Edited to add:  If you click on Behind the Blog you can read a little bit about the writer and see a cool video featuring all of the photos.

Life here goes on, kids are growing, weather is hot.  Hotter than a thousand suns.  And life is good.

1.  Dad and his fiance, Gail, came to visit and we had a great time.  A nice, relaxing and great time.

2.  My daughter has actually learned how to swim and is no longer refusing to put her face in the water.  Go AG!!

3.  Jack Henry is growing like a weed, pretty much  sleeping through the night and he’s aaaaaalllll boy.

4.  A school has been chosen for AG for next year.  I homeschooled her this past year (didn’t talk about that much) and wanted her to go to a part time, umbrella school type program this year.  Well… that school closed.  I had to get over it and voila!  The kid is registered for a local private school and starts in 4 weeks.  It will be weird having her gone all day but I think she will really do well and enjoy it.

5.  I finished the Traveling Woman shawl and it is on the blocking board.  That would be shawl #3 for the 10 in 2010.

6.  It’s August.  My odds of finishing 10 in 2010 aren’t looking good.  Just sayin’.

7.  I was having sock withdrawals and now I’m knitting a basic, twisted rib sock.  Did the best short row heel of my knitting life.  Almost made me a little misty eyed. (Dang…thanks to spell check I just realized I’ve been misspelling withdrawal for like 40 years!)

8.  Screwed up the front of the above mentioned sock but did I tell ya about that short row heel I’ve got goin’ on???

9.  Casting on Ishbel.  This takes care of two items on my knitting New Years resolutions:  counts toward the 10 in 2010 that I will never get finished and it is a pattern by Ysolda Teague.  Knitting one of her designs was a goal for this year.

10.  Started Couch 2 5K (C25k).  Did run #1 of week #1.  It. was. torture.  But… I completed the entire session and I’m pretty dang proud of that.  I’m going to try for run#2 tonight.

11.  Bought a new guitar.  It’s a Breedlove and I. am. in. luuurrrrrv!!!!  Happy, happy, joy, joy.  Best part: went to lead worship the other night, plugged it in and IT WORKED!!  That is an event that had become kinda rare with my other guitar.

So…that’s about it.  What’s happening on your end of the skein????

Anna Grace has decided that she needs to start kissing boys.  She’s been kissing Isaac and Noah.  She apparently has considered kissing Daniel and I even heard Jeremy’s name mentioned once.  I have tried to discourage this.  I did ask her why she kissed Isaac and she said “because I love him so much”.  I suggested she love him from a distance.  ;-)  I’m not gaining any traction!

Today AG was playing with Isaac and suggested they play a game where she chases him and if she catches him then she kisses him all over his face.  Isaac suggested they play with trains instead (smart boy!).  So… on the way home, I actually had to have a conversation with my daughter that included the line “please keep your lips to yourself!”.

I don’t think she was listening!!!

I guess this is the paybacks I get for kissing Hank and Billy Zehring when I was five!

Sinners can reform but stupid is forever.

That’s little tidbit has just been improving my outlook!

Walmart retiree greeter lady was so. not. pleased.

I got a firm talking to along with a teensy tiny finger shake and informed that if I didn’t try to go in the exit door that things like this wouldn’t happen.  Yep… I’m sleepy, I’m frazzled, its a million freaking degrees outside and, as a result, I wasn’t very alert and went in the wrong door.  I get it.  I’ll do better next time.

I nod and smile.  Yep.. you caught me, I messed up.  Thinking this is all just going to blend away into the day, I started doing our shopping.  Then Anna Grace decided she had a question.

AG: Mom, did you go the wrong way?

Me: Yep

AG: You went in the wrong door?

Me: Yep

AG:  Is that ’cause you’re classy like that?

Awwww….. she’s tryin’ out the sarcasm at the early age of 6.  Makes a momma proud!!!

1.  The search to replace the school that closed before we ever got enrolled has been grueling, depressing and may make me drink.  Episode 923 of the saga took place today and all I can say is stink, stank, stunk.

2.  Working on improving my positive outlook and failing.  For evidence, see item 1.

3.  Jack Henry slept through the night Saturday night!  Woot.  Last night he woke up twice.  Guess he was just messin’ with us.

4.  Contractors.  There are still contractors…and power tools… and waaaaaay too many “coin slots” around this place. Wish these guys would just pull up the pants… that’s all I’m sayin’!

5.   Veggies.  I actually have some veggies growing.  Not sure if they’ll live or die.  I can say that the most neglected of the group (the jalapenos) are flourishing.  Not sure what that says about my “green thumb” that if I actually ignore something, it lives.  If I try to take care of it… bad things happen.

6.  Can’t stop giggling reading item 5.  I can just hear Jeff Dunham saying Jose Jalapeno…on a stick.

7.  My dad and his fiance are coming to visit.  Can’t wait.  Hoping my sister Liz will come visit this summer as well.

8.  My guitar….  it’s too depressing to talk about.

9.  Traveling Woman Shawl:  back on track and essentially dog hair free.  Just started the last chart.  Love this pattern.

10.  Swimming lessons for AG started today. So far, so good.  Not sure if this is going to be a “kick apraxia in the butt” type of event or if it will be more of a hand-to-hand combat against the apraxia.  We’ll see but either way… she’s got enough fight in ‘er to get the job done.  I know she does.

That’s all for now.

Carpe Llama!!

Then

Now

Shelly and I each had our hands full during rehearsal this morning.  Jack Henry and Grace were born 4 days apart and are a huge blessing to each of their families.

Reincarnation efforts have begun.  Progress minimal.