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Home Again

Well, we've returned. A day early.  Damn the Weather Channel and their unreliable forecasts. They guessed at non-stop rain for Wednesday and Thursday and Surprise - wrong.  We packed up and left yesterday and by the time I was done packing the entire camper up it had slowed to a light drizzle.  Then it stopped. 

The kids were kindy of  whiney and greedy all weekend.  My son informed me that he would stop complaining if I would just do whatever he asked.  Pleasant boy. And my daughter is a champion instigator.  We actually didn't have a bad time.  We had campfires, went for a couple of bike rides on the bike trail that was attached to the campground, went to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary where a very aggressive member of the Audubon Society tried to muscle me into purchasing a membership.  I cannont say enough good about the rest of the place.  It was gorgeous. The trails were easy for the kids with little boardwalks sticking out into the coves for close up views.   We saw tons of turtles, a red squirrel, frogs, fish, tons of birds and dragonflies, chipmunks and butterflies.  Nothing really out of the ordinary for this area, but the setting was sublime.  

We mini-golfed by ourselves at 9:30 in the morning at a place right off the bike trail.  Turns out we beat the crowds.  We drove by like 2 hours later and the place was jammed. Yay us!!  Then the kids met some fellow campers and shot cap guns, played spy and painted rocks. 
I got an awesome campfire popcorn popper for Christmas last year so I made a batch of popcorn then shipped them off to bed. 

After the quick pack up we went to Provincetown for awhile and spent too much money on some necklaces, a dice game and a Thomas the Tank Engine card game and we headed home.   How does my son not notice all of the men couples and girl couples holding hands and stuff in this town??

And that was my camping trip.  The End. 

The tower thingy in Provincetown. 

A silent scream for more ice cream. 

At Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. This place is truly beautiful (and the kids aren't half bad either :) ) 

Celebrating his first hole in one!! 

First night at the Cape. Kids fought over who would sleep where and ended up together.  

We're Off!

Well, I'm headed to work for awhile then we're off to the Cape this afternoon. 

Everything is packed, the kids are washed and I am nuts!  Good to see the Red Sox beat the Yanks again last night.  Back on Thursday....

Reason Number 6,072 to love Jason Varitek

BostonHerald.com - Red Sox: Red sox 11, Yankees 10

What I wanted to post was the photo, but can't figure out how to get it. This has got to be the best picture I've seen in awhile. I don't totally condone fighting, but c'mon, what Red Sox fan didn't want to see this??? Maybe he can kick Derek Jeter's butt tomorrow.

Sleepover

After the pond my son and his best friend wanted to try their first sleepover - so here they are! 

They were great, they've actually been asleep since 10:00 p.m. Not too bad for a first try.  His friend actually almost fell asleep on the couch around 9:15 so I sent them up to my son's room to play and read or whatever just so they'd stay up for awhile longer.

Here's the daughter again, this time at our pond. We packed a lunch and took the wagon to the pond for awhile.  

Here's my girl covered in sand. We haven't been to this beach for awhile and I had forgotten that the first 200 feet into the water is totally made up of rocks. Yeouch! 

We took a ride to the beach on Wednesday. I ususally avoid going on the really hot days because of the crowds but I figured I'd take the neighbor kids with us and get some sun, salt and sand anyway. 

It takes a village

I can't wait to see The Village.  I hope it's as creepy as it looks.  I say that I can't wait, but honestly I'll give myself a heart attack in the theater.  I really can't handle getting scared at all.  I tried to watch The Ring and totally chickened out the first time. (No, I didn't think I was gonna die)  I get so tense about how scared I could get that I forget it's a movie.  I ended up watching The Ring after the kid's 13 year old babysitter laughed at me and it wasn't bad at all. 

And the Blair Witch Project?? I saw it the first night, with all the rumors swirling about how it was real.  Well, I live down a dirt road with neighbors, but damn, it gets dark.  I almost killed myself running to my door.  My palms were sweating during Scream just because I knew that I'd be jumping again when the boogey man jumped out, even though it wasn't scary, jumpy counts as heart attack stuff.

Okay, enough for tonite.  My camera batteries are dead and I've got to get those replaced so I don't bore everyone with my stories.   G'nite.

Car Trouble

Remember how last week my car HAD to go into the shop for the radiator?? Well Sunday night we're leaving my in-laws house after a cookout, the boys had returned safely from Maine, my husband starts his truck and we're getting ready to pick up my car at the garage when....plup, plup, plup, plup.  What's  that??? That's the sound of my husbands truck stalling out and dying. 

The garage calls us yesterday and for $1,000.00 the truck will be driveable again.  The best part is that my husband could have fixed both my car and his truck but he just doesn't have the time to squeeze it in after work or wait for the weekend. 

Oh well, can't win them all. Who really needs $1,000.00???  Still going camping but not in a tent.  We're taking the pop up to Cape Cod for a few days next week.  Just me and the kids, my husband can't get out of work.  There's a drive in movie theater a few miles away so we're going to see Shrek 2 one night & we'll bring our bikes so we can hit the Rail Trail.  Other than that, no big plans.

25,000 BTUs and Weekend Plans

It's officially summer.  The air conditioner has arrived at its summertime perch in my bedroom window, right above my computer.  It blows frigid air and viral infections on me as I work and sleep.  Never mind that it blocks my view of the great outdoors (mostly pine trees and sky but I like it).  My husband works outside and says that if he's going to sweat all day he doesn't want to sweat all night too.  I see his point but c'mon...it's only been hot for like 3 days all summer here.  I just wanted a few more days of fresh air.
 
Am going to take the kids camping either this week or next. Me, two kids and the tent.  Yikes.  I was going to head to the property in Maine with them but the husband is concerned for my safety.  The nearest neighbor is about one mile away and sometimes we get visitors from down the road (guys on quads) and he doesn't entirely trust them.  What's not to trust about toothless men on quads carrying guns?  Just kidding.  They have a few teeth.
 
Actually, everyone who's visited us seems pretty nice (they usually bring their kids-not their guns-and some beers) but still, it is a long way from help and the cell phone isn't too reliable up there.

My mom will be disappointed

Take the quiz: Which Religion Best Suits You? 
 

Atheist
You are Godless! You could care less about religion. As far as you're concerned, if you can't see, touch and kick something, it's not real to you. You're day-to-day activities consist of eating, working, sleeping and the occasional Internet or coffee shop debate. Lastly, if anyone chooses to preach at you otherwise, you will either leave or debate them until they finally shut up.
 
 
Yikes.  So the weather in hell forecast I just added to my blog can't be true can it?  Ah, well I've gotten alot of grief for not introducing my kids to church.  Totally not true.  We've been to a Christmas Craft Fair at one and the holy man of Christmas himself was there.....It's Santa I speak of.  Sorry to say my kids worship the bringer of presents.  My son dressed as Santa for Halloween one year. Honestly, I just try to raise kind, polite and responsible children who can conduct themselves correctly in the world.  Kids that I'm not embarrassed to say are mine when in public (That last one doesn't always work).
 
Anyway, I've read the Left Behind books and they make it out like we've got plenty of warning if suddenly we need to switch to God's team.  I'll probably wait until I see some of that stuff, disappearing people (most of my friends will still be around so I'll be in good company), the antichrist, etc. before I make any move.

Two Four Letter Words

. 

With the husband out of town we got up early this morning and hit two yard sales.  I love poking through other peoples goods to see if I can find a treasure or two.  I've found some really good things in the past, today it was just some Barbie clothes and a couple of Where's Waldo and Magic School Bus books.  
 
My husband is pretty much mortified that I would buy some one else's old stuff so I usually only go to two a year.  But one of the ones that I do go to is really a lot of fun.  It's an entire neighborhood, well, not the every house but about 75 -100 houses take part.  I go with a friend of mine, from about 8 am - 12 noon.  It's always the same weekend every year and this year we have a wedding to go to (husband is the best man) so I'm already in panic mode trying to schedule the time to go.
 
 

The Week in Review

At last, the week is over!!  Soccer camp, while fun, was from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. nightly and I'm so glad I'm not planning dinners for 4:00 anymore. Plus it rained for two of the nights and they only cancel in case of thunder and lightening (whimps) so that kinda stunk for him.  He totally loved it anyway and seemed to pick up a few good skills. 
 
My car is in the shop.  A cracked radiator.  Funny, I told my husband about a leaking antifreeze problem, oh, say, three months ago.  He takes my car to work for one  day and WHAMMO call the shop, it's gotta go in and NOW!  And now he tells me that a cracked radiator may be the least of my worries, some head gasket trouble.  Whatever.  Just sell it, please, please.  I hear a
Chevy Tahoe calling my name. jenny jenny .....come drive me.....  See you hear it too don't you??
 
I'm off to swim with the girlie....too nice to stay inside.

Brighter (and taken from outside) but still drizzly. 

The View from the Car 

Some Cheese with that Whine??

Wow, just read yesterday's post. Think the kids (and husband for that matter) were getting to me?

Today was busier than usual. Argued about the sitter's house this morning and like a light switch he went from screaming meanie to totally okay with going. Who knows what goes on in those brains of theirs. To the sitter's, then to work, back to the sitter's, then home, immediately cooked dinner (of the gourmet grilled cheese variety) then I walked to soccer camp with my kids and Fred. Well, upon arrival my daughter starts crying, she's hungry, she's thirsty, she's bored. Great. So, back home we walk, get the drinks, some popcorn, and sweatshirts (why on earth is it so cold in July??), drop the dog off, grab some markers and paper and walk on back.

Then, when we get home (husband is out trying on tuxedos for his brother's wedding) I try to put them to bed. After 1/2 hour with the girlie she was wide awake (and now it's 9:15) so my son volunteers to try and I go upstairs to start working. Just when I feel really fresh and awake (NOT!!). And I cannot put typing this meeting off for even one more night because I like to submit my work prior to the next meeting. So I just finished working and my husband went to bed angry because I had to work and the computer bugs him and now I'm going to bed but first I have to finish this (blogging is a requirement for right now) and then let the dogs out, then cover up all of the furniture because the lovely big dog, Baxter, will sleep and shed all over it, then put a load of clothes in.

Sorry, just had to whine to anybody who'd care to read it. Am working tomorrow night, will return Wednesday....Till then...

This is the view from the window in my office. Across the street from the Town Hall is a huge, beautiful lake.

The Boys are Back in Town

How do I know they're back? Well it couldn't be the attitude my son gave me when I tried to put sunblock on him before he went to a pool party. Or the way my daughter cried when he wouldn't let her pet Freddy (because she saw him all weekend) or the way my husband got angry because I forgot to write the last check I wrote in the check register. Well, they leave again Friday for another weekend....Adios boys! Really, I'm glad they're home safe and sound but a few days without them suits me just fine too.

Plus my son threw a total fit when he found out that tomorrow was his day at the babysitter's house. It really is boring for him there but cripes, you'd think I was putting him in a playpen for 22 hours instead of his auntie's house for 4 1/2. It's all babies (my daughter was the oldest one before he came for the summer)and not exciting at all but my son does not know the meaning of the words 'suck it up'. I mean, I only work one day out of the week and it's a half day at that.

Oooohhhh, my neighbors invited us over for a campfire and while I told them I have to work, my husband is loafing on the couch. Hey bud, it's only summer for another month or so...get out there. I only included this last bit because the yummy campfire smell is being blown into my bedroom window from the fan and I love it. :)

Just a Warning

Friday was the evening of my eagerly anticipated book club meeting. I say eagerly anticipated because A. We only meet every six weeks. B. Usually we have good snacks. C. We really have a blast together. We're all moms and most of us don't hang out together outside of this group, but we've all become friends and spend a lot of time laughing and commiserating.

Anyway, I had to enlist a babysitter because my husband and son are in Maine. I also had to enlist the service of my good friend (and book clubber) to stay at my house while I brought said babysitter home.

Now, it's 12:10a.m., barely a car on the road. I have no kids in car seats and some good music on the radio (no wiggles, thank you very much). We have exactly two stoplights in the entire town, both of which were red when I rolled through to make right hand turns.

Now, don't get me wrong....I slowed down and looked for oncoming cars and only one was coming, but they were still very far away. I certainly didn't pose a danger to anyone (because that was seriously the only other car around). The crummy part is that it was police car. He saw me blow off the first light and followed me to the second (which I also just slowed down and turned through). Out come the lights and the sirens. He takes forever to get out of his car (doesn't he know I need to get back to my house???) and comes over, but not before searching the backseat for my non-existent open alcohol containers laying on my kids car seats. Oops, not only are there no bottles, but I don't have my drivers license (in my purse on the kitchen counter) or registration (lost it about a year ago). He was very polite asked me some questions and returned to his cruiser for a very long time. Came back with a written warning, so it could have been worse. My poor friend back at my house was working up to full on panic mode because I was like 15 minutes late and she figures I'm in a wreck somewhere.

Nope, just a typical mom with no kids in the car, listening to music, driving a little too fast on some empty roads.



The evidence. 

Which Hogwarts House Are You??

be sorted @ nimbo.net

The No Whale Whale Watch

I've been wanting to take the kids on a whale watch and yesterday seemed like the perfect day...Sunny, not too hot, kids weren't fighting. So off we go. It's over an hour boat ride to the whale feeding grounds. No biggie. Everyone is all excited. Whales, whales, whales. Then we get there, and we float and we float and we float. Nothing. Then we zoom off on a hot whale tip and nothing there either. Wait...in all fairness we did see one Minke whale 1/2 mile away for approximately 1-2 seconds and later in the trip we (along with four other whale watches giving chase) saw another one about 1/4 mile away for 2-3 seconds. I wish I was exaggerating.

My kids hooked up with another family and started playing hokey pokey and other kiddo games and soon enough we had a big group of kids playing simon says and the like. The kids had a great time anyway and what do they know that I'm out sixty bucks for this trip.

What really annoyed me was the fact that they didn't even offer a discount for another day or one free candy bar to every kid on board. A little customer service goes a long way. They were like "sorry, they're wild animals and that's how it goes". Good for them but for sixty three dollars next time we'll find some guaranteed fun.


Sleeping Contest. One of the parents on the boat promised them a prize for whoever could pretend to sleep the longest on the way back to Plymouth. Brilliant Parenting. One mom came up to the top deck and asked if we were playing 'Jonestown'.  

See the whales? Me neither. 

Patiently awaiting the first sighting.... 

A replica of the Mayflower, parked in Plymouth Harbor. It's really small inside and it would be hell to travel with your family in this thing in hopes of pursuing any freedom at all. 

Here's another shot of the whales. :( 

Lord of the Rings comes to Town!!

I absolutely loved LOTR, both the movies and the books so I was totally thrilled to discover that there's an exhibit coming to the Museum of Science in Boston!!

Here's a seldom seen picture of the Ring in use.....

Scary thought isn't it?????

Finally, The Patriots are back in the News!!

Okay, so I don't watch the news and all I ever seem to catch on the local sports shows (sadly, I do watch them) are Red Sox reviews. The Pats got their well deserved Super Bowl rings a few weeks ago...Check it Out...



Sad to see Ted Washington leave, but hopefully his replacement can fit the bill. And Ty Law is staying so shall we try for a third ring??? Why of course we will!!

Weekend in Review

We couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Perfect weather, good food, great friends and family.

Went to a local beach on Friday with the kids. My son caught a huge crab and snail plus two of the hermit crabs we caught committed suicide rather than be put in the bucket we had (they crawled right out of their shells and fell back into the tide pool, 'goodbye cruel world') which we had never seen happen before. My son loves that stuff.

Saturday we went to a marathon 12 hour cookout at my best friends house. She's got a pool and lives on a lake so it was back and forth from the beach to the pool. (Tough lives, eh?) and when it got dark we lit off fireworks and sparklers at the beach.

Sunday we lazied around in the morning and went to the inlaws for the afternoon. They've got a pool too and my sister in law did ALL of the cooking so what could be wrong with that? Today it rained and the kids played and watched a movie and then we all went out and got Red Sox shirts!! Reverse the curse baby!!


Rainy Monday and Legos 

Like a Fish 

Loving Nana's pool! 

Loving Nana's brownies.