Boondock Ramblings

Independence Day

The reason for the Fourth of July couldn't have been any clearer for my family on Saturday when we traveled to a friend's house to celebrate Independence Day with her family -- her family, except one. Maria's husband, Q is in Iraq, serving with the National Guard.

In a way, it felt a little weird because Hubby, Jonathan and I were the only people there who weren't family in some way. But then Maria's sisters said: "You've been around forever. You're like family to us," and I was reminded that family isn't only about blood relations.

There were eight kids running around the property, one of them mine, the other Maria's. There were three two year olds, a three year old, a four year old, an 11 year old and all ages in between. And amazingly there were no major breakdowns or any major crisis (at least while I was there). Not even with Maria's son, Zaiah, who I was sure would flip out at some point because he didn't have a nap all day. But he didn't. He was feeling good enough even to give my son a quick hug as the two played together under the picnic table.

Jonathan had fun pushing his friend in the toy car. Daddy found time to read a book. I enjoyed taking photographs and catching up a little bit with some of Maria's family, while her brother and nephew played horseshoes. It was a real American Fourth of July -- a cookout, good company, water mellon, children laughing, and throughout the day a constant reminder in the backs of our minds of why we have the rights and freedoms we do. We miss you, Q and can't wait until you come home!

Tag! You're it! No wait! I am!

One of my favorite bloggers, Potty Mummy, has tagged me for a meme. I'm not great at actually doing these things so I'm going to try it for fun. Why not? Right?

1. What are your current obsessions? Co-workers who act like they own the office when they actually have no position of authority what-so-ever. Co-workers who throw away personal items belonging to another co-worker simply because they are getting back at said co-worker for having complained to boss about Bossy Co-worker's rude behavior. Um...I've had a bad morning already. Can anyone tell?

2. Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often? My nightgown. The one I had when I was preggers and it drapes all over. I lurve it. Jonathan lurves it too because it is so big he thinks he can use it to hide in. I usually end up walking around the house with a toddler under my gown. It's as weird as it sounds.

3. What's for dinner? Cook-out at work today so hamburgers, hot dogs and salads. Hopefully the hamburgers will be cooked well as Hubby is grilling today. And if they aren't cooked well I'm sure our silly co-workers will yap their mouths about it for weeks to come. (see above answer).

4. Last thing you bought? Ice cream sundae from McDonalds. I know. I suck.

5. What are you listening to? My boss interview someone for a new job. OK. I'm not really listening, but I can kind of hear it going on. Other than that the typing on keyboards and the fact I was just paged at work. Um...I'm at work, doing this. I'm being a bad employee today. Baaaad!

6. If you were a god/goddess who would you be? The goddess of weight loss and then I would sprinkle all of us who want to lose weight with "weight loss" dust. No longer will we have to sweat to the oldies. We'll just breathe in the dust and watch the pounds melt away. Before we know it we'll all look like a super model (a good sized one, not the skinny ones who need to eat a cheeseburger and like, NOW!!!)

7. Favorite vacation spots? Since we never go on vacation I can't have a favorite vacation spot. Vacation spots are for people who have money and we have no money. If we do have money the kid gets sick, the car breaks down, or the taxes are due. No vacation spots for me, for me, for me!

8. Reading right now? A Jeanette Oke book that I've been plowing through for two weeks now. Jeanette Oke is like cotton candy writing. And it is taking me two weeks to read it. I have to renew it at the library tomorrow. In that time frame my husband has probably read 25 books. I am such a LOSER! My hubby has even written his own short story on his blog. But me? I can't finish a 150 page book in less than a month. Loooooser!

9. Four words to describe yourself; A Work In Progress

10. Guilty pleasure? Haagendas chocolate ice cream. I'll buy that and sit in the car behind the office and shovel it in. Did that when I was pregnant like every other day. I haven't had any in a long time though. I've been a good, good girl that way. *sigh* Which sucks because I totally miss that ice cream. Hmmmm.....the store is only a walk away after all.

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak? Steve Correll and The Office. Look at him! Are you laughing yet?! Because I totally am! What do you mean that's because I'm a dork?

12. Favorite thing to do in the summer? Play in the pool with my son.

13. Planning to travel to next? The doctor's for a check-up of the ear tubes in Jonathan's ears. Dang, I AM BORING!

14. Best thing you ate or drank lately? My mom's homemade vegetable beef soup. Yummmmmy!

15. When did you last get tipsy? When my sinuses were stuffed up and I got up too fast off the couch a couple months back. Uh...didn't I tell you I'm BORING?

16. Favorite ever film? "Singing in the Rain" and even more so if it had that long creepy dance scene removed from it.

17. Care to share some wisdom? Don't stick your tongue to a metal rod in the winter.

18. Least favorite thing about driving in the Boondocks? People who don't use turn signals and getting stuck behind a tractor. Especially a tractor that has just spread manure!

19. Least favorite part of your day? The beginning of it when I have to resolve that I must go to work and deal with absolutely the most annoying people on God's Green Earth.

Rules of the meme. Respond and rework. Answer questions on your own blog. Replace one question. Add one question. Tag 8 people.

I don't like tagging people because they feel like the have to do the meme, but I'm going to tag some bloggers anyhow. If you don't want to do it, no problem. . . just have fun with it if you do!

Jen at Sprite's Keeper because I know she would totally have a blast with something like this.

Casey over at Half As Good As You for the same reason I chose Jen from Sprite's Keeper

Mummy McTavish at Samster.com

Mrs. Nurse Boy at Poop on Jelly (don't you just love the name of this blog?!)

Nicole at Fishsticks and Fireflies while she waits for her baby to arrive!

Shieldmaiden at Dispatches From the Northern Outpost

Jen from Life on the Roof

And yet another Jen from Rants and Raves

The joys of fall

There is nothing like children playing in the leaves to perk up a woman whose been sick off and on for five days and has a toddler whose decided he doesn't need to sleep at night, forgetting that his mother doesn't get a two-hour nap every day like he does. (Deep breath).

I pulled up to my sitter's after work and there was my child, along with three others, playing in the leaves.

I had a blast taking some photos, though many of them didn't come out like I wanted them to, due to kids moving way too fast.

In the end this one, where he finally started to crash (though refused to go to bed until after midnight!) was my favorite and I don't know why:

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Still highlighting some of my favorite bloggers and today it's Mary at 'Happenings Today' Her son Thomas is about the age of my son and she and her husband "Einstein" also have a puppy who looks a lot like mine. She's expecting her second child (Yay!) and is worth the read. Go on and check her out.

Finding alone time

I was hoping for at least a half an hour to myself to surf the blogs, write an entry or two and save some photos onto a CD to be printed off later. It wasn't happening. Jonathan kept waking up every half an hour.

It was weird. That whole day he had been clingy. He was recovering from a sinus infection and we had had little quality time together, so I knew this was part of the reason. Still, I had hoped he would be able to sleep and I would be able to get some much needed time alone and in quiet.

I'd been worrying a lot about money lately, mainly because we've had none and I wanted something to do to take my mind off it all. Jonathan wasn't allowing me to get that free time with his waking up every few moments. I finally disconnected the slower-than-molasses dial-up and called it a night.

Running in to comfort him back to sleep and then returning the computer was becoming tiresome. I scooped him up and curled up with him under the comforter. Before long I could hear the slow, rhythmic sound of his breathing and it lulled me into a relaxed state where, at least for a little while, I forgot about my disappointment at not having some free time and about our money woes.

I fought back a panic attack when money worries invaded my mind again an hour later by concentrating on the warm little form next to me. I thought about how comfortable he was, how adorable, and how precious. I thought about the evening we'd had. How his daddy told me he had said "Elmo" and how I'd thought it was so cute.

I kissed his head and let sleep overtake me.

The following morning I was still desiring some time to myself. I wasn't going to get it. Hubby had got in late from work and I knew he wouldn't want to get up early. My morning would be filled with Sesame Street and Curious George.

Turns out it was also filled with some dancing an laughing as the toddler began dancing to music and I decided to join him. I sat down at one point but he pulled me back to my feet with a tug at my shirt. We kept dancing. And laughing.

I find myself complaining about not having enough time with my little one and then when I have it I find myself looking for some free time for myself that does not involve work or taking care of my child. Sometimes I'm just never happy. Tonight, when the toddler didn't want to go to bed I shrugged it off. At least it meant I could spend some much needed time with him. For once, I was happy that the toddler decided to stay awake instead of obeying his mama and going to sleep.

So, my night and my morning hadn't provided what I had hoped, but it had provided something else -- a reminder of what is important in life, what is fun, what is real and what is the best part of my life by far.