too hot

It was so darn hot today. It's still hot now, and that only happens a few times a year, where it's hot at night.


But we have all our little air conditioners going, so we're good.

Today we met Julia's friend from preschool and her mom at the splash pad. It's kind of like a pool, only nobody can drown. Water shoots out and rains down, and it's a lot of fun.

When we got there at 10:30 this morning, the heat was already pushing 90, and it took the city worker dudes TWO DOGGONE HOURS to do some repair first.









The kids played in the park. There are no pictures of this because I was being a spotter for b.g. and directing him away from dangerous ladders, and keeping p.j. amused on the side.

It's a huge park, with a wide, shady lawn, and elaborate equipment, bridges and slides, and it was unfamiliar to me.


And you know how you chase after a kid and interfere constantly, and they get cross and owly? So I didn't want to do that to him, but maybe we kind of did, taking turns fetching him back when he roamed further than I liked. I sent Tim a couple times, and Julia, and sprinted after him myself too.

Then I tried to act casual, "Whatcha doin'? Would you like some crackers? Let's go back to the kids." He didn't get cranky, so we must have played it right.

p.j. rolled over today, btw.

I ran to help b.g. over a little retaining wall, and put her down on a blanket in the shade first. It was only seconds, but when I turned back, she was on her stomach! And she'd rolled effectively enough that she was to the grass and had a little bunch of it in each hand.

p.j.enjoying a nap in the shade

Her dad thought that was pretty funny. Keep laughing, Joe. It's just the beginning.

m.c. spent the night last night, and maria bought them this fine pool, which seems pretty ridiculous, but then again not so much on a day this hot.

When Dan picked b.g. up tonight, he sneaked in to where I was at the computer looking up property for some people, and said, "Mother, I hope you won't be offended."

???

Okay? What's going on?

They'd seen the picture of the car seat b.g. was riding around in and told me basically, "It's time to retire that old relic." I think we had it for James. I know we did for Lydia--there's a million miles on that old thing.

It was purchased at a thrift shop for a slim seven dollars, and yeah, I've probably got my money's worth.

But you know how you get used to your stuff and don't even notice it's from another era? Like your hair? Or your living room furniture? (Like that weird TV set with legs?) I sell real estate. I've seen.

The new car seat has plush velvet, and a little cushion for the head, extra security straps and all, even a cup holder we opted to not attach, and a bag for carrying it through an airport. (Not going to happen.) It's pretty fancy. I looked at it empty tonight while I was driving around and could only grin. I'm coming up in the world.

Oh, in less than an hour it'll be FRIDAY, and yet this was a pretty great Thursday, not gonna lie. love always, Val

tuesday at the pool

The water is still pretty cold. A few hot days will warm it up though.





Scuba guy

This little girl liked it.



I saw this at a red light and it made me laugh. Tim and Julia were goofing around back there, saying weird things and laughing, and he joined right in.

And then before supper, this mama and her babies went home.

All in all, a splendid Tuesday. love, Val

look, look!

There it is.

I think this type of caterpillar turns into a Mourning Cloak butterfly.

We'll find out.

love, Val

miss you

I haven't seen my mom in a couple weeks now.

I miss her.

When she's in town, I'm working.

When I'm not at work, she's long gone.

I don't like it, but we must live with it.

Tonight when I got out of the bathtub and was putting on my pajamas, laughing to myself about something on my mind, I caught sight of myself in the half open mirror on the medicine cabinet, and it was her.

The sandy curls, crystal blue eyes, the pointy chin, the pink nail polish: Mom!

Nope, it's me.

We're twins, I know, but that could have been her.

Mama, darlin', I'm looking forward to next weekend.

You and me and Sam, and Jay and Dad, and all the kids.

Sigh.

I'll give Sam a bath this week--she definitely needs one.

love forever, Val

you wrecking the picture

Okay, first I took this sweet picture of my girls. We're having such a peaceful Sunday around the house, and the sun is finally shining after about a year and a half of gloom and rain.

Tim was there, and I said, "You be in the picture too." He ran over.

And that little honey smiled so nicely until I clicked the button, and then THIS:


And he kept doing it, over and over. I scolded him, "You are wrecking every single picture!"

He's obviously feeling real bad about it too.





>

Okay, now I've got to go to work. You kids have a beautiful evening. love you so, Mom

check it out!

This caterpillar is getting ready to spin a cocoon. The transformation has started, right on Tim's dresser.

Very cool.

love, Val

parade and relativity

yes, she's letting that baby nibble on a sucker. p.j. liked it.

Tonight was the community parade.

Woo. Hoo.

Why is it so damned cold here still? What happened to summer?


That's Heidi, p.j., and John. Look at how dark and cloudy it was.

The parade was fun.



The men above, and a discussion below





The sirens were a little loud.









Dannell directed Tim to a better spot for catching candy.


Kirsten was there and offered us gum, and as the package was passed around and quickly consumed she laughed about our freezie conversation last week.

kirby and julia, the back of their heads

We buy freezies when we go to the lake, usually a box of 100. We stop on the way in at the grocery store where we buy the shrimp, and I hurry up while everyone else waits in the car.

There are probably ten people in the family who eat freezies, and in three days, they can easily eat 100. That's 3-4 freezies each in a day, not an excessive amount when you do the math.

Anyway, last time we went to the lake, we grocery shopped in the city and the shrimp is the same, but we could only find bags of 25 freezies. We bought four bags, and in Jay's ranting about this, he said, "Why do they even sell bags of 25? It's stupid. Twenty-five? That's just going to make kids angry."

Whaaaat???

We get used to our super size family, and forget. Yeah.

Just like a 12 pack of gum--that's just gonna piss people off.


But nobody was pissed off tonight except Julia who wanted to jump on the backs of her brother and her nephew, and we said no. That's enough weight for Dad to pull, plus it wasn't your idea.

June is almost over.

How can that be so?

Six days left?

Oh, summer, you sweet thing, please come back. love, Val

dumbness from the week

This week the kids are at vacation bible school all day, so I'm here alone.

ALONE!

Yeah, with p.j. and also part of the time with b.g. too.


But still. They don't really talk much yet. They're both in diapers and drink bottles.




It's WEIRD.

I told Maria it was strange around the house. There's nobody to boss.

I tried bossing myself, but that was fairly pointless because I don't listen.

And nobody can really clean up any messes, so there's no opportunity for me to bitch.

So with no bossing or bitching, I hardly know what to do.

She laughed.

And then this is ridiculous. One of their bible school songs starts out by yelling, "Be bold! Be brave!"

Julia?

Yeah, her.

here she's putting witch hazel on her bug bites

She thought it was, "Be BALD! Be brave!"

Bald.

I do not know why I find that so hilarious, but I do.

This morning however, we all got ready and I took p.j. and b.g. all the way to the city, to the church, so they could get in on the kids' singing time.


p.j. does not like loud voices. They alarm her, and she cries. But this morning's singing she seemed to mostly enjoy. And b.g. tore around like a wind-up guy doing laps around the other kids, jumping up and down, singing at the top of his lungs.

t.c., l.c., and m.c. are there also this week,so his cousins and aunties carried him around and kept him from running out of the room and down the hall.

Tonight apparently there's a city parade, and all in all, this has been a good week, in spite of being alone in this big, empty, rambly old house in the rain.

The babies are napping now and so are the dogs.


I wonder if there's any chocolate in Jay's desk? Happy Thursday, love, Val