. The girl is a chatter.

Sydney is still pining away for Wyatt. The other day she told me she wanted to send him a post card. When I asked her what she was going to write she said "Dear Wyatt, I love you. Syd". I said "what if you say 'Dear Wyatt, I hope you are having a good summer. Syd'" She replied by saying "okay okay okay, Dear Wytt, I hope you are having a good summer. I love you. Syd".

No post cards have yet been sent :-)


We spent Father's Day with my parents. It was a spontaneous, surprise visit. Alex loves to swim so he was in fish heaven and between swimming and playing in the dress-up clothes the girls did not want to come home.

I know - this post doesn't have much flow or humor or even self-pondering - but I included pictures so that's something - right??? I'll try harder next time - I promise :-)

Pictures - enjoy.

Enough is Enough...

and that is where I am right now with the dog. She's a cute dog. She's a happy dog. She's a big dog. She's a dog who hates me. Seriously, the dog has to go. She won't listen to me. She won't obey for me. She won't walk on a leash with me. She attacks me. She is fine with every one else but with me - she's out of control. I have no idea what the issue is - dogs like me - really they do - but Autumn not so much and I can't deal with it anymore. I have enough things in my life causing me stress I don't need a dog on top of it. And it was MY idea to get the dog. I wanted a companion to replace Callie. I wanted a nice dog to keep me company. I wanted to have man's best friend by my side again - but the dog we ended up with - it isn't working out with the two of us. It makes me sad especially since I am not a quitter. Seriously, I don't just give up on stuff. Getting rid of the dog feels suspiciously like quitting but it's me or the dog...

There are big things on the horizon and I think admitting the dog is not working out and moving on is the first of them. Maybe taking that step will make the next few steps a little easier.

TTFN...

When does this become easier?

I've never been good at good byes or endings - unless they are totally my decision (oh don't even get into that control issue thing - seriously I.DO.NOT.HAVE.CONTROL.ISSUES). Even when I know that the ending is inevitable - I'm still not ready. You think a person would figure this stuff out and then find a way to cope - but nope - it always catches me off guard, makes me cry and sucks any tiny bit of joy out of the occasion. This Friday was another ending. The ending of my daughters' Kindergarten year. I didn't cry when I dropped them off the first day - not really any way - okay maybe I got a little teary eyed but there really wasn't any full-on crying. But this end of the school year stuff. UGH. I cried Thursday morning when I read the last teacher update email. I cried Thursday afternoon when I was looking through the memory books which were lovingly assembled by Mrs. Wells and Mrs. Guidgell. I cried Thursday night when I helped the girls pick out their outfits for the last day of school. And then Friday - I cried all dang morning. When I said goodbye to the girls for the walk to school. When I saw Mrs. Wells in the hallway while waiting for class to be released to attend mass. When I was sitting in Church listening to Syd crying because every time she caught a glimpse of Mrs. Wells she felt sad. When a teacher I didn't even know, my children never had, and to be honest I wouldn't even have recognized on sight, gave her goodbye speech as she is retiring. AND THEN the teachers sang the Irish Blessing and I totally lost it. I'm talking tears running down my cheeks, nose blowing, sobbing. And of course there was Syd right with me - except she included sound. Lauren just looked at both of us like "what is wrong with you people". I was never so glad to say "Thanks be to God" and exit a church in my life. It was a very emotional day. No wonder I was tired today :-)

Anyway, the summer has begun and I'm sure there will be many adventures over the next three months. Sometimes I wish I were a teacher with the summer off but how would I ever handle those goodbye every single year??? I should probably just stay with the profession that I'm in.

TTFN... Oh and yes, I cried while I wrote this - I told you this ending stuff is hard on me.

I love you more than cheese…

Seriously. Cheese is a big thing in our house. Everyone loves cheese. Even the dog - take out the cheese and she becomes Super Dog – able to leap small children in a single bound. So to say that you are loved more than cheese is a big deal. It is my little pet phrase. The other day when I was snuggling with the sick girl I kissed her sweet little neck and said “I love you more than cheese” to which she replied, without hesitation, “I love you more than the lamp” which of course made me laugh. Somehow I love you more than the lamp does not have quite the same ring to it as I love you more than cheese (okay fine, maybe some of you don’t think that has much of a ring to it either but it works in our house – I mean not that the HotY compares me to cheese but you know what I mean…). Anyway, Syd, seeing she had made me laugh, launched into a whole new level of silliness – loving me more than lamps, tables and entire living room suites combined. Kids – they can extrapolate any topic until it almost ceases to exist :-) or at least isn’t funny anymore (admit it – you KNOW what I mean).

Really, take Lauren for instance. She has been a wild girl lately, breaking into some self choreographed dance that we have dubbed the “monkey dance” (and trust me when I say the title describes it all. And yes, it is complete with sound effects). It’s funny the first time and sometimes even the second or third – but after that I’m really ready to move on from the monkey dance – but not Lauren – she could keep it up long after the laughter has stopped and really most of the time – she does :-)

I have no idea where my kids get this stuff from, seriously. They are so spontaneous, happy and carefree. It makes my heart sing. Sometimes when I am watching them or we are in a moment together I wonder if this will be it – if this will be one of the memories that they will remember forever. The memory that will spring to mind when they are old and wizened and needing a lift. The memory that will take them back to that time when they were 6 or 16 and life was full of fun. I hope they have many good and happy memories which will make them feel that carefree spirit in their future lives (one of mine involves making roads with my brother in the sandbox on a hot summer day – coming in the house to eat Macaroni & Cheese for dinner (as long as it wasn’t made by the babysitter who would only use HALF of the cheese packet) and then going back outside after the rain to search for the end of the rainbow – it’s a good thing).

So what is your memory? Doesn’t everyone have one?

TTFN… and remember to keep searching for the end of the rainbow.

Even the best laid plans…

I had big plans for today. I took the day off in anticipation of a day on my own - the last full Friday before the end of the school year. I was going to shop and meet a friend for lunch and start cleaning out closets for the garage sale we are going to have on a yet to be determined date in June. I had a lot to get done. And then, around midnight, I heard the coughing and crying begin. The coughing was not from a cold but from impending throw-up! And so it began. Syd came down with the flu. I should have suspected she wasn’t feeling the greatest when she asked me to snuggle with her after supper last night and she actually fell asleep. So the plan for the day was slightly altered with me taking care of a sick Syd. If it weren’t for the flu symptoms that hit her intermittently throughout the day you would never know the girl was sick. Seriously, there is not much that slows her down – ever. We had a WebKinz party, watched the dance recital DVD, talked about having our nails done, headbands that won’t slip off her head and why red is her favorite color (let’s just say it has something to do with a certain sixth grader whose name begins with a “W”). I accomplished absolutely nothing but I did enjoy time with my daughter – well when she wasn’t in the bathroom anyway.

TTFN...

If it's Spring...

Then it must be field trip season. That time of year when countless students, cold lunches in hand, converge upon museums, baseball stadiums, amusement parks, zoos, swimming pools, and playgrounds. And you know what – I HATE field trip season. I KNOW. What kind of non-chaperoning mother am I that I secretly despise the entire notion of field trips?

I don’t mind the change in schedule, I don’t mind the extra money, I don’t even mind getting a cold lunch ready. BUT what I do mind is putting my children on a bus, a bus which will be driven by an unknown bus driver over whom I have no control, a bus which will be traveling on a highway, a highway full of other drivers whom I cannot control, a bus which may have to travel many miles before reaching its destination. THAT is why I hate field trips – they cause me to worry.

I worry about the safety of my children while traveling on the bus. I worry about the safety of my children once they reach their destination. What if they wander away from the group? What if they go on a ride which is unsafe? What if a zebra or a giraffe or a gazelle escapes from the zoo and tries to eat them? What if their cold lunch hasn’t stayed cold at all and they end up with food poisoning? It could happen. So field trip days – I hate them and I’m always thankful when my babies are all back in the nest. I won’t let my kids know I hate the field trip because I wouldn’t want to take their fun away - but between you and I – well you know how I feel.

TTFN… Oh and about that cold lunch – can you say Hostess Ding Dongs are in the house – it’s the only time they’re allowed!

And then there were two...

more members in our family. Six years ago today Lauren & Sydney entered the world - 8 weeks before schedule but healthy, beautiful babies.

The sixth birthday celebration has been going on for nearly as many days as there have been years.

Saturday we had the friend birthday which included 20 out of the 21 friends from their Kindergarten class (really it SOUNDED like a great idea). Fun was had by all - there was bouncing and cake and ice cream and balloons and presents. Today there were birthday treats to bring to school, presents from Alex and the HotY and I and dinner at the restarant of their choice. Tomorrow is the birthday celebration with the grandparents complete with MORE cake and ice cream and burgers on the grill - oh and presents of course.



I'm so dang tired (I think I'm still trying to recover from Saturday) so I'll leave you with the pictures for now. There are some great pictures from the bouncing party but I don't feel like I can post pictures of other kids without parental permission - so for now you are stuck with looking at my kids - AGAIN!

Oh and look at thise babies at the top of the page - is it any wonder I still get the baby itch every now and then - and no it ISN'T an option I'd seriously consider - I'm just sayin'

And it all comes back to this…

Music. Seriously, don’t you think music is the great common denominator of the world? No matter your location, status, gender, age or race there is always music to be found and celebrated. Well, maybe in a broader sense, it is art as a whole which connects us all. Tastes and interests may differ but I think at the end of the day there is something beautiful that moves us at least once in our lives.

Sooooo, all this dramatic lead up is really just to say that at the end of the day, for me, it all comes down to music (although if pushed I would say I’m more visual than audio – but maybe I’m wrong about myself) and how it ingrains itself in my memory. Which brings me to this; although Amy knows a lot about who sings what, dead or alive (which 80’s disco diva is it that is dead – Gloria Gaynor? Kim Carnes? Donna Summer? – Amy will know) she DID NOT know about this song. We had a discussion about it at Heather’s with neither of them having a clue what I was talking about even after proving its existence via You Tube. So what about you? Do you remember this song? Am I the only one who remembers when this video frequently played on MTV (the early days)? Because I’ve never forgotten about Goin’ Shoppin’. I KNOW. And the sad fact of the matter is - it gets a fair amount of play time in my brain as I can’t make a trip to the grocery store without the lyrics playing through my head a time or two. At least until APPLES anyway. So come on someone else must remember this little ditty. Anyone, Anyone???

Oh and since we are on the topic of music; my radio presets provide me with an array of music from 80’s oldies (ha – has 80’s music ever died? I once read an analogy from someone who stated that 80’s music is like the boxes that don’t quit make it to the attic – they are stashed away but still very accessible and not really in storage), to top 40 to classical to alternative rock to almost anything BUT country. This is what I heard on my way to work this morning.
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Cherry Cherry - Neil Diamond
Poker Face - Lady GaGa
China Grove - Doobie Brothers
Monday Morning - Fleetwood Mac
Aren’t you glad I’m good about that sharing thing ;-)

TTFN… have a great weekend. We have a birthday party on the books – there will be bouncing and cake – it’s a win win all the way around :-)

Oh, and Amy, this is for you

They could have danced all night...

Well the 2008-2009 dance season is drawing to a close. The dance recital was Saturday. AND a bonus this year - there were no trips to the emergency room - although they did change the venue - it did make me go hmmmmmmm :-)

The girls were in two dances this year. Ballet and Tap. I don't know if they will do tap again next year. It sounds good in concept but... Did I mention the coordination issues that seem to run in some members of this family??? We'll see. And really, right now all they care about is starting gymnastics (which is our summer activity) and Lauren thinks she may be interested in Soccer (she's my athletic girl).

Anyway, I need to get myself to bed so without further ado here are the pictures. Enjoy.