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Great new Tumblr (of course): Miley Cyrus Twerking on Things

Birthday Fun

I met up with the twins and RJ, who are 13 and 14 now (geez, when did THAT happen?  I was just changing their diapers last week it seems...)  Anyway, we headed out to do a little birthday shopping.  These guys are outdoorsy types, no back to school clothes for them.

First Stop, the White Elephant (a tradition for gift shopping.  My kids used to LOVE going here to spend their Xmas loot.  They still carry ALL the same stuff).  The idea was to purchase new fishing gear.  But attention was quickly diverted by the plethora of other stuff available in the guns and ammo dept.  I was mostly sure their mom would not okay actual guns, a bow, rubber band shooting guns, clubs, and all kinds of lethal weaponry they really really really wanted.

I allowed 2 packages of "marbles" (more like stainless steel b-b's) for Al's slingshot and a pouch to carry them in.  He assured me this purchase was fine.  I'll probably be dead meat.  Jon made him put it all in the "ammo safe" or something as soon as we got home.  Which is probably for the best.  RJ got a new strap for his slingshot.  Liam purchased nothing.

Well, he did spend a dime on this:

He may be 13, but there's a five year old still lurking in there :-)

Next Stop:  Dawn of the Donuts, our new donut shop, where every donut is "zombie" themed.  I think we got a "Brains" and 2 named after famous zombies:

Next Stops:

their favorite thrift store and Joann Fabrics.  We were searching for geodes and for a repair thing for RJ's machete case.  Yes, Riveria does own a machete.  Strictly for weed whacking, I'm assured.  No luck on the geodes, and I had no idea what he needed to repair on his case.  So we stopped by the house to check it out.  Turns out it needs to be sewn up and maybe have a plastic liner inserted so he quits ripping it every time he holsters the machete.  Lavs can handle that.

Last Stop:

Hobby Town.  This is where we should have STARTED.  They had everything these guys wanted.  Liam found his beloved geode and two additional rocks for his collection.  PLUS they had a rock dispenser (like a gumball machine but filled with rocks) so he spent his last 50 cents there.  Done.  Al found an agate he liked, so there went his last $.  And Riveria bought a Kendama "pill".  I guess Kendama is all the rage with the grade school/middle school kids.  Who knew.  But there was happiness all around.

And Jon loaded me up with all kinds of fresh produce from his amazing garden, so I didn't go home empty-handed either.

We had a great time, these guys are getting so grown up and were perfect gentlemen.  They did assure me that when I take Mike shopping, he will be a little greedo, which is probably true.  He gets back tonight from his 3 week Europe trip with his grandparents and I'm sure he'll be calling me tomorrow at 7 am to make a shopping date.

New Shoes!

Is there anything better than a new pair of shoes?

Pooh bought me a pair of Flyknits at the Nike outlet. I've wanted them for three years, ever since I saw the prototype on Ravelry (of course knitters would know about these shoes first)

The bad news is that literally everything I'm wearing besides my new shoes should be burned. 

Thinking About This Lady

Our Mom.  Always a little spitfire, she's fought old age tooth and nail.  Lucky for me, being across the state, I have my awesome sister The B to take care of her with love and back rubs.  Thank you, B, for all you do to make things easier for Lo-Bug and for all of us.

Pictures Or It Didn't Happen

Here are some results from our marathon yard-work day.  Not that impressive considering the hours we spent, but if you knew what we started with, you'd be more impressed :-)

This was an ugly little flower bed bordered with "lava rock"  Nice and neat with some impatiens planted in there!

Love our purple front door, the purple ceramic pot we got from Mel's, and our fancy hose holder.  Also, the "craftsman" style house numbers -- love.

Added a couple of Gerberas here, and that's our poor in-shock tree.  SO hoping it survives.  Also, that's my bedroom window.  I am afraid to open it at night, as I'm sure a passing burglar/old-lady attacker will spot it and kill me while everyone is asleep.

And here's the load of yard waste ready for garbage day.  We took Pat's truck back out to the lake about a week too early!

Yard Work Saturday

Whew!  Katie, Tony and I just wrapped up a very long day of manual labor in the yard. In 90+ degree heat. 

Here's what we accomplished:

Figured out how to turn on the sprinkler system, which mostly works, yay!

Raked and tidied up the back yard

Pia came over for coffee, and put together a little metal table for me. 

Went to the hardware store (of course)

Took out a fug lava rock border in the front yard and replaced it with a nice cement block border, which we moved from the side of the house. 

Pooh channeled his inner Michelangelo while wielding a masonry chisel on the blocks. 

Dug up beds, added nice soil and planted flowers I the front beds. 

Researched why our transplanted weeping Chinese maple tree is looking wilted. Transplant shock. Hope it survives. 

Borrowed neighbor's chainsaw and trimmed our big sycamore tree in front yard, then cut up all the branches and bagged them for garbage day

Swept and hosed the driveway and front walk

And it's looking so much nicer! Our neighbors may stop giving us stink eye now :-)

You Forgot

Today is Middle Child Day. Not that any of you would remember. (Thanks Katie!)

Inspirational Quotes

Every home needs these on the stair risers. Here are ours:

Bathing Beauties

Some more oldies but goodies!

 Susna, you are a cutie patootie in this pic!

 The Queen of the Bathing Beauties, Lois in her strapless bra.  Dad is busy sailing the boat I guess.

And here's Judy, the original Posy Playmate.  I think there are numerous cheesecake shots of our Judy :-)

Happy Birthday, Cara Lee!

This is not the greatest picture, but my photo boxes are buried in the closet, so you get what you get and you don't have a fit.

Anyway, happy birthday to my now "middle-aged" daughter.  You'll always be a little girl to me, Carrie!

Back to Work!

Caris has started working part time, which means I get to be honorary Grammy to miss Colie four mornings a week. We're a work in progress on the baby proofing. It's been a while. Also need to get a high chair, a stroller and baby toys. The remote is her favorite today. 

Also, she HATES the baby gate. 

Happy Birthday To Me!

How did I ever get to be this old?! (59, yikes!)  I generally get the senior discount, no questions asked, so I guess I am officially an old.

Found some photos during the move, so here are some pix from The Wayback Machine:

 Me and The B, who's wearing Dad's "punchy hat" and nothing else.  She always did know how to upstage me :-)  And B, Maddie takes after you in the naked dept.

 Spent many a birthday at the beloved Cabin (Whidbey Island)  Here I'm wearing my FAVORITE plaid pants.  Loved those pants, I thought they were the exact same pants as those worn by Archie Andrews:

FYI: these beloved pants were destroyed by my childhood nemesis, SAM EVANS, who cornered me in the Evans' front yard and ripped the leg to shreds.  Rot in hell, SAM EVANS

 The summer we had a huge salmon run at the cabin, and caught tons of fish.  And had orcas in the bay!  Love Joey's Speedos

 Easter Massacre Rabbits!

And a final photo taken at a very arty angle, out by the pool