T minus one

Mark leaves for RAGBRAI tomorrow (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). Today was a frenzy of home improvement - installing light fixtures, replacing the toilet, painting, scraping privacy spray-on 'snow' screen off window, replacing it with proper privacy adhesive film, rug purchases...

He might finish his projects but mine ... the painting ... is soooooooo tedious. I forgot how tedious. So many doors, edges, obstacles. It will probably take me the whole week he is gone to finish two coats. Especially with all my "helpers."

I'm waiting for Ethan to get home from swimming. I'm guessing he passed his current level and got to ring the bell...we'll see. I have to get ready for tennis!

Fun with Tots

Tater tots, that is. Letters! How cute are these? Probably best that Sarah is at a cheer camp tonight because I couldn't find the letters to spell anyone else's name. I'm sure that she would have found that melt-down worthy.



And curiously, there seemed to be a disproportionate number of Xs. Kind of weird for a product aimed at kids. "Hey look, Mom! XXX!" haha!

Master Bath Tile Progress

I missed the opportunity to take a picture of the bathroom when it still had the carpet down. Suffice it to say, you're not missing much. Great tile guy came today to dry fit and set...tomorrow will be grout and finishing. Check it out!

That's Hot!

This is for all you folks who emailed me pics of your cars' temps at minus 24!



And some answers to your "burning" questions:

1. Tennis is going fantastic! Thanks for asking. I wish I could go to clinic every night. I'm definitely not the worst and the rust is coming off slowly.

2. The baked potato bag? Oh yeah. I love it. Or rather, I love the ease of cooking potatoes in it and the way they turn out.

3. Our dates for NJ are 8/8-15.

4. Ethan's swim lessons are going well. I'm thinking he will "ring the bell" soon to move up a level.

Stay cool!

Date with Jacob

With all the younger ones at summer camp, Jacob and I had a fun day. We went to Malibu Castle that has go karts, mini golf, an arcade and more. We spent several hours there and Jacob had a blast. It was nice to do something just for him since he usually gets dragged to places that are geared toward younger kids.

First Day of Summer Camp

Sarah, Ethan and Lucas are all attending summer camp at their preschool. Even though Lucas is technically not old enough, they wanted him to come to the summer session to make the transition in the fall a bit easier.

The first week is all about camping. They painted the back side of oval chinet plates brown and glued a stuffed paper fish on there to make it look like a mounted bass. Apparently, someone in Ethan's class mistook him for a paper plate.


Lucas had a GREAT DAY! Wore his sunglasses into school and when I picked him up five hours later, he still had them on. I asked if he wore them ALL DAY, and indeed, he had! Through craft, playground, lunch... whatever make him happy they said!



The latest in his shoe fetish collection.

Rain!

Wow! It finally rained here today. For maybe 30 minutes. Even a bit hard at times. I was tempted to run around outside in it but the lighting put a stop to that idea. And even though we need more, more, MORE!!...I'm seriously hoping my first tennis clinic doesn't get rained out tomorrow night. Selfish, I know.

I was also feeling rather selfish this afternoon when I saw a scorpion in my kitchen. I gently laid a paper towel on top of it and then proceeded to smash it to smithereens with one of Sarah's shoes, all the while thinking, "This is my house! Don't you dare come in here! Ooohhh, you're gonna be sorry!"

Yeah, there's no pictures either.

Happy 4th of July

I celebrated by buying a new tennis racquet. Something I haven't done since ... ummm, 20 YEARS AGO!?!?! How depressing is that? But it is exciting that I have signed up for a women's league and that I will play Tues & Thurs nights for the rest of the summer.

We also celebrated by cleaning out the toy room. The boys lost a DS about a week ago and Mark started going through every little box, nook and cranny. Didn't find the DS, but did throw out two bags of garbage and pack up three boxes of stuff for Goodwill.

Next week is jam-packed with stuff: preschool camp on Tues and Thurs for Sarah, Ethan and Lucas; swimming lessons for Ethan, tennis for me, two birthday parties and a baby shower! And we hope to tile the master bathroom floor, paint it and change the light fixtures. Maybe I'll post Before & After pics...if it gets done.