• Evidently summer has ended, as school here in Smallville began today. We attended Open House last night and met the boys teachers and dropped off some of their school supplies. We didn’t see many kids at Open House, likely because all our paperwork said it was Tuesday at 6:30 (which is when we first attempted to go, and where we eventually saw the sign stating it would actually be Wednesday at 6:30). So, my kids weren’t sure who all would be in their classes this morning, but their teachers seemed a’ight.
• 
  Do you see this? This long haired hippy eldest son of mine? *shivers* I actually had to use a straightening iron on his hair this morning. The boy is ever so slowly killing me!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
• I was awaken at 4:45 am by a large gust of wind that sounded like it might take out my bedroom window. I immediately remembered the dog was still outside, so I went to the back door to see if she was around. She wasn’t, but I did manage to see the enormous, 5 foot dolphin pool toy of Riley Coyote’s flying across the back yard. I threw on my glasses and flip-flops and braved the rain, thunder and lightning to save the dolphin. I had a heck of a time getting it through the back door with the wind trying to shut it on me, but we both made it safe and sound.
• Speaking of the lightning and thunder, I’m extremely surprised that both boys slept in their own beds all night long. They were both anxious about school starting, so I figured they would be light sleepers last night. So once the thunder started, I was just laying there waiting to see who I would end up bunking with and who would take my spot. Happily, I stayed in my own bed all night long next to my snoring husband.
• Of course, the boys aren’t the only ones who were anxious last night. For the past two weeks I’ve been furiously trying to get the dentist appointments, eye doctor appointments, glasses fittings and school supply shopping done. And I have actual work to do on top of all that. Although, I must admit, I’ve totally gotten drawn into watching the Olympics the past few nights. But when my busy schedule starts affecting my dreams, I know it’s bad. Yesterday = eye doctor appointment + Olympics watching. Last night’s dream = Winning the gold for having the fastest time at inserting my contact lenses.
• And lastly, I was just filling out the “About My Child” form that Riley Coyote’s teacher sent home as Kendal was pouring me a Screwdriver. And he goes and spills some Vodka on the homework. Niiiice. Second day of school and I have to send my kid in with homework that smells like Vodka!

At least 4 times a week, on my way to work, I stop by Sonic for a large cherry Dr. Pepper, easy on the ice. I’ve done this for years. To the point that I’ve been given Christmas cards by the Sonic employees. I’ve even been invited to one of the waitress’s daughter’s birthday party.

But this morning it finally occurred to me that I am truly predictable. I pulled into Sonic, pulled up to the drive-thru, ordered my large cherry Dr. Pepper, easy on the ice, and the guy at the window (whom I could see from my car), held up a large cup of my already prepared cherry Dr. Pepper and said “Oh, you mean THIS?”

* Sigh * I need a new routine.

We got news last night that Kendal’s Uncle DuWayne had a tree trimming accident yesterday. He fell out of the tree and onto his noggin. The fall shattered his C1 and broke his C4 and C5. From what his wife tells us (and I’m totally plagiarizing you Sheila), C1 controls breathing, so at this time he has been intubated and hooked up to a respirator. C4 and C5 involves the arms. DuWayne has some numbness and the left is weaker than his right. He is currently on steroids to prevent his brain & spinal cord from swelling. The neurosurgeon got him in a halo this morning, so now his wife calls him her “Tarnished Angel”.

We are all crazy about our beloved Uncle DuWayne, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers (or whatever it is you do).

I walked out of the kitchen to see Kendal standing at the hall closet placing a Band-Aid around his finger.

Me: “Oh no, did you hurt yourself?”
Kendal: “Nope, I was just putting on a Band-Aid to see if I still remembered how.”

I’m big on recycling. Even before we moved to a town that has mandatory recycling, we recycled. So I was thrilled, thrilled I tell you, when I saw the Preserve® Toothbrush tonight at Target. According to their website, the toothbrush handle is made from recycled plastic. And even better, when it’s time to replace your toothbrush, hop online and download the postage-paid label to send the toothbrush and case back to Preserve® to be re-processed into plastic lumber (for picnic tables, boardwalks and decks).

I just bought it this evening, so I haven’t tried it out yet. I’m a little skeptical of the “dentist-recommended” 45° curved handle, but I think the whole recycle concept is brilliant, so I’ll give it a try.

If only I had been able to find one in orange.

Awww, look at you! Here I am all introverted and mysterious for a month and ya’ll still come back, waiting, hoping, praying for a new post. (Don’t burst my bubble, okay?)

Well, I so wish I could say I’ve been away in the Caribbean or something, but sadly, Shea didn’t go after all. I got to keep her narcoleptic, ADHD, sink sleeping, bathtub drinking, lap cat though.

I suppose the biggest news I have is that we sold the old house! We actually closed on June 20, so it’s old news now. Still, it’s so nice to only have one lawn to mow, one house payment to make and one set of bills to pay. The house was only on the market for 16 days, but we waited 60+ days to close. And each of those 60+ days had their own new adventures and frustrations, but in the end? Totally worth it!

I was hoping by now I’d have a picture of our new boat to post, but we don’t have a new boat, therefore, you get no pictures. I’m so sorry. I’m determined to buy a boat though. Husband is determined to build a new workshop. You’ll just have to stay tuned to see who wins this one.

The kids have been back and forth from Wichita to Oklahoma all summer. Husband and I were on our own last week and it was quite enjoyable. We were basically slugs all week, eating out every night only to come home and lay on the sofa in front of the tv.

I realized today that there are only 29 days until school starts. So sad. But I’d say we’ve all had a lovely summer thus far. We’ve been busy working during the week and camping and fishing (and boat shopping) on the weekends, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for blogging. But, I have an awesome tan this year, so score!

Work is going well. I’ve designed another wedding website (there’s a link down there over on the right somewhere), and got the go ahead to design a new look for my part-time, slowly turning into full-time job’s website. I still have a couple of projects that I’m sorely neglecting, but I’ll get to them. I think.

So that’s the latest in MY world. How YOU doing?

Meet Lexie. She is the newest addition to our family.

Lexie’s owner, Shea, is a friend former coworker casual acquaintance fellow blogger (alright, I barely know her) here in Wichita. Shea is moving to the island of St. Maarten in a matter of days and is not able to take Lexie with her. I volunteered to adopt her cat under the condition that Kendal and I have a place to stay in St. Maarten should we ever end up in the Caribbean.

I am so selfless, aren’t I?

Today, Husband took the boys and I out fishing in Cheney.

I had the first catch of the day: (I was apologizing to the fish the entire time he was on my hook.)
Husband had the biggest catch of the day:

The boys weren’t left completely empty-handed. We all managed to catch sunburns!

I like to think of myself, my husband, and my boys as reasonably intelligent individuals. And yet, our lives have turned upside down after installing screen doors on the French doors in our dining room.

It seemed simple enough. We’d be able to have the French doors open to let in the breeze and not the bugs. But yesterday, just minutes after helping Kendal install them, I tried walking clean through them. And not just once, on several occasions. Kendal admitted to nearly walking through them a few times as well. And, of course, the dog smacked her nose against the screen at least once. Kendal and I joked about spray painting a big orange “X” on the door to maybe, I don’t know, remind us that there is a door there.

Then this evening rolled around. It was getting stuffy in the house, so I opened the French doors to let in the evening air. I went outside to get something out of my car, when around the house comes Riley Coyote, tears streaming down his face. He had forgotten about the new screen doors, walked through them, and knocked one completely off the tracks. As in, the entire door was laying on the deck. He was so embarrassed.

There was some minimal damage to the screen, but Kendal was able to reinstall it.

And the big orange “X”? Not a joke anymore.

No, I didn’t forget that I have a blog. And I didn’t forget that the purpose of a blog is to, you know, POST once in a while. I’ve been busy.

It’s a sign
For a good 3 weeks in March, Kendal and I were over at the old house nearly every day getting it fixed up and cleaned out so that we could finally put it on the market. Last week, the “For Sale” sign went up in the yard. Can I get an AMEN!!!

It’s here somewhere
The 3 weeks (the last 3 months, actually) in which I was “purging” boxes o’ crap at the old house, the new house somehow managed to accumulate several boxes o’ crap of it’s own. Now I have a basement full of boxes (o’ crap) that I need to sort through, and unfortunately, no handy-dandy second house to pawn them off on.

Clueless
I “chaperoned” Jacob Jingleheimer’s first Sock Hop at school last Friday. When we walked into the gym, we walked into utter chaos. The kids were literally running around and screaming. They couldn’t hear the music at all, so, naturally, they just ran around and screamed. The event was only for the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, and I have to say, those kids are just way too young to know what to do at a Sock Hop. Fortunately, I was asked to play gatekeeper at the door in the cafeteria where the concessions were being sold and was able to escape the pandemonium.

I feel blue
We took the kids to see the Blue Man Group last Sunday. It was…different…but good. Really good. And the kids liked it. And, while the Blue Men don’t sing (or talk) themselves, their vocal acts were amazing.

Livin’ and a workin’
That’s right, I’m working again. I’m back at my old place of employment, except that it’s under new ownership, new management and has a new name. I’m only part-time for now, because I have boxes o’ crap to sort through several other projects for several other people that I need to devote time to. I’m still not sure what to think of my newly found employment. My first day was an extremely productive day, and every day since? Not so much.

So glad school is almost out for the summer
I’m in the PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization) at the kids’ school. As if the 2 hour long meetings aren’t torture enough, I continue to volunteer for things (like chaperoning at Sock Hops). We’ve got a big carnival this weekend, which will be several hours of my life that I will never get back. I’m up to my eyeballs in Box Tops and soup labels, and I recall there being something about a trip to Oklahoma City next month. Honestly though, I love the school that my kids attend and I adore all the teachers. And I even secretly love it when my kids’ classmates recognize me and say “Hey Riley Coyote’s mom” or “I like your hair, Jacob Jingleheimer’s mom”.

It’s therapeutic
I somehow managed to collect seasons 1 through 3 of Grey’s Anatomy on DVD. And I somehow managed to sweet talk my husband into watching them with me. So, most evenings, once the boys are in bed, Kendal and I will curl up on the sofa and watch an episode or two of Grey’s. We’re closing in on the end of season 3, and I’m afraid I’ll soon be forced into watching the James Bond Ultimate Collector’s Set or something next. Someone needs to hurry up and release Grey’s Anatomy Season 4. Seriously.

On the horizon
We’d like for our old house to sell quickly so that we can finish the improvements we’ve started on the new house (in other words, Kendal wants to build a workshop).
I’d like to get some of my freelance projects completed so that I can make a million dollars (yea right).
I turn 33 29 in exactly 2 weeks (I’d like to stay 28).
Kendal has vowed to have more Bar-B-Q’s this summer (you’re all invited).

So that’s it. That is everything that has been keeping me so “busy” for the past few weeks. And really, when I type it all out, it sure doesn’t look like a lot. Not exactly worth the wait, now was it?