Thinking about Blogging

I was thinking about blogging . . . so I suppose it's about the time to stop thinkin' and start doin', but I am not sure I remember what I was going to blog about.

It is July 23rd.  JULY.  TWENTY-THIRD.  I am not sure where the last six or seven weeks have gone.  . .the summer goes by so fast.  That is kind of good and kind of sad.  Because I work at a job that I don't have summers off, it's good for me that it goes fast so I don't have to feel like I am missing out for too long on all the summer fun.  But, on the other hand because I do work all summer and the boys are home   I do feel like I am missing out on some fun.  I hope to take a few days and spend with them.  We have a busy August planned and maybe a busy start to September.  We didn't really have any big trips planned this summer.  We just went to the usual Pig Out in Cle Elum a couple weeks ago, we have our bowfishing tournament in August and Gunnar's birthday.   I do have to go to Seattle for work, so the boys will stay with Livingston grandparents for a few days and Neil and I are going to Seattle.  That's the week before school starts.  I want to take a day off in the week before that to get some school clothes shopping in, I guess.  Gunnar has outgrown all his pants.  Paden probably doesn't need new clothes, but I like to buy him a few shirts at least so he doesn't feel like he always has to wear hand-me downs, although he hasn't really complained yet.  So, probably after the tournament, I'll get the dressers cleaned out and rearranged with what clothes fit who and get the list going of who needs what.  Fun stuff.  Last week, Walmart already had school supplies out!  What the crap?!

Gunnar turns 10 - the big ONE, ZERO - next month!  I am not sure how I feel about that.  He's getting to be a very tall and he's a good kid.  He's starting to be mature and go play with friends.  He rides his bike a mile or so to his friend's house or just down our street to his friends.  It's pretty fun for him that he's old enough to go do stuff like that so he doesn't have to feel like he is at home all summer.  He and Paden don't always get along and Paden also tries to follow him sometimes.  Paden also gets antsy for him to come home, but it's good for Gunnar to get away.  We just try to have the kids over to our house too, so that he doesn't get too comfortable with leaving our house ALL the time.

Fischer has turned into a whiny three-year old.  He can still be very sweet and very polite, but he can also be very whiny where everything is a tragedy.  Then he yells at people if they are looking at him or talking when he wants to talk.  He's got a great grumpy face and it's hard not to laugh at him sometimes.

Paden declared to me recently that I have no idea how hard it is to be the middle child. Well, he's right, I really don't.  However, I don't know that it's as hard as he makes it for himself.  He also thinks his father is the worst one in the world.  He is kind of a sass-mouth and that's been getting disciplined lately whereas when he was 4 or even 5, he didn't always get in trouble.  People, if your kid doesn't something cute, but wrong, don't let them get away with it unless you want to have a kid like Paden on your hands.  He's smart and things everyone else is not and he's not afraid to tell you to your face.  So, there you have it.  He's still pretty sensitive about a lot of things too, which is strange.  I guess every kid has both sides to them.  Paden has also been kind of clumsy lately.  So, in the spring he cut his chin pretty well, which I am still paying for literally.  (Grrr, stupid hospital charges mega bucks for tape and super clue and his chin looks crappy.)  Anyway, then he's crashed on his bike a few times.  The other day he banged up his nose pretty good.  His legs are full of scrapes.  He's just going to have a few nice scars left over.  He has a hard time not picking at his scrapes.  Nice, I know.  You are welcome.

We've been doing pretty well on our bike rides - missed one or two last week that could have happened.  I did go today on a short route.  I need to measure that so I know because it has a smaller hill. :)  If I don't ride for a few days, the hills really kill my hip flexors!  So, I wanted to take it easy this fine Monday.  Tomorrow, I can go longer!  Remember, folks, I am towing at least 45 pounds with me.  We are looking at going on a ride in September that is somewhere on the Idaho/Montana border.  There two routes, one 30 mile route 1/2 of which is uphill (which we aren't going to try) and a 17 mile flat and downhill route where they bus you to the top of the mountain and you ride down.  We're thinking if there is camping, we'll camp a night, too.  Sounds like fun to me!

So, we found an awesome babysitter who the boys like to have and she usually cleans up a bit.  Now, I did give her a bonus the other day for cleaning, so she might be expecting that every time, so that could be a problem.  Our house was a DISASTER that day and she put a nice dent in it and made the boys help, so that deserves a bonus.  But, it's nice to at least not have the house completely destroyed when we get home - just clean up after what you made messy, that works for me.  She's 14, so hopefully she'll continue to be interested in babysitting for a few years. :)

Well, I really have nothing profound to say.  I haven't taken any pictures lately.  We don't have any exciting news. We're just living the life; the good life.  Just keep on keepin' on . . .