Shed-tastic!

Well if you can believe it - the shopping trip with the boys actually went FINE! I'm sure I went overboard on the 'prep' by reminding them 49,000 times of all the things not to do unless they want to be banned from shopping with me ever again.  And by a random stroke of luck, the first store we stopped at had these awesome little Nikes in the SCHOOL COLORS.  I raved about how cool they were, until I had him semi-convinced that he in fact wanted them... either that or he was on to me - that I had already made up my mind and he better just take them.  Charlie did, however, score a pair of Converse while we were there.  He didn't really need another pair, but if you'll recall - I bought him some ugly skater-style shoes on our last trip that I have always hated - so I was happy to see him start sporting a normal looking shoe - oh and they were on sale!

Since then I've been busy staring out my window all week watching a crew of guys build us a shed, yes a SHED!  

  Hard to believe we went from this (left) to this (right) in less than one week!

I am so excited to get everything from our garage moved to the nice new shed, so I can actually park my vehicle inside! Woot! Woot! I've only had to scrape once so far, but I'm hoping it will be my LAST.  I've never had an attached garage in my life! Always, my car with the half-hazard scraping lines all over it, screamed "I don't have a garage! I park outside!" Well, no longer! 

Now if there was only something I could do about the inch of dust currently covering my vehicle that screams, "I LIVE ON GRAVEL!!!!".  Ha.  One thing at a time...

What goes around comes around

Many of you probably remember my nightmare shopping trip with the boys before school started.  If not, you can refresh your memory here.  Since then, I've tried to refrain from taking them shopping for ANYTHING if at all possible.  I even tried taking them separately, but after Charlie was in near tears once when I refused to buy him a stupid toy skateboard ramp, I ruled that out as well.  I suddenly have a new appreciation for the anguish I caused my mother every time she wanted to go the store.  I have vivid memories of the both of us standing at our door and her making me promise not to ask her for ANYTHING if we went.  I would bat my eyelashes and swear up and down (and every which way possible) that she wouldn't hear a peep out of me -  if she would just pleeeeaaase take me with. Ha - I got something every time.  

When I got a little older, my tactics became more advanced.  Countless times I'd walk go to a store with my friends, find something I wanted, CALL my mother at work (from the store phone), and have her pick ME and the item up on her way home! Good God.

Anyway, here we are again.  Will needs basketball shoes.  I've already warned him that we are NOT (repeat NOT NOT NOT) driving all over H-E-double hockey sticks to find the 'perfect' shoes.  I will select the style and he can pick out the color.  LIMIT THE OPTIONS is what I have learned.  He grumbled a bit, but decided it was better than me bringing home random shoes without him.  

T minus two hours until departure.... WISH ME LUCK.

Wordless Wednesday (a day late)

Shoot 'em up!

Let me warn you now.  If you are anti-guns or anti-kids with guns (haha) you should just navigate away from this post immediately.  Keep in mind, we are in the MIDWEST where hunting and yes, guns, are a big part of everyday life around here.  Well, seasonally at least. I grew up with a hunting-crazed dad and brother, was the only girl in Hunter Safety Education class at 12 years of age, and was toted along every deer season as a kid for my extra 'tag'. Granted, most of the time I sat in the truck listening to music or riding on the 4-wheeler when it was time to retrieve a deer, but my point is - this stuff aint no big deal to me.

Ben did not grow up with a deer-driven-dad like myself, but his interest in learning to hunt and shoot has been growing, especially since we own enough land now to do so.  His friends and cousins have been on his case for years for him to join them in the hunt. So when we stopped by the local mart this summer for some fishing worms and saw a sign-up sheet for an upcoming Hunter's Safety Education class, Ben was in! He completed it last month, so now he's really 'fired up' (ha) to do some shooting and hunting.

Now let me back up a bit....   A couple weeks ago, Ben's friend and his twin boys came over with a BB gun - I wasn't so sure, but I rolled with it. Ben and Todd went with them walking through the woods and let them practice shooting a bit.  The men eventually wandered up by the house, letting the kids walk around a bit more - and it wasn't long before the kids came back shrieking with excitement. Apparently shortly after the dads hoofed it, the kids spied something 'fuzzy' swimming around in the water. So the BB-gun toting foursome came to the only logical conclusion possible - SHOOT IT! The story is this - Hunter shot it in the arm, causing it to swim in circles, then Charlie shot it in the nuts, and finally Will - with his expert marksmanship - landed the kiss of death ... straight to the heart.  Likely. Ultimately, I'm confident that none of them hit anything, and it was the steatlh-like dog that ended up bounding into the water and locking her jaws on this fuzzy-whatever-it-was.  (you're thinking Beaver, aren't you??) WELL IT WAS A MUSKRAT. 

I have to admit, I was a little shocked.  I said to Charlie - "Do you even know what you're DOING?" "Have you even had a safety lesson on that???"  His answer (all smug while pointing at a part of the gun he was holding) "YES MOM, there's a BUTTON right here - see SAFETY". Oh god.  (Ben assures me they did in fact lay down the law with these guys.) Whew!

Last weekend, while I was at a wedding shower, Ben took the boys to buy their own BB gun. I know he really wanted to buy a gun for himself, but I told him to hold off since my dad has one he can use - so this was second best. He bought a little target, and the boys spent the afternoon with Dad learning the parts of the gun, more about safety and aiming.  Cool.

Back to the present. I got a glimpse on Sunday of what is sure to be the new favorite activity around here. SHOOTING CLAY PIGEONS. Ben's friend brought over this machine that launches these clay discs in the air, and everyone tries to shoot it. I have to admit, it really did look pretty fun. The kids of course were in heaven, aiming their BB gun at the flying target. They are confident that their shot 'shattered' several of the pulls. :-) Here's Charlie readying for the next pigeon. (AND YES THE DADS WERE RIGHT THERE).

With all the hunting and shooting here as of late, I even called the WI DNR to get a copy of MY Hunter's safety certificate... just in case. Hey, if you can't beat em, join em.

Magic Eraser Moments

Over the past couple months, I've learned a few life lessons from my youngest son.  

(Here's a brief reminder of the kid we're talking about, being his normal self at dinner.)

1. If it's the middle of nap time, and you haven't heard a peep out of the bedroom, it doesn't mean the child is sleeping - it means the child is not in there.

2. Nothing makes a better canvas than a white wall.

3. Deodorant can make a room smell nice and fresh if applied properly (and thoroughly) all over the place.

4. Peanut butter is easily snuck from the pantry and meant to be eaten with bare fists, preferably both at the same time.

5. Orange glow is fun to spray, and amazingly harmless on your carpet, furniture, windows and trim, even when applied in large amounts.

6. The school art room is as good a place as any to vomit, especially if it's crowded and in the middle of Parent Open House.

7. Never underestimate the naughty - it could be worse.. and then usually is!

Carving Time!

Last night we carved pumpkins.  I used to love that activity every year as a kid - I'd spend hours carving pumpkins  and admiring them afterward.  As an adult, I do like the finished product, but the process isn't quite as wonderful as I remember it - now that I am tasked with mostly guts and seeds.  However, even with the mess, I have to admit it was a great family activity.  We popped in some scary Halloween music and sound effects and got busy. Now that Will and Charlie are old enough to mark out their own patterns on the pumpkins it was much better. Will actually did almost all the cutting on his pumpkin this year - impressive!

I really thought Jacob would be all about sticking his hands inside of the slimy pumpkin (and probably rubbing it all over his hair and body and the walls), but he wanted nothing to do with it!  He mostly ran around dancing to the music and climbing on Ben's back (which felt awesome while you're crouched over a pumpkin). 

Where have I been?

Things have been so nuts around here lately, I think I forgot I had a blog.  Honestly, when I went to log on here today - I had to THINK about how to get here! Sad, really.  After several inquiries as to where the HECK have I been, I thought I should post something to let you all know I am still alive.  :-)  Thanks for checking!!!

In the last month, I applied for, interviewed for and GOT a job.... that I wasn't sure I really even wanted.  I saw an ad in the local paper for a community-business type director (think chamber of commerce meets economic development), and I thought it sounded like a great job for me. Lots of action, people, challenge, hob-nobbing and autonomy.  I applied on a WHIM, thinking I'd never get it - when they called for an interview, I inquired about the flexibility - knowing off the bat juggling the family would be my biggest problem.  Vague answers, but sounded promising.  Hmmm okay.  I'd been in a bit of a 'rut' as far as staying home goes, and thought getting out of the house would do me some good... so I scheduled a time for the interview. After almost canceling twice, and Ben telling me to just go do it - i did.  The interview was a little nerve racking at first - hadn't been on that side of the table in a long, long time!  Four board members, including the City Planner sat across from me with their notebooks and questions, and took turns firing questions at me.  When they called the next week to tell me I was selected for the job, I was pretty surprised.  They were excited to have me, and I was pretty happy to be chosen, and I just went with it - I'd figure out the details later.  

Ben had said he could work from home two days per week, leaving only three to arrange daycare for Jacob - not too bad.  But how was our family going to handle this major transition? What about school inservices and sick days and SUMMER VACATION?  Hmmmm.  What about cooking and cleaning and laundry and all the 'house' stuff that would still need to be done around here?  What about the fact that Jacob can hardly be away from me for more than ONE HOUR without freaking out? What about when Ben has the week between Christmas and New Year's off - and I have to work? Bummer. What about after school care before I could get home? Ugh.

The more I thought and FRETTED over this job, the more it didn't make sense.  It's not like it paid a zillion dollars or anything - it was practically volunteer as far as I'm concerned.  And over the following week, I talked more to another board member and to the woman who previously held this position, and found out about all the City Council meetings, County Board meetings, Business after hours events, special events and CONFERENCES - all held after normal business hours - that I had to attend. Yikes. I also got a call AT HOME from a member wanting to talk to me about an upcoming event.  I hadn't even started yet!

Charlie all but cried when I told him I was taking a job.

What was I doing!?

Oh, and to make matters worse, stories were published about me in TWO newspapers - one featuring a big ol' picture of me - sent to every household in THE COUNTY.  I knew it was bad when the guy DRIVING A COMBINE outside asked me if I was 'that girl who took that job'.  Oh God. 

In the end - after losing a week's sleep over this - I made the call to bow out from the job I accepted. I felt like a total ASS, but I had to do it.  I had to!!!  If it was meant to be, I would have been excited, not agonizing over the opportunity.... even if it was the perfect job for me.... but just not NOW. Timing. Bah timing.

Anyway, that's all over now.  I'm trying to get back to the swing of things - including my bloggy self.  SO, here's to staying home!!!! :-)