The 4th on the 5th

We have been getting a lot of rain here in Central Iowa. The weather has been mostly nice but with almost daily brief thunderstorms. The storms have usually been short lasting but dumping a lot of rain on us all at once.

Except on Sunday, which was a mostly day long drizzle. So the Independence Day festivities got pushed off for a day.

Bug and I got the honor of watching the local fireworks with a close friend of mine, her two children, and her cousin-in-law. While it wasn't a spectacular show, we very much enjoyed visiting and watching the reactions from our little ones.

This little guy wasn't really playing with fire. He is holding a plastic battery operated light. The batteries were running low on my camera causing the flash to delay longer than normal, but I sure found this to be a fun effect.

Bug and the little tomboy princess were anxious for the show to start.

Oooohhh...

Ahhhh.....

Running in Circles

We've already established that the weekend flew by for me. This week seems to be a little slower (probably because I am waiting in impatient excitement for news about an impending visit from someone I really want to see). It probably doesn't help that I am spending the week cleaning and reorganizing my house. We all know that that isn't on the top of my favorite things to do list.

Friday night Bug & I attended Friday Night Supper Club where we discussed my 101 List point by point. They helped me to come up with a few more items to add to my list. When we got done eating and discussing we ventured over to Perfect Games so that Bug could wear off a little energy and the guys could challenge each other to air hockey.

Saturday morning I woke up to beautiful sunshine. It wasn't overly hot and seemed a perfect day to tackle a few of my house projects.

I had lost a few boards off the front steps over the winter, so this seemed the ideal day to play with my new circular saw again.

I trimmed down my closet door as well, but don't have a picture of that yet as I still need to purchase and install a latch to keep it closed.

Saturday night Sis felt the urge for some family time. This mama can never pass up the oportunity to spend a little fun time with my kids, especially when the teenager is trying to spread her wings and doesn't always want me so close.

We loaded up in the truck and drove to Madrid for some Cosmic (Laser) bowling. Obviously this is where we took last week's challenge photos at.

Sis got a little pouty when she threw a string of gutter balls.

Concentrating on my form, I guess?

Sis had had enough.

I don't have any pictures from Sunday because I forgot my camera at home. Bug and I went with the Cub Scouts on a clean-up hike. The goal was to pick up trash littered along the bike trails at Seven Oaks. That one and a half hour hike reminded me how sorely I've gotten out of shape during the winter. Looks like I will need to step it up before we go hiking in Yellowstone!

The hike was considered a success but not in the way we planned it to be. The trails were actually fairly clean, good job mountain bikers at keeping nature as pristine as possible! With not much work to do we did manage to lose three scouts.

No, literally.

We lost them. Or I should say they lost us. After repeated warnings to stay within sight of the rest of the group three of the boys decided to explore on their own. They took off in a dead sprint ahead of us, laughing when we told them to stop. Then they jumped a few paths that wind close to each other. The next thing you know they are no where to be seen and couldn't hear our calls.

I took my group of three well behaved Scouts and six stow away ticks and made our way out of the woods. Forty minutes later the missing boys emerged from the woods with the search party leaders. Whew!

Boys were fine, leaders and parents lectured and used them as an example to the rest of the group. I chalk it up to a learning experience for our next outing.

I spent the rest of the evening keeping a vigilant eye open for more ticks and enjoying the first of my "alphabet" movies from my 101 list. Eating ice cream and watching Avatar with the kiddos was a perfect ending to my busy weekend.

Wild

The theme for last week was Wild. I actually had two submissions for the photo part of the challenge, as I just couldn't decide which to enter.

I know that many of you are asking how dominoes=wild. All I can answer is that they just can when you have to adults on a date at the Science Center playing like kids. Sadly this particular formation kind of fizzled, but we got the next attempt perfect!

Bug & Sis made me a fantastic, starch-laden dinner of chicken and dumplings over mashed potatoes for Mother's Day. This is what my wild little ones looked like when they were done. I couldn't bring myself to take pictures of the kitchen and the dog afterwards. They had a lot of fun and let loose cheerful giggles as they worked together to prepare the meal, so I guess I can overlook the mess.

Be sure to check out the rest of this week's Random Photo Challenge submissions over at Photography139. Take the time to check out his beautiful Mother's Day/Retirement tribute to his mom too. Very touching.

I am afraid that I have neglected posting anything over at Impassioned Versifier again this week. My muse is speaking very loudly to me at the moment so hopefully I should be able to catch up soon!

I don't have anything to submit for this week's Random Photo Challenge or my Personal Poetry Challenge. It was just a down right busy week! We had two softball games and one soccer game, plus practices, I attended a birthday party for a dear friend, plus I managed to squeeze some overtime in. I also stopped to visit another old friend and....

briefly babysat the son of another dear friend.

I barely kept up with the housework, but somehow managed to find the time to repair the toilet in the guest bath. We now have two functioning bathrooms again! Although there is still some drywall work and painting to be tackled in there later this summer.

Last night I intended to set some time aside to work on my fun little projects. Instead, I got distracted by this....

Bug & Sis decided to blow bubbles just before bedtime last night. It was too dark for them to go outside and they knew I wouldn't be happy with bubbles floating around my living room. So they decided to look for a spot where bubbles would be accepted.

I followed the little burst of contagious giggles that ensued to find them kicked back in the bathtub taking turns with the bubble wand.

I may still work on the projects later this week, as I do have a few ideas on the subject floating around in my head.

A boy & his dog

The last week has been pretty busy around here. Bug and I have spent an awesome amount of time together, and Sis managed to find a little bit of time to fit us into her busiest (softball) season of the year too. Bug & I went fishing, to the VEISHA parade, and soccer practice. Sis joined us for Cub Scout bowling and met a friend and I for dinner one night. Plus I managed to fit in a manicure with a friend this week. And that's not all:

I spent some time working on home improvement projects. This is my new bedroom door. Bug has a new door as well. Next up are the bathroom and my closet doors.

Bug and I spent one evening playing with Legos. We made a bank building, complete with teller window and ATM. The teller kind of spooks me. I think I will stick with using the ATM.

Bug and I enjoyed the beautiful weather Saturday evening and took Buster dog for a walk. Buster loves going on walks with Bug, and the two of them tend to forget about me.

We ventured to Bug's favorite spot in the park, Lost Lake. The trail is fairly easy and has constantly changing scenery.

Buster enjoys stopping to investigate his surroundings quite frequently, but gets impatient if Bug stops for any reason.

It seems a family of beavers has taken up residence at the lake this year. They seemed to take advantage of the waters while they were high as well.

I wonder what made the beaver quit when he was so close?

The creek that runs through lower Ledges is still swollen, but hopefully soon the canyon will be open for our enjoyment.

Today Bug got to try his hand at rock climbing with his Cub Scout troop. He has only tried this once before and didn't do as well.

This time he conquered his fear and made it halfway up before he couldn't find anymore purchase. Good job Bug!

So tonight I am a little worn out and still have my poem to finish for tomorrow's challenge submission. I hope you all had a great week too!

Signs

The subject for this week's Random Photo Project was "signs". Yesterday afternoon was bright and sunny so I loaded up the kids and headed out to McHose park. The sunshine fooled us, the wind was still a slight bit bitter. We weren't dressed quite appropriately for a long period outdoors but we still managed to have a great time as the kids posed while making various signs for me.

This week's submission. It probably wouldn't be considered the best shot in the photo shoot but this one was my favorite. In fact, I'm thinking of getting their signs of love framed.

This symbol has been on the shelter house since I was a teenager, maybe even before. Sis and Ricky decided they wanted to try to recreate it.

My "stars".

I was lucky this week to have a little bit clearer schedule. Besides several fun outings with the kids I had plenty of time to work on my challenge poem for the week. You can check it out at Impassioned Versifier. Please check out the rest of this week's Random Photo Project submissions at Photography139. The kids and I are heading to the lake to visit Auntie for Easter. I was really hoping for a photo subject this week that would be a little broader so I could really have some fun at the lake. But it should prove entertaining and a good exercise for me to find something that will fit into the new subject, Macro.

A walk down that memory filled trail

The weather was absolutely gorgeous today. I was still in a slight bit of a funk, so rather than picking up the house I thought the kids and I should get out and about for a little while.

We had been hearing all week how the river was once again overflowing its banks, reminiscent of the two major floods that I can remember in my lifetime.

We figured our best bet for comparison was to head down to Ledges.

Yep, it sure looks like pre-2008 flood levels, but not up to the 1993 level thankfully.

The one nice thing about flooding is that it forces us to get off the beaten path. There are some areas of the park that I could navigate with my eyes closed, but others I haven't set foot on in years.

Walking through that forgotten timber produced hazy ghosts of memories.

It was July of 1993. I was 18, newly engaged, and barely pregnant. We had just returned from Cheyenne a few weeks before. We traveled from the dry hot winds into oceans where corn fields used to be. It rained terribly for the first two weeks after our return. It was a warm rain though and many nights we could be found walking through the flooded streets of town anyway.

A group of us decided to head down to Ledges on one of the few sunny afternoons to grill out & celebrate our return and engagement. We pulled the picnic tables as close to the water as we could get them and fired up the grills. The guys downed beers while the girls sat at the tables sharing the latest news and admiring my new ring.

At some point one of us declared that the heat and humidity was too much . We kicked off our shoes and ventured into the lagoon the swollen river had made near the shelter houses.

We spent the afternoon swimming in and out of this very shelter house, with an occasional rest seated in a windowsill. It was an afternoon to remember. Sadly it has been so many years now that I can barely remember who was there. I remember my friend Sunny, and of course my fiancee at the time, and possibly his brother and 1 of his sisters. I can assure you that there were a great many more people in attendance, but those are the ones I distinctly remember surrounding me with joy that day.

Towards the end of the day we were still full of horseplay when we should have been exhausted. I had some excuse to get out of the water, but quite what I no longer recall. I swam to the shore and started to trudge through the water covered mud that made up the last few feet of shoreline. Then out of no where he came! My fiancee was still full of 19 year old energy and horseplay. As he tackled me back into the water my stomach lurched in terror as I felt my new ring, which still needed to be sized slip off my finger and vault into the air.

I watched in fly up but never watched it land as my head went under the water. Already in tears I righted myself the instant I could find footing, but it was already too late. It was lost to the river, buried somewhere in feet of soft mud.

The entire group pulled together and searched the entire area. We sifted through handfuls of silt and mud but to no avail.

Every new flood I wander the shoreline there, curious to my ring's fate. Maybe, just maybe that beautiful 1 carat solitaire will resurface. I doubt I will ever be the one to find it, but maybe it will bring as much joy to the person that does as it did to me in the short time it was in my possession.

A break from memory lane, Sis decided to do a little exploring. Much like a young version of me at that age she has a need to feel and experience. The clay at the bottom of this creek bed caught her interest and she felt an intense need to touch it.

Apparently it wasn't quite what she expected as she declared it was slimy and muddy.

Further along the trail we came to this shelter house. I have an elusive memory of a fun night with a bunch of friends here in high school. I seem to recall that it was either after a play or band concert. It seems quite possible that as part of the tech crew we ventured out here after pulling off behind the scenes perfection for the high school drama club's latest production. I recall many other nights where we would venture around town stopping to play on swing sets, attempting to call up spirits with an Ouija board (in the chicken coop if any of you recall), or watching the end outcome of silly bets unravel at McDonald's.

What I do remember of this night is a game of hide and seek. I remember somehow climbing up onto the roof on the backside of this shelter house while the boys ventured off into the woods.

Ah, how I miss those young carefree days.

As I left the memory trail and joined back up with the kids I came across Sis laying on the side of the road. How can I reprimand her when I would have done such a thing at that age, and might even still, if the circumstances called for it.

Of course on the way out of the park we saw plenty of deer that were gracious enough to stop and pose for us.

I took a lot more pictures throughout the evening, but am choosing to hold those back as one of them just may end up being my submission for this week's photo challenge. The subject of which is Motion if any of you are interested in taking part. I know Chris would be excited to have more people participate!

Randomness of Life

It has been another busy week in our Random household. The last 7 days have been full of meetings, friends, sick kids, a concert, decisions, laughter, and tears. To say that I am exhausted and in need of a vacation is an understatement. But I must trudge on. I will get a little rest tonight before more meetings tomorrow night, attending a community play with Bug on Friday, and connecting with more friends on Saturday. At least the weekend looks like it will be very enjoyable.

So here's a brief recap of my last week:

- I determined a need to distance myself from a very close friend due to his life decisions. While I won't turn my back totally on him, it's definitely a time for us to take separate roads.

- I got the chance to hang out with a bunch of old friends who unknowingly renewed my faith in the males of our species and reminded me that it's okay to be the old me again.

- Tended to a sick kid as Bug got sent home from school Monday morning. Mommy guilt kicked in when I had to return to work, but thankfully I was able to get off early and skipped my church meeting to cuddle him.

- Said adios to J from my Baggage blog. Seems there were a few reasons for my apprehension. I am quite all right with it. The quest continues.

- Laughed so hard with a friend that I inhaled my gum & almost choked. Ah, it is so great to have girl friends that know how to tickle your funny bone.

- Organizing, organizing, organizing for Cub Scouts this week. I should be almost ready for tomorrow's meeting.

- Attended Bug's 3rd grade program. I have some great video, but unfortunately it won't load on here. It was quite enjoyable; cute and sweet. Bug did a great job during his monologue, only stumbling over the word Specific. Here are a few snap shots:

I'm not sure why he was sticking out his tongue. I can only imagine it was directed at his sister sitting next to me.

This is only half of the 3rd grade classes. The other half performed an hour earlier.

I'll leave you with a final thought for the week, the best pick line that I have ever heard (and not from J): Would you feel just as comfortable backpacking in Costa Rica as you would watching movies on the couch?

Frame

This week's Random Photo Challenge was "Frame". Framing is a technique where the photographer frames one object with another. I had no problem coming up with my subjects or the frame as I have long wanted a picture of the kids framed by our entertainment center doors. The biggest issue I had was the glare on the glass from the placement of the entertainment center and the unmovable lighting in my house.

The kids seemed to have fun posing for me at first but as I struggled to overcome the lighting issue the started to lose interest. Still, I think we came up with a few good shots.

This was my favorite and the one that I entered as my submission.

Below are a few of the photos that we considered.

I started on the poem early in the week because I had a feeling it would be somewhat challenging. I was pleasantly surprised when it felt finished after two evenings of working on it.

How did I incorporate the word frame into a poem you may ask? I didn't just use the word, I built the entire poem around the subject. Some of you know that Psychology has long been an interest of mine and I have often considered returning to school to formally study it. There so happens to be an accepted social concept in the science called framing.

The simplest definition I could find comes from Wikipedia:

"A frame in social theory consists of a schema of interpretation — that is, a collection of anecdotes and stereotypes—that individuals rely on to understand and respond to events. In simpler terms, a person has, through his lifetime, built a series of mental emotional filters. They use these filters to make sense of the world. The choices they then make are influenced by their frame or emotional filters."

I had fun creating a poem explaining the definition and how it relates to the individual.

You can read the poem over at my poetry blog, Impassioned Versifier. Photography139 is in the process of moving his blog over to Wordpress, so please note the new link when you follow this link to view this week's photography submissions.

A Thanksgiving Lesson in Perspective

I have a few friends (mostly male?) that complained this year that they had nothing to be thankful for in this season of Thanks-giving. One had lost his job, one thought his girlfriend was considering leaving, and the one lone female had just wrecked her car. Being the friend that I always am, I made room on my shoulder, and tried to talk each of them up again.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Nothing is required of you except presenting yourself and a little help in the kitchen. It is a time to reflect on the joys in our lives and give thanks to the one that made those joys possible.

It's also about perspective.

I could easily say that I don't have a lot to be thankful for.... money is tight, I never have enough time in my day to fully appreciate & spend the amount of time I want to with my children, I don't have a special someone at the end of each day, I've reached a point where I get more bills than junk mail. The list could go on and on.

That's not how I see my life though.

While I may vent occasionally about something that makes me unhappy, irate, or upset, for the most part I know that it's the little joys that make life so much brighter. And I know who I have to thank for them.

Those are His little reminders to me not to be bitter or sad about the trials in my life. Each joy is a reminder to me to change my perspective and be thankful for all the things we try to take for granted.

Here are a few snapshots from my Thanksgiving up at the lake:

Doesn't Sophie look so regal here? She's not a very nice kitty, but I am thankful that my Auntie & Uncle have her love & devotion, and Pepe's too. I"m also in a funny way thankful for the laugh she gives me every time she stalks or attacks me for paying attention to her.
Of course I'm always thankful for a delicious Thanksgiving meal.

I am thankful that at 92 my Grandma is still in her own apartment (I am also extremely thankful to Auntie for her patience!)

I am thankful for having an Aunt that I can share a bottle of wine with.

I am thankful for having family to share the holiday with.

I am also thankful for a strong cup of coffee & sunshine the next morning!

I am thankful that I have 2 great kids that get along so well.

I am thankful that I am able to share the beauty of the lake that was so important t my childhood with my children.

I am thankful for the rare treat of being able to just sit back with nothing pressing to do.

I am thankful for random bits of silliness.

I am thankful for nature's beauty

I am thankful for it all.