The teens summer begins while mine ends

Tomorrow I have to face reality and go back to work. I have enjoyed pretending I was off for the summer. Everyone enjoyed Nana and Poppop's visit. We saw the Rocks lose to the Mets, ate lots of food, watched Kristen continue on to high school-everytime I think about it I start to cry. The kids and the grands went bowling and out to lunch. We celebrated Kristen's 14th birthday-another teary moment with the grands BFFs. Kristen used the soap today. The chocolate covered pretzels are mine, all mine. We saw some movies. We dealt with the Durango getting hit by a stupid teenager. This incident did nothing to motivate me to push Matt to get his license.(The durango will be repaired while Randy stays here

http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/singapore/traders/rooms/deluxepoolviewroom


Yes, another trip to Singapore. He leaves on Friday and returns 6/10.

Dad tried his hardest to make Sabrina make her trademark exhale of breath noise. No luck. He could not have been off the street before the dog made that highly anticipated sound!

Today the kids played donkey konga(Nintendo's annoying answer to Guitar hero) and worked on their rooms. Kristen's is cleaned up. Matt is making progress. So far today I have done 6 loads of laundry. Kids want to go to walmart tonight-Matt to buy a birthday present for girlfriend Staci, Kristen to spend, spend, spend. I still need to make cookies for a dept picnic tomorrow. I think keylime with white chocolate. Also need to run dishwasher once the laundry room closes for the evening.

Random pictures from my camera

Trying day with the spawn

When I got up today, my daughter was replaced with a drama queen. These dramatics lasted a good three hours. Then she took a shower and was better. She cleaned the stove and was somewhat helpful.

Matt got up and felt he needed to practice his debate skills on me. Not.a.good.idea.

Then there was the grass cutting. As much as I love the smell of a freshly mowed lawn, the drama, excuses and general attitude problems are so not worth it. Matt did not feel he needed to cut the grass since he has a job. Hello? He does not work today. He is cutting half. He did eventually cut his part with only a few minor arguments. Kristen, oh the pain. She has serious listening issues today. She did not take direction well. Then there was the bee problem. It took 3 separate attempts before the bees were sufficiently at bay. Then it was like she was eating a meal. First, we would cut a little over here, then a little over there, etc, etc, etc.

Randy just got home from volunteering overnight in Rocky Mountain National Park. He will be home exactly 12 hours before leaving again for Pennsyvania.

News Flash

Matt has a new girlfriend! Her name is Stacy! Maybe some of you may even get to meet her. She is cute and goes to Longmont High. I think Matt will now have a little more incentive to not piss me off and get out driving more so he can get his license. He told me I need to schedule time with him for this! I need to schedule time?

Happy Mother's Day!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and thanks to this lovely bout of cellulitis I do not know what if anything I will do to celebrate. I thought I would share some of my thoughts on being a mother for 17 years.

Mothers praise their kids creations no matter what. I recently have consumed biscuit/cookies and a strawberry chocolate smoothie from Kristen. Matt does not cook often which is a good thing since his creations scare me.

I still have most hand made cards, gifts, etc that they made for me. The card no longer works, but I remember the card that has Matt's voice saying Happy Mother's Day Mom, I love you.

No matter Irritating the teens are, I still love them, just not their actions. Like right now, when K put a piece of a biscuit on the dog's head. Dog is stupid.

I used to think the toddler state was the hardest to get through. Then came the 4-5 year old stage. During this stage Kristen came into Matt's life. Matt celebrated by covering a table at Kinder care with Thomas the tank engine stamps. Another time he rebelled against a professional photograph with his sister by decorating his face with war paint(markers) during nap time.

Who could forget his allergy to peas and mashed potatoes or his signups for camp for boys and the field trip he intended to run to the WKS railroad? Also digging for treasure in a snowbank and finding a garnet tennis bracelet?

Then came elementary school. Oh boy, did it come. Matt medicationless was like a Tasmanian devil. I wish we would have put him on it sooner. His elementary years were not the best even though his creativity was. I will never forget the letter he was supposed to write welcoming a new student to Paxtonia. Matt wrote this place is a white slave factory, escape while you can.

Kristen's elementary school years were less dramatic but were punctuated by her refusal to read because she could not do it better than Matt.

Onto middle school. Matt and Kristen both discovered a love of instrumental music. Matt was a challenge to do any work that did not interest him. Kristen was a rule follower.

Enough reflections for now. Happy Mother's Day!

Randy fought the guidepost and the guidepost won.

Yes, Mr. Perfect backed into a guidepost in Rocky Mountain National park today and did some minor damage to the bumper of the Durango but did enough that we need to replace the rear hatch door. Kaching! Did I yell or scream? No. It just proves, everyone can do something stupid.

Silver lining

While it has been no fun being laid up with cellulitis(in fact it sucks), some very special friends have done some very special things. Even though I have said we are doing fine(Randy made his second grocery store run today), Midge and Candi from Erie elementary had King Soopers deliver a care package of a chicken dinner and a bouquet of flowers. Then tonight, my BFF Norm and his wife brought an entire roast beef dinner including brownies and a bouquet of pink roses. It is great to have friends who care so much! I love you all!