The strangest things

I washed Beans sleeping bag today since he's off to a Youth Group Mission trip this weekend. In said sleeping bag I found some underclothes. 

How in the world? 

That's all I want to know.

What strange things have you found in family members laundry?

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to manage some mischief!

Bribes

I was at lunch today when one of the young men I tutor walked in with a large handful of the mini York peppermint patties. 

Hands down my favorite candy.

I may have made a comment about difficult math problems coming his way if he ate all of the candy in front of me. I was -mostly-kidding.

Across the table comes this...

I think it will be an easy tutoring session today!

Rough week

After a long weekend with the bitty camper shower, I was looking forward to my shower at home. 

Monday, couldn't make it work at all so had to shower in the boys' bathroom. Spray is not adjustable and sent soap repeatedly into my eyes.

Tuesday I managed to get the spray to work but it leaked terribly.

Wednesday was good, the Boss fixed all the problems.

Today was met with my toothbrush base missing. Seriously? I need a vacation!

This afternoon leaves me with a cranky cat, a big project due Sunday and no motivation! 

Dizzy is babysitting three days this week, Bean is babysitting and working all weekend I'm pretty proud of them both. 

Enough procrastinating, need to get the gift done for the shower on Sunday!

Pretty poppy from my flower bed.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to manage some mischief!

July 4th fun

We spent the long weekend camping with family on the hi-line (or tornado alley in Montana).

The first couple of days were hot! 

Thankfully we had the creek to play in.

Dizzy made a new friend:

The Boss convinced me to go on a hike with him to where he camped in high school. It'll be an easy hike he says. LIAR!!!!

The flowers were pretty.

The rest was straight up and down the side of a mountain.

Dizzy and I got to soak our piggy toes though!

Instead of fireworks on the 4th, we had lightning, thunder, heavy rain and hail. 

Tornadoes touched down around us (we had no clue). Things weren't too bad at camp, but town was hit hard. My in-law's home lost some plants, had the rain gutter torn off the house, bbq grill tipped over and garbage cans all over the yard (and this was just on a quick walk around).

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to manage some mischief!

Vacation day 8

So I didn't post yesterday because we didn't make it back to the motel until today. Late game with long transit ride means tired kiddos today!

Yesterday began with us nearly forgetting our baseball tickets in the rental car. Got that squared away ( and figured out how to do transit passes) and we were off!

First was a visit to the Chicago Theater.

Then I found a great cornerstone.

Then to Millennium Park and the giant bean. Enjoyed lots of fun flowers in the park. I want to plant some of them for me next year!

Then we found the fountain.

They're starting to act like each other!

Lunch and then I sent the family up Willis Tower and had an hour to myself. I sat in a park and read after a quick milkshake break.

After a couple of wrong turns, it was off to baseball.

Then back to the motel with a day of over 16,000 steps. I'm feeling each and every one of those steps today! We are off to the museum today.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to stop and smell the roses!

Vacation day 7

I'm stumped. How can an eight hour train ride seem longer than an eighteen hour ride? Not sure but today on the train seemed very long. 

Kids took the ride in stride:

Tater enjoyed the cities.

Dizzy was just a bit punchy.

Bean just shook his head.

Everyone's favorite was going underground when we reached Chicago.

(Photo courtesy of Tater)

Getting off the train and getting luggage and the rental car was a breeze. 

The ride to our motel was not.

We had a thirty minute delay due to a couple of accidents on the freeway. The Boss's phone is fired, as we mapped what we thought was a toll-free route and found ourselves on a toll road. Ah well, we paid our share!

Dinner at Culvers and off to bed for a full and long day tomorrow! (Now if only the Cubs would win this extra inning game so the Boss and I can to to sleep as well!

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to manage some mischief!

Vacation day 6

Today was another travel day. 

We did spend the morning at my aunt and uncles, re-packing and trying to fit in all of our clothes and prizes in our existing bags...

Meet my new collapsible duffle:

It will collapse and zip into a small bag and fold out to hold such treasures as two My Little Pony stuffed animals and a cookie bear and three Paul Molitor bobble heads from the baseball game. Glad I gave away two already!

We visited with gram on our way out of town and I just stood with her and held her hand the entire time. 

We drove to St Paul to check into our motel for the night and the Boss and Bean took the rental car back to the airport and rode the bus back to meet the girls and I, who enjoyed some tv and internet time.

Dinner was a short walk away and the kids ate in a real greasy spoon diner.

We were asked when we walked in if we were lost. It was colorful and the food was very good.

We also saw Lucy from Peanuts:

Time for bed, as we have to be out the door at 7am tomorrow.

Oh, and just to keep things interesting, we got a call from my friend and coworker that we had no water. We brainstormed over the phone and finally told them we would call the well company. Not only is she a great friend, but she even trusts me to raise her tomatoes while they are moving in the next month. Knowing how much she treasures her plants, I am very honored.

The controller was broken on our pump, so it wasn't too bad of a fix!

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Be sure to manage some mischief!