SERIOUSLY....

The boy child spent 10 minutes (not exaggerating) last night chewing a very minuscule bite of bratwurst that we made him try, saying the whole time, "I just can't swallow it."  Then tonight he turned around and swallowed a dime.  Really????

WHY I LIKE/DISLIKE FACEBOOK....

Reasons I LIKE Facebook....

1.  It's fun to get in touch with people from your past and see what they are up to again.

2.  It really is a good way to stay connected....especially with extended family.  At our reunion this summer I felt like I had so much more to talk about with people.

3.  There are some really fun games on facebook (i.e. Bejeweled Blitz, Word Whomp Derby, and Glob).

4.  It's fun to post pictures for people to see.

5.  It's fun to look at other people's pictures.
6.  If you are having a bad day and you status update about it you usually get a lot of positive comments.
7.  It helps me keep track of people's birthdays.
8.  It is interesting to see what you have in common with other people.
9.  There are some really funny status updates.
10.  In the middle of the night, when I'm often up, I can get on facebook and see who else is online and can't sleep.



Reasons I DISLIKE facebook....


1.  I dislike it when someone who I've never actually had a face to face or person to person conversation with asks to be my friend.   I call that friend trolling and I say ignore.

2.  When you see all the cool things people are doing with their lives, it can lead to some pretty strong feelings of inferiority.

3.  Too many fun, time-wasting games that are tempting to play.

4.  The many unflattering pictures of me that others have posted.

5.  The pressure to come up with unique and interesting status updates.

6.  No dislike button.

7.  The critical responses from some people when you do post something vulnerable.

8.  Wondering if anyone would actually remember your birthday if it weren't posted on facebook.

9.  That I can't move into 1st place on Word Whomp Derby.

10.  The time I spend on facebook could be time I spend out it in the real world actually living.

11.  That for an introvert like me, there is the possibility that I could spend all my time cyber-connecting with people instead of really connecting with them.

IT'S OVER PEOPLE....

I know there are several fall lovers who read this blog and I hope you're happy....fall is here.  :-(

I know it is here not just because the calendar says so but because there is a house that we drive by on our way to school that has a very cool in-ground pool in its backyard and I love to check it every day just to make sure that there is still sparkling, inviting, beautiful blue water in it.  Until one day, every year, it happens....the water is gone, the pool is covered, and a little light goes out of my life (not too overly dramatic I trust).  Well, ladies and gentleman....today was that day.

So bring on the SAD, break out the sun light, get the crock pot ready to go.....the BIG NASTY is coming and if it is anywhere near as bad as last year I might as well check myself into the psych ward right now. 

GAME DAY!!

Just wanted to share a couple of cute pictures of a couple of cute NE kids today...not so interested in the game but that will come!! 

Camden wanted to wear this shirt to school yesterday.  When I asked him why he said, "Two reasons.  It shows that I have a sense of humor and it says MOM on it."  Isn't that the sweetest?!!  (If you can't read his shirt it says, "My team is so good even your mom cheers for them.")

And of course this post wouldn't be complete without a picture of my precious little Cornhusker girlie.  What a cutie!!

I'M SORRY AMY....

....sorry that your computer-generated automated phone calling machine called this number tonight. 

....sorry that this is a night that I am so completely frustrated!

....sorry that my husband wasn't home to answer the phone with his Chinese accent, pretending to be Domino's.

....sorry that I don't want to give you $500, $100, $50 or even $25 because you did have a pleasant voice.

....sorry that you really don't seem to understand WHY I refused your requests for money.

....sorry that my husband wasn't home tonight (2) so he could be my political sounding board instead of you. (Although he was quite ecstatic!)

....sorry that I ABSOLUTELY refuse to give any more money to a party who can muster up more dislike and vitriol for a true conservative, who is actually a member of their party, than they can a stark-raving mad lib who is on the other side!

....sorry that if you call here in the future my answer will be the same.

....sorry that I might have, kind of yelled in your ear a little.  It truly wasn't personal.

....sorry if you feel I treated you unkindly.  I was not intentionally doing that.

....and finally I'm so sorry that the conservative party is no longer that, but is instead a party of people who are so obsessed with POWER that they have absolutely NO interest in representing a conservative viewpoint!!

There I've said it.
It is off my chest.
I feel better!

THE MONSTER...

If you are thinking, "Oh this should be a good Camden story" you will be a little disappointed.....

Meet our clematis.  I introduce it to you as it has been with us for about 5 years, however, it has been pulled up by its roots for the last two years......

and yet it comes back every year, stronger than before. (If you look closely you can see a stack of chairs under it in this picture.).  It is simply unbelievable how fast and far it grows every year.  (I have another one with really beautiful, pink, star shaped flowers that I can hardly get to grow.). 

It has grown up on two sides of our deck.

And is starting to peek out, after growing up under the deck, on a third side.

This year it has actually started growing up over our fence and onto the neighbor's side. 

They haven't complained.....yet.  It is, evidently, a tough plant to kill.  It has such lovely, delicate

flowers and a nice smell but it really attracts all things that buzz and when you have two

offspring such as mine who are deathly afraid of

buzzing insects (In all fairness to Camden, he was swarmed by yellow jackets a couple of weeks ago.),

it IS in my best interest to rid the backyard of this freak of nature. 

Until then I guess we will be a front yard family!!

ISN'T IT JUST COMMON SENSE...

According to Merriam-Webster the definition of common sense

"sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts"

Are people using their common sense when they want to:

Burn the Koran?

Build a mosque at the spot where Muslims killed Americans?

Protest at the funerals of soldiers? (Just what I wanted to explain to my children a couple of Sundays ago as we drove home from church)

Hire a bicycle coordinator for a city that is going bankrupt? (This one is quite specific to Omaha but I am finding it highly annoying!!)

You may have the freedom to do these things but that doesn't make it RIGHT!! 

Common sense...what most people in the news these days seem to be lacking. 

THE ROLLER COASTER....

"You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.  Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride! I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it. "                                      

From the movie Parenthood, spoken by Grandma, referring to parenting

We've been to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows around here this week with one of our precious gifts and frankly I'm not sure I can keep it up for the next however many years.  Something one kid wanted to try out for that we were sure would turn out to be a huge disappointment, actually went the opposite way and created quite the excitement in her young life and yet something else that has always been a constant in her life seems to be ebbing away and is making both of us quite sad.  She seems to be taking everything in stride, handling it.  I, on the other hand, have been worrying and fretting not wanting her to feel sad or disappointed, wishing I could ALWAYS protect her from both.  Irrationally thinking there is something I can do to make everything better.....but, there is not. 

So...I guess I need to close my eyes and put my hands up and try to enjoy the ride. 

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE.....

Even though we have been in school for a couple of weeks, Labor Day always signifies the end of summer to me.  Oh summer....please don't leave...what will I do without the warm sun on my face, the long hours of daylight, and the late night blizzard runs??  Guess there is not much I can do about it so I will live in the memories of what a summer it was!!  Starting with vacation!! 

VACATION IS....

A trip to Casa Bonita (rumors of its demise are greatly exaggerated)!

That first awesome look at the mountains!!

A ride on a slide in Estes Park!

Breakfast in the mountains!

An early morning hike....very early!!

Beautiful picture backdrops!

Feeding furry friends!

A trip to the LARGEST water park in America!

Alpine sliding!

A wonderful family reunion!

Heading home....tired but very, very thankful!!

4 QUESTION FRIDAY

1.  Labor Day is an odd holiday, to me anyway.  Do you and your family have a tradition for this day/weekend?  If so what is it?

2.  CM has taken up the saxophone this year.  What instrument did/do you play?

3.  What is your favorite music-related movie? 

4.  Have you ever done any canning?  What did you can?

Have a great weekend!!