Not much time, but...

I just looked at the widget that shows me how many days I have left before my life gets turned upside down again: 60. That's not very much and I hope/plan to shave off a few extras too. My kiddos have been back to school for 3 weeks now.  I get bored! I know there's always laundry or sweeping or all kinds of fun chores that I could do, because that is why I went to college after all: to become a cleaning lady. But since I can't even see my feet, bending over to pick up trash is a chore in itself anyway.  I keep thinking "what if", what if I wasn't pregnant, what would I be doing? I had planned on subbing French and earning my Teaching Degree finally. I was going to lose those last 10 lbs, and go to the gym more than once a year. I was going to have a perfectly organized home. I'd take my dog on a walk in the morning, right after the bus left. I would I would I would...but I don't and I can't.  Meanwhile, while I am writing my self pity party scenario, some little dude is kicking my butt (literally though, he really is kicking hard) into gear so I get up and get some milk at the store.
Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for this new event in my life, I'm just bored right now, Buster doesn't talk to me much...ouch, nice kick in the ribs, I think he's trying to tell me something, something like: "Mom, get up, get busy, stop lamenting yourself over the what ifs because I'm coming, the Lord told you He needed another missionary, so I'm coming...so here I go then, ordered around by my unborn child already, now that sounds familiar and I can deal with :)"

Back to school

I wonder if one was to do a search on Google blogs for "back to school", how many thousands would come up :)  But it does happen, and it did at our house too. It was last Monday, the 5th of August for us.  The bus stop has moved this year, I think the district heard I was pregnant and too hot, and they decided to move it to the park in front of my house. Yes, life is tough for me!

Maddy started at the new middle school they build in the neighborhood: Sossaman Middle School (it took a lot of imagination for them to come up with that name).  The rest of the monkeys went off to Cortina, even my wee one.  I almost cried, but then I didn't.  He told me last week: "mom, this preschool is so long for me"! I agree, I miss my side quick Tommy. 2 years of hanging out just us too has been fun, he is such an easy going kiddo. They do come home an hour earlier than last year, due to the new middle school. And I have to admit, that I feel like my days fly by, I do my little couponning, my little napping, my little snacking without having to share, absolutely no chores like before though.

So yeah, today at CVS, I got 3 bags of diapers, one lipstick, one make-up foundation, one shower gel for $15 and they gave me $6 back for next time, ha, so there!

The summer friends ready for school

Batman off to school

Now here is something odd: my husband came home early from work (not that odd) and he is being a social butterfly! (that's the odd part)

And he made it home, not after getting off the wrong bus stop first and having Elly get him back on.  Hmmm, hello, the fact that our house should be in front of him should have been a dead giveaway that it was the wrong place, but that's what you get for wearing a Sponge Bob stupid head tee-shirt! Batman helps you get on the bus, and Sponge Bob gets you home, yikes!!!

Now my days are filled with freedom, for another 70 days or less anyway!

Summer

Yikes, before the kids go back to school, I better post some pictures of our summer adventures!  We didn't go far, we just used our white trash trailer and camped in Show Low 3 times this summer.  We were there for the 4th of July too, got to see fireworks, then also got to enjoy quite a few monsoon afternoon rains.  We loved it, the kids had a blast too.

This is trip #1, in mid-June.  We picked up Maddy from Girls'camp that week too, she was in Pinetop.

This is why I wanted to camp in a trailer: it reminds me of growing up, camping all over France in the summer and playing in the sand or dirt like this with my brother; making tracks in the dirt for your cars.

Becoming a Junior Ranger, swearing to protect the forest and the animals.  PS: I look like a blimp on the pix, ugh!

We didn't catch anything fishing, so fake worms was dinner that night!

...yep, someone peed the bed, I shall protect his identity...

This is the cabin Reed's parents built and sold a few years ago, in Pinetop...such great memories of it! 

The Hondah Casino in Pinetop

Of course Buster got to come along.

Fool Hallow Lake

And why would we ever go camping in the boonies, where there wouldn't be any fast foods, I don't know, I like camping and civilization!

I lied, that's what we caught, yum! 

Pretty much all I did.

                          Trip #2, it was still a hot day around 90 for the 4th of July, but so nice in the shade...and the white trash trailer has nice running a/c.

4th of July Parade in Show Low...hmmm yeah, and Nicky is wearing a Belgian Flag hat, oops :)

Buster is so impressed by the parade.

                                   

Waiting for the fireworks to start, or the rain, we weren't sure...

Iphone nightime photos are not the best, but who carries a camera now a days?

The set up part deux

Then we loved it and went back again 2 weeks later.

Here is an advantage to having a heavy prescription for your glasses: you get to try to burn some paper with the sun!

                                   

Yep, dinner again!  The Rangers told us they had just stocked the lake with Trophy size fishes, good thing!  Tommy thought if he caught a fish, he'd win a trophy.

                                      

So he made his own fishing pole with a stick, that didn't bring him anymore luck

                                        

It had rained enough and the fire restrictions were lifted, yeah to roasting dogs and s'mores!

It rained a little, but it was way too nice to leave the fire.

So this was pretty much our summer, with lots of swimming in between those trips. Tomorrow, school starts and I will be alone for another 2 1/2 months before baby Oopsiee joins the clan.