Sorry that this blog is short, Kittens, but my life is a non-stop party right now. It started at 4:30 a.m. when I got up to find my dog in an indelicate situation that required I replace all of her bedding and give her a bath. Fun way to start the day! Then it was off to the screened-in-porch to write, back to the office to work, then out to pick up Moon’s bff for a day of basketball and bridge!

Of course I was figuring that while they were playing, I’d get some work done and my house cleaned, but it was not to be. I’m trying to ENGAGE more, so every time Moon asked if I’d shoot hoops or throw the softball I said YES. Because it was 112 degrees today, the girls decided that in addition to our Summer Camp fun, we should go to the lake. And in an effort to ENGAGE more, I said YES. Which is how I found myself at Lake Allatoona with a couple of girls and a van full of sand.

Normally I’d make JD go, but he was busy proving his love to me by working on the lawn, the pool, and a raised bed for veggies! I can’t help it that my love language is service, but it is. And I feel very loved for the time being but tomorrow is still up for debate.

After the lake, we went to WalMart, home to eat, played 4 boards of bridge, and THEN I finally got around to finishing my work. If you think that I have it easy, spending my days at the lake, trust me, tomorrow will make up for it. I have meetings at 9:30, 10:30, 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. Apparently no one has heard of the internet. Or conference calling.

So now I’m going to try and sneak off to bed before anyone else tries to ENGAGE with me. Especially Gitzo.

 

 

I’ve had a full day. FYI, don’t confuse “full” with interesting. JD had a job this morning  and left the house at 4:30 AM! I woke up briefly when he left, but managed to go to sleep again. Alas, only for an hour and by 5:30 I was wide awake. I hadn’t read my bible in awhile so I got that out, but it didn’t help, I was still wide awake. 🙂

I finally got up and showered and took Moon to school, then it was off to work, shop, blah, blah, blah until I finally walked through the door at 4:30. Because it was BRIDGE CAMP, Moon’s bff came over and we played a few rounds, but our time was cut short because JD was taunting Moon. “A card played, is a card LAID!” When she started to get upset, (she WAS getting set, after all) he started mocking her! This from the man who doesn’t want to play bridge because everyone is so grumpy. Luckily, I had a plan B.

Over the weekend, I went to yard sale and scored a basketball goal. On Saturday, I ran to Walmart and got a basketball, and feeling in a sporting mood, also grabbed softballs, a bat, 2 gloves and some golf balls. Bridge camp will be turning into Summer Camp soon and I don’t want a bunch of bored kids lounging on my couch. That’s MY spot, amiright?

So after bridge, I showed Moon and SlimJim a few moves, made a few baskets, you know, BALLER stuff. The girls had a riot! Mainly laughing at me, but still. We also threw softballs around, and JD showed the girls how to hold a golf club. It was all VERY fun. With bridge, all of the new sporting equipment, and the corn-hole game we bought a few weeks ago, the girls should be entertained all summer. And by “summer”, I mean I hope we make it through Memorial Day.

Baby A came over this afternoon for a few hours, and because I’m known for my stellar cooking skills, asked if we could make a cake.  I wasn’t sure if I had the right ingredients for what she had in mind, but I pulled out a cookbook I’d bought from Moon’s school and found something called, “Chewy Cake”. Perfect.

Here’s what you need:

2 cups brown sugar, 1 stick butter, 2 eggs, 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup chopped pecans.

Because I’m me, I played fast and loose with the ingredients. First, cream butter and sugar together. I didn’t have a full 2 cups of brown sugar and because I live in a post-racial kitchen, threw in some white sugar to compensate. You’ll be happy to know that they were very sweet with each other. 🙂

Next, cream the eggs into the mixture. And by “cream”, I mean mix, not “milk”. Then add your flour, vanilla and nuts. I didn’t have a full cup of nuts but I’ve seen the word “optional” in front of “nuts” in enough recipes to know that they are not essential.

The recipe didn’t say to grease the baking dish, but I had some of that flour/butter spray and thought it might be a good idea. It also didn’t say anything about sprinkles, but Baby A is 3 and if we’re making a cake, it darn well better have SPRINKLES.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

She was quite proud.

The outside was crispy like a cookie and the inside was gooey and chewy like a delicious, brownie. I don’t have any pictures from after we cut it because it disappeared in a flash. Even Moon who hates everything ate 2 helpings.

Moron Test Grade – A! It was simple and made from things most people keep in their cabinets. It’s an easy way to make a cake when the kids come visit.

Aunt Grade? – A super Plus, amiright Kittens?

 

P90X3 has almost killed us. Day Two was a half hour of wheezing, jumping, groaning and sweating – and that was just me trying to put on the sports bra! It was so bad, at one point I started to look forward to going to WORK. A sure sign of oxygen deprivation, amiright Kittens?

In other things I want to end news, Middle School sucks. There are only 7 more days left and I’ve already decided to skip at least one of them. I mean, to let MOON skip one of them. I don’t know what to think about a world that doesn’t embrace a cute, 12-year old girl who can quote from all 6 Star Wars movies. I think Moon should wish them all a happy summer vacation on Planet Alderaan, BOOM!

Granted, Moon is at a disadvantage with having me as a parent. Sunday, after our shopping spree, I was lamenting how much we spent. Moon said, “Duh, Mom. We were shopping at TARGET.” Oh. Yeah.

Today, Moon’s off to compete in the Olympics in the Corn Hole toss. I don’t know whether I want her to do well or not. Being successful at Corn Hole, is that a good thing? I can’t keep up with Middle School trends. In my day, it was much simpler. If you could skate, play dodge ball, and owned a pair of Tretorn’s you were good to go.

 

Thank God it’s over for at least one of us.

I think God wants me to be a leader. I know this because some higher power keeps orchestrating ways for me to go to leadership conferences. A few years ago, I went to one in Texas. It didn’t exactly go well, since at one point my friend and I got called out by the speaker for laughing, but we weren’t actually ASKED to leave so that’s a plus. You can imagine that I wasn’t thrilled to find myself going to another one on Friday, but I managed to make it through the whole thing without being yelled out once. Progress! I learned a few things like, “Good leaders listen,” and “Good leaders lead.” Okay, that first one was helpful, but I’m pretty sure I could have come up with that second one. Anyway, the point is that I’m ready to lead. All I need now is a follower.

While I was learning how to lead non-existent followers, JD was at Moon’s school speaking to her social studies class about Germany. He made a presentation and everything. I only have his and Moon’s word for it, but apparently, he ROCKED, despite his total disregard for my advice to wear lederhosen.

Saturday I did something totally radical and stayed home all day to clean my house. It was the first time in forever that we didn’t have weekend plans and you’ll be happy to know that I’ve remedied that and will be running fervently around until August 14th. You know what happens when you have down time? Your friends Bratt and Kit come by and challenge you to do P90X for 3 months and you’re all like, “Oh, I’ll do P90X for 3 months, just WATCH ME.” You lose your mind.

Sunday was Mother’s Day, my day to do NOTHING, so that’s what I did. Other than get up and do P90X, die, get revived, shower and attempt to wash my hair even though my arms were noodles, go to church, then Target to buy yoga mats and buy Moon some new clothes before falling into bed exhausted and afraid of the next 89 days.

I hope my new followers are prepared to run some errands.

 

 

 

 

Today I’m actually doing something I keep meaning to do. Every night I fall into bed exhausted and think, I’ll just get up in the morning and blog, but then morning comes and, life. But I’m just refusing to get out of bed until this post is done. I am dedicated to you!

Yesterday was more running around from place to place with the added benefit of having Moon along. She missed school Monday because she was sick, and Tuesday because she was sick of school. Middle-school is rough, people, that’s all I’m going to say. Except that I am thankful that I had my cousin Ginger with me while I was going through it. (The truth be told, Ginger STILL acts as my buffer. I don’t go to any events in my hometown that involve people I went to school with unless she’s there with me!)

While I let Moon lay in bed with a fever and watch TV on Monday, I wasn’t going to let her do that while fake sick. So she went with me on errands, sat beside me while I worked, and basically got to experience life as a middle-aged, mid-level employee. I don’t think she’ll want to miss school again for a while.

While we were hanging out, she mentioned that the school Olympics were next week and she’d signed up for two sports – Crabwalk Soccer and Corn-Hole Toss. Okay. I figured summer was upon us and we could use some outdoor entertainment, so we went to Target and bought her a corn-hole game. A girl’s got to practice for the Olympics, amiright? Just as we walked in the door, my “boss” called and said he’d like us to meet him and some folks for dinner. I’m always up for  free food, but figured Moon had had her limit on middle-age fun, so I called her BFF to see if she could come hang. Yes, she could, but they were across town. I grabbed Moon and away we went AGAIN. I put Moon and her new corn-hole game out on the curb, then raced back across town for dinner, then went home and let the dogs outside, then went BACK for Moon. She was excited to show me that she’d spent the last two hours putting her game together ALL BY HERSELF.

I’m glad one of us had a productive day.