dock time, 2013

 They hauled all the tools and crap over with the tractor, saved a few trips.

 Julia wanted to test the water.  The results:  Very, very cold.

 Is it straight?  Is it level?  Why is this thing so flippin' heavy?

Of course, a helpful canine joins in.   She hurt her tail yesterday at some point.   They were doing research about this on the Internet, and it seems like it's probably not actually broken, just sprained maybe, injured from over use while she tore around with Heidi's dog chasing frisbees and wrestling.

 Ta-da!  Is it straight or level?  Not sure, but it looks good enough for another summer.  We tried it out and it wasn't wobbly, so that's the important part.

Nice work, men.     love you so, Mom, and Dad too

spring at the lake

It looks terrible, where the snowplow tears up the sod, but a little raking brings it around.

They played video games by the hour.

We have a really old Family Feud video game from the 1990s.  That one is funny to play because it requires everyone cast their memory back that far.  Who were sports figures from then?  What music was popular?  What technology could they be referring to?

Plus, it's always fun to give the families dirty names.

Oh yeah.

The sunfish were crazy under the dock.

And this innocent looking swamp is THE LOUDEST thing ever come evening.  We couldn't even hear each other talk out on the deck due to just the sheer racket.

It was a great weekend.   Jay got the water going, hooked up the water softener, and they worked in the yard.  We made all the beds and put away everything inside and vacuumed up all the dead little beetles and vanquished all mouse poop.

It was a good job done.  There was shrimp in the fryer and one-card poker, and some arguing and a bit of racket.   The big kids have an ap on the phone where you take a picture of someone and then this ap will assign an inappropriate caption.    The picture of me called me a "slut muffin."

Seriously.

I don't even know what that is.

It was funny for a while, but then it was just too vulgar and inappropriate, and had to end.  But there was sure a lot of laughing first.   IN-appropriate laughing, I might add.

And now it's Sunday, the end of the evening, and Monday is looking fine. 

May?   I'm not totally hating you tonight.     love always, Val

a family picture

Here we all are, guys.  love you so, Mom and Dad too

surprises

 They surprised me with flowers this morning.

And this surprise was on my desk when I came wandering home from working late last night.

 

I wonder what the demonstrated civic leadership was?  Not even sure what that means exactly. 

When we were home from errands they were gone in bathing suits before lunch was even ready.

 

Tonight is a concert, and then the cleaning of the turtle tank, that fine ritual.

Thursdays don't come much finer.    love you all so,  Mom

nice and warm

Alicia brought little desserts like these on Monday, and they liked them so much they made their own.

It's just little sponge cakes from a package with cool whip and berries, but they love them SO MUCH.

I asked her, "How are you? Is that good?"

Her answer: "I happy."

After lunch we planted flowers.  She helped the kids plant these, and I was afraid she was pulling them back up, but she wasn't.  She was smoothing the dirt with a little gravy ladle.

Here's the first pot.  We did this one together.

Then they ran off with more plants and did this one by themselves.

This year they were really good at it.    Gosh, they're growing up.

What is up with the grass?   I hope it comes back to life.

By the time we were done planting--there were lilies to be planted in the garden too, and bulbs--they sat in the shade a while.

(Canna lily bulbs--we're going to try those this year, see how that goes.  My mom used to plant them along the house and they were huge by August with blooms just the height of the kitchen window.)

Then they wanted the sprinkler.  I said sure, just don't make a mud mess.

They assured me they would not.

But then they did.

It's okay.  It was inevitable.

And this I found funny--they wanted the little nursery tags in the flower pots--no idea why.

While I was driving to a real estate appointment at suppertime, the thermometer in the car said it was 103 degrees.    It honestly did not feel that hot.

Today is looking like a pretty fine Wednesday.    love, Val

a beautiful mother's day

Heidi and Joe had us all for brunch.   My parents came.   Everyone pitched in with food until it was a feast.  Jay was up early cooking sausage and bacon to take with.   Kirsten made some blueberry-cream cheese pastry in her quesadilla maker.  Joe made cinnamon rolls in the waffle iron.  Who knew that could be done?

 The cousins all tore around in the yard.

I did a terrible job taking pictures.  These are all of them.  Four.     I wish I would have gathered them together for a group picture, or taken pictures of them all cooking in the kitchen.

Or at least taken a picture of my mother.

Nope.  Bummer.

This was on my dresser when I came home late last night.  I put a bulb in it this morning and it gives off a weird aqua glow.   I like it.

This was the first mother's day without this beautiful mother, and it's been about five father's days without him. Mostly it's okay, but sometimes it's just so damned lonely.   It's at least good we all have each other.

So I sit here sad about my own grandparents, with the most beautiful little grand baby on my lap while I'm typing.  The sun is shining and it's 65 degrees.    Time to hit the sandbox.

love forever, Valarie

hyper time

 These pictures are from a couple days ago.

 This is a game where the little kids jump off the bed onto Uncle Tim and Aunt Julia.  Imagine the shrieking and screaming.

 This can only benefit our chiropractor.

Yeah, I was scolding and hollering intermittently about people getting hurt.

Nobody did, so it's all good.

This guy was pretty happy with that Moo Jr.   He took a bite, then looked at it in his hand like he'd never seen anything so amazing.

And that is the very hyper and happy end of that.  

love forever, Mom, aka Grandma, aka Val