Word Association: Mineral Oil

Wow, Mineral Oil brought a very sudden and clear memory for me. It is of slathering Baby Oil on my 18 year old body to get a sun tan. The image is of my BFF Jules and me up on the veranda of our Italian Villa (YES, I lived in an Italian Villa with a Veranda and I didn't even appreciate it). We were preparing for Prom and needed to look crisp I guess. I actually think we were careful enough not to burn. My how times have changed. I now slather on the SPF and only spend minimal time in the sun. Will my kids even know that Baby Oil is an option? I hope not.

As for that Prom. I didn't have a boyfriend at the time but Jules did. I was fine with that. I had decided not to 'get involved' that year because I knew that we'd be off to college and didn't want to bother with the drama. So, Jules' boyfriend had a friend who didn't have a date so somehow I was talked into being his date. I really wasn't keen on the guy even though he was super sweet. He just wasn't my type (he had a mustache for one...my father-in-law has one and he looks dapper, but an 18 year old boy...not so much). I feel bad to this day for treating that boy (cannot even remember his name) so poorly. I wouldn't speak with him, I barely wanted to be seen near him, I was a rotten date. I don't know why I did this, it is not like me. I just think I didn't want him to get any ideas and I guess that is how I manifested my intentions with him, to make him miserable. I'm sure he is saying to this day "My Senior Prom sucked". As much as I was an A number One brat...I'm sure I looked FABU with my perfect tan, and my bright blue spaghetti strap taffeta number. Ooo la la.

Picture is a photograph of the scrapbook I made in 1987 of the year I was in Italy...that is my BFF and me toasting our graduation. It was legal to drink in Italy!

Speed Fun (akin to Speed Dating)

Yesterday I took my 'charges' downtown again for a day of adventure in a different part of town. Well there is so much to do for kids in this part of town that I had to plan the day to the minute and have the kids only enjoy each activity for just enough time. So we:

1. Went to our favorite breakfast joint
2. Went to a scenic viewing spot that has a new 'modern' playground
3. Changed into swimming clothes
4. Went to a huge water fountain that the kids can run through
5. Changed out of swimming clothes
6. Rode two rides on the mini carnival area
7. Went to the Science Center
8. Ate our picnic lunch
9. Went back into the Science Center
10. Watched KungFu Panda on the IMAX screen
11. Drove home in traffic
12. Fell down in exhaustion when we got home.

Just as I uttered the words, "I'm worn out", my husband offered me the opportunity to go to the gym if I wanted..."heck no" is all I could mutter. I have issues with working out in the evening. I also have a few issues with envy for my husband's ability to choose his most appropriate hour to exercise and I have to work within the parameters of when I can have someone watch the kids. I think this envy issue is more than just the fact that I can't go on a drop of a dime. It is bigger and more complex, like, I wish I had the desire, I wish I didn't make excuses, I wish that I could go when I wanted which is probably around 7:30am an hour before the school bus comes in the school year, and right when my husband is leaving for his own gym experience or for meetings. In a perfect world right?

As I just wrote this I looked at the bracelet I recently bought. It is one of those silver bracelets that have inspirational sayings on them. This one is a Gandhi quote that says "What you think, you become". I need to start thinking, "I am a fitness freak, I like to workout whenever and wherever I can, I am a fitness freak"....this may take a while to sink in...until then, I'll put my feet up and relax a bit.

I'll show you bored Missy

Yesterday, my daughter decided to inform me at different times of the day that she was bored. This is even when I'd taken her downtown for fun sightseeing, to the aquarium, shopping for a toy, bought a candy stick, yadda yadda yadda. She said she was bored because in fact we were not choosing HER WAY at the aquarium. This is not the first time this summer (which is not yet a week old) that she has said this. Each time it has been preceded by an incident where she was not getting her way with her cousin and brother. I am not well equipped with the right tactics to handle this. I have an issue with escalation with her. If I 'cut her off at the quick' she can get to the storming off, "I'm leaving, never want to see you again" phase very quickly. This is quite inconvenient in public places, in open fields (when camping) and other scenarios. I threatened today that if she said it again, I'd make her sit in her room all day and then she'd understand what bored really feels like...do you think I could follow through with that? 'Prolly not! That would be punishment for us all because she'd likely howl in her room the whole time and we would cower in a corner holding our ears and rocking back and forth. Given that she is not even a pre-teen yet (or maybe she is), I am 'very afraid' about what is in store in the years to come...do you think 'mother's little helper' will come back in style again? Just kidding MOM!

Band Aid Olympics 2008

So our summer is now into full swing and the kids are beginning to show signs that they are really having fun because I've had to administer first aid many times these days. Here are the stats:

Nephew 3 band aids

Monkey 2 band aids (one requiring a second application)

Princess 0 band aids

So in looking at these stats, either my daughter is not 'out there' really going for it (doubtful) or she is more sure footed than the boys (or maybe girls in general are). I'd say that she in fact is the latter. She has a very good sense of balance, will climb the highest and farthest AND be able to get herself back down with nary an injury. That isn't to say that she doesn't have her bumps, scrapes and bruises, but she definitely has good sense of her body and where to take it.

Monkey, he is actually pretty sure footed too but he also is more cautious. His injuries are actually a bit different. One was inflicted by his sister (entirely by accident). My parents took the kids out to dinner and his finger was accidentally closed in the car door. I hear that it wasn't a pretty sight from both the finger and the ensuing emotional recovery. Thank goodness it wasn't on my watch. The finger is fine but does look 'ick' (a second application was required). His other band aid injury was a pogo stick fall. I'm imagining a few more of those if he keeps up his zeal for the sport.

Finally, my nephew. The camping trip was the culprit of his injuries. I think he was a little out of his element OR maybe 9 year old boys go through an accident prone stage. He not only got 3 band aids on our trip, he also banged himself up many times. The boy shed zero tears though (Monkey takes the cake on that). By the end of the trip he had a 'thorn in his ear' which required a band aid (see ear in picture), a mosquito bite that bled (there are few if none in our area), and a pretty nice scraped knee from a scooter fall. I told him that I think he should shoot for 5 band aids, but never followed through. He was a tiny bit worried that his parents might be upset for all of his injuries. I said, if you came back with NO INJURIES that your parents might think you were inside all day watching TV. I hope in fact that is the sentiment of his parents because I have 6 days left to keep him injury free and I don't know if that is possible.

As the saying goes..."Its all fun and games". We are soon out for another day of fun and frolic. We are heading into the big city by bus today, so I don't believe there will be any serious injuries unless someone decides to fall down the 100+ stairs we have to climb down to get to the waterfront...if that does happen, I'm thinking band aids won't suffice....happy thoughts, happy thoughts...fun day ahead.

Gratitude X 10

1. Celebrating my 100th post...who knew I'd be able to keep it up
2. Visit with parents who are now on a cruise to Alaska
3. Nephew here as built-in playmate for the kids so I don't have to hear "I'm bored" as often
4. Sunshine FINALLY (but not too hot)
5. Fun camping trip
6. Date nights two weekends in a row with our fun friends (not good for my goals for 'bathing suit bod' this year)
7. Brother on his way home from Afghanistan for some R&R for 2 weeks (safe travels bro')
8. Went to the gym 3 days this week AND have tried to walk as much as possible (see #6)
9. Exploring our home town through the eyes of my nephew next week
10. Sunshine (I think it deserves two spots on this list...so that perhaps it will stay).

A camping we will go

We're off today to take my nephew camping. It should be a fun time. I'm hoping the sleeping scenario isn't crazy. I've never been able to sleep well in a tent for some reason, but that does not stop me from loving to camp. The first time we went camping here 2 years ago, was the first time I had camped since the early '80s. When I heard the sound that shoes make in the dirt deep in the woods, it made me 'feel' the memories of my childhood. No specific event came to mind, but I just felt a sense of being in a comfortable, lovely memory. Hopefully the kids can have that same memory some day. I'm off to get packed and to buy s'more fixin's...gotta have s'mores or it ain't campin.

Candy apple red

Yesterday started off quite chilly and I had little hope that it would get warm...Negative Nelly was wrong. The day turned out to be just like Baby Bear's porridge, not too hot and not too cold, just right. My parents and nephew are here so instead of a normal summer day where it is possible that I would not even step out of the door until 3pm, we packed a picnic and walked a mile to our beach (which is actually a large lake).

Here is where the red tulips come in to play, my daughter ran ahead with her friends, "put sun screen on" and went into the water before I could intervene. Everyone was having a ball, we stayed for almost 3 hours, the kids swam, played Frisbee, played on the play ground and then more of the same. I did reapply sunscreen several times, but I do believe that the damage was done on the first 'application'. My daughter starts her summer with a really nice crispy burn on her back and shoulders. The kind that gets redder and redder as the day progresses (see red tulips as a visual). Luckily (and this is only by chance, not because I'm a prepared mom), I had some lidocaine burn gel to lather on last night. Anyway, I suspect some peeling will ensue in a few days...She'll probably enjoy that part of summer too...isn't it (in a sick way) rewarding to be able to peel off a huge layer of skin in one go...come on, you know that secretly you enjoyed that too when you were younger (or even last summer).

I want to send out a message to my brother in A-ghan (and his wife). I DID NOT burn your very sun sensitive son. He looks as perfect as he always does AND he is having a great time AND he is 'representing' as the good son that you've raised...thanks for sharing him with us. Another message goes out to all my siblings and other family and friends...MY MOTHER WALKED THE WHOLE WAY TO THE BEACH AND PLAYED FRISBEE...Rock On Mom (raise your hand with the "I love you" symbol please).