Why do I do this?...

Okay, so I'm starting to think that Summer = stress. Hopefully the whole thing doesn't go this way! As much as I love feeling productive and getting things done I really DO need some time to just veg and sleep... you know, once in a while!

The Summer started off with Jer and I taking off to visit Erika and her fam for a week, which was a total blast and I wouldn't change!!! Then as soon as I got home (okay well, the Wednesday after I got home) I had a Neighborhood Watch meeting that I was in charge of, then the next night a meeting to attend for the kids charter school, then on Friday we went to Yellowstone with family, then Saturday trying to catch up a smidge on things I've neglected around the house and going shopping with Gr Gma P, then Sunday I finally got to the Grocery store.... yes it took me a whole week to get to the grocery store after being gone... and can I tell you! We were OUT of food!!!

On top of all of that Goober has summer school due to him being behind on reading, and me trying to get my butt out of bed to go exercise every morning...

This week I have Goobers Bday party tomorrow which I have to figure out a cake for, I have to try to get volunteers for to bring Grills for the Neighborhood BBQ that is in a couple of weeks (on a day I was hoping to go to Boise... but alas Jer stated a date at the meeting before I could veto it), I really should walk around and inform some neighbors who missed the meeting about what is going on and try to get their information for the Neighborhood Contact list and maybe try to collect some money to pay for the Neighborhood Watch signs for the five entrances to the neighborhood...

Then there is the fact that when Summer school is over (July 1st) I need to have the kids signed up for swimming and call the preschool we use and get Turbo pre-registered for the Fall of 2011...

I feel kinda crappy about not blogging more about our trip to California, but Woooooooooh Mama! Talk about a Jack Rabbit start to the season!!! I hope I can find some time soon to post pictures, edit a small video (which I find hilarious) and write a belated post on that... but for now, you know where I am...

Holding on for dear life as the thing flings me about by the seat of my pants!

Neighborhood Watch program

Okay! So I said this week would be busy but I didn't realize I needed to schedule out 2 weeks from my little va-cay!

Last night was the Neighborhood Watch meeting that I trapzed all over the neighborhood for...I was really worried that I would have only about 3 people show up. It would be just my luck to get shin splints handing out fliers and then have no one show up. Can you tell I was nervous about it?

Anyhow, the turn out was actually pretty goof for putting out the fliers a week in advance without the meeting time on them! There were probably about 25 people there and the officer that did the presentation said he was impressed because the last meeting he had gone to for a larger neighborhood then ours had only had five people show up! Not only did people show up, they seem eager to help out. YAY!

So in 2 weeks time we scheduled a neighborhood BBQ so that we can hopefully get to know who ALL of our neighbors are and not just the ones that are well organized. :) Hopefully I can get THAT organized alright without spending an arm and a leg on it... wish me luck!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig!

Okay, so this last week I went on a much needed vacation :)

Much needed as in "I'm going insane, and I'm not sure my sanity is going to hold much longer..." needed. This winter was HARD. I love my kids to death and I'm glad that I chose to be a stay at home mom, but sometimes I seriously consider looking for a job, if only to get a change of scenery and someone to give me a job evaluation!

So Jer and I planned to escape for a week and my fabulous parents took the kids for us, because they are the most fabulous grandparents (and parents) in the entire world! (did I mention they are fabulous? I was SO born into the right family! I always think this, but it's times like this that reinforce the feeling!)

So off we went to the LA area and stayed with an absolutely awesome Navy family whom were absolutely awesome. Did I mention they are awesome? Ya, they're awesome! (As Erika would say, they are "Moi Bueno!")

I've known Erika since forever... as in the 2nd grade, forever... and we disagree on many things but still get along really well and I totally give the guy she married a BIG thumbs up! And hey! Let's not forget those kidlets (whom she is raising really well! In fact, I came home and informed my kids that we will be working on manners now... we will see how that goes..) and their spunky personalities, so cute!

  The weather was gorgeous (unlike here at home... which I'm glad I missed. A tornado warning? really?) and it was so nice to be away. We did lots of fun stuff, everything from playing SingStar at a friends house, going to a BBQ and going to Medievil Times, The Getty and Disneyland. The week was full enough to be entertaining, but not so full that we didn't get a chance to relax. It was perfect! And if I go into all of it now this post will be very, very, very long!

  And now that I'm home, I'm totally grinding gears to get back into the swing of things! Glad I got a break, cause this week is gunna be busy and my children are already testing me to make sure the rules still apply!

  Thanks SO MUCH for letting us stay! We may have to come crash the party again sometime ;)

"...and Justice for all."

 I love my country. I love the people in it and the ideals it stands for. However I am really worried about it. Not because I think anyone specifically is taking us down the "wrong road" but more because I see ideological conflicts causing real damage.

My mom and I were talking the other morning about how being a citizen of this country should require your (the individuals) allegiance, not just happenstance. I understand the reason that the laws were made the way they were with having anyone born in the US be automatically a citizen. I almost wonder if the child should be required to have at least one of their parents be a documented citizen (not like that will ever happen) But I look at people protesting this immigration mess by turning the American Flag upside down (appropriately I might add, though they may not realize it as they do it... an upside down flag is a signal of distress).
 
This morning I was thinking about the Pledge of allegiance. You know, the one that I got to say in school every day growing up. It was written in 1982 and I think that what it stands for is admirable.

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which is stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"

 Unfortunately I think it may be antiquated. Sad as that may sound.

I once heard a good explanation of the thoughts behind it by Red Skelton. It goes like this:

"I me, an individual, a committee of one. 

Pledge dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity. 

Allegiance my love and my devotion. 

To the flag our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job! 

of the United that means that we have all come together. 

States individual communities that have united into 48 great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country. 

(Of America) and to the republic a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people. 

For which it stands, one nation (under God) one nation, meaning "so blessed by God" 

Indivisible incapable of being divided. 

With liberty which is freedom -- the right of power to live one's own life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation. 

And Justice the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others. 

For all which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine. 

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country and two words have been added to the pledge of Allegiance...UNDER GOD"

 I like the way he put that! It's very patriotic. Unfortunately I think we are becoming very confused about what our country stands for. Here are the problems as I see them now (which may very easily be wrong or slanted because I am human!):

 "I pledge allegiance to the flag ..."

I have no issue with this part :)

 "of the United States of America..."

hmmmm, I honestly don't think we are very united anymore. I think that much of the reason that the states don't go off on their own is because of fear of having the military sic'd on them.

"and to the republic for which it stands..."

 Is that the government? or the country? If it's the country and the people in it I can fully get behind that. If it's the government I don't think I can... mostly because I'm starting to think that the leaders have forgotten that the government is supposed to be by the people and for the people. I get the impression increasingly that it is slowly morphing into the dreaded "for the leaders and by the leaders"... 

"one nation, under God..."

I don't have too much issue with this part. I see no harm in believing in a higher power (whatever you want to call it) or in thinking that it protects us... as long as we are acting accordingly morally in order to try to stay in that beings favor. As a nation, I'm not so sure we are...

  "Indivisible,..."

Honestly, I really do think we are pretty divided right now. Our politicians are making sure of this... implying that anyone who doesn't agree with them is somehow inferior. I'm sure you have all heard me refer to the "I'm open-minded... but you don't agree with me so you must be stupid" attitude... that many people are catching from our politicians and their vilification of anyone who doesn't agree with them. This particular attitude is very, very dangerous. I would think that this kind of thing (making other people seem less than human) is what starts some civil wars.

"With liberty, and justice..."

I'm not terribly sure we are free anymore. I think that the conflict between liberty and justice has robbed both of their value. In the name of justice we take away liberty, in the name of liberty we take away justice.

"For all."

Unfortunately I have seen evidence (personally mind you) that only those with a lot of money get a whole lot of liberty, if you can pay someone enough it seems you can get a lot higher likelihood of having "liberty" and you can almost get away with anything (OJ anyone?). Same thing goes with getting any "real" justice anymore... The rich seem to be the only ones that the lawyers and the politicians will fight for because there is something to be gained (campaign contributions and legal fees).

How is this any different than paying the police officer to arrest someone? Oh wait, it's different because it's the lawyers that we are paying to make sure that justice is served.... Does it really matter who we are paying if the little guy can no longer expect to have the criminal who stole his retirement prosecuted because the little guy doesn't have the money (that the criminal stole btw) to pay their lawyers with?

And speaking of lawyers... in 2008 the percentage of congress that had law degrees as 41.6 %... are these some of the same people that will only seek justice for a price? Is that warped or what?

So in the end I know I sound rather cynical... I love my country, I really do!!! I lament what is happening to it! The fact that companies are now "too big to fail" instead of properly termed a "monopoly" and split up. This whole mess with BP is a prime example of money and power taking away justice and buying liberty. The biggest environmental mess ever (that I can think of) and what is our government doing??? Standing by and watching and telling the company that caused the mess that "they had better clean it up" ... but the thing is, this same company didn't learn last time. They were involved with the Exxon Valdez spill (you know, that one that WAS the biggest spill before THIS happened), and people were charged and fines were given, but they didn't learn... and our government still lets them operate in our waters. Why? Because BP is a major supplier to our military for it's fuel... it's (dare I say) "too big to fail". We have put too many of our eggs in one basket... And the sad thing is, it's not just the oil industry... this seems to be the way our country is run in general anymore.

It is really disheartening.

Anonymous Comment Day

Okay, so I haven't done one of these in a REALLY long time. Here is the deal, I ask a question and you answer anonymously. I do this because I want complete honesty without anyone feeling they have to edit because others might know who they are...

Today's question is a 2 parter:

Who do you admire most and why? This can be someone you actually know or someone public. Or both, I don't really care :) 

Who do you least want to be like and why? Again, this can be someone you know personally or not. And nothing trite people! No: "I never want to be like Hitler!" That's kind of a given.... :P

Boxes!!!

So last week I went up to my parents house after watching Missy's Preschool Program. Turbo was up there due to him not being invited to the program and my mom coming to pick him up beforehand. So after gathering Missy and Goober up I headed up to Gma and Gpa J's house!

Imagine what fun they had when the discovered.....

BOXES!!!

The amount of fun they had with them makes me wonder if I could get away with getting rid of all our toys in the basement and just have a stash of various sizes of boxes... I think that could keep my kids busy ALL SUMMER!

HOLY CRAP! He's SEVEN!

That's it! He broke his promise!!!! He PROMISED me he wouldn't ever turn seven... and now he has! Sheesh! ;)

I can't believe that my Goober is seven. He is such an awesome kid! Riding a bike without training wheels, running here and there to friends houses going into the 2nd grade next fall! Kid, your making your mom feel OLD!

Boy do I adore you though... you truly changed my life and helped me to see how much greater it can be! I'm so glad I'm YOUR mom! Thanks for being such a great kid!