End of the school year

There's only 1 full week of school left. Basically, that means all the teachers are cramming their final projects into presentations, projects and performances. 

Moo did her 6th grade science fair project about private label cupcakes vs. brand name. She basically nailed it. Fine

And Jayson was part of the 5th grade wax museum. He was the guy who invented the first digital computer. My favorite part was the morning of the wax museum as I was heading out the door for work at 7:30. He took a bite of bagel and asked, "So, I still just need to figure out my costume and bring my prop."

Thank God for older brothers' outgrown wardrobes. 

I think my favorite part is how his shirt was buttoned as though he was in a hurry. His prop was Papa greats old tv remote we had stashed in the buffet. 

Amazing what you can put together in 3 minutes. 

He forgot to bring the wig- but Molly was quick to grab it out of his locker for him. 

Every once in a while I could spy him without anyone around, rehearsing on his lines on his wrapping paper-wrapped milk crate platform. 

He was awesome.

 

Softball and Libraries

The softball nights are full of anticipation. And I love that for you. I remember softball nights of Sam's Club microwave bbq rib sandwiches before the game, warming up with mom in the backyard and riding my bike up to the field.

If we were lucky, the coach would buy everyone a cup of pop from the concession stand after the game. Heather and I would scream our heads off from second base and rover position, to the batter to 'swing dammit!'

God, we were ridiculous and SO weird. 

When we weren't screaming, we were hysterically laughing, or squatting on our heels to keep from peeing our pants. Oh, town league softball, you were a riot. I'm so glad we met.

Softball today is so different. Not better or worse, but so much different. 

And in your free time, you read.

Libraries have always had my heart. And for some reason they make me have to poop. But they mostly have my heart. 

I love that you love them too.

15

Oh beautiful girl. You are 15 and perfect. 

Tree Frogs

I'm was in the process of vacuuming up all the fake lady bugs and Cloroxing Jay's bloody nose splatter off the bathroom wall when he tells me there's a frog on the toilet and it's gross. 

Sure enough- there's a tree frog camped out on the toilet seat. Fast forward: Everyone freaks out and can't determine if it's dead or alive. Dad is alerted and requested to retrieve the ALIVE frog sitting on the toilet seat. Beyond grateful it wasn't a mouse... or a snake... or a rat. 

Blessings... I'm counting them :)

Meanwhile Molly's not sure she can use the toilet ever again.

If Life Were Perfect

If life were perfect, the pond would have drained 2 summers ago when we had it dredged.

 

But then we wouldn't have gotten to see Mike belly-down and face-forward in a kayak with a shovel...

If life were perfect, I'd be driving the kids to school everyday and wouldn't see kisses blown to me out the window...

If life were perfect, Maisie wouldn't have to deal with school drama anymore, but I wouldn't get to sit in awe of her brilliance or passion for algebra.

If life were perfect, this little sugar plum wouldn't be snapchating me updates throughout the school day and sending me adorable"what's up Mom" photos like this. 

I don't know... it's kinda perfect.

Spring Has Sprung

And time marches on...

Mack has a new job, a new apartment in May, luxurious jet black locks and a maturity level I can only hope to someday achieve. Jayson can't get the meat out of crab legs without help, miraculously fixed my broken Roomba, will be impersonating the inventor of the first digital computer for the 5th Grade Wax Museum project and needs a haircut and nail trim asap. Molly continues to run the household. She moved the truck off the driveway so she could ride her bike on the pavement, paid bills with the credit card for me, went into Dollar General to buy Jayson's trifold poster board for the wax museum, (she wouldn't let me to go inside because I was wearing two different colored left foot slide sandals) and is planning to go out for cross country in the fall. Maisie is almost 15 going on 25, can do eye make-up and bang tendrils like nobodies business (except for the curling iron burn on the side of her neck which is NOT a hickey), is constantly working on her abs and drives the 2 littles to school everyday. Ross is still working full-time at Target, gets complimentary notes in the mail from his managers for his hustle and work ethic and will be registering for fall classes at DMACC next week for the HVAC program. Mike looks a tad aggressive in the photo, but he DID have an active case of ring worm forming on his palm which is currently being treated- so no concerns or prayers necessary.

Instead of writing my grocery list each day, I just keep a list on the kitchen chalkboard and snap a photo before I head into work. Someday I can look back and say, Hey, in April 2023, these are the things I was shopping for. Someday I hope our list looks a little less 'school-lunch-program.' 

 

Did I mention Molly likes to be the 'care-taker'?  First of all, if you haven't adopted Gochuchang Sauce in your condiment fridge, you totally should. Not only is it fun to say, it's fun to eat and our Jay loves it- on everything. Except when the sauce doesn't come out, you squeeze too hard and a giant blob comes out. 

But as you can see, Molly is constantly watching over him and making sure he is happy and cared for.

She's going to be an awesome mom someday. 

And last but not least, were putting in an above ground pool! 

Molly and Mike sat around a fire (which is the center of the where the pool will be) after a ginormous stump was removed (by us on a Sunday morning which included a tractor, winch, 2 cables (one broke in process) chains, and shovels. 

These two loves are talking about who knows what. 

I snapped this photo from inside the house- which is why it's so blurry.

I came inside early because I had a stomachache when I was out by the fire with them.

I had no choice but to poop by a tree.

Jasper ate it and everyone was disgusted and left- except of Molly and Mike.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Fall Recap

We seem to have a lap-cat.

Or maybe she just doesn't want to miss out on ANYTHING.

Kind of like this little girl as well.

Our final weekend of camping at Pammel Park.

 And of course, Halloween.

Pumpkin Ranch

Molly mentioned she wanted to go to a pumpkin patch.  

I remember those places costing a ridiculous amount of money which doesn't even include the pumpkin.  

But then I started to think this could be the last year I'd have a kid asking to go to a pumpkin patch, so I let her invite her best friend.

We started in the corn maze but got bored so we decided to cheat our way out through the corn rows.  

We walked through the food truck area and naturally had to stop for snow cones and kettle corn.  

The corn pool was fun, but packed with toddlers and probably swimming with strep throat and Covid. 

The girls decided they were too big for the zip line, and not interested in waiting in line for the jump pillow or horseback rides.  The slide had a nasty bump that hit your back weirdly and toddler town was clearly a no-go.  

And fortunately for the bank account, the girls had ZERO interest in hiking out to the pumpkin patch for a pumpkin.

Some things you just outgrow.  

So odds are, this was my last year as a mom taking my kid to the pumpkin patch.  

It turns out I blinked and no longer have little kids.  

I've said it again and I say it a thousand times, the days are long but the years are short.

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Night Lights

Who would've guessed our shy little Moo would be our social butterfly. 

Last week was the pink-out football game at the school and look who's looking pretty in pink.  

It's no secret football has nothing to do with Friday night lights in 6th grade.

These are the days you feel your first moments of independence. Where you hear all the classmate drama, smell the overpowering smell of grilled hamburgers in the air, feel your toes and fingers may freeze brittle and break, yet know you have a $10 bill stashed in your phone case to blow at the concession stand. 

Oh goodness, these are the days...  

And in true Maisie fashion, she had ZERO interest in being at a football game on a cold Friday night.  

She makes a great chauffeur though, and a happy one as long as she has her music in her ears!

Asterisks, North Korea and the Budget

Jayson hadn't emptied his 'take home' folder since the beginning of the year.  I found all sorts of surprises in there last night.

I LOVE his use of the asterisk in the below writing.

Notice North Korea was his topic of choice...

And the stories continue.  

Unfortunately, he's convinced his 'biological parents are rich but sadly blew the budget'

Ross is helping him learn double digit multiplication.  

According to Jayson, it's called the standard algorithm.  

This kid makes life extra interesting.

The Campout

Molly's been craving tent camping ever since we sold the camper last spring.  

I can't say I blame her.  

There's just something about family time, fresh air, different snacks and drinks, and being one with nature.  

So we reserved a site at Pammel Park and made it happen.

Molly hauled most of the equipment out of the basement and set up her own tent as well as all 4 disco bed cots.

Maisie relaxed.

But she got the urge to get a few push-ups in after the tents were set up.

Setting up camp for 6 people is intense. 

One has to consider the fact that people eat way more food than they realize.  I pre-made chili at home and brought hot dogs for chili dogs.  Everyone liked it except Molly's friend didn't eat chili and Ross wouldn't try it and refused to eat a hot dog without barbecue sauce so he went home and everyone except Molly's friend woke up with significant gas in the morning.

Jayson explained how RecRoom is now selling gift cards up to $200 in the US ONLY, and how he hacked into the school website and made a call to the FBI to report suspicious activity keeping us all on the edge of our seats around the campfire Friday night.

Guzzling Solo cups of pop out of 2-liters just feels like the right thing to do at a campsite...

. I think Maisie is mid-swallow in this shot.

They know I don't buy pop at home.

And it wouldn't be a good time if we didn't have dancing.  

I think this may have been a tik-toc- not positive though because the smoke was rolling into my face.

Camping in October also requires one to consider the temperature.  This means pads for those sleeping on the ground as at least 2 lawn-and-leaf bags overflowing with flannel sheets and old comforters. 

Maisie woke up Sunday with 3 numb middle toes which had also turned white. 

We propped her foot up on a piece of firewood in the morning and let the campfire thaw her out.

We could have EASILY stayed home, watched a true crime documentary, and gotten things done around the house.  

Instead, we overpacked clothes which all need to be washed because everything smells like smoke, hauled 2 truckbeds full of cots, tents, food, drinks, firewood, bedding, warm clothes, chairs - did I mention all the bedding..., I lost my left contact through the night which made me empathize with Jayson's vision, and almost lost Maisie's toes.

And now we're home, with the washer and dryer getting a workout, the smell of campfire still lingering in our hair, and memories of that October weekend we tent camped in Winterset. 

The Dance

Is there anything as nostalgic, anxiety-inducing, or awkward as gearing up for a freshman dance?  

Who's going with who, where will you eat, who's in your group, will you be asked, and if you are, will it will brutally awkward...

Maisie didn't physically go to her freshman homecoming dance this year.  

Instead, she stole the best parts of a high school dance and spent them with her best friend.  

Maisie had 3 dresses to choose from.  The dress she's wearing in the below photo is not the one from the actual dance night.  This was just a trial dress-up day.  

I couldn't resist taking her picture.

The night of the dance, they dressed up with full hair and make-up, took photos together, went to the Dollar Store to try on funny Halloween masks, recorded themselves doing a fun snack challenge, danced outside under the stars to their favorite songs, and laughed their heads off while stalking their classmates through Snapchat who were at the dance hiding out in the bathrooms.

I think she may be the smartest freshman I know.