Barbecue Etiquette

1. How clean does your house have to be before you invite many, many people over for a barbecue? Keep in mind they’ll mostly be outside. Also keep in mind I only have one bathroom, and they’ll have to walk completely through the house to get to it.
2. 12 adults and 6-8 children (plus Andy, the boys, and me) have RSVP’d “definitely yes” so far for the barbecue. Another 6 adults have said “possibly”. And I’ve had no response one way or the other from approximately 15-20 adults and a few children. How in the world do I shop for this? We’re serving hot dogs, bratwurst, chips, beans, and possibly a pasta salad. We’re providing sodas/juice/water, too. I’m clueless on the shopping list.
3. I’ve never had a party that wasn’t a birthday party. I don’t know how to throw one (isn’t that sad?). Should I play music? Organize games? Just set out the food and let folks do what they do?
4. Oh, golly. Do I have to decorate?
5. Is it rude to put the expensive Power Wheels toys away where many unsupervised rowdy children can’t play with them? Because really, I think they’d all just fight over them, and I don’t want them torn up. We do have a trampoline, sandbox, swingset, and many many other toys that they can play with. Children will range in age from 2-8, with possibly a teenager or two thrown in for good measure. Many of the kids already know that we have them, however, so everyone will know we’ve hidden them.
6. It’s my party. I don’t have to wear shoes, do I? I rarely wear shoes around the house/yard. I don’t expect everyone else to take theirs off, outside or inside, but I won’t be comfortable with shoes on.

NOW do ya’ll think I’m totally weird? It’s ok if you do, but you still need to answer my questions

Randomness

• First of all, I want to tell you guys how much I loved your responses to the In Our House post. I just wrote that off the top of my head after Darth Vader chased Superman through the kitchen on Sunday evening, and honestly I didn’t think it would be very well received. It certainly wasn’t well written or even well thought-out. In reading the comments, I kept thinking “me, too!” and “ooh, I should have said that!” and “yes, I totally get that!“. You guys rock, you know that?

• Andy thanks you for all the birthday wishes yesterday. He turned 34 years old. The boys are much impressed with his advanced age, and to celebrate chose for him a radio-controlled racecar as his gift. The boys and I also got for him a small charcoal grill to use at work, because they like to cookout there if they have any downtime. He seemed to enjoy his gifts and his cake (baked by me and decorated by the boys) and I think had an overall nice day despite having to work.

• Nicholas has discovered a new favorite food: Chili Dogs. Most especially he loves him an Extra Long Chili Cheese Coney from Sonic Burger. He can eat a whole one, and then finish off what his brother doesn’t eat of his own. It’s amazing.

• Drew has been working extra hard to be good in school lately. With the exception of last Monday, he’s gotten excellent marks for behavior every day for 3 weeks. I am so happy.

• We are having a cookout this Saturday. Of course, you are all invited. If you’d like to come, it’s Saturday at about 6 PM–just e-mail me for directions I am so excited–my very best friends from college will be here. The four of us haven’t been all together since, well, graduation in 1996. We’ve seen each other in pairs and groups of 3, but the whole group hasn’t hung out in 12 years! Wow. I didn’t realize how long it had been until I just now sat down and thought about it. At any rate, it should be a great time with lots of food, friends, and fun.

• I saw a watermelon sprout in my garden yesterday. Yay!

Wordless Wednesday #4: Happy Birthday, Andy!

“Boys, let’s take a birthday photo for your daddy, ok?”

“OK, Mom! How about we take it like this!”

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday posts.

In Our House…

In our house…

…it’s not unusual for Darth Vader to chase Superman through the kitchen, or for a rhinoceros to rumble through the living room.

…there are more cameras than there are television sets.

…there is always laundry to be done. And dishes.

…we have no fewer than 37 different John Deere tractors (possibly more currently unaccounted for)

…and twice that many farm animal figurines.

…there is a love of books. There are always books of all kinds for all ages.

…the kids are happy.

…we have two very spoiled cats (and one very spoiled cat outside our house).

…there are photos taken every day.

…there is love.

What’s in your house?

Beautiful Imperfections

• Andy took this photo of the boys and me yesterday for Mother’s Day. It’s rare that I’ll sit and pose for a photo, but I always let him take one of the three of us on this day. This photo is crooked, out of focus, and very poorly composed. And I love it. I love the way Drew is peeking up at me and the way Nicky has his fake smile on because this was about the 10th attempt on Andy’s part. I love that you can see Andy in the storm door reflection and it’s obvious he’s trying to hard to get a nice shot. It’s just great. There were other, more focused shots, and at least two others that were much more flattering images of me. But this one is my favorite.
• On Saturday the boys and I put the garden in. They planted a 50 foot row of Lima Beans for me. It is one crooked, unevenly planted double row. But they were so proud of their work and they’ll be even more proud when the plants come up and begin to produce. It’s much better than the perfectly straight, evenly spaced row of plants I would have come up with. They also helped with the watermelon and pumpkin hills–I know that there’s at least 1 hill with no fewer than 20 seeds. I’ll just thin those when they sprout
• For supper last night Nicky and Drew made me Tuna Noodle Casserole. I boiled the noodles for them, but they did the rest. It’s was unevenly stirred and a bit heavy on the salt, but all and all it was very good. A special meal cooked just for me by my two favorite boys–and I didn’t even have to clean up afterwards. They did that, too

Can you hear me letting go? Leaving things not perfect? It’s a process, and I’m getting there…slowly but surely. There is a part of me that would trash that photo, because Nicky is a bit blurry. A part that would move the children aside and correct their planting…or at least come back and re-do it later. A little piece that would stir the casserole while they weren’t looking. That part is still in me, but I’m working hard to keep it in check. Because there are times when the perfectionist attitude serves me well…but other times when it most certainly doesn’t.

Photo Sunday #83: Happy Mother’s Day!

I don’t know about you guys, but I have the best Mom in the world. Really.

Happy Mother’s Day, to my awesome Mom and to all the other Moms out there!

Drama (Ok, not so much)

I just wrote a 9 paragraph post about my job, detailing the many reasons that I’m not really happy there right now.

Then I deleted it, because, well, it just didn’t seem smart to put all that out here in such a public forum. I don’t think any of my co-workers read my blog, but I do know that several of them are aware that I have one.

Of course, all the complaining in the world doesn’t change things. I’m pretty much stuck where I am. I have a flexible schedule with insurance for myself and the boys. I have 11 years towards retirement at a state job. I have a great boss. I can’t leave. Especially with Andy facing a potential unemployment in a few months.

And really, it’s not a bad job. It’s just that lately I’ve not been feeling well, and added to the stress I already feel about Andy’s job and the kids and stuff, I’m just not really thrilled to report to work each day.

But, I went to the dr. the other day. He had some new ideas for my headaches, and so I came away with some new medicines and renewed hope on that front. Yesterday was a fairly pleasant day at work for a change, with much of the gossip and pettiness and drama seemingly absent. That gives me hope.

And, I’m not working today. That’s always nice, right? Today is Muffins With Moms at Drew’s school, and Drew wanted his Mom and his mom’s Mom to attend. So, my parents will be here in a few minutes. After breakfast with Drew (Nicky and my dad are baking muffins here while Mom and I are at the school) we’re going to pick up some furniture that they purchased here for their new house (remind me to tell you about their new house next week!) which is not here. We’re going to go out to the farm so they can meet Angela. We’re going to just hang out and have a nice day.

Then I’m going to have a nice weekend.

Then I’m going to suck it up and go back to work on Monday, because I don’t really have a choice and I bet I’d enjoy myself a tiny bit more if I’d think more positively.

Oh, and you guys? If there’s something about my blog that bugs you (font, color, layout…) someone please mention something! Not that I’ll change it on everyone’s whim, but I had absolutely NO CLUE that the black was so unpopular. I liked the dark colors because I thought it made my photos look better, but the lighter template is growing on me. Thanks to all for your honest opinions yesterday.

Have a great weekend, ya’ll!

This is still Life’s Little Adventures. Please don’t leave! You’re in the right place!

I know. I know.

I was messing around with my layout at work, and I’ve lost my custom header (yes, that’s my photo…one I had on the computer at work. but I don’t have photoshop at work, I can’t fix it properly until I’m home).

arrgh.

But, while you’re here…what do you think of the new layout? Is the white good, or was the dark better? Of course, I’ll fix the header this evening regardless of which layout I use.

Opinions, please.

Oh, and if you haven’t read it already, check out my regular daily post below.  It’s a cute one

Pickin’ Wildflowers

The boys are forever picking flowers for me. Be it dandelions or clover blooms or weeds from the pasture or all the Iris in my back bed (oh, yes they did!) I get flowers from them nearly every day.

And getting them so often doesn’t make it any less special. I love that they think of me and take the time to assemble the flowers into such pretty little bunches just to make me happy. I always put them in water and keep them for as long as they look nice.

Last night the boys went out “exploring” while I was messing around with the calf. As I came out of the barn I noticed them heading back my way, each with a big handful of yellow wildflowers. When they saw me they started running, and, of course, Drew made it to me first because he’s bigger.

“I picked you some flowers, Mama!”

I told him thank you very much, and put them in the truck.

About then Nicky arrived and held out a giant bunch of flowers, and he’d even fancied up the arrangement with some funny looking grasses.

I said, “Wow, Nicky, those are beautiful! Thank you so much!”

He responded by rolling his eyes, and saying “They’re not for you, Mama. They’re for Emily. Could you put them in some water until I see her tomorrow?”

*sigh*

He’s such a heartbreaker.

And if you could have seen Emily’s face when he delivered that half wilted bunch of flowers and weeds to her this morning, you might just have melted. She hugged him and told him how beautiful they were, and how no one had ever gotten her flowers before (Remember, these kids are 4 and a half!).

He totally made her day…and mine, too.

Wordless Wednesday #3: It Won’t Bloom Without the Ants

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