Friday, September 30, 2011

Pretty Little Lady

I feel bad for ignoring my blog all week! I had a lot of ideas swirling around, but I just couldn't nail any down long enough to expound on them. It was just one of those weeks where my head was somewhere else, and the rest of me was left here to try and muddle through. I really don't want to take inventory of all the things I've probably forgotten-- although I'm sure they'll all be obvious soon enough!

I did, however, take a few pictures this week, so I can at least put up a Photography Friday post. Olette loves to have her picture taken, and the files on my computer are FULL of what she likes to call her "model pictures." (Ben, on the other hand gets extremely awkward when the camera comes out, so the pictures I have of him are only the ones that didn't come out too blurry, because he's always on the move!) So today's Photography Friday comes to you courtesy of my pretty baby girl.

(Normally, I would put up the asterisk, with the note that these pictures are mine and belong to me, and ask you not to use them without my permission. However, since this is my baby girl, I'm amending it a little: These pictures are mine and belong to me, and are not meant to be used by anyone other than me, for any purpose whatsoever.)

This happened as soon as she realized I had the camera in hand.

"Oh, let me do a pretty pose!"

I love this one-- this was right after I told her that the "shooting star" she just made a wish upon was actually a jet!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Sunset on the Eastern Shore

I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. There is no shortage of breathtaking scenery around here, and lately I've been loving sunsets. Sunsets around here are particularly awesome, especially now that it's started to cool off a little. Sunset at 85 degrees is a lot more pleasant than sunset at 100 degrees! Earlier this week, I happened to be over on the Eastern Shore (of Mobile Bay) just as the sun was starting to set. And, I just happened to have my camera in the car with me.

So, enjoy the sunset for this week's Photography Friday.*





*As always, these pictures are mine and belong to me. Please do not use them without my permission.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Is There an Open Season on Neighbor Kids*?

When we lived out in the country, the subject of neighbor kids wasn't much of an issue. There was one girl, whose house was up near the end of our driveway. When she wanted to play with Ben and Olette, she would stand at the end of her yard and yell for them. They would play happily, and loudly, without breaking any rules. I only needed to peek out of the window every once in awhile.

Now we live in town. In a subdivision. With lots of neighbors, who have lots of little neighbor kids. Some of them are nice, respectful, well-behaved children who I don't mind having over to play with my kids. Others of them-- and, unfortunately, the ones who show up the most often, are very much less awesome.

I've pretty much reached the end of my rope with the not-so-awesome ones. They don't listen. They don't respect the rules. They wander into our (fenced in!) yard and play on the trampoline and swing set even when my kids aren't out there. (I'm dreading how much worse it's going to get once we set up a swimming pool next year... we might be getting a taller fence!) They're constantly knocking on the door, asking if Ben and Olette can play, and after we tell them Ben and Olette will be out after dinner (or homework, or chores, or whatever they're in the middle of), they wait three minutes and knock on the door again. These kids are going to drive me insane!

I've tried being nice. I've tried being firm. I've explained that failure to follow the rules will result in being sent home. I've sent them home! (It doesn't help, they just move on to the next kids' house, instead.) What can I do about these wild neighbor kids?! Should I just ban them from our house and yard forever? They're not the only kids my kids play with in the neighborhood, but they all have fun together. So banishing them kind of punishes my kids, too.

So I'm turning to you, oh great and wise internet, for answers. If anyone has any helpful advice, that would be great!

*No, I'm not actually suggesting I would start shooting neighbor kids. That would be illegal. And wrong.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Google +

I have that now. So... come find me? I guess? I dunno, I'm still trying to figure out how to work it. I realize that this blog post wasn't very helpful in any way. I might have gotten ahead of myself here.

Letters to People and Things That Can't Actually Hear Me

Dear Baby Snakes,
You're not welcome in my house. I realize that you're tiny and since your mouth is so small, even if you were poisonous, you wouldn't actually be able to bite anything bigger than a fly. You're still not allowed in my house. I'm tired of removing you. I know, I know, I've only had to do it twice. But that's two more times than I ever had to do it in our old house, and it was surrounded by woods and a pond! Now we live in town. I should not be chasing random wildlife out of my hallway. (Or my closet.)
Sincerely,
Not A Snake Wrangler

Dear People Stuck Behind the School Bus,
I know it sucks. You're just trying to get to wherever it you need to be. I understand. But I also know that when you're stuck behind a bus in the morning, that the half-mile stretch between where I'm trying to pull out onto the highway and where that bus will finally turn is ten minutes of stop-and-go-three-inches-forward-then-stop-again. I can see how you would be very territorial of your place in line. But, you see that little blinky thing on the front of my truck under the headlight? It's telling you that I don't want to cut in line, I want to cut through the line and drive the other direction. All I'm asking for is about three seconds of your wait time. Just pause, let me through, and you can get back to waiting. In the grand scheme of things, is ten minutes and three seconds really that much worse? Your unselfish cooperation is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Already Running Late This Morning Owing to the Need to Remove a Snake From my Hallway.

Dear Other Parents of Pre-K Kids at My Kids' School,
The sign says "Enter Only." And the street is narrow. I think that about covers it.
Sincerely,
At This Point Everything is Annoying Me. Don't Take it Personally.

Dear Air Conditioner in my Truck,
I've accepted the fact that I cannot take you for granted.  I know that sometimes when I turn on the truck, you will start up, too. And I know that sometimes you won't. I have come to terms with this. But deciding to turn on just as I'm pulling into my driveway? Come on, you're just screwing with me now, aren't you? Be nice.
Sincerely,
Oh My Gosh I Can't Wait for my First Cup of Coffee!!

Dear Self,
Unlock the door before trying to open it. Do you like having to do the shameful, quick glance around to make sure no neighbors noticed you walking full speed, smack, into your front door? I didn't think so.
Sincerely,
Your Common Sense
p.s. I'm so sorry I've been missing lately. Short-term Memory and I needed a vacation. Hope you're getting along just fine without us!

Dear Common Sense,
You and Short-term Memory need to cut your vacation short. You've left me looking like such an idiot lately. I need you! And I am not too proud to beg you to return to me, ASAP!
Sincerely,
Me


(I'm still in the middle of the post I was working on Monday. I'll put it up later today or tomorrow... probably tomorrow, because my to-do list is embarrassingly long right now!)

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Stay Tuned...

I started a blog post yesterday, but got interrupted every few sentences. I'll have it up either later today or tomorrow morning, depending on when I have a chance to sit down with it!

Friday, September 16, 2011

By The Way...

...did you know you can find me on Twitter? Not that I think I'm so fascinating that you'd want to hear my every thought, but I just thought I'd share. Just in case. (Not to imply that I share my every thought on Twitter. Although I do tend to wander over there when I feel a need to procrastinate.)

I was thisclose to clicking "Publish Post" when I realized that I didn't tell you where you could find me on Twitter! Go me! I'm right here!

Wilbur

Today's Photography Friday is going to be dog-centric. Specifially, my dog. Because he's a sweetie pie. And I took a bunch of pictures of him yesterday. And the pictures I took of the kids on the trampoline yesterday all came out fuzzy. And really, there just aren't enough pictures of dogs on the internet. (That last one was sarcasm. You got that, right?)

Wilbur is a mutt. Which is my favorite kind of dog. And he is the sweetest dog you'll ever meet. (Although a little exuberant. We're working hard to teach him not to jump.) All the kids in the neighborhood love him, and with a face like his, who wouldn't?*

Please pay attention to the adorable dog, and not the fact that I forgot to sweep the patio after Hubby mowed the lawn!



*As always, these pictures are mine and belong to me. Please ask my permission before using them.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

I Know...

...I missed Photography Friday, yesterday. This week has been kind of weird, between being short and having Hubby home on vacation. Sorry! Next week I'll be back to my normal blogging schedule!

Monday, September 5, 2011

I Miss the Sun!

Today being Monday and all, I should be posting something MommyBlog-ish. Unfortunately, fielding an entire weekend's worth of "I'm bored... why can't I go outside..." (from the kids, and, judging by the looks he's been giving me, the dog, too!) has turned my brain into a non-creative mush. We're on day three of Tropical Storm Lee, now, and I'm really starting to miss the sun. I'm pretty sure it's going to be weeks before our yard is no longer squishy and soggy and hiding beneath two inches of water (more, in the low spots).

Yesterday, I decided to go outside while it was just sprinkling a little bit, and get some pictures of the yard and neighborhood. I took a walk around the block, thinking it was so pleasant outside-- the little bit of drizzle made it nice and cool, and perfect walking weather. Until I got about halfway around the block and the sky decided to really open up. By the time I made it home, I was completely soaked!

As I'm typing now, little bits of sunshine are trying to peek through, but the clouds are putting up a pretty big fight!

Wilbur isn't really sure what to think...

This is how deep it was at the lowest spot in our yard, yesterday. 

We had a river that started on one end of our yard and went all the way down to the end of the neighborhood!

Why you should never assume it's a good idea to take a walk during a tropical storm.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Photography Fri... Wait...

It wasn't my fault! It was my internet provider!

Yesterday morning, I realized we have some really pretty flowers growing along our back fence, and immediately thought, "There's my Photography Friday post, right there!" I ran outside, thankful the rain was taking a break, snapped a few nice pictures, uploaded them to my computer, and before I could do anything else, the internet died. And didn't come back until after 7:00 at night!

So here are today's pictures.* (I don't know what kind of flowers they are. If you know, I'd love to know, too!)




*As always, these pictures are mine and belong to me. Please do not use them without my permission.