Well, in less than 2 hours I'm having a haircut. I have NO idea what I'm going for yet. I might go for something chin-length and heavily shattered, I'm not sure. I've been trying to look at hairstyles online, but my stupid Internet connection is so slow it's taking forever, and I am not the most patient person. :D
Sexy, sassy, and simple. That's what I want. Think I'll find it? Who knows.
More later.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
June 26, 2006
Mark really gets into the stories he's reading. He was reading aloud to Kira from Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Benjamin Bunny" (which event in itself was adorable). I'm listening with half an ear as he reads along about Benjamin and Peter walking along back from the vegetable garden, with Peter holding a handkerchief full of onions. It gets to the point where it the book reads, "Presently Peter let the pocket-handkerchief go again."
At which point my 11-year-old, completely immersed in the story, mutters to himself, "You're dropping all the onions, you weirdo."
At which point my 11-year-old, completely immersed in the story, mutters to himself, "You're dropping all the onions, you weirdo."
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Happy Birthday Mark!
Well, my little boy is 11. sniff.
He had a really great day today. I gave him a bunch of books on how to draw comic strip characters, how to write a novel, etc., along with some notebooks, pens, pencils, ruler, protractor, etc. He loved it. Kira gave him a dragon egg with a little dragon inside to build (he got another one at the party from his friend Eddie). Loved that, too. My parents gave him an incredible mask to hang on his wall, it's carved wood with a coyote jaw bones above and below the face, deer antlers, rabbit fur, fox tails, and turkey & pheasant feathers all around it, done in a Native American style (I don't know if it's authentic Native American, but it certainly looks it). Really hard to describe, but it is very striking. They gave it to him at the party, so the boys all saw it, too, and they were all VERY impressed with it. [ok, apparently it is a "warrior mask"]
Around 11 he rode his bike up the road to meet Eddie, who hung out here a bit before we headed to camp, where the rest of the kids were coming for the party. There were 5 boys altogether including Mark. They went swimming, then my dad organized "canoe racing," then cake and ice cream and presents, then the boys played two-hand-touch football in the road with my dad as coach/referee. They didn't have an actual football, so they used a soccer ball that Mark got as one of his presents. Mark played the entire game wearing this funky dragon hat that his friend Luka gave him....it was a beanie-type cap with big stuffed spikes sticking out of it, and a long pennant/tail hanging down the back, also with stuffed spikes. Really funky, cool hat. Can't see Mark actually wearing it out in PUBLIC or anything, but still fun.
When it was time for cake, I took a vote and the boys said it was geeky to sing "Happy Birthday." So I told them they were doing it anyway, but that they had to sing it AS LOUD AS THEY COULD. Boy, they took THAT challenge right up!! Not often that they are *encouraged* to be loud. :D
The canoe racing wasn't really official races or anything. Dad got out the beater canoe, and the boys took turns pairing up and paddling out to the float and back. At first, until we were sure they could all handle a canoe (they were using kayak paddles, which actually made it easier for them), we had a rope tied to the back of the canoe so we could haul them back to the dock if need be. Then we untied the rope and changed the "race" so they had to paddle around the float and back to the starting point. We had some hilarious moments during that, I'll tell ya.
After the party was officially over, two of the boys left pretty much on time. Eddie's mom was going to be an hour or so late, which I knew ahead of time, and Mark S. is spending the night tonight, so we had three boys left for a bit. First they went back out to the float and were showing off for the girls across the pond (Margaux is in their class, and she is a little beauty). Then they decided they wanted to canoe. Once they got going (and Margaux & co. departed back for their house), the boys ended up pretending they were pirates or something.
What a great day.
Got home, and the computer memory I ordered was here!!! Hurrah!!!!!!!!!! I've just finished installing it (holy COW was the inside of my computer case DUSTY--gross), and I am tickled to death. I have tripled my total memory. I didn't want to order the max amount of memory until I knew that this would work, but I will be ordering another 256MB at some point. I am just so pleased, my computer is actually working like it should, I am able to have more than one thing running at a time. :D
Also got in the mail today the ring I ordered, that is supposed to be engraved with "markira." Well, unfortunately, they capitalized it, so it's "Markira" instead, which is NOT what I wanted (and not what I ordered). So now I have to return it and get them to re-do it. Sigh.
Kira's got a playdate tomorrow, she's going to Fiona's cottage and go swimming. Kira's been swimming every day of vacation so far. :D She'll be gone about 4 hours. Hope she has fun. Then on Thursday Kira's going to India's for an overnight. Boy, she's quite the little social butterfly. It'll be nice to have an evening just me & Mark. Usually it's me & Kira while Mark is at an overnight....I very rarely get a chance to spend time with just Mark, and this week I'll get to do it twice! Nice.
OK, I have really got to go to bed. It's almost midnight, I'm exhausted, it's been a loooooong day, and I bet the boys get up early. sigh.
off I go.
He had a really great day today. I gave him a bunch of books on how to draw comic strip characters, how to write a novel, etc., along with some notebooks, pens, pencils, ruler, protractor, etc. He loved it. Kira gave him a dragon egg with a little dragon inside to build (he got another one at the party from his friend Eddie). Loved that, too. My parents gave him an incredible mask to hang on his wall, it's carved wood with a coyote jaw bones above and below the face, deer antlers, rabbit fur, fox tails, and turkey & pheasant feathers all around it, done in a Native American style (I don't know if it's authentic Native American, but it certainly looks it). Really hard to describe, but it is very striking. They gave it to him at the party, so the boys all saw it, too, and they were all VERY impressed with it. [ok, apparently it is a "warrior mask"]
Around 11 he rode his bike up the road to meet Eddie, who hung out here a bit before we headed to camp, where the rest of the kids were coming for the party. There were 5 boys altogether including Mark. They went swimming, then my dad organized "canoe racing," then cake and ice cream and presents, then the boys played two-hand-touch football in the road with my dad as coach/referee. They didn't have an actual football, so they used a soccer ball that Mark got as one of his presents. Mark played the entire game wearing this funky dragon hat that his friend Luka gave him....it was a beanie-type cap with big stuffed spikes sticking out of it, and a long pennant/tail hanging down the back, also with stuffed spikes. Really funky, cool hat. Can't see Mark actually wearing it out in PUBLIC or anything, but still fun.
When it was time for cake, I took a vote and the boys said it was geeky to sing "Happy Birthday." So I told them they were doing it anyway, but that they had to sing it AS LOUD AS THEY COULD. Boy, they took THAT challenge right up!! Not often that they are *encouraged* to be loud. :D
The canoe racing wasn't really official races or anything. Dad got out the beater canoe, and the boys took turns pairing up and paddling out to the float and back. At first, until we were sure they could all handle a canoe (they were using kayak paddles, which actually made it easier for them), we had a rope tied to the back of the canoe so we could haul them back to the dock if need be. Then we untied the rope and changed the "race" so they had to paddle around the float and back to the starting point. We had some hilarious moments during that, I'll tell ya.
After the party was officially over, two of the boys left pretty much on time. Eddie's mom was going to be an hour or so late, which I knew ahead of time, and Mark S. is spending the night tonight, so we had three boys left for a bit. First they went back out to the float and were showing off for the girls across the pond (Margaux is in their class, and she is a little beauty). Then they decided they wanted to canoe. Once they got going (and Margaux & co. departed back for their house), the boys ended up pretending they were pirates or something.
What a great day.
Got home, and the computer memory I ordered was here!!! Hurrah!!!!!!!!!! I've just finished installing it (holy COW was the inside of my computer case DUSTY--gross), and I am tickled to death. I have tripled my total memory. I didn't want to order the max amount of memory until I knew that this would work, but I will be ordering another 256MB at some point. I am just so pleased, my computer is actually working like it should, I am able to have more than one thing running at a time. :D
Also got in the mail today the ring I ordered, that is supposed to be engraved with "markira." Well, unfortunately, they capitalized it, so it's "Markira" instead, which is NOT what I wanted (and not what I ordered). So now I have to return it and get them to re-do it. Sigh.
Kira's got a playdate tomorrow, she's going to Fiona's cottage and go swimming. Kira's been swimming every day of vacation so far. :D She'll be gone about 4 hours. Hope she has fun. Then on Thursday Kira's going to India's for an overnight. Boy, she's quite the little social butterfly. It'll be nice to have an evening just me & Mark. Usually it's me & Kira while Mark is at an overnight....I very rarely get a chance to spend time with just Mark, and this week I'll get to do it twice! Nice.
OK, I have really got to go to bed. It's almost midnight, I'm exhausted, it's been a loooooong day, and I bet the boys get up early. sigh.
off I go.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Father's Day
Whew. Another busy day. But satisfyingly so.
Picked up Dad's climbing rose today (a Don Juan--I'm seriously considering getting another one for myself), then went to my grandparents' to say howdy (Dorothy immediately handed me the Maine Sunday Telegram crossword for me to help her with). Then took off to pick up my sister and meet the parents at Crockett's Beach (my FAVORITE beach, which I haven't been to in ages, no idea why, I have GOT to go back soon) to do Father's Day presents. Lynn wasn't able to come up to camp today, since her son was supposed to visit. Haven't heard yet if he actually made it and how that went, hmmm...
I was only able to spend about 20 minutes at the beach before I had to leave to go to church, which went well. Then off to the grocery store, back home to put groceries away and change into capris and off to camp to hang out with Mom & Dad for awhile. Popped back home to bake Mark's birthday cake (and incidentally get a little laundry going, empty the trash, play a little FreeCell), then back to camp for burgers. *Then* back home, water all the outdoor container plants, frosted the cake, X called to see if he could bring the kids home a little early (although by the time they got here it was right on time). They had gone up to Waterville today to D's aunt's house to have a combination Father's Day/birthday celebration for all the dads, Mark & D's aunt, who both have birthdays around now. Apparently there is a pool, which the kids spent the day in, and Mark got a really bad sunburn.
Now, ordinarily this would not be a major point for me, except that when X picked up the kids last night, I made a POINT to tell him that Mark had gotten too much sun that day, and SHOWED him the sunburn Mark had. He said, "Ah, that's not too bad" but agreed to watch it and keep it treated etc.
SO. His idea of taking care of it was to put sunscreen on him, which he didn't have on even two minutes before he dove into the pool (which probably washed it all off 'cause it hadn't had a chance to soak in yet). Didn't even make him keep a shirt on. The kid went bare skin, all day, already WITH a sunburn, and surprisingly enough, burned to a crisp. (of course, with Mark's amazing powers of healing, he'll probably wake up tomorrow with just a gorgeous tan....I absolutely kid you not, the kid has an incredible immune system) I felt so bad for him. He was hurting when he came home. I gave him some ibuprofen (again, X hadn't done that--said Mark didn't want any. Um, who's the parent here?), and he was able to get to sleep. X stopped at his house on the way home so D. could apply some after-sun lotion with aloe in it (I'm horribly allergic to aloe, so I don't have any of that here).
So tomorrow is Mark's birthday, and we're having the party at camp. With swimming. And Mark's got a mega-burn. I'll definitely keep a shirt on him, but his arms and legs got burned a bit, too, so we'll have to see how that goes. He might be shade-bound for the day.
Anyway. Busy day. I really should get to sleep, as tomorrow will be busy also. :D
**later note: Mark's "really bad sunburn" and "burned to a crisp" is a bit of an overstatement on my part. He is not blistered or anything. But it does hurt. It's more a frustration on my part that a simple protective measure such as keeping a shirt on, was not taken. grrrrrr. But it's not a *severe* burn. mk =)
And before I get any comments about skin cancer, I KNOW, I KNOW. My dad is currently dealing with skin cancer (in fact, is having some spots burned off tomorrow). I am aware, thanks. Plus, my mother is hypervigilant.
Picked up Dad's climbing rose today (a Don Juan--I'm seriously considering getting another one for myself), then went to my grandparents' to say howdy (Dorothy immediately handed me the Maine Sunday Telegram crossword for me to help her with). Then took off to pick up my sister and meet the parents at Crockett's Beach (my FAVORITE beach, which I haven't been to in ages, no idea why, I have GOT to go back soon) to do Father's Day presents. Lynn wasn't able to come up to camp today, since her son was supposed to visit. Haven't heard yet if he actually made it and how that went, hmmm...
I was only able to spend about 20 minutes at the beach before I had to leave to go to church, which went well. Then off to the grocery store, back home to put groceries away and change into capris and off to camp to hang out with Mom & Dad for awhile. Popped back home to bake Mark's birthday cake (and incidentally get a little laundry going, empty the trash, play a little FreeCell), then back to camp for burgers. *Then* back home, water all the outdoor container plants, frosted the cake, X called to see if he could bring the kids home a little early (although by the time they got here it was right on time). They had gone up to Waterville today to D's aunt's house to have a combination Father's Day/birthday celebration for all the dads, Mark & D's aunt, who both have birthdays around now. Apparently there is a pool, which the kids spent the day in, and Mark got a really bad sunburn.
Now, ordinarily this would not be a major point for me, except that when X picked up the kids last night, I made a POINT to tell him that Mark had gotten too much sun that day, and SHOWED him the sunburn Mark had. He said, "Ah, that's not too bad" but agreed to watch it and keep it treated etc.
SO. His idea of taking care of it was to put sunscreen on him, which he didn't have on even two minutes before he dove into the pool (which probably washed it all off 'cause it hadn't had a chance to soak in yet). Didn't even make him keep a shirt on. The kid went bare skin, all day, already WITH a sunburn, and surprisingly enough, burned to a crisp. (of course, with Mark's amazing powers of healing, he'll probably wake up tomorrow with just a gorgeous tan....I absolutely kid you not, the kid has an incredible immune system) I felt so bad for him. He was hurting when he came home. I gave him some ibuprofen (again, X hadn't done that--said Mark didn't want any. Um, who's the parent here?), and he was able to get to sleep. X stopped at his house on the way home so D. could apply some after-sun lotion with aloe in it (I'm horribly allergic to aloe, so I don't have any of that here).
So tomorrow is Mark's birthday, and we're having the party at camp. With swimming. And Mark's got a mega-burn. I'll definitely keep a shirt on him, but his arms and legs got burned a bit, too, so we'll have to see how that goes. He might be shade-bound for the day.
Anyway. Busy day. I really should get to sleep, as tomorrow will be busy also. :D
**later note: Mark's "really bad sunburn" and "burned to a crisp" is a bit of an overstatement on my part. He is not blistered or anything. But it does hurt. It's more a frustration on my part that a simple protective measure such as keeping a shirt on, was not taken. grrrrrr. But it's not a *severe* burn. mk =)
And before I get any comments about skin cancer, I KNOW, I KNOW. My dad is currently dealing with skin cancer (in fact, is having some spots burned off tomorrow). I am aware, thanks. Plus, my mother is hypervigilant.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Kira's Writing
Kira wrote some stories in her journal today....here they are (spelling is as she wrote it).
Sally is So Perfect
Sally is to perfect. She needs to stop being pefect. I do not like it. I try to be perfect but I cant be pefect. I triy and triy And triy but I cant** be purfect. I Get mad. That is not perfect. I am to frustrated! So wut I am perfect even though I get Mad. You do? Yes I do. Rielly. Yup! So I am purfect to. Yes you are! Sweyt! Ya hoo you and me are perfect!
**This was originally spelled with a 'u' instead of an 'a' but I quickly made her correct that. :D
*****************
I do not like it wen I am happy
I do not like it wen I'm happy. My Mom and Dad say put a smiyl on my Fase. I dont efyn no what that meins! So my mom tells me but I do not like it! I tell her to stop but she dasint I yell she stops and gets mad!
[Kira is right next to me and is telling me to "Write The End!" so.....The End.]
Sally is So Perfect
Sally is to perfect. She needs to stop being pefect. I do not like it. I try to be perfect but I cant be pefect. I triy and triy And triy but I cant** be purfect. I Get mad. That is not perfect. I am to frustrated! So wut I am perfect even though I get Mad. You do? Yes I do. Rielly. Yup! So I am purfect to. Yes you are! Sweyt! Ya hoo you and me are perfect!
**This was originally spelled with a 'u' instead of an 'a' but I quickly made her correct that. :D
*****************
I do not like it wen I am happy
I do not like it wen I'm happy. My Mom and Dad say put a smiyl on my Fase. I dont efyn no what that meins! So my mom tells me but I do not like it! I tell her to stop but she dasint I yell she stops and gets mad!
[Kira is right next to me and is telling me to "Write The End!" so.....The End.]
Summer Vacation!
Well, today is the first full day of summer vacation!!! Kids had a half-day of school yesterday, then we went to camp. They went swimming, I laid out on the deck and got a little sunburn. Mom and Dad showed up around 4, we had an impromptu cookout. Everybody went home around 7:30. Wonderful day.
As a special one-time-only treat to kick off the summer, I allowed Mark to stay up as late as he wanted (although no electronics allowed after 9pm). He ended up staying up until 1:30, finished writing his first book (Chris Green and the Lost Prince). He slept until almost 10 this morning. I let Kira stay up until 9. She was up waaaaay before I was this morning, and is a chipper, chirping little person.
I am so glad to have all these events over with.....Little League, T-ball, Daisy Scouts, kindergarten graduation, Spring Concert, Awards Assembly. Tomorrow is Father's Day, and Monday is Mark's birthday (we're having a bunch of boys over to mostly just hang out), and then *my* summer vacation gets started. :D
Went to some friends' house this last Wednesday (immediately following the kindergarten graduation) to talk about starting a Bible study back up. We're going to do one on 'priorities', starting in two weeks, meeting every other Wednesday. Right now it's our "core group" of me, Jim & Lisa, Becky & Bill....I guess they're going to see if some other people want to come also. Whichever. I'm going to be glad to get back into a Bible study. I've been rather floundering lately, and I think this will be a huge help in keeping me back on track.
Well, I need to get dressed. I've been lazy long enough today. Need to go get the trellis and the climbing rose for Dad's Father's Day present, then pull stuff together to go to camp with the kids. I'm staying out of the sun today, though, to give my burn a chance to fade out. My arms actually have some noticeable tan, though.
Off I go.
As a special one-time-only treat to kick off the summer, I allowed Mark to stay up as late as he wanted (although no electronics allowed after 9pm). He ended up staying up until 1:30, finished writing his first book (Chris Green and the Lost Prince). He slept until almost 10 this morning. I let Kira stay up until 9. She was up waaaaay before I was this morning, and is a chipper, chirping little person.
I am so glad to have all these events over with.....Little League, T-ball, Daisy Scouts, kindergarten graduation, Spring Concert, Awards Assembly. Tomorrow is Father's Day, and Monday is Mark's birthday (we're having a bunch of boys over to mostly just hang out), and then *my* summer vacation gets started. :D
Went to some friends' house this last Wednesday (immediately following the kindergarten graduation) to talk about starting a Bible study back up. We're going to do one on 'priorities', starting in two weeks, meeting every other Wednesday. Right now it's our "core group" of me, Jim & Lisa, Becky & Bill....I guess they're going to see if some other people want to come also. Whichever. I'm going to be glad to get back into a Bible study. I've been rather floundering lately, and I think this will be a huge help in keeping me back on track.
Well, I need to get dressed. I've been lazy long enough today. Need to go get the trellis and the climbing rose for Dad's Father's Day present, then pull stuff together to go to camp with the kids. I'm staying out of the sun today, though, to give my burn a chance to fade out. My arms actually have some noticeable tan, though.
Off I go.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Life Theories from Jurassic Park
Dr. Ian Malcolm: God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.
Dr. Ellie Satler: Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.
Dr. Ellie Satler: Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.
Friday, June 02, 2006
June 2, 2006
Last day of the leg study today. That means payday! Good thing, too, as I could reeeeeally use the cash.
Tomorrow I am scheduled to go on a 4-hour schooner sail. Of course, the weather forecast says rain. Great.
Tomorrow also Mark has a baseball game and a birthday party at Kody's. The game is at 10 (he has to be there at 9:30), my sail is from 10-2, and Kody's birthday party is 10:30-3:30. Of course, I have not yet worked out the fine details on how this is all supposed to happen at the same time. :D
Kira is out screeching at Mark at the bus stop again. She's in a nasty mood today. It was not helped by first thing this morning she came in my room wearing the dress I'd planned she'd wear to the Spring Concert on Tuesday. She was NOT impressed that I told her she couldn't wear it. Also, she says she doesn't want to wear it to the concert. Too bad.
I have so much crap going on right now my head is spinning. And of course, I'm here typing this instead of getting ready to head out the door, which I can do as soon as the bus comes and picks up my monsters.
Note to self: blog later on last night's sink disaster and Mark's loss of lightbulbs.
Tomorrow I am scheduled to go on a 4-hour schooner sail. Of course, the weather forecast says rain. Great.
Tomorrow also Mark has a baseball game and a birthday party at Kody's. The game is at 10 (he has to be there at 9:30), my sail is from 10-2, and Kody's birthday party is 10:30-3:30. Of course, I have not yet worked out the fine details on how this is all supposed to happen at the same time. :D
Kira is out screeching at Mark at the bus stop again. She's in a nasty mood today. It was not helped by first thing this morning she came in my room wearing the dress I'd planned she'd wear to the Spring Concert on Tuesday. She was NOT impressed that I told her she couldn't wear it. Also, she says she doesn't want to wear it to the concert. Too bad.
I have so much crap going on right now my head is spinning. And of course, I'm here typing this instead of getting ready to head out the door, which I can do as soon as the bus comes and picks up my monsters.
Note to self: blog later on last night's sink disaster and Mark's loss of lightbulbs.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
'Cause I have to say it
X's wife looks like Napoleon Dynamite.
There. Whew. I said it. I mean it, too. When I got the movie and put it on to watch with the kids, the guy came on the screen and I came thisclose to blurting out, "Oh my gosh! It's D-------!" Fortunately, I bit my tongue and did *not* say it. I almost DIED with the effort, though.
But it's true. I mean, the same color hair. (not the same STYLE, but a perm could fix that.....) And the FACE is IDENTICAL. Expressions. Everything. It's a bit freaky.
Oh, I feel so much better.
There. Whew. I said it. I mean it, too. When I got the movie and put it on to watch with the kids, the guy came on the screen and I came thisclose to blurting out, "Oh my gosh! It's D-------!" Fortunately, I bit my tongue and did *not* say it. I almost DIED with the effort, though.
But it's true. I mean, the same color hair. (not the same STYLE, but a perm could fix that.....) And the FACE is IDENTICAL. Expressions. Everything. It's a bit freaky.
Oh, I feel so much better.
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