Thirty-one

Once in a blue moon, I get to sit down and do nothing. Or kayak with the loons. Or fish for bluegills. Or go into "town" and get chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cones. Or invent new games like frisbee-football. Or gather blue eggs from the chickens. Or shoot a .22 in a gravel pit. Once in a blue moon, it all shuts down for a bit, and my mind is happier for it.

Thirty

Happy birthday, Mom!

Twenty-Nine

It's times like these that I question why we have to live at such a frenetic pace when there is a perfectly good hammock to swing in.

Twenty-Eight

So many frogs and toads to catch. So many chicken eggs to gather. So many waves to kayak through. So many s'mores to eat. So much amazingness.

Twenty-Seven

This child loves his Red Ryder. Until he was too close to the tree and it ricocheted back and hit him. How long will he be in school before he tells everyone he got shot?

Twenty-Six

Fishing, shooting, and playing games. Ahhh, vacation, I love you.

Twenty-Five

We're heading into the wild woods. After a stop by to see Mom and Dad, of course. Ahhh, vacation. Bring it.

Twenty-Four

Only one more day until we shoot some chickens go on vacation. Which means I need to get the laundry washed and Harry's food gathered and all the electronics charged up! Ahh, the list is long. It's also a process that is pointing out that C-man has grown. A lot. He needs pants and sweatshirts for nighttime, and they all look so little now! The good news is we can wear the same thing every day and it won't matter. Because we'll be on vacation, baby!

Twenty three

Beerman: "C-man, Next week (at the place we're staying) there will be free range chickens running around so we can..."
C-man: "Shoot 'em?"
Beerman: "Um, I was going to say gather the eggs and make omelets"
C-man: "Oh. Well, can I still shoot them?"

Twenty-two

• It's incredibly hard not to think about our impending vacation. Stupid work getting in the way of my life again.
• C-man is much happier at camp this week. It's still a camp run through the JCC, but not at the spot out in the woods. He's still vowing never to do this again, though. At least he's ending on a better note.
• I've had a mad sweet tooth lately. Combined with an extraordinary desire not to work out, this could be tragic.
• I've also been incredibly tired lately. As in, I can't keep my eyes open during meetings tired. Something's not entirely right.
• C-man conned me into ordering him custom Reebok Zig Tech shoes. We have to go try some on tonight to know the right size to order. If I'm going to be blood-let for a pair of shoes, he's at least going to be able to wear them for a long time!
• Have I mentioned we're going on vacation next week? One whole week of zero commitments, a fishing pole, a book, and some s'mores. Ahhhhhhh...

Twenty-One

• We finally made it to the Estabrook beer garden this weekend. A little slice of Munich's bounty in the North Shore of Milwaukee. Not to mention, it's right next to a beautiful playground. Double win.
• I had a massage last night. Mondays should always end with a massage.
• Physical therapy starts on Thursday. I've never had very good luck with PT, but since I haven't been able to walk straight lately, I figured it can't hurt.
• Harry is incredibly overdue on a shave-down and can't get in for 8 more weeks. Dang, dog groomers are hard to come by.
• C-man is getting his hair cut on Thursday. Trimmed, to be more accurate. I didn't ask permission this time, but just told him. I can't stand to look at it in his eyes anymore.
• C-man is going to be Thor for Halloween. His hair still isn't long enough, but I'm not pointing that out.
• We are firming up plans for our annual Fall Fest party - Percy Jackson, Greek food, ouzo, and maybe a bouncy house. We're reading the 2nd Percy Jackson book at nights now to get in the mood.
• Next week is vacation time. Ahhhh... my mind can't wait. I just hope it doesn't get too cold by then.

Twenty

I don't relish these summer days winding down into a cooler fall. There's something about the spirit of summer that is fun and lighthearted and goofy, whereas fall starts to button up and hunker down and lose its fun. I like the goofiness. I like the hat. I like the giggles. I like the bike rides to the ice cream store. I like the festivals. I love you, summer. Don't leave yet...

Eighteen and Nineteen

Irish Fest and beer gardens and cleaning the house and mowing the lawn and enjoying the weekend, oh my.

Seventeen

I am so incredibly happy that it's Friday. Between traveling this week and the rainy weather and work being frenetic and knowing C-man is not happy at camp, I'm drained. Last night was parent packet pickup at school, which is the back to school event where you put money in your accounts and buy new spirit wear and get your bus stake. C-man scored himself a play date for the night within 5 minutes of being there. Which was kind of nice because Beerman was in Chicago until super late, so I got the night to lay on the couch like a lump.

Which was good for the mind to be brain dead, but bad because I haven't been doing much in the way of physical activity lately. I'm trying to figure out a way to get to the gym regularly. I think spin may end up being my answer. (Barf) My rheumatologist is sending me to a physical therapist because of some funky stuff going on with my hip. I've never had a whole lot of luck with that stuff, but selfishly, I have decided maybe it'll help me workout more, so accepted the referral.

Irish Fest is this weekend, which means it's the annual Arthritis Walk tomorrow morning. Apparently everyone (of age) gets free beer at the end of the walk this year. Yes, please.

Sixteen

• I'm back home again. Tonight is the back-to-school packet pickup. It's so hard to believe it's that time again.
• I'm not feeling great. It could be the travel. It could be the violent storms. It could be the high mold counts. It could be a virus. Hard to tell.
• At least it's good I have an excuse to bug out of work early. I need it today.
• Yesterday, Harry refused to go on a walk with the dog walker because our road was getting paved and he was afraid of the trucks. Today, it's pouring and lightning and thundering. My money is on Harry refusing to walk again.
• C-man is not enjoying camp. I don't know if it's because it is a sucky experience or because it's a Jewish camp and so much is in Hebrew or within the context of Judaism that he doesn't understand it. Regardless, we are going to have to figure out something different for next summer because it's torture leaving him there in the morning.
• I woke up last night dreaming about Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. Damn, that was good. I need to go through a barbecue detox.

Fifteen

I am in Kansas City this week. A decent place to be if you have to be somewhere. Last night I wanted to go to the Royals game, but my coworkers weren't into it. Instead, we went for BBQ at a place called Oklahoma Joe's. It was on the Kansas side, inside a gas station, and ahhhhmazing.  We all moaned throughout dinner. Best barbecue ever. Hands down. God, I'll be dreaming about it for ages.

After, we went to the Kansas City Library, so I could see the wall of giant books I vowed to see. It was very cool.

And now, I finish my day here and head home.

Fourteen

Thirteen

Something has happened to me this summer. I have never really liked raw tomatoes or avocados. And yet, this summer, I can't get enough of them. Is it my age? My meds? The blue moon? I'm not sure what it is, but I am kind of liking it.

I dropped C-man off at early care before camp. He was sad like he used to be when he had separation anxiety at daycare as a two year old. Man, that tugs on the ol' heart strings.

My homemade yogurt experiment continues. I screwed it up the other day and ended up with a grainy batch so had to start over. But I'm back at it, and loving it. Especially since my rheumatologist gave me the bone density lecture the other day, I figure it's a good way to introduce calcium without drinking milk. (gag) Plus, it's deeee-licious.

I've been trying to avoid a lot of sugar. I even turned down getting a donut the other day with C-man. And drove right past my favorite Krispy Kreme on Sunday without stopping. Surely there's a medal in this for me somewhere.

Speaking of medals, that closing ceremony of the Olympics sucked. It was harder to top being weirder than the opening, but they did it. (THIS is seriously hilarious) I am so looking forward to Rio's.

And, of course, a giant happy birthday to my dad!

Twelve

Last night, Beerman came home after working at a Madison beer festival. It was just in time to hang out in the back yard with us on a beautiful night and watch the meteor shower. It was so beautiful! Even better, the bats were flying high in the air, so weren't interested in attacking me.

Now today, it is more low-key fun. C-man wants new flip flops, I need toothpaste, and Harry needs a walk. I love summer.

Eleven - or the day the bats attacked me

I started this beautiful morning by taking my breakfast into the back patio, opening the umbrella, and freaking out as 3 bats swooped out at me amidst a rain of bat guano. AHHHHHHHH! I hate bats. Ever since I was a kid and they'd be in my bedroom in the middle of the night, I've had an irrational fear of them. Yuk!

But we recovered by taking advantage of the amazing day and took a trip to the zoo. (C-man was on the hunt for some new squished pennies - a Mandrill and a Lion this time.) Of course, our first visit was to the small mammal house. You know, where the bats live. Dear God, I hate bats.

We were home all of 60 seconds when a friend called, so C-man headed over there while I mowed the lawn, did the laundry, and said goodbye to the Avenger. My very first car, 13 years later, headed out of our driveway, leaving us with nothing but an oil spot. It was more than time, I guess.

But now, my friends, it's Miller Time.

Ten

As summer winds down, our schedule seems to get crazier. But inside, I feel myself aching to slow down a bit. We had the opportunity to spend this weekend out of town with Beerman, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And last night, I was at a friend's for happy "hour" (or four). And while it was nice to see everyone and meet a few new people, it was just too loud. I'd taken my Humira shot in the morning and knew I was up for a chemo infusion later today, which curbs my alcohol interest. But even without that, it just wasn't all that appealing to me to be out and about.

This weekend, I'm vowing for us to do some fun, low-tech kind of fun. And I'm vowing to get some good exercise in, too, because as the days get shorter, so does my mood. Time to get in the habit now!

Nine

Sometimes it's incredibly embarrassing to be me. Like this morning. They're re-doing our road, so it's graded below our driveway, and it's now gravelly and unpaved. Since we have a semi-circle drive, and still haven't junked the Avenger, it's been sitting on one leg of the driveway. This morning I went to move the Avenger from one leg to the next to block the higher lip side so we could drive in and out on the lower lip side. I turned the corner, went to do a Y-turn to back it up to turn around, but didn't lock it in the right gear, and went forward instead. Right over the giant driveway lip, which left me suspended over the culvert with only one wheel touching the ground.

Honestly. I am an idiot. And the whole neighborhood came out to look at my idiocrisy.

Thankfully, I have a really nice husband who stayed with me to deal with the tow truck while I went inside to hang my head in shame. My neighbor said I should take a picture because I'd think it was really funny later. I didn't because I was just too mortified. I should have taken a picture. Because now I do think it's kind of funny. Even funnier - Beerman made a deal with the tow truck driver to buy it for $150 over what the junk yard will give us, making the tow free and earning us an additional $100 in the deal.

I swear I'm a really smart person. Just not today.

Eight

Introducing Mr. Crabby Pants, our newest household addition. Beerman acquired a new fish (Foo) from a co-worker. In doing so, we also acquired two cute little crabs, who have since been named Mr. Crabby Pants and Bob. Bob is a wily one, so I haven't gotten a good shot of him yet.

Seven

There and back again without losing a single kid. Mostly. There were those 30 minutes in City Museum when we had absolutely NO idea where the kids were. (Coming down the 10 story slide, duh!) Harry was happy to have us back. Sort of. (I think he kind of missed heading to the neighbor's house for the evening to chew a rawhide on the couch last night.) And the fish (C-man named him Foo because he's a fighter) is still alive. I haven't been feeling all that well. I was a bit weak while in St. Louis, but mostly stayed in denial to not drag the trip down. The thought of food really makes me ill today, which means I can't deny it any longer. I'm blaming Busch Stadium. (Beerman told me it came on too close to Busch Stadium for it to be its fault. I told him to shut it. Everything bad that happens to me is now the Cardinals' fault. I feel it's a good system.) Overall, the trip was a pretty good success. But my favorite moment? During the ride home, I asked the boys what their favorite part of the trip was, and they answered, "Swimming."

So there you have it. The next long weekend - we're heading to the local Radisson.

Six

25 years ago, I road tripped to Texas for a gymnastics camp. We stopped in St. Louis on the way to see some stuff, including going up the arch. 25 years later, I went up that thing again. It was almost as thrilling the second time. Almost. Can't you tell by my expression?

Less thrilling was the 6.5 hour ride home. But to their credit, the boys were fantastic. And now, it's time to get back into the swing of it.

Five

We spent the day at City Museum. On the way there, the kids were saying kind of unenthusiastically, "What's City Museum?" And then the cab pulled up. And they went wild. Wire tunnels stories above the city to crawl through up and up and up, with the summiting reward being a multi-story slide to come screaming down. There was a magic show, a non-skate skate park to run around, tubes and passages, mock caves, rope swings, and the ultimate 10-story spiral slide. I'm exhausted. If only these kids were, too!

Four

A day at the caves, a Brewers loss, and a bacon-wrapped hot dog. Because that is how we roll.

Three

Who was the idiot who wanted to get in a car for 6 hours with not just one kid, but the neighbor's kid, too? Oh, right... me... Well, St. Louis or bust! The Brewers fans cometh.

Two

In an exciting turn of events, the house has a salt water fish tank up and running and are putting a fish in it. At the risk of overexciting you, it isn't the main tank but the quarrantine tank. (Let's count them together, that's our 4th tank) But it's tangible progress, which means I won't have to say, "Hey look, I think I saw the eel hiding in the corner! Oh, nope. I was mistaken." And Beerman won't have to call me rude, but deserved names, after I do so.

One

Tired after long days at camp and work, these latest cooler summer evenings have been so perfect. Filled with flowers and bees and soccer and made-up games, I am making good on my mission to enjoy each precious moment with my family.

Wordless Wednesday: Where Everyone Knows Your Name