Women's Equality Day

Today is Women's Equality Day. It was just 90 years ago today that women got the right to vote! I remember when I was in high school and it was only 60-some years before that women had won the right to vote, and I was shocked that it was so recent. I really think so many young women today take for granted what was so hard fought for us. Anyway, I'll skip the feminist lecture, but I'm truly thankful for Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Burns, Alice Paul, and all the other feminists since then who have sacrificed and fought for me to enjoy the rights I do.

Josh and Lexi at the fair:




First day of school pics:




The girls look so thrilled to have mom take their pics. I had mine taken too, at school since it was picture day, but darnit I don't have one on my computer. I am so un-photogenic. How come other people sit down and get their pictures taken and just look like normal human beings... like the other teachers I was with. And then there is me... my face is all red and shiny (school is hotter than hell... no really, hell cannot be as hot as my classroom has been), my hair is flying around... Whatever. I have long ago decided that I provide a very worthwhile service to all who know me. I make everyone else feel better about themselves. So if you know me, you should respect my skills in this area and be grateful that I'm always hard at work making you look good with my incompetence and bad hair days.

Courtney is at work training to be a med tech. Sean took the other kids to visit grandpa and go to the store. Love the quiet time all to myself. I've been OD'ing on cheesy Nora Roberts romance novels lately. It's a terrible thing to admit. Every stinking one I read, I get mad and start telling Brittney all about how predictable it is... how stupid it is... but then I read another one.

I just got a call from the Corroon for mayor campaign inviting me to the Weber County Democrats picnic Saturday. Catered by Sam Granato. Ha! Put that in your juice box and suck it, Mike Lee supporters! Democrats know how to do it up right.

Back to School & Tired Already

School hasn't even started yet for them, and they're already tired. Poor Curtis looks like he was snoring.



I started back to work officially on Wednesday, and I know I'm tired. Brittney came with me to school on Thursday to help me put my room back together. We hit some stores to find stuff for my walls, because I was tired of my old artwork and stuff, and she spotted this one and since I love zombie stuff.... Had to have it.



So everyone but Lexi will be back to school tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good day. Sean always takes the first day of school off, so that cuts down on the craziness factor quite a bit.

I have a student teacher this year, and that will be... interesting. Very nervous about it right now. We'll see how it goes, and I could be pleasantly surprised, but I'm thinking it's going to be a rough haul.

We've been trying to pack in a few last summer things. Some fishing, boating, hoping for maybe one more camping trip in September, Lava Hot Springs is upcoming, did the drive-in last weekend... Brittney at the county fair:

First Grade and the Fat Fest

On Wednesday the first of us went back to school. Josh started first grade. I think it went OK. His comments on school are usually pretty nondescript. Mostly things like a blank stare followed by, "I don't know what we did today." Alrighty then. I hope it's a good year.



I am not looking forward to waking up early again when I go back to work next week. My inner clock is adjusted to staying up late at night in the summer, and I always miss my night owl life when I go back. I've really enjoyed hanging out with my girls at night. I'm going to miss the 11:30 Smith's M&M runs, the midnight Denny's runs, and the 1:30 am Maverik and McDonald's runs to get treats and Monster for Courtney on the graveyard shift at work. Sitting on the bench outside her work in the middle of the night with the breeze blowing while Brittney runs through the sprinklers. It's been a non-stop fat fest and it's going to have to end because I can't continue to eat this way. But it's been tasty while it's lasted. Ah, summer nights. I will miss you mucho.

I have so much left on my list of things to do. And I keep adding more. Do I want to finish them? Hmmmm....

Three More

Wow. I'm on a roll. I'm in a bit of a rough frame of mind, so complaining is about all I'm good for at the moment. Three more things I have a grievance against:

* How did I get put in charge of everything when I'm so damned inept? You don't put the inmates in charge of the asylum, yet that's somehow what seems to have happened at my house. I'm forgetful, disorganized, and mildly crazy. And yet the running of a household is in my hands?

* The state of Texas. I have two children expressing an interest in moving there for different reasons. They have been informed that if they move there, we all move there. I'm not staying here if they're going there.

* Swimming with my kids in the backyard. Lauralee commented that she was impressed that I want to when I made it a goal for this month. I don't want to. I hate it. But they love it, and they aren't old enough to do it by themselves yet. Boo.

The Airing of the Grievances

I know it's not even close to Festivus,where part of the celebration involves the airing of the grievances, but I feel the need to complain. I won't follow the grievances by beating people with the Festivus stick or arm wrestling or feats of strength... or whatever the other Festivus traditions are. Anyway, on to the complaints.

1. Why? Why do we not have this anymore?




I was watching old Poison videos the other night in preparation for the Bret Michaels concert on Friday, and then I started watching old Van Halen videos from the David Lee Roth era. Man, 80s hair bands were AWESOME. The glam, the outfits, the make-up, the hair... love it. And, as I knew it would be, the Bret Michaels concert was fan-freaking-tastic. It's my favorite show I've seen in Wendover, and one of my favorites ever. So fun. They played all the favorite Poison songs. Bret Michaels is a total mimbo, a man-whore of the highest degree, but that man has some kind of charisma and you can't help but fall in love with him a little. He's just cool. He said during the concert that he's having heart surgery in January, and I told Sean afterward that all the Jack Daniels and weed throughout the years must have preserved him well or something, because I don't know how on earth you could go through all the medical problems he has and still be running around jumping and singing like that.

2. Moving classrooms sucks. Hard. I went in on Friday and moved most of my stuff over. Luckily I am only moving across the hall. So most of my stuff is out of my old room (everything except the mondo heavy textbooks and a small bookshelf full of books), but it's stacked everywhere possible in my new room. They just finished cleaning my carpets, so even the tables and chairs are still stacked and not set up. So I have my work cut out for me there. Now that I'm starting over in a new room, I feel like I want to get some new stuff, decorate, make it how I want it, go through and throw things away, reorganize, etc. But that's so overwhelming. It would require an outlay of time and money that I'm not willing to really put in right now. So I guess I'll just throw it all together last minute. What else do you do?

3. So yesterday I spent about 3.5 hours moving stuff back and forth, up and down, dragging, carrying. Then I went to a concert later that night and danced around and jumped up and down for over an hour. And this morning I stepped on the scale and I'd gained a pound. I realize that's no big deal, but come on. Really? Between my non-air conditioned classrooms and the super-hot concert hall, I lost at least 5 pounds in sweat alone.

4. Messes. Gah, messes everywhere! While I'm cleaning in one room, Josh and Lexi are in another one making a mess.

5. I hate heartbreak and I hate sadness. Courtney and Curtis are taking a break. Not sure how permanent it will be. I hate it, even though it's not my life and they know what's right for them. I've gotten attached to that boy. He feels like family to me by now. He's a good kid and he's growing into a good man, and I feel sad. And I HATE to feel sad.

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.