A day in the life...

10:45 a.m.
-pulled the pin out of the weights on the cable crossover, releasing a lat bar similar to this:

which came crashing down on the back of my head.   There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Should have listened to Lisa.  It is absolutely not safe to exercise.

12:05 p.m.
-arrived at the insurance office to go over some forms -- sign on door said "Out to Lunch until 1:00"

12:25 p.m.
-arrived at Jeremy's office to pick up his check for him -- doors locked -- not a creature was stirring

1:30 p.m.
- returned home after grocery shopping -- forgot to pick up anniversary card for the in-laws 60th.  Doh!

4:25 p.m.
- pulled a flimsy foil pan of homemade cinnamon rolls out of the oven, only to have flimsy foil pan buckle under the weight and dump half the rolls on the kitchen floor

4:40 p.m.
- started icing for cinnamon rolls and discovered that a mouse had beaten me to the powdered sugar

4:47 p.m.
- drove to the rural convenience store to pay an astronomical sum for a bag of powdered sugar

5:15 p.m.
- almost new Oneida wisk sprung a wire

6:30 p.m.

- ate other half pan of cinnamon rolls

Bird Watching

There may be nothing sweeter in life than a lazy, sunny Friday morning when it's my day off and I have no appointments scheduled.

So I've been watching my bluebirds who must be convinced that, indeed, winter is finally over.

You may recall that every Spring, they have built their nest in the rusted pipe next to our cellar.  Which is like an oven in the summer, and their eggs literally cook.  So last summer, the kids and I rebuilt a birdhouse just for them.  And Neal covered the pipe with wire mesh.

Practicality trumps beauty at our house.

So here's my beautiful bluebird.  Looking all sweet and innocent.

When in fact, I think he's stealing from someone else's nest and "re-purposing" the booty.

I've seen at least three different birds trying to use this birdhouse.

Oh...I don't think that's gonna fit, big guy.

Jacob & Lauren have their assignment.  At least 2 more birdhouses on their to-do lists.

Disney World is not for Sissies - Part 2

I have to confess, in the middle of all the fun and games, smiles and laughter, there were also times of tears.

I "teared up" the first night at Fantasmic.  Okay...I cried.  I don't know why.  Maybe being taken back through so many Disney memories.  Maybe the incredible display of imagination.  Maybe I was exhausted.  Anyway...two days later, Jeremy admitted that it made him "tear up" too.  Just sayin'.

I teared up on the "It's a Small World" ride.  Mostly at the end when we were all singing along.

I teared up when the Fairy-Godmother-in-Training couldn't style Lauren's hair because she had an eczema patch on her scalp.  Something about products and policy and doctor's notes.  I understood.  But she didn't.  Oh that sweet, disappointed face!  Have mercy!

I teared up when Jacob spilled coke in his lap and he was embarrassed that people might think it was another kind of accident.

I teared up when I saw this note that Lauren left in the room.

I teared up when each of my grandchildren, at separate times, said "Thank you, Nana, for bringing us to Disney World."

I teared up during the fireworks finale when the explosion was shaped like a star and everyone was singing, "When You Wish Upon A Star."

And tears were shed on the last trek to the shuttle after the final night parade and fireworks.  When every muscle, joint, and vertebrae ached from the miles walked, hours sat on hard, cold concrete to save the best place, and from jerks and sudden drops of ridicululously fun and scary rides.  

Oh, mark my words.  Disney World is not for Sissies.  Or maybe it is.

Disney World is not for Sissies

Disney World is a team sport.

For the full Disney experience, it's imperative that you arrive when the parks open...or before...since Magic Kingdom has an awesome welcome show at 7:45 a.m.

And stay until the electric parade and fireworks at the end of the night.

Forget a regular meal schedule.  No time for breakfast until you've arrived at the park and made a mad dash for the Jedi Training Camp to get your future Jedi signed up.  Lunch at Mama Melrose's was at 3:40 p.m.........

...aka nap time.

Dinner reservations at Cinderella's Castle were for 8:40 p.m....

 ...aka bed time.

Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror looks fun from a distance.

But requires some major pep talks on the approach.

You may have to battle the dark side...

find yourself in Mater's mouth...

and escape Donald's choke hold.

Disney resorts offer free shuttle service to hop the parks.  Rarely is there much of a wait time, but when there is, take full advantage.

By the end of the day, there is not one body part that doesn't hurt.  Three days + three parks = six tired but happy teammates.  

Self-Image Experiment

I'm not sure when men came up with "No Shave November" but this is the first year I've heard anything about "No Make-Up November."  Not shaving--for men--doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice.  But to go all month without make-up?  That's just absurd.  Then I started reading what was behind this outrageous idea.  And I decided to try it.  For one day.  Not the whole month, because I don't want people to think I'm dying.

I chose Monday.  A day I wasn't going to the office, but also a day that I wasn't holed up in the security of homebound solitude.  My handy-dandy-man was coming to work on some projects at the house, it was grocery shopping day, banking day and of course work-out day.  The idea is to be confident in who you are...just the way God made you. To know that you are "wonderfully made."  And it saves time--bonus!

It was actually a good experience.  Surprisingly, I wasn't shunned.

And my handyman offered to come back today to work on some other projects I've been putting off.

I have him for the whole day.  And believe me, I am keeping him busy!  I think all women deserve a man who doesn't say, "you want me to do it right now?" every time you mention a home repair.

Checking out the new digs

In the Spring, I shared pics of my tenacious bluebirds that insist on building a nest in the pipe next to my cellar every year.  Sadly, none of the 15+ eggs ever hatched in that incubator.  

So me and the grandkids refurbished an old bird house later in the summer, hoping the bluebirds would find it a more appealing habitat.

I got a few photos of the birds checking out their new digs today.  

Welcome home birdies.

I'm a lazy, lazy blogger...Zzzzzzzz

It's almost September and I've written a total of 16 posts in 2013.

Un---acceptable.

Here's a quick recap of our summer.

Jacob had a great baseball season.

Coached by Dad...

...and Uncle Jeff.

Swam

Cruised Alaska

 

Celebrated a Birthday

Built a Bird House

And successfully completed our first Pinterest DIY project.

Neal moved in--and Jeff moved out.  

Neal left his job of 10 years at JVIC and joined the Willbros Downstream team.  So I've been adjusting to having a live-in husband/grounds keeper/pool boy/ranch hand.  I could get used to this.

Jeff rented an apartment in Tulsa, and I haven't wasted a moment purging the guest house and garage of leftover "stuff."  I've decided it's more satisfying to give away and throw away than to buy and aquire.  Who knew?

Packing tonight for a little vacay in Canada.  Ready to spend some precious time with parents and siblings, kids and grandkids.  Awesome.

Determined

These two will not give up.

They insist on building their nest every year in a hole in the pipe next to our cellar.

I've tried convincing them that it gets too hot in that pipe.  I have yet to see a live baby bird emerge.

When we left for Alaska, their were five eggs in the nest.  Neal checked in on them when we returned, and only found one.  By the next afternoon, it too was missing.  (I haven't seen our "king" lately, but I was suspicious.)

A few days later, another egg had appeared.  The next day--two.  And now, once again, we have FIVE eggs in the nest.

 This little momma is determined.