So many missed Blog-ortunities

It is the end of the summer. What the heck? Already? Yes, already. Ho, hum. I think my boys definitely need it. They are pretty much crabby at each other constantly. Our pool never fully recovered from our week's vacation in July, so they haven't been swimming in the last two weeks, they are even grossed out by it, which should tell you how bad it got. We let the pond, I mean pool, water out today. It's the end of summer. Bummer.

I have had several opportunities to blog, but have had three times as many excuses as to why I couldn't get it done. I am back on the band wagon. I am on it. Unloading my random thoughts here is much more effective for me. I am not going to update my FB status every time I have a good thought to get out of my head, not to mention there sometimes just isn't enough characters allotted in that "what's on your mind" box. So, yeah, why do I need to spend as much time on there. I can read everyone else's "mind" which just fills mine up again when really my purpose is winding down and relaxing. I am totally rambling. I love it!

So, we are awesome. In case you didn't know it already, this little family of mine is awesome. So awesome in fact that I am willing to bet we have done at least one thing that no one else (who reads this blog) has done. Have you ever gotten a 30-foot motor home that is towing a car stuck in the pavement in the middle of a very busy city? I dare you to beat that one - can't be done!

So, we walk into a Jamba Juice around 8pm on a Sunday evening (Brad's travel rules in effect) and order some drinks to go. I ask the lady at the cash register, "So . . . did you hear about the motor home that got stuck coming into the parking lot?" The nice Jamba Juice employee responds, "Yes, we did. Some other customers told us about it." The exhausted me replies, "Yeah, that was us . . . trying to get here about 2 hours ago." Needless to say that little ordeal did cost us some extra cash and a heck of a lot of frustration and stress. Word to the wise, don't take your motor home towing a car up into a strip mall parking when there is an short incline. "How short," you might ask. Well, that's a little hard to say because it's obvious we don't have that good of judgment. :) I think our judgement has improved . . . or maybe we've just been scared into all inclines are to be avoided. The boys did get a free pizza out of it. Thank you, Pizza Hut in Salem on the corner of a very busy street.

School starts Monday. Yes, Monday. That is only, count them, one . . . two . . . days away. That is amazing. Paden will be going to Kindergarten and was excited, but now seems a little nervous, but won't admit it because he's stubborn like that. Gunnar will be in second grade. For those of you keeping track, he is repeating the second grade. Although, it was a tough decision, we went with it. Gunnar turned 8 only 3 weeks ago. Academically, he likely would have been fine. Overall, we felt it the right decision to have him go back to the second grade. We have the same teacher as last year because we think she was great. She knows where Gunnar is academically and so he won't have to really start completely over, she'll keep him advancing. Our elementary school seems very screwy this year with a bunch of "blended" classes. It's not making much sense to us parents, but it's what we've got. Gunnar will have 1st graders in his class and so will Paden. It's all weird, so we'll see how it goes. As long as I don't lose Paden to boredom, we'll be doing well.

On a good note, we were pretty successful with school shopping. The boys found shoes they liked very quickly; they got matching ones actually - good deal. Their nice Columbia back packs were 50% off, so they each got to get one, even though Gunnar probably didn't need a new one this year. They did well with some new shirts. We'll need a few more pants and long sleeves as fall approaches, but I didn't get a chance to really clean out their dressers before went, so I wasn't sure on our current inventory. I know that most of Gunnar's stuff from last year is too small. He has grown a lot, in my opinion. What kid doubles their shoe size in the course of 3 months or so. Gunnar was still wearing his tennis shoes at the end of the school year which were a size 1.5 and the ones I just bought him are a size 3. I can almost get my foot into them! OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but the kid has got some big feet!

Gunnar is playing soccer. First game tomorrow. I hope someone has his uniform. We missed last Saturday, so we've got nothing. Just thought of that at this moment, actually. Would have been nice to call the coach earlier today about that - duh! I hope soccer turns out OK this year. The coach we have is a lady that I've found to be rude in the past, so I am going to try to kill her with kindness. That's the plan anyway, but who knows how well my patience will hold on. They play 4 on 4 and there's like 10 kids on each time. I am worried about playing time. Gunnar will get bored and discouraged if he has to sit a lot. It's probably a good lesson for him to learn, but he is only 8, so they just like to run around and kick the ball.

So, Fischer is working on about an hour of crying in his bed. It's very difficult for me to leave him there, but the kid is so stinkin' spoiled. He's got to learn he has to sleep in his bed. For the last few weeks, he's been waking up earlier and earlier and I just bring him in my bed because I am too tired to fight with him about it. So, tonight he woke up after being asleep for two hours. Not cool. So, he's been in there crying for nearly an hour. He hasn't woke up the other two. It's about my bed time, so I wonder if I will be able to sleep through it too. So sad. That kid is going to have a sore throat and headache after this. You know how that is when you've cried too much. I feel bad for him . . . just not bad enough yet to go get him out. Breaking my heart, poor little guy. I know, guilt trip me, it's OK. I can handle it.

Speaking of breaking my heart . . . Paden, Gunnar and I went to take Fischer for his 15 month check up on Tuesday. Usually, the doctor's office visit is quick and painless. Paden usually goes with me because Gunnar is in school, so he knows the routine. Well, he forgot his DS - heaven forbid! And it took a LONG time to get in and out of there. At one point in time he says, "If they make us wait here all night, they are going to break my heart." What the . . .? Yes, he's my kid and I love him to pieces.

Well, folks . . . that felt good. I am glad I was able to entertain myself through Fischer's crying. He was starting to slow down a while back, then I went to turn the TV off in there, that got him all fired up again. He's starting to slow back down . . . I hope.

PS - if you have noticed that I used to have long list of blogs on my side bar and now I don't, it's a work in progress. I am having issues with blog back grounds and I am not smart enough to change my background without having to re-do my whole list again. Some day soon, I will fix it. "Soon" is a very subjective, relative term, mind you. :)