For the Love... Slow Down

The girls got all dolled up for a Friday night at the Mexican Restaurant.  

They curled and backcombed their hair, painted their faces and posed for mom.  

Clearly, this wasn't their first rodeo.

 

They've had years of experience.

I guess I didn't expect this to happen quite so fast.

My Genius

Food Science Summer Goals

The scientist in me has been begging for attention.  

She can be time-consuming, frustrating and expensive, but I'm especially fond of her.

Let's talk Summer Goals.

For me, perfecting homemade pizza crust was one.  I had 3 recipes I wanted to experiment with.  2 used 00% flour.  Definitely not the easiest ingredient to find.  

One used dried milk powder- usual, but it kinda makes sense.  One was in Bakers Percentages- annoying, but fine.  

And the 3rd was a store bought mix used by a local pizza place.

It made 5 pizzas.  2 from each scratch recipe, and one from the store bought mix.

Here we go!

Thankfully I had help topping these puppies.

The final consensus? 

 It was split. Naturally.

Next time I need to do the exact same toppings on each crust.  

Duh me.

Guess that just means we'll have to make homemade pizza again ;)

But the crazy scientist in me wasn't done yet.

There was still Boba.  Aka: Bubble Tea.

I hit the Asian Market in Downtown Des Moines after bopping into the Vital Records Department at the Lucas Building to apply for Jays Birth Certificate. 

And there, I was able to find tapioca pearls to attempt this Boba feat from scratch- the Asian Market, not the Vital Records Dept.

The Boba didn't turn out exactly like I wanted. They were a little doughy and needed more "popping, bursting action." 

So I gave up and now Strawberry Flavored, Bursting Boba are on their way from Amazon.  

Maisie is super excited- it's a TicTok thing.

And it doesn't stop there.

Stay tuned for updates on the 'sourdough starter' I've been feeding twice a day for the past 6 days.

It's alive and thriving!

Little Miss Scientist seems to be feeling the same way.

Goat Shows and Microphones

Saturday brought the Madison County Goat show.  Molly chose to bring Rosey, Jersey's 5-month old girl.  

Molly's been registered for weeks and was the first to check in.  

We had a 90-minute wait until the show started, which we figured we could check out the rest of the fairgrounds during. 

Except that they had a surplus of animals at the fairgrounds this year so we had no choice but to tie her up on the bleachers and wait.

For 90 minutes.

It was one of the hottest days of the year.  

Jayson kept reminding me he 'hoped this didn't take too long' and Molly was concerned her hands smelled super sour and she didn't know why.

Once they lined up by age group, we were relieved to learn Molly was in the first 'heat.'  

As the first person in the group made his way to the front of the ring, the microphone appeared.

Then the judge began asking questions to the little boy about him and his goat.

You'd have thought Molly saw a ghost. 

She looked at me with huge eyes and went white. 

There was NO WAY she would be speaking into a mic.  

She pulled Rosey out of the line as the tears began to fall.

She missed her 'heat' and decided she wasn't going to show at all.

After a pep talk, it took a minute or two but managed to pull herself together enough to get into the second heat.

But the emotions were already there and as she yanked Rosey by the horns into the ring, the tears began falling again.

I signaled to the judge, "not too many questions," but the judge just had to ask her name.  I yelled 'Molly' from behind the gate.  Then she had to ask the name of the goat, to which I again hollered from the side of the gate.  

Then another question, 'how long have you been showing goats?' 

Really Judge?  

Can you NOT read this situation?

She didn't win.  

Rosey didn't like it one bit, and neither did Molly.

She was only there to show her goat.

We'll have to look for goat shows without microphones from now on.

Snakes

 Monday brought more snakes.  I should emphasize, this year was deemed 'Our Year of Snakes.'

Marianne (the psychic) saw a pit full of snakes during our latest reading.  

It could have been literal snakes which we've had, or doctors whose symbol happens to be a snake.

I don't know if I mentioned Ross's wisdom tooth removal was $2000 out of pocket.

I hoped a call into our health insurance citing a jaw infection would help our health insurance cover some of that.  

But no.  

Health insurance doesn't touch anything regarding teeth.  Not even jaws. 

Snakes.

The mail brought a bill for Molly's boot this afternoon.  Remember she was in desperate need of attention last spring and required a medical boot to get her though the end of 4th grade?

My second phone call to insurance was due to the orthopedic boot being charged to us not once, but TWICE. 

Bill for $500.

So now I'm fighting that second charge with a company who I don't think has any physical employees on site.

Snakes.

I've also been on hold for almost a month to get Jays updated social security card with his English name and also his Iowa birth certificate figured out (I should have done it years ago, but turns out I was busy.)  

Also, due to Covid nothing is open and everything has to happen through snail mail.

I might have heard bats giving birth in the porch ceiling this morning, I spied a creepy mouse in the garage AND the goat barn today, a toad literally leapt out of the basil pot at me this morning, Moose and/or Leo may have impregnated their mother/aunt/sibling during a gate escape issue we're working on, and the camper shower is leaking. 

Snakes.

Not positive, but thinking I might move to Australia.

How it Started; How it's Going

My weekend couldn't have started better.  

For one, it started in a winery.  

I ordered a Margarita pizza with mushrooms and onion.  

How could I resist?  My favorite crust-saucer was working.

He's learned to wear "red" when he works.

Clearly, he didn't know I was snapping photos.

And the next morning I brought up the fact that we had a bat colony living above the front porch.  

We could've called the 'bug guy' for advice or help, but the kids' summer medical bills are climbing and we are trying to cut corners where we can.  

So tearing down panels of our metal soffit happened- just to get a better look.

To be fair, the psychic did say this was our Year Of The Snakes 

Ideas on getting them to leave included the pressure washer, smoke bombs, a bb gun, and gas.

I should mention we just watched "Panic Room" on Amazon a week ago.

Ross got his flashlight up there and noticed there were at least 15-20 bats (he could see) climbing up a back wall.  

He said they were all doing some creepy thing with their mouths.

Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.

Meanwhile, bat crap was falling from the eaves like rain.

Apparently bat crap causes some sort of lung infection?  And bats are known for carrying rabies. 

Perfect.  

Again, the Year of the Snakes.

Mike read about a bat removal system that utilized a tube they can fly out of but are too stupid to fly back into.  

So he did that.

Oh, but upon the research, he discovered we are in the thick of Bat Maternity Season. 

Naturally.

This means not ALL the bats will fly out at once.  

Therefore, this is a 4-day procedure.

These Boots

These boots were made for walking... or not.

Mike and I leave for Gateway Canyon Resort in Colorado in less than a month.  It will be during our 17th anniversary, so we're basally checking that milestone off the list with this trip.  

The theme seems to be "all things western." It's a work trip for Mike and whoever the organizer is sent out 'outfit suggestions' for various days.  Mike called me from work one day to tell me I need to find a maxi dress and cowgirl boots.  Well, I certainly don't want to be a party pooper, so shopping I went.

I'm not a maxi dress girl; and honestly don't see the point of wearing both a maxi dress and fancy cowgirl boots.  The dress would surely cover up the boots- so what a waste.  I guessing some guy whose wife is stuck in the 90's sent out the outfit suggestions.

I'm thinking something more like this...

verses something like this.

So Molly and I found the dress at TJ Maxx.

But we still had to find the boots.

After nearly 2 hours in Boot Barn trying on some of the most uncomfortable footwear I've ever experienced, we finally found the boots.

I just can't take them off myself.

Stay tuned, I still need an outfit for Denim and Diamond Night!

IcePacks and Honesty

This little swollen face has me all choked up and laughing hysterically at the same time.

It's no secret he has his momma wrapped around his little finger tighter than should be legally allowed. 

His friends told him he looks like the dad from"American Dad" whatever that means/

You'll have to google it, cause I can't get it to load.

Our family happens to be known for having a strong jawline, (or maybe it' just me) and swelling after oral surgery just accentuates it.

He bottled wine at his job for 3.5 hours today, helped me clean fryers from last weekend for 2 hours, turned in his application to work at the local hardware store, and worked out in the weight room with buddies for another hour.  A day after his face was cut into 4 times!

To my firstborn, who is tougher than tough, who can withstand and survive a wind storm before his time.  Who understands the value of humanity and honesty.  

You are, and will always be my hero.

Wisdom Teeth and Tenderloins

And just like that, his wisdom teeth have been extracted.  

The nurse helped load him into the truck and when she said, 'call if you have any questions'

Ross replied, OK, you too!'

Blood and wounds don't typically have any affect on me.  

However, there is something about the smell of oral surgery and bloody mouth gauze that is very distinct.

He insisted on Smoothie King for his favorite beverage, The Banana Boat.

No straws, or feeling in his face for that matter, made this is risky choice.

But he's comfy in his bed with Cherry Glacier Gatorade, plenty of pain meds and hippo.

I'll leave this post with some highlights from our Tenderloin Stand last weekend at the Old Settlers Festival in New Virginia.

And for the record... Molly could basically run the stand with her eyes closed.

My Favorite Place On Earth

In the words of one of my favorites, the Berenstein Bears:

Did we survive scout camp?  Oh yes..we did!

Call me Old Fashioned, but I never imagined I'd be a mom at Boy Scout Camp with my daughter.  

Apparently, it's still referred to as 'BSA' - Boy Scouts of America but recently referred to as "Scouts" for boys and girls.

I was one of 2 moms in attendance and Molly was one of 3 girls in attendance. The rest were ADHD boys and their fat dads trying to relive their youth from the benches along the sides.

Although I felt like "that feminist mom" I also felt like "watch this you annoying skinny wimp boy" as Molly completed her wooden treasure box first, passed her swimming tests without crying, and basically didn't act like an entitled little brat throughout the various stations.  I  gave her a silent high five when a boy named Graham was staring at her and she stood up, looked at him, and said, "What?  What is your problem?"  

Oh yeah, THAT is my girl.  

Is that weird?

Molly was invited into scouts by her friend Kinsey, whose mom happens to be the den leader.

Clearly, we're busting through glass ceilings around here in Pack 121.

The Trading Post was one of my favorite places- they were like the local general store which sold not only ponchos, pocket knives, sweatshirts, and pop, but also Ice Cream.  I didn't see Molly's friend eat a single meal, but she had a tab going at the Trading Post.

And there was Smores each night.

Lights out at 10:00, followed by trumpet Taps, didn't stop us from card games and snacks in the tent before we decided on our own 'lights out' after we got tired.

We bought matching hats. 

At the Trading Post, to be 'twinning' of course.

And did you know, Camp Mitigua has its own Old Retired Folks Group?  They call themselves The Orfs and it was one of my favorite parts of the camp.

It's where Molly made her S- hook and whistle.

Then there was CAASA.

She made a rocket.  It was pouring rain, so she had no desire to stand in the rain to fly it. 

I didn't blame her.

I loved that she decorated her rocket with the names of her goats.

The aquatic staff was our favorite.

We also happen to love water and swimming.  

However, Eli  (the bald guy) helped Molly swim 4 lengths of the high school pool with her final length the backstroke (chicken x pencil) to her earn her red swim badge.  

Suck it you skinny, whiny, weak BOYS!

Treasure Box Building

This was a 6:00 AM polar swim where they dump ICE in the water to make it frigid!

Had to be in the water before 6.  

Yikes~

 

One of our most favorite parts was rafting!  

Basically 3 teams on a wooden raft having a water fight with paddles and buckets.  

This was my jam.

Molly's too.

Along with archery.

I think she gets that from her brother.

She hated bb guns but loved the bows and arrows. 

OK, Katniss.

And the food was some of the worse I've experienced.

Sure makes you grateful for snacks! 

And the Trading Post :)

11:00 AM and the days are exhausting.

Especially for our little souls.

She earned her widdling chip last night and has big, big plans.

I am hers and she is mine- I have no doubt she will see them through.

In the meantime, I have created my own merit badges for the parent section at Camp Mitigua.

1. Your feet will be black, sandy, and sweaty at bedtime.  The shower line is long (and mostly hairy, gross men) embrace the grime and sleep dirty)

2. Sleep is a luxury, not a privilege.  

Same with toilets.  Someone else's husband's pube on the toilet seat will not cause cancer, but it's still nauseating and the habit should be dealt with and eliminated prior to attending summer camp.

3. Deal with, and learn proper food portions.  Maybe 1/4 cup scrambled eggs and a slice of dry wheat with sun butter for breakfast is the norm?  Or maybe today is the day to start intermittent fasting.  The decision is yours.

4. The food will be rough, don't worry, you will finally poop again at some point.  fingers crossed?

5. The coffee eventually runs out.  Find another survival tactic.

5. It's hotter than hot.  Good news! The trading post has neck coolers... for a limited time of only $12!  Molly says it looks like toilet paper wrapped around your neck.

6. The best part of your day won't be with the pack or even your den.  It's with your babe, in the dark, in the silence of your tent, playing cards or talking into the dark of your tent...  where one of the most honest and real moments of life live, where their hearts, dreams, and truths come to life.  

This place, my friends, just happens to be my favorite place on earth.