July Wrap-Up

Our heads look all big and like they're floating in the middle of nowhere because we were leaning across a little table in the dark.

Lonestar was fun, and they played a good concert as always. Next up, Bret Michaels on Friday. I'm excited for that one. Should be awesome. Courtney and her friends are going to Nickelback in October. I wonder if they'll let me come with them. Probably they will if I show them some of my dance moves. And get a really spangly sequin-ish shirt and some big conert hair.

The last little while has been rough motivation-wise. I haven't really accomplished a whole heck of lot, unless you count lounging around as an accomplishment. Which I sort of do, I guess. I really don't give a crap this summer. I've got about half of my job list done, and it wouldn't take a whole lot to finish. Hmmm.

Fourth (?) Annual Chamberlain Pineview Extravaganza:




We had lots of fun. I think.












Lexi had her moments. Like when she didn't like the clothes I picked out for her and was crying out the trailer door at top volume, "Dad!! Come find me a new outfit! I hate this!" Or when she pitched a royal fit because cutie Brooklyn was touching her stickers. Or when she wanted to have 3 water bottles and I told her to put some back. Or when I had to cut her off after 3 marshmallows and a whole candy bar.




Everyone was worn out by the time we were done.


We go out to the Pioneer Day parade in Bountiful with Sean's family every year. They got really good seats in the shade.








July goal progress:
Oh, wow. I sucked. I did not get caught up on birthdays. Rather, I got further behind. I did not cease to yell at Josh and Lexi. I would say I had lots of fun, but not "lots and lots of fun" like I specified. But I think I did at least OK on that one.

August goals:
*Get caught up on birthdays. The only birthday cards I have left in my collection are these crazy ugly things that I was going to throw away. So I need to go buy like at least 20 cards... or... just had a thought... maybe I'll send the crazy ones and start a new tradition of sending people the weirdest cards I can find. I've got a good start in my collection. I wonder if I could find some cards made in China or Indonesia with bad English translations and creepy anime or something.... Hmmmm... a new project perhaps.
*Get my hair cut and colored. You would think that wouldn't have to be an official goal, but you'd think wrong. Also, use my pedicure gift certificate.
*Sign Josh up for swim lessons.
*Swim in the backyard with the kids 3 times a week.
*Spend $200 less than last month. This will be hard, what with the swim lessons, school clothes, hair, school fees, and creepy birthday card buying. But I am going to try to spend less on groceries. Good luck to me.
*Develop a curriculum for my senior writing class before I officially go back to school. Or at least get a start on it.
*Finish my job list.

That's way to many goals for someone with so little motivation, but hey... reach for the stars and you just might... do something. Can't remember how that one goes.

Party All the Time

I love the beginning of July because of the 4th and Courtney's birthday. We kicked off with a little run up to the lake.




Saturday morning, Courtney and I walked in the Kaysville parade with Sam Granato, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bob Bennett. We had a great time. She's my buddy. She got all excited when she realized that now that she's 18 she can actually vote for the candidate she was out there supporting.

Then we spent the day up at the cabin with some of Sean's family. I spent most of the time sitting in a chair. It was quite lovely.







We finished off the celebration with fireworks in Kaysville with Sean's family. They always go ahead of time and get really good seats for everything, and luckily they let us come along. I feel like we have sweet connections.




Sunday we went out to lunch for Courtney's birthday. We went to Taggart for killer bacon cheesebugers, veggie pita on fresh-made bread that was fabulous, halibut, beer battered fries, brownie cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake, pink cookie, and who knows what else. Sunday night we went to Scott's house for homemade ice cream and all kinds of cookies and brownies. I covet his backyard. It is awesome. They have a beautiful home. We stayed way late just talking and relaxing.

Tuesday was Courtney's birthday. The big #18. Wow. Love this girl. She and Brittney are my besties. My partners in crime. My two amigas. They bring out the spaz in me. Courtney has been smiley, laughing, happy, sunshine, full of energy and life, ever since she was a baby. I can always count on Courtney to have a good attitude. If I ask her to help me, she'll do it. If I want to go boating or camping or to the ball game or to the drive-in or on a road trip or to the store, Courtney will say, "Cool. Let's do it." I feel lucky to be her mom.




My kids really do turn me into a spaz, though. I try to control it in public, but when it's just us, who knows. When we were getting ready for the garage sale Brittney and I were having a great old time. We got pretty loopy. At one point Brittney was laughing so hard at something I did (not saying what) that she couldn't even talk to tell Courtney what was so funny. She and I learned the Thriller dance the other day, just for the heck of it. She does it much better than I do, but I think I can make it up as I go well enough to fake it. I told her I was going to try to find a way to incorporate some of the moves at the Lonestar concert tomorrow night. I'll have Sean video me.

Courtney got her wisdom teeth out yesterday. She's been in pain and feeling crappy, but I think she's going to pull through. Her boyfriend came over today to bring her a Frosty, and he was here rubbing her feet, getting her a movie and putting it in for her, filling her ice pack.... She's been well cared for, I think. Mom has Josh and Lexi so that they don't disturb her. They can be pretty disturbing. I just hope they aren't disturbing my mom too bad. They are going through that phase where farting and underwear and words like "butt" are the funniest thing ever. I tried being all serious and stern and "don't say that" with them, but that didn't help. So I've moved to ignoring it, and that doesn't really help either. It's just a phase that they have to get over. Or not. Heck, I still think that stuff is funny. (Probably part of the problem is that sometimes I make fart jokes, huh?) So I tried to explain to Lexi that grandma doesn't think underwear is very funny and probably we shouldn't talk about it at her house, but I don't know if that sunk in. Pretty sure it didn't. So I have a big list of things to do while they're gone. The most important thing on the list, I haven't even tackled yet. I need to work on their scrapbooks while they're gone. If I do it when they're here, they want to look at everything and "help" me. I have been working on dusting baseboards, walls, plant shelves. I need to clean the oven, clean the ceiling fan, clean my shower, wash the windows, dust the blinds.... And anyone who knows me well would say, "Yeah right!! You're not going to do any of that. You're going to finish your novel, watch Judge Judy, sit around talking to Courtney and playing GameCube with Brittney, and write a blog post." And, yeah, true to a couple of those, but I've actually got a good start on some projects. So glad for grandma! It's been really, really good.