Licensed to Drive

Hollywood got her driver's license on Tuesday. I embarrassed her by taking a photo at the DOT. She was mortified, but I was actually surprised that no other moms had their cameras out too.

This is a momentous occasion, people!

And anyway, I only have a short time in this life to embarrass my kids, so I'll enjoy it while I can:
*photo of Hollywood in front of the DOT sign:


Here she is after getting her license. I waited until we got outside in the parking lot to take this one, at least:



It's really hard for me to believe that she's old enough to drive by herself now. But don't get me wrong... I'm not hating the idea. I sent her to the grocery store first thing. Having a kid who can drive is going to be veeeeeery useful, I think!

Squeaky Season

It's that time of year again, can you hear the squeak of basketball shoes on a gym floor?
*photo of the Boy in his basketball game:


The Boy had his first junior high basketball game last night. Here he is (#2) on the court with two of his best friends - that's trouble right there...

See the kid on the floor in the picture below? There's always a kid on the floor of a 7th grade boys' basketball game. It's how they roll. Girls' basketball? Not quite so crazy. Boys, though? Chaos!
*photo of the game:


It was an exciting game that went into overtime. Our Comets lost. But... it was a good start to the season.

The very long season.

The very, very, very long season.

I was adding the games to my google calendar earlier this week and couldn't believe that I had game entries in November, December, January, and February.

That's a lot of basketball to watch!

Good thing my guy is fun to watch:
*closeup photo of The Boy playing:

Comfort

*photo of Hollywood, Bumblebee, Uncle K, and Aunt D all snuggled up together on the couch:


Sometimes, when things in life don't go as planned, it's just a good thing to have family around. It's therapeutic to watch football and fight over couch space snuggle together on a cold and dreary day.

Sixteen

I want to cry today
But I’m not certain why.
It’s not sadness, really;
More like a longing for the past.
A wish for one last time to hold her hand
As we cross the street;
Or to kiss a scrape on her knee.

I should not mourn the passing
Of her childhood:
The Mickey Mouse Motorcycle in his time out,
Bedtime stories and snuggle hugs,
Those Avril Lavigne days.
(Why’d you have to go and make things so Complicated?)

Instead, I must look forward to the firsts that are left:
Her first love.
Her first heartbreak.
Graduation, college, life.

She’s flapping those wings.
In an instant, she’ll soar high above me,
Taking on the world.
And I'll watch, tear-streaked, as she goes.

But today I will focus on the present.
I’m so proud of who she is.
My heart is full to see the joy of this day for her:
Sixteen.
Cars.
Boys.
Music.
Friends.
Living, loving, being.


***

Happy Birthday, Hollywood.

Mmmm... Bacon!

"Momma? I don't think I want to grow up."
*photo of Bumblebee with a quizzical look on her face:


"Why not?"

"Well... because I love bacon. And animal doctors can't eat bacon."
*photo of Bumblebee with another questioning look:


"They can eat bacon. You're thinking of vegetarians, not veterinarians. Vegetarians don't eat meat. Veterinarians are animal doctors."

"Really?"

"Yep - the words just sound the same."

"So you're positive that animal doctors can eat bacon?"
*photo of Bumblebee with a funny face:


"Yep. I'm positive."

"Good. Because I really want to be an animal doctor, but I really, really, REALLY love bacon."
*photo of Bumblebee laughing:

What do you call a flying skunk?

Wait for it....

Wait for it...

A SMELLicopter!
*photo of Bumblebee dressed as a skunk.


In Iowa, we make our kids earn their Halloween candy. They have to tell us a joke. And if they don't, well, then we might not give them any candy. A laugh for a snicker bar seems like a fair trade to me.

I made a skunk costume for Bumblebee this year. It turned out pretty cute, even though she kept going 'pppssssssssssssssssssss' to pretend like she was spraying everyone. We got the inspiration because Grandma J dressed her dog up in a skunk costume. She decided to make herself a skunk outfit too, so there was a cute little family of skunks who went trick or treating for the night. I wish my camera would have cooperated, but for some reason, it took awful pictures of the skunk family. But believe me, they were adorable.

The night before Halloween was one of those special nights. The kids didn't have any social engagements (only because they were both grounded, but hey... I'll take my quality family time any way I can) so we carved some pumpkins - which is always so much more work than I remember it being:
*photo of Bumblebee and me scooping out pumpkin guts:


But they turned out nicely. Hollywood carved the ghost pumpkin and I did the other two.
*photo of carved pumpkins. One with four ghosts, one with a cat, and one with a dragon:


The older kids were too old to trick or treat (since they were grounded, they couldn't talk me into letting them go...) - so they stayed home and handed out candy.
*photo of all three kids in front of the house with their pumpkins:


I'm surprised at how quickly Halloween came and went this year. And now it's November, which is crazy because someone I know turns 16 this month. And her mother isn't ready for that milestone one bit.

And this is why I'll never be a first grade teacher...

Happy Halloween!

I went to Bumblebee's Halloween party at school yesterday. Let me be frank: I love my kids. They are, of course, the most amazing children on the planet. Other people's kids are pretty cute too. But twenty four six-year-olds in one setting?

Check it:
*photo of Bumblebee's first grade class:


Bumblebee's teacher either has a great prescription for chill out pills, or she's got the patience of a saint. The kids got pencils in their treat bags for the party and she played a CD for them so that they could use the pencils as drumsticks on their desks. Holy Excedrin Headache, Batman...
*photo of Bumblebee and a few of her classmates drumming with their pencils:


I left the school feeling dizzy, completely overstimulated, and in desperate need for a nap! I didn't have time for a nap, so I settled for a beer. I'm fairly certain that a teaching career is not in my future.

I get to spend the day with Bumblebee's class again today. We're going to see a production at the children's theater: Ramona Quimby - from Beverly Cleary's books. I'm so excited to see it! But I'll admit it... I'm going to take a prophylactic Excedrin before I leave.

Raise your hand if you thought I meant 'condom' when I used the word 'prophylactic'...

A Thousand Words...

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. Brother Z and his girlfriend came along with us to the wedding this weekend. They spent the past few months on a ‘break’ from their relationship and are recently back together, so it was wonderful to be able to spend time with them as a couple again. They're still in the early stages of working things out. Awkward, tentative, hopeful.

Brother Z took this picture. It’s of his girlfriend and our dad’s wife. They are talking, reconnecting after the time apart. You can see the fondness they have for each other, as they laugh about whatever private joke they are sharing. The autumn colors and the lighting prove that this shot was taken on a perfect, crisp fall afternoon.

What strikes me the most about this photo, though, is that you can see it through Brother Z’s eyes. Don’t you just feel like you’re watching her yourself, from his point of view? It's like when you're searching a crowd and you finally lay eyes upon the one you love from across the room and it gives you butterflies...

I Love Family Weddings

My cousin got married this weekend. I love family weddings. Especially ones like this one that had so many great things about it.

First of all, there was this adorable little church in an adorable little Iowa town on a perfect autumn day:
*photo of a small brick church:


And then there was the ceremony - officiated by my cousin's husband (does that make him my cousin-in-law?) When he was done, he said, "...by the power vested in me through the state of Iowa and the world wide web, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
*photo of the bride, groom, and Jim at the altar:


And of course there was a beautiful bride and her handsome groom:
*photo of Jason and Michelle pouring sand into their joint sand jar:


And the bride's colors were purple and white so I was in love. Because purple, especially this beautiful deep shade of it, is my favorite. And speaking of purple, the bride and groom were transported in style to the reception in this beauty:
*photo of a purple semi-truck with a sign that says 'just married' attached to it:


The reception had everything it needed to be a success:

There were pretty candles and chocolate kisses all along the tables - and a good looking young man thrown in for good measure:
*photo of The Boy at the reception:


There was a handsome guy with his adorable daughter:
*photo of The Husband and Bumblebee:


And there were a couple of cousins who don't get to see each other very often, but have fun together when they do:
*photo of Hollywood and David K.:


And finally, there were lots of wonderful family members to hang out with:
*collage photo of many of the K family wedding guests:


Congratulations to Jason and Michelle!

My Desk on a Sunday

Isn’t this picture depressing?
*photo of my desk at work.


It’s even more depressing since I took it today. On a Sunday. While I was at work. Follow along as I show you how I cope with working on a Sunday.
* not one, but two computer screens so that I can do twice the amount of work:

* The phone receiver is off the hook because it is on speakerphone so that I can listen to everyone test the new system together.

* McDonald’s caramel lattes are really, really tasty. This cup o’ joe brings my caffeine intake for the weekend up to approximately 780 ounces which equals 6.09 gallons.

* My dayplanner is open to SUNDAY. There is a highlighted note on the page. Usually weekend planner pages are blank. Because work and Sunday go together like socks and sandals.

*This is my fantasy football team roster. It is sitting on my desk so that I can keep track of my score while I am working on a *SUNDAY*

*I have the ESPN gamecast of the Packers game on my screen. Not being able to watch the game may be the most depressing part about working on a Sunday.



*Other useful artifacts on my desk: sticky notes, a funky sour patch kids pencil, wasabi & soy sauce almonds, water, my Green Bay Packers mug filled with pens that don’t work and a ruler that I never use, hand lotion to keep my often washed hands from drying up and falling off, and a photograph of The Husband and me on our wedding day. Because when I’m stressed out and working on a Sunday, nothing makes me happier than looking at how young I looked thirteen years ago compared to now, when working all the damn time has made me look old and withered.