Crazy

Just some Sunday snippets...

Clean Sweep: We did not make it to the races in Marshfield yesterday. But got a call late last night from Jim's sister (Colin's mom). Colin had fastest qualifying time for superstocks, won the "Dash for Cash" (a 4- or 5-lap quick race), won his heat race and won the feature. He is on a roll! Not bad for a 15-year-old ... and school isn't even out. Think back for a minute: Were you having this much fun the summer between your sophomore and junior years? Crazy.

Honoring the Graduates: This morning we attended a baccalaureate service and brunch at Casey's church. When I saw hubby walking in with his oldest boy, decked out in his red cap and gown, I got a lump in my throat. Where did the time go? How can they grow up so fast? Crazy.

Octo-Mom: I was teasing my mom recently that she was the original Octo-Mom. I'm pretty sure (make that definite) she's grateful she didn't have all 8 of us at the same time! I was thinking today how all moms are like octo in the sense we are usually juggling 8 things at once. We are master multi-taskers. Today, after finishing painting (yay), I actually volunteered to mow the front yard so I could get some sun and exercise. I was octo-Robyn: mowing, sunning, burning calories, listening to music, singing (hopefully drowned out by the mower), chewing gum, sweating and thinking (about a lot of stuff, including what to blog about). That's 8! Crazy.

Party Prep: Got more things crossed off our to-do list today. Everyone helped. In fact, I told Carter he had to be helping one of us or in his room reading. He helped and he managed to get his book done so he can test on it tomorrow. I got a start on my mints tonight. Ideally I'll do a few dozen each evening and then they'll get done. Yes, folks, you heard it here first -- a plan vs. procrastination. Crazy.

Whew...

Just sat down for the first time today -- pretty much -- and I'm not sure I'll be able to get up again. Have had quite a busy 24 hours or so. But productive, so it's good kind of tired.

Yesterday afternoon I took advantage of our "summer hours" getting home early deal to pull some crap out of the formerly nice landscaping area turned weed festival in front of the house. Put it this way: I want a nicely manicured lawn. I just don't have the time, patience, skill or ambition to maintain it. So I "fix it" on occasion -- and the upcoming grad party demands some sort of fix-it.

I took a break in the evening so we could go to the races at Golden Sands. It was Chicken Night, which means they were having a sale on chicken sandwiches and strips, had an egg toss between fans and drivers, and required drivers in Victory Lane to do the Chicken Dance in order to claim a prize. Yup, it's entertainment on a Friday night in Wisconsin!

When we walked in, the announcer guy asked Carter if he wanted to do the egg toss with his favorite driver. Since his cousin Colin was already spoken for, he chose the next available guy that Dad knew. They started off doing well but Carter let the egg slip between his fingers and that was that. No win. No prize.

Good thing Colin had a better night. He had the fastest qualifying time again, finished OK in the heat race and gave us quite the nail-biting show in the 20-lap feature. He started back in the 10th or 12th position and gradually moved his way up.

There were 4 or 5 laps to go and he was in second but with a few car lengths separating him and leader. We really didn't think he'd be able to catch this guy. And when they started their final lap, he still hadn't. It was evident that they were eventually going to lap two slower cars at some point near the end. Colin took the outside lane -- which proved to be the smart move -- and when they came around Turn 4, he got past them and then, right at the finish line, got past the leader. He won by a foot, I swear. How exciting! (And yes, he did the Chicken Dance!)

Then it started raining and we decided to go home. We'd seen the main event in our minds.

This morning, I dragged Carter with me to town. We stopped at Home Depot to pick up some plants and flowers on sale. Then made a few more stops, including Wal-Mart. Carter just got another belated birthday gift this week in the form of a gift card (yes, he's spoiled by his aunts and uncles) and it was burning a hole in his pocket. So he picked out a stop watch (which has been on his list to buy for awhile now) and a Pink Floyd beach towel. That's our boy!

I spent most of the afternoon planting and piling on black dirt while Carter played at a friend's house and hubby mowed. (I have not had so much dirt under my fingernails since I was a child slave weeding my mother's garden!) I could have done more around the yard but opted for a shower instead.

After we picked Carter up at 5, we grabbed a pizza on the way home and then I did my domestic goddess thing and made banana bread (thankfully I could borrow 2 cups of flour from my neighbor) and the "dough" for my mints I'm making for the party. Then I decided to sit down.

I can tell you right now, I can feel the heat of a major sunburn on my neck and shoulders... and pain in my lower back. I think Jim and I are getting too old for this physical home maintenance crap. It's time we got some slave labor out of that spoiled 11-year-old freeloader -- says the tough mom who just cut him a fresh slice of banana bread while it was still warm from the oven...

TGIF or just TG!

This morning on the way in, I saw the light streaming through the clouds and had to snap this picture (ignore the dirty windshield, please).

A few days ago, Carter and I saw a similar "view." He said, "Mom, it looks like one of those scenes from a movie where you hear the angels say 'Ahhhh!'" (Cue chorus of harmonious angels.)

I was thinking the same thing. Every time I see those streams of sunlight, I'm reminded God is always looking down on us, over us and out for us ... spreading his Light everywhere.

So instead of Thanking God It's Friday today. Just Thank God.

Nice Recovery

Contrary to what my husband might say, I don't mind being wrong. I mean seriously, on the rare occasion it happens, I can own up to it. So I'm rescinding my Tuesday blog. The Bad News Bears are not back to stay. They were only making a brief -- but bumbling -- appearance. But more on that later...

Yesterday afternoon, Carter called me at work from school saying his eye hurt. I asked him a bevy of questions to which he answered no... not swollen, not red (or pink) or black & blue, not itchy, not watery. It just feels "like it's gonna pop out of my head."

After talking to his wise babysitter, we figured out he was getting a headache because one of his 12-year molars was probably coming in. Of course, Mr. Anti-Medicine did not want to take anything for the pain. So during the night -- while I slept soundly (apparently very, very, very soundly) -- Carter was up 3 times complaining his ear hurt. Daddy took care of him and gave me the report when I rolled my lazy butt out of bed this morning.

I did some checking on the Internet and learned that when the 12-year molars come in, they do cause pain and sometimes cause the ear tube to swell, giving symptoms similar to an ear ache. So I forced some medicine down Carter before school today and told him to tough it out as best he could.

He was on the schedule to give a presentation today and I didn't want him to miss that either. You gotta feel bad for a kid in pain having to do a stand-up comedy routine. Good thing that got delayed another day! He also knew he needed to get through the school day to play baseball tonight. Good thing he did, too!

Our Tigers were hitting machines tonight! Carter's first at bat was a sweet hit to right field (2 RBIs). His second time up was a nice single (another RBI), then he walked and finally, struck out. Everyone was on fire. And while there was a very brief glimpse of da Bears in the last inning, the Tigers held on to win 16-6. Awesome! Too bad they can't spread out the hits over a few games to assure more wins. At least it brings us back up to .500.

After the game, I stopped at the store to get some more Motrin for Carter. He didn't even fight taking it. He actually liked the snazzy new "tropical fruit punch" flavor. Good marketing.

So while Daddy and Carter are celebrating their victory (Jim didn't want to leave the ballpark -- he wanted to "bask in the glow")... I am doing a happy dance of my own. I got the scrapbookin' grad project DONE last night! Whoo-hoo!

So I guess compared to how the week started for all of us, it was a pretty darn nice recovery. And the Schwan's man just stopped by -- so you know it just got even better.

Mountain Climbing

The thing about a shortened work week is that Hump Day comes a lot quicker. And that hump, well, it's a lot bigger -- more like a mountain -- and you've got a shorter time to get over it.

So we're up and at 'em early again, ready to go mountain climbing.

I heard this song on the radio the other day that reminded me of this "climb" we make at work each week and many times in our normal lives.

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb...

In fact, the song is called The Climb. And yes, (I'm cringing with more than a touch of embarrassment as I write this) Miley Cyrus does sing it. And no, I am not a card-carrying member of the Hannah Montana Fan Club.

I should probably stick with more age-appropriate material like Julie Andrews singing Climb Every Mountain in The Sound of Music.

Either way, the message is the same: Don't be intimidated by the size of the "mountain" (the goal, the project). Just go for it and try to enjoy the climb while you're at it. Or, at a minimum, learn something about yourself. Maybe even become a better person because of it.

Earlier this week, I was pre-emptively overwhelmed by a project I'd barely started. All I saw was the size of that mountain and thought, how the heck am I going to get over that?! I had forgotten that mountain climbers usually don't go it alone (read: accept help/support) and they don't expect to reach the summit in a single day.

So I can do this! Bring on Hump Day or whatever you want to call it!

I just have to figure out what to do about my fear of heights when I get near the top...

Da Bears

I'm dismayed to report the Bad News Bears have returned. And it wasn't pretty.

Tonight it was the Coaches' Wives Club's turn in the concession stand. We didn't mind one bit. One, it was a cool evening so we were out of the elements. Two, there was only one game going on so business was slow and we could watch our boys. And three, when it turned ugly, there was plenty of distance between us and Coaches Buttermaker 1 & 2.

We were reminded at times of a sports bloopers reel. Just some unfortunate fielding situations. We also walked their team around some bases, too. All in all, with a 9-3 loss, we sort of beat ourselves.

At least the rain held off until we were on our way home. When we think it can't get worse, we are reminded a sound beating would have been so much more "painful" in the rain. Then we're mad, pouty and wet!

The great thing about baseball is we can shake it off like a wet dog (or those poor Brewers who got whipped by my Twins) and try again Thursday. This time the CWC will be on the sidelines again offering our two cents.

I'm sure that will make all the difference ;)

Tool Time

Well I finally got that 8 hours of sleep I've been whining about. But oh, did that put me behind today!

After a bowl of cereal, I sat down at the computer with my morning cup of coffee to work on the Project (I'm capitalizing it now. It's that important.) Seven hours later (not kidding), I came up for air and felt like I was this close to being done.

So I show it off to hubby and he asks where a certain batch of pictures are. I did a Homer Simpson "D'oh!" The stack of pictures were right in front of me (literally between me and the computer screen) and I completely forgot about them. Oh I was ticked at myself.

I took a break and decided I better work on something else. I figured I would have been done with that scrapbook by noon (never underestimate the time it takes to putz towards perfection) and then work on weeds and that fun outdoors stuff. Here it was 2:30 and I had promised Carter I'd take him to a move at 2:45. Well that changed to the 4:55 show, so I had an hour or so to work.

One thing an angry temperament is good for is pulling weeds, that's for sure. They didn't stand a chance! I had a pretty good "blue streak" going under my breath, too, as I quietly yelled at myself -- and the air -- about not getting stuff done and wondering how the heck (and when) it will get done.

By the time I hit the shower, I'd worked up a little sweat and a well-rounded stress level. This is not the way to handle things. I have all kinds of tools in my toolbox for coping with stress. But I didn't use them. Instead I built up the pressure inside until the dam broke. Granted, sometimes a good cry is a tool, too. But next time I better reach into the box for something better.

I did manage to keep my date with Carter and we saw Night at the Museum 2. It felt good to laugh. When I got home, I tackled the rest of those photos and, for the most part, this baby is done. But I know better than to cross it off the list until it really is. Things don't always go as we plan, do they?

White Toast

I love Sunday during a holiday weekend. It feels like a Sunday in the lazy sort of "I don't want to have to go to work tomorrow" way. But it also feels like a Saturday in a lazy sort of "I don't have to go to work for two days" way. Either way, I win. And either way, it means relax, be lazy and don't feel guilty about it.

You don't have to tell me twice.

After a late night again, I really wanted to get some sleep (is 8 hours too much to ask on the weekend?). My mind was up early though, already designing scrapbook pages before I was out of bed. So I got my coffee and sat in front of the computer. It was good to get some of the project done but I had other things on my agenda today.

Our friends Mike and Christine came over in the early afternoon -- with their truck (that's important). Mike and Jim took off (in the much-needed truck) to Plover to pick up our new gas grill (already assembled, of course!!).

Christine and I made our way out to the back deck and worshipped the sun while they were gone. I was like, "I've never been so white this late in May. I gotta get some sun today!" Oh, I did alright. I'm like white toast now. Plenty burnt.

We had a nice afternoon just hanging out, visiting and watching (with some amusement and nervousness) our next-door neighbor drill holes (with an old ice auger) in the ground to put up a batting cage. It became quite the project when he "discovered" some wires. Let's just say all's well that ends well. Every one is OK and the support poles are up. We'll leave it at that.

In the late afternoon we grilled steaks and brats. The new grill works like a charm. Igniter turns on in one click. Imagine! We're loving it. Hubby did a great job with the steaks, too. For dessert, I made Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble -- one of my mom's old recipes I created a major shortcut for, but it's still very tasty!

After the Jacksons left, we settled on the couch to see if my Twins are going to sweep the Brew Crew. I was so fried, I just about fell asleep so I figured I better hop on the computer while I'm still awake. Not that the game isn't exciting. It will just be easier to go straight to bed -- with a victorious smile on my face -- when it's over.

Yup, I may be toast, but I still have energy to talk smack. We'll see where that gets me tomorrow (besides blistered and peeling!).

Racing Against the Clock

Last night I fell asleep with a book in my hand so my body knew it needed some rest. I did not fight that decision. And did not set an alarm today. And (yay!) did not roll outta bed before 8 a.m. Nice.

Between the sleep (and coffee, of course), I was motivated to get going on my list of things to do. Since it was supposed to be nice, hubby and I headed outdoors -- he to paint window trim and me to pull weeds and do the type of minimal landscaping things my black thumb can handle.

I was cruising along and through one area when I felt the first rain drops. This was not in the plans. Trust me, any other day I'd be happy to be relieved of such duties. But not now, with the party clock ticking. (Good thing I'm so good at managing change. Ha.)

I moved my motivation indoors and got my normal Saturday housekeeping "chores" done. It was still raining so I figured I'd sit down at the computer and work on the grad project. Made some good progress there.

The weather cleared later this afternoon, too, so we (Jim, the pre-teen B.P. -- Bottomless Pit -- and I) were able to keep our plans to go to Marshfield to watch Colin race. We looked like his official fan club -- all 3 of us decked out in our Colin Reffner blue jackets!

That must have done the trick. He was fast qualifier then moved from last to first in the heat race. (Winner Circle time!) In the feature, he moved up to second and steadily closed the gap with Mr. First Place. Colin later said he figured he just needed another 2 laps to pass him. Oh well, maybe next time. It still made for a good, exciting race.

And made for another late night. I'm gettin' too old for this. Thankfully, I've got two more non-alarm days to recover...

Hope you're finding ways to enjoy the long weekend, too!

Summer Hours

Last year, our company implemented Summer Hours on Fridays, where we are "dismissed" at 3 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. (which means our brains start shutting down at noon). These run from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and are ideal for those who travel on weekends -- or like to golf Friday afternoons.

The one nice thing about having what feels like an early Memorial Day weekend this year is that Summer Hours began today. And hubby and I actually started ours a teeny bit early.

We got up at 4 so we could be to work at 5:30 a.m. I had two incentives: One, I had a project I needed to get done so I wouldn't have to work this weekend or Monday. Two, we had a tee time with our friend Scott at 2:30.

I did finish my project. And we did make our tee time. So mission accomplished. (We should do this every day!)

We golfed at Glen Cairn, an out-of-the-way, hard-to-find course east of Iola, where we took Carter a few times last summer. I golfed much better today than two weeks ago. For only my second time out, I felt pretty good. I didn't have any pars but I did have one BIRDIE, so who cares about the rest? Good time had by all.

When we got home we stood around the neighbor's driveway awhile talking stupid. Carter informed me I should go over there because "They're just standing around B.S.ing." Oh? I said. "And what does B.S. stand for?" He quickly covered his mouth with a guilty look on his face. "It better stand for Being Silly," I said. Of course, Mom.

This evening, Jim and I did make a quick run to Wal-Mart. They had 12 packs of soda (2 bucks!) and chips on sale so I wanted to stock up for the grad party. Sweet!

Tonight we caught some of the Twins' butt-kicking over the Brewers (that's the second day in a row where my Twinkies stomped!). Then we went back next door and sat around the fire ring B.S.ing some more. I decided since we have a lot of things on our "to do" list this weekend, we should take the night off.

Let the Summer Hours begin!

Under-Dog Days of Summer

The warm front that hit my nephew in South Dakota on Monday and half my family in Minnesota on Tuesday stayed its course and brought summer to central Wisconsin Wednesday.

It was a weird mix of heat (temps around 90) and wind (25-35 mph). And I loved it.

To me, it said, "Summer's here. Who wants ice cream?"

I was hoping to do an inaugural run to Shivers, the ice cream shop in Iola, but that didn't work out. I was saved by my friend Jana, who brought Dilly Bars because she won the Survivor pool. I came in second. She gets the cash and I get a mint chocolate Dilly Bar. And I'm OK with that.

I don't even watch Survivor so I don't know if my character was a nice guy people hoped would win or if viewers were relieved he got what he deserved in the end!

The only "reality" show I watch is American Idol -- and that's only occasionally. I've seen bits and pieces the last several weeks -- enough to know that I wanted Danny Gokey (from Wisconsin) to win.

He was sent home last week but I figured I'd better catch some of it this week to see how it ends. It came down to the flamboyant favorite, Adam, and the quiet underdog, Kris.

They had a 2-hour finale last night but I only watched about 15 minutes of it. The end, of course. I was so surprised when they read the results and said Kris won! He looked pretty shocked, too!

I guess there is hope for the underdog after all.

Maybe this bodes well for the Bad News Bears or, better yet, my chances for winning the lottery. I better check those Powerball numbers from last night...

Good News Bears

The team formerly known as the Bad News Bears are doing pretty good these days. Last night they won their second game so their record is off to a positive 2-1 beginning. A much better start than last season!

Carter's field trip bus got in late (after 5:30) so we were a bit late for the game. Thank goodness we have such a nice, understanding coach (and handsome, too)! Here are some highlights:

Carter steals second and shows some painful-looking sliding technique. You can tell it's early in the season. At least he was safe.

Coach Jimmy Buttermaker (oh wait, no more Bad News Bears references) and son watch the action from third base.

Carter had one hit tonight, one walk and one strikeout. This year they got to choose their numbers so he chose #24 because his left-handed batting hero Ken Griffey Jr. wears that!

Speaking of his hero... When we got home there was a belated birthday present waiting for him from his Auntie Lene. You can tell by his face that he was excited the moment he recognized what it was! (Now Lene's a hero, too!)

Carter shows off his new #24 jersey. This one will not be worn when he's even thinking of sliding into second. Actually I'm pretty sure he shouldn't come within 10 feet of dirt or food, for that matter. But it's way cool. And he can't stop smiling about it.

Job Satisfaction

I woke up this morning and realized why I'm getting so good (or at least adept) at managing change.

Today is my 6-year anniversary at my place of employment. A place that even on its worst day is far better than the daily grind (and teeth gnashing) of the newspaper.

A place that just like everywhere else has seen plenty of change in recent years -- some forced, some by design. Through it all I have:

- had my "dream job" (though short-lived) working on craft and scrapbooking magazines
- worked under 9 publishers (bosses)
- sat in 5 desks
- held 7 different job titles
- met (and hugged) 2 celebrities from 1970s television
- made countless new friends

I've also traveled a considerable amount more than I ever had before.

Sounds like Utopia, doesn't it? Well, it can be when I remember to look at it that way. I'm glad it's my anniversary today. It prompted me to recall why I love it here ...

Even if I find myself muttering the Serenity Prayer at my desk on occasion!

Manic Monday

Just because the calendar says it's Monday doesn't mean it has to feel like one. But it always does.

I actually started off on an ambitious note. Got up early and was out for a run/walk adventure at 5:15. I say adventure because it can never be something simple with me, can it? My left leg was bothering me a little last night (probably after running yesterday for the first time in like 9 months) but I didn't think about that this morning. Until I broke into a jog and then, man, did that hurt. I thought I'd be tolerant of pain for once and tough it out. Stupid. It pretty much bugged me all day whenever I got up from sitting awhile. (Ibuprofen was my new BFF.)

Had some work issues that led to some stress. I thought my computer died first thing right after I logged in. But two hours later, when IT showed up, I found out it was just that particular electrical outlet that went kaput. I guess I should have thought to check that.

By 4 o'clock, when something good finally happened, I actually treated our department to cookies. Gotta celebrate the small stuff these days!

When we picked Carter up, we found out he failed another reading test. Yikes. I even read the book yesterday and quizzed him on it. I really felt good about what he knew. Not sure where the disconnect is so I emailed his teacher tonight and we'll see if she can shed some light. In the meantime, since the rest of our evenings are filling up this week, I've got him reading, reading, reading tonight so he can try another book test this week. There's just not enough time left in the school year.

Tomorrow he has a field trip to a veterans' museum or something in Madison. I've been on this de-cluttering kick so I threw out all the info about it. I don't even know if he needs a snack or money or what. So I'll sent a little of everything with him.

I worked a little on Casey's project tonight. I'm pretty sure an 18-year-old is not reading his stepmother's blog for entertainment so I guess I can tell you -- I'm working on a digital scrapbook for him. The "work" part of it is scanning in all these old photos (pre-digital days). The "fun" part will be when I can start creating the pages. And then have this all done by the weekend, of course. Hey, I'm a journalist at heart. I thrive on deadlines!

Honestly, I feel like my brain has reached capacity. What was I thinking starting off a Monday of all days with ambitious thoughts anyway? At least when my head hurts, I'm not thinking about my leg. And when my leg hurts, I'm just not thinking.

Time to call it a night...

Flipping Out

There are television shows now that refer to "Flip this" or "Flip that" -- and what they mean is they are totally changing around the appearance of something by cleaning it, organizing it or gutting it. We flipped our garage today. And boy is my back sore!

This project wasn't really on my agenda today, even though it is on the "to do" list before graduation. I just thought we'd wait until next weekend when it is going to be nicer. But by the time I got home from Sunday School this morning, it was nicer. And hubby was standing in the garage saying, "Are ready to help? This is a big project." And we were off...

We started organizing stuff in 3 piles: toss it; Goodwill it; organize it (later -- and maybe toss it). It's remarkable (not in a good way) what can accumulate in 8 years. Really, how many inflatable pools does one need? Since Carter has been going to Kidz Camp in Iola the last few summers -- and swimming every day -- we've had no need. So those were easy (until Mr. Goodwill told me later they don't take those).

The embarrassing stuff was boxes or plastic containers of stuff we've moved out of old vehicles and just dumped in the garage. (We now have enough bug spray to protect Wisconsin this summer.) And a few boxes I've moved from move to move to move. When I stumbled upon a bag that had the very first shirt I made in high school Home Ec, I can tell you we both said, "Oh my god" and so much more. I had to take a picture to prove my saving sickness. Hubby says, "Is there a meeting for people like you?" I don't think he was kidding.

When I talked to my mom a few times today. I told her I certainly didn't inherit her sewing skills, but I am the super-saver like her. I'm trying to change that. In fact, it felt good saying "Toss it" a lot today. I took a car full to Goodwill and that was cleansing, too. The garage is as good as our garage can get. Not totally flipped, but a partial rotation anyway.

Carter even helped by staying out of the way, mostly, and washing the car in the back yard. Hubby worked far harder than me -- I got caught up in the memory boxes -- so when Carter and I were in town on one of our errands, we stopped at DQ to get us all Blizzards. (Like I needed an excuse. I wonder if there's a meeting for people like that!) I did go for a good 3-mile run/walk later to ease that guilt.

This evening, I made chili for supper then got back to my "creative" computer project. I can't believe the day is almost over. It was very productive, though. And I'd say that's flippin' great!

Wind Advisory

I actually had to set an alarm this Saturday morning because I had to report for concession stand duty at 8:30 a.m. When I had signed up -- back in February -- I took the early shift, assuming Carter's games would be at 10 or 11 a.m. this year. Not the case. All of his games were at 2 p.m. so I had quite a gap between the end of my shift at 10:30 and game time. That didn't concern me.

Today I was more concerned about staying warm. When I left the house, it was 41 degrees with a wind chill (yes, a wind chill!) of 33 degrees. Stinkin' B-R-R! I had several layers on, plus gloves, during my shift. This can't be the middle of May, can it? (In fact, they called off the races tonight knowing that I wasn't the only wimp around so they'd be drawing a mighty small crowd in the cold.)

By Carter's game, it was sunny but not a whole lot warmer. Jim and I sat in the car for the most part to watch the game. Our friend Mike and his son Nate stopped to watch, too. So the four of us sat in our warm little Honda Civic and chit-chatted while witnessing a season-ending victory.

Carter ended up playing goalie the whole game. He didn't let any by him today. It was kind of funny in the second half. When he had the wind at his back, he booted that ball down to the opposite goal several times. Too bad his alignment was just off. That would have been a memorable score!

Afterwards, the guys went home and I went grocery shopping. By the time I got home, it was after 4:30. I'm glad these late soccer games are over now. We'll get our Saturdays back!

Of course, it was still plenty light out when I got home and after supper. I probably should have gone for a walk but every time I heard that wind howling, I changed my mind. Instead, I sat in front of the computer, working on a surprise project for the graduate.

Now it's well after my bedtime again. It's suppose to freeze tonight. So my hanging plant is in and my blanket is on. Just another spring day in Wisconsin!

All's Well That Ends Well

I'm sitting here at the computer, so full from supper that I can't even move... while hubby mows the front yard and Carter shoots hoops. I guess we know who ate too much! Oh well. I needed my day to end with some overstuffed bliss.

Today was one of those long days at work where things that are out of my control continue to be, well, out of my control. I was really frustrated but got over it quickly enough when I found another task to do to keep my mind off it. Too bad it wasn't that nice of a day. I had no desire to pull a Friday "skip out early" when it wasn't even golfing weather. (Now that's sad!)

On our way home, just as it started sprinkling, my sister-in-law called and said the races at Golden Sands had already been called off for the night.

So what else is there to do on a Friday night in Wisconsin? That's right. Go get a fish fry!

We picked up Carter from the sitter's and headed to Anchor Bay, which is situated on the Wisconsin River. While we were waiting for our table, we watched the river and realized there is nothing to see at this time of year! No boats. No jet skis. No water skiers. I guess we'll have to go back. (And we will -- because they have awesome Au Gratin Haddock! Yummy!)

When we got home, Jim's sister stopped by and dropped off our new, team-color Colin Reffner racing jackets. Very cool! We are the ultimate fan club now! It will be nice to wear them in support of our nephew. Except, I said, on those hot summer nights -- to which hubby points out, "When do you get hot?" Good point.

I hope this doesn't mean we have to go to the races in Marshfield tomorrow night. It's going to be in the 30s (with frost). I just don't think the extension cord for my electric blanket is long enough!

Scheduling Conflict

Being the shallow person we all can be on occasion, I have to admit it was tough to be sitting at Carter's baseball game tonight when I knew the 2-hour season finale of Grey's Anatomy was on. Of all the nights to have a 7:30 game!

Yes, I was the good mother and stayed for his entire game. And yes, I still managed to catch the end of Grey's, which of course, is the most important part anyway.

The game was not as good as the other night. It never is when it ends up being a loss (and it's very chilly out, says the wimp mom). The final: 4-1. The one good thing is Carter finally had his first hit! That was great! The next time up, though, he practically drilled a hole in the ground swinging so hard. Oh well, at least he knows he can hit!

The game got over at 9 -- which is too late on a school night in my opinion -- so I did get home to catch the last 45 minutes of Grey's. I wasn't sure what was happening with some of the story lines. And, as usual with a season ender and its cliff hangers, I'm still not sure. Crazy ending!

So now it's way past my bedtime. I know Carter won't be getting his usual sleep tonight either. I'm just hoping my blanket warmed up enough in 45 minutes so I can quickly get to McDreamland...

Spring Sports

If there's one thing you can count on when it comes to spring sports, it's that you can't count on the weather. Today, nestled between our soccer and baseball schedules, Carter had a track meet.

Since it was scheduled smack dab in the middle of the day -- from noon to 2 p.m. -- Daddy took the day off and I worked from home. We pretty much knew last night that it was going to rain today. But Carter informed us, "Our teacher says we'll still have it if it rains as long as it doesn't lightning or thunder." So we knew this morning we'd have to figure on 120 minutes of snuggling under the golf umbrella. Not always a bad thing.

This track and field meet was a once a year, end of school-type event. All fifth-graders were required to participate in at least 2 events (one track, one field). So given the fact there are 10 grade schools in the district, that's a heckuva lot of fifth-graders!

Carter and his friend Nathan get psyched up before their events.

From our standpoint in the bleachers, we saw Carter do the high jump at the end of the football field (thanks to our super-powered zoom on the video camera). He cleared the first two heights but not the third.

Next, he did the shot put. That took place way across the field behind the bleachers so we saw none of it. Naturally, that's the one event he said he did the best at! We were just happy it basically quit raining by then. We still had to stand, though, since the bleachers were all wet.

The last event of the day was the 100-meter dash. There were 92 boys signed up for that. I'm not kidding. Every boy must think he's Usain Bolt. So they had probably 10-12 heats. Carter finished 3rd in his so he won't be medaling.

Not sure how he did overall on the other two events since it will take a few days to tabulate the results.

Carter and friends from Grant Elementary cheer after hearing results from a relay race.

Tonight he had baseball tryouts, too, for the tournament team. Just 48 hours ago, he did no want to try out. Then, after last night's Tiger victory, he got a boost of self-esteem and decided he wanted to try out. We won't know for a few days how that went either. But when they came home, Carter gave me the "thumbs up" and Daddy gave me the "let's not get too confident" look.

So I guess while we're waiting for the results to come in on today's spring sporting activities, we can sit back and watch the grass grow. With all this rain, at least that's something we can count on.

Fresh Starts

Today was a day of fresh starts for us.

Let's begin with the important one. We went into work early so I could leave awhile this morning to bond with my hair artist, Rachel. OK, not the most important. I guess I meant, let's go chronologically...

I was in desperate need to see her. Hadn't been there in 2+ months and was looking it (and feeling it). I told her to "summer-ize" me with a new 'do. So I'm lightened up a bit and feeling like the last of the winter blahs have been rinsed away.

Now for the really important one. Tonight was the first baseball game of the season. Coach Jim Buttermaker and his assistant Coach Mike Buttermaker were hoping to turn last year's Bad News Bears season around. And, thanks to new talent (and hubby's new pair of coaching shorts), they did.

The Tigers (as they are called this year, wearing the Detroit logo), beat the Nationals 15-6. Carter had one strikeout and two walks. Nothing special but nothing bad, either. We'll take it.

In a post-game news conference, Coaches Buttermaker were hesitant to sound too confident about the season. But this observant reporter caught them smiling with that look of satisfaction in their eyes. Not cockiness. Just satisfaction with an understated glimmer of hope.

Bet Coach Jim wears those new stylish gray shorts again. Seriously, they're not weird, fancy or unusual. But there's nothing that says we can't have a new ritual for this fresh new season. We'll go with what works for the Win column, right? Even if it means I keep the score book again. (Hey I didn't cheat. I swear!)

Let's go Tigers!

Nothing Important

How can it be another Monday already? I need time to slow down just a teeny bit in the next month, if possible. There's just too much going on. Mostly just little things that add up. Besides what I've mentioned already, here's what's been keeping us busy lately. Nothing important. And, trust me, I don't mind uneventful...

Assembly Required: I believe it took 5-6 hours over two Sundays, but Daddy has the new basketball hoop and stand assembled for Carter. Next on the list: A new grill. We need to get one soon and when we do, Jim says, "I don't care what we have to pay. We are not assembling it!" Amen.

Score Keeper: I spent part of Sunday afternoon watching baseball on TV while Coach Austin taught me how to keep the score book. Last season, when Christine, our co-coach's wife and score keeper, had to miss a game, I realized I had no clue how to keep the score book in her absence. Sure I can keep score, but there's a little more to it than that. I found out it was not as complicated as I feared. So I can now be a backup score keeper and respected member of the Coaches' Wives Club (yes we are television drama-worthy!).

Just Chatting: Thanks to the "need" to connect via email with his pen pal, Carter is now really into online chatting. He's "talked" to this girl from Stevens Point a few times. I guess it's quicker than going through the snail-mail between the two schools. But it doesn't do anything for his penmanship. (Wow, do I sound like my mother!)

Green Thumb: Speaking of my mother.... I noticed this morning that the Violet next to my kitchen sink is blooming. This is a banner day for me. I inherited my mother's green eyes -- not her green thumb. So for something plant-like (in my house or yard) to actually live, let alone bloom, is unheard of with Ms. Black Thumb here. Very cool. I probably should take a picture, seriously. If it's still alive when I get home from work...

Which reminds me. I better get my nose back to the grindstone. Don't want to be here any longer than necessary! Have a good week!

The Gift of Motherhood

Somewhere in my mother's house there's a box of rocks -- no doubt covered with a little dust, a lotta love and the grandest of intentions.

When I was little, and apparently had no financial resources or creative thoughts, I'd walk down to the lake, select the prettiest rocks along the shoreline and declare: "This is what I'll give Mom for Mother's Day!"

I'd take my new-found gems back up to the house, wash them off further and place them on a washcloth to dry. Only something happened while I was out of the room. My sparking treasures turned into dry, dull, gray or white rocks. Why didn't they stay shiny like the ones we'd see at the Rock and Mineral Shows we'd often go to? I didn't know back then there was that extra step of polishing them. So before I'd put them in the little gift box, I'd lick the rocks one more time for shine, then close the lid.

My mother, bless her heart, would open that box and treat my gift as if it was just as beautiful as I intended it to be. It's the thought that counts, after all.

I've learned that as a mother, too. It's just such a joy to receive a special gift from your child - whether it's a finger painting, a macaroni picture frame, a paper-clip necklace or golf shoes.

Yesterday, on the way to the store, hubby says (so Carter can hear in the backseat), "Well I asked Carter what he was getting for you for Mother's Day and he said love." I said, "That's fine. I'll like that." And Carter pipes up, in his defense, "Well Dad I didn't know it was Mother's Day this weekend!" (I have to learn to drop better hints.)

When we got to the store, Daddy says, "Carter, should we go pick out a card to go with your love?" So off they went. And he picked out a good one that made me laugh this morning.

Of course, Jim had already mentioned last week that I needed to pick out some new golf shoes -- make that, golf sandals -- function, fashion and comfort all in one. So I knew I was getting that (and did today) but I think he wanted to see if Carter had any original thoughts. Hey, I'll take love or rocks any day. (In fact, I did get rocks for landscaping, too!)

Since it was my day, Jim took Carter to Sunday School so I could wake up at my leisure. He then brought home a cappuccino and made me breakfast -- Eggs Benedict -- and declared I didn't even have to exercise today. I was informed there's a law that says you can't gain weight on Mother's Day. I'll believe anything if it involves a tasty homemade breakfast like that.

To ease my guilt, I did get a few things done. Did some housework and laundry. Made a salad to take to the in-laws for dinner. Then took a walk this evening after eating too much there.

I hate to see the day end. It's been pretty darn nice being all spoiled. But who am I kidding? Every day is Mother's Day in this house. I get gifts of love all the time. And once in awhile they throw a rock in so I know it comes from the heart.

Carpe Diem!

If you recall from the movie Dead Poets Society, carpe diem is a Latin phrase that means "seize the day"... Live for the moment... Seize moments of pleasure without concern... Play hooky and go golfing on nice, sunny days...

(I think that last one is a Scandi-hoovian translation. At least it was yesterday!)

With the mercury kissing 70 and not a cloud in the sky, hubby and I had no discussion -- just instant and complete agreement -- that it would be the perfect Friday to cut out early from work, get 9 holes in and then get Carter from the sitter's at normal pick-up time.

Everything worked out perfectly... except for my golf game! I was expecting a rough outing, though. It was my first time out this season. Can you believe that? Something is wrong if it's Mother's Day weekend and I am hitting the links for the first time. Not right. We need to work on that.

We did pick up Carter on time and, after checking the radar, decided that we'd probably get rained on at the races so we stayed home. As it turned out, the rain held off until quite a bit later so we could have gone. (Colin finished third.)

Instead, though, we enjoyed a great evening around the fire ring next door -- talking silly, sipping cold ones and eating s'mores (well, hubby was sipping and I was s'moring). Good times.

This morning, the rain had stopped so Carter and I hit the Kellner areawide garage sales. I was on a mission to find some books, any books really. Carter was looking to replace the stuff we just sold on our garage sale. We were pretty much shut out. I found only 4 books -- at the last of the dozen or so sales we stopped at, and that was it. Carter managed to get some sports cards there, too, and that was it. I think Jim was secretly happy to see us walk in with only a handful of items!

This afternoon Carter had soccer. By then, the drizzling rain had reappeared and the wind picked up, gusting at 15-25 mph or something crazy like that. So I was wimp and sat inside the CRV to watch the game. It wasn't a good one for team Sydney. Carter had one dramatic save as goalie -- where I was quite sure he was going to get kicked in the face -- but he and his replacement needed quite a few more like that. The final was 4-1. Bummer.

Now it's just cold and rainy. We decided we aren't going to the races tonight (in Marshfield) either. They'll be plenty of nice Saturdays this summer. So I finally sat down at the computer and watched the 100th episode of Grey's that I missed Thursday night -- and that might be as strenuous as the rest of my night gets.

I need to carpe diem davenport... Which in Scandi-hoovian means "seize the couch & the remote while I have the chance!"

It's Mother's Day weekend after all...

TGIF (Thank God It's Finished!)

I'm glad they don't have hidden cameras at work (at least I hope not) because my happy dance yesterday ended up being a cross between a high-fivin' hokey pokey and Elaine's moves on Seinfeld.

But I don't care.

It feels good to have the bulk of my work project done. Sure, there's plenty more to do, but the beauty is that it can be done in "normal" work hours. No more weekends. No more 4 a.m. alarms. (It felt good to sleep in today.)

Naturally, I celebrated in typical Robyn fashion. We stopped at King Cone on the home and I got my ice cream fix (mint chocolate, of course).

But wait. It gets better. The weather was so nice that when we got home, I was able to sit out on the deck a few minutes. It was so relaxing, letting the sun warm my face and clear my mind of all thoughts of data.

If you know me, you know mint and ice cream and sun time all in the same 24-hour period is like the perfect day!

Of course, today is back to reality as I view the list of all that I've neglected to do in the past 6 weeks. There's at least 83 things to do for the graduation party. I'm behind watching episodes of Grey's and Big Bang Theory. I swear I heard Mother's Day is coming up so I'll have to get Mom a card she won't receive until next week. And I'll have to get back to some creative writing before I become the Seinfeld of blogs (about nothing!).

It's bad enough I dance like Elaine.

Are We There Yet?

I am determined today is going to be productive and meaningful.

Hubby and I beat the sunrise to work. I am sooooo close to wrapping up the time-consuming, mind-numbing part of my work project. I know I've said that before, but this time I mean it! We are almost there.

I had hoped to finish last night but 1, the computers did not keep up with my ambition yesterday and 2, I forget my aging mind and and body hit a wall after a certain number of hours. I think if I was younger -- and only lived 5 miles from work instead of 45 -- I might have stayed until the last dog was hung (or in my case, until the last piece of data was tagged).

Today will be the day, though. I told Carter then I shouldn't have to work this weekend. He said, "Cool! Maybe we can go to a movie or something!" Then said, "Wait. Weren't you supposed to be done with this by my birthday?"

Who needs a boss when you've got an 11-year-old?

Time to get to work...

Muffins with Mom

Like clockwork, Carter calls me at work at 7:45 each morning to check in before he heads over to the next-door neighbors and out to the bus. I look forward to these calls -- even if they are usually just a recap of what was on ESPN since he woke up.

Today we got to enjoy our morning conversation in person at his school, where the parent-teacher organization hosted a "Muffins with Mom" event.

This was much like last month's "Donuts with Dad" event. Only we didn't get any glazed rings of sweet dough. We mothers each got half a muffin and half a banana -- like we're all on diets.

Oh wait. We are.

There wasn't a program or anything. Just eat with your kid and run off to work (or wherever). One of Carter's classmates (the girl he claims he hates but talks about every day) was taking pictures. She asked the boy at our table if he wanted a picture with his mom. Then, when I assumed it was our turn, she looks at Carter and said, "I already took one of you!" Young love starts in the form of stalking...

Since I had to go work, I didn't stay too long. He thanked me for joining him and quickly added, "and you're welcome for me letting you come." He didn't say it sarcastically so I bit back my response and just said, "It was my pleasure."

And despite hunger pains an hour or so later, it was.

Worthy Donation

Carter has accumulated some birthday money, which apparently is already burning a hole in his pocket.

We've been having trouble with one of our garage doors opening and closing consistently. On Sunday night we discovered the culprit. One of the sensors -- which happens to be located right where Carter parks his bike -- had been knocked down. On Sunday, he said he was pretty sure he didn't knock it down. But yesterday at some point, he relented and said he "probably" was the one who broke it.

When Daddy informed him it costs a hundred bucks to have someone come fix it (yes, they charge a lot for labor), Carter said, "I'll help pay for it. If it costs $100, I can pay $92. Then you only have to pay $8."

Wow, that's a lot of money. He explained: "Well I have $75 in birthday money and $17 in quarters." (Maybe that Tooth Fairy has been overpaying him after all.)

Of course, we're not going to make him use his birthday money for this. But it is refreshing to have him take ownership and show the willingness to correct it. ... And astonishing, too, that we are already entering into the stage of our lives where our kids have more money than us!

Tell me again why we're both here at work before the crack of dawn...

Tornado Awareness

Today is the first Monday of the month so that means I started off the morning with my monthly back-crackin' appointment.

As usual, my chiropractor scolds me for abusing my back but secretly is thinking: "Keep it up. I need a new SUV." I'm kidding, of course. He's a great guy (and coincidentally, does drive a pretty nice vehicle!).

You'd think starting off the day so well-adjusted would be sign of things to come. But such was not the case.

I was having some computer problems at work -- as in, they were not working fast enough for me. So I found myself working on 3 computers to get something done. I'd save on my computer, then on the laptop on my desk, then hop to the desk next to mine (my co-worker was gone), then back to my desk. It sort of felt like musical chairs. And I wondered how long it would take to create a funnel cloud like the Tasmanian Devil.

But that really wasn't the main problem today. I had some negative thoughts festering in the back of my mind. I was upset about a situation from the weekend and I could not stop thinking about it. And the more I thought about it, the more frustrated and angry I became. So as my body moved like a tornado, my mind was creating a whirling dervish of its own.

I had built myself into a full-blown ticked-off stage at the individuals involved when hubby reminded me I can't do anything about the situation or those people. If they want to be selfish, I can't change that -- or them.

That darn Serenity Prayer! Having to accept the things (and people and situations) I cannot change!

It's not so easy. Especially when I was so worked up in my personal twister! I kept justifying it, saying "I have a right to be angry." But I finally had to let it go. Amazingly, that felt better.

Think about when a wicked storm blows through. The air is so charged with energy during the storm. Then afterwards, suddenly it's cool and calm and peaceful.

And you can't beat the smell of fresh rain.

SUN-day

We were treated to a sunny and 70s kind of day today. I valiantly fought the urge to go into work. Truth be told -- it wasn't much of a battle. Work wouldn't have fit into the schedule anyway!

Today was Youth Sunday at church, which meant all the Sunday School kids put on the service, doing everything adults normally would do. Carter read scripture and took part in the singing. Overall, everything took a little longer so it was a 90-minute service. But it was done really nicely so people with normal-sized bladders probably didn't mind.

When we got home, hubby was already gone. He had a golf date with some buddies in Stevens Point. (I guess guys wouldn't call it a date.) I could have driven over to the office in Iola but I just couldn't pass up some time in the sun! I can work long hours again this week as needed.

I found some shorts and a tank top and went for a good walk. I'm happy to report no cars were blinded by my white legs! After the walk, I stayed outside trimming some overgrown bush-vine-hedge thing that seems to be overtaking the front of our house. I really didn't do too much because I wasn't sure where to start (or stop) with that one. I need a second opinion so I'll wait with that one.

Next, I worked up a sweat in the lawn chair. Honestly, I was probably out on the deck only 20 minutes. But it felt nice compared to huddling up in blankets for warmth the last two days!

While I was sitting outside, I had Carter bring our golf clubs up from the basement. We went to the driving range to see if we remembered how to swing. It wasn't pretty. Carter said, "Remember the last time we were here I hit you in the jaw with my club?" Yep. I certainly do. I definitely stayed away from his tee today!

Afterwards, we stopped for a few groceries and headed home. Feeling ambitious (or perhaps feeling guilty for doing nothing on my day off), I painted a second coat in the hallway. The challenge when hubby applied the first coat is that our "new" color is so similar to the "old" that it was hard to see if any spots were missed until it dried. And there were a few. I didn't do all of it today. I need to see if a second coat even makes a difference. I can already tell I missed spots, too. Maybe we'll just have to hang a heckuva lot of pictures up!

Hubby is home from golfing now and Carter hit him up right away to assemble the backboard and hoop. I am wisely staying out of the way for that one. But I am sort of "on call" in the house for heavy lifting or holding things into place. I guess I better get back within earshot in case they need me. Lord knows I should do something!

Spoiler Alert

When people are about to give you the inside scoop on how a book or movie ends or the winner in some competition we haven't seen, we call it a Spoiler Alert. In other words, if you don't want to know this information yet, cover your ears. In our little world, Spoiler Alert just means: News alert! Carter is spoiled! (Which really isn't new.)

Ahh well. That's what birthdays are for.

This morning, I made him cinnamon rolls and was accused of spoiling Carter. I said, "It's his birthday weekend!" Yup, it turns into a two-day event (at least) when you don't have the party the same day as the birthday. So it was plenty busy.

We had soccer this afternoon and while it was deceptively sunny, it was windy and very chilly out. Glad I still had a blanket in the trunk from the races last night! I'm such a wimp. It's really pathetic sometimes.

Carter's game ended up being a 3-3 tie. He had a group of fans coming today: Grandma and Grandpa Austin, Uncle Baird, Aunt Sherry, cousin Colin and our friends, the Jacksons (who also brought a birthday gift for him). So even without a win, he was in a good mood. Spoiling can do that do that for you...

The family came out to our house for some supper (pizza) and cake and ice cream (of course). Carter finally got to open the cards and gifts that came in the mail this week, plus today's presents. He was genuinely thrilled with everything, which is always fun to watch.

We still had the basketball hoop in the back of the CRV (filling up the entire back of it), so we gave him an easy clue that sent him out there to find it. Now comes the fun part of when Daddy gets to assemble it. Not tonight.

Celtics are on in game 7 of the playoffs with the Bulls. Plus there's a race on. I might be in bed before that's over. I don't care if he "spoils" it for me and tells me tomorrow who won. Though I'd rather be spoiled with a backrub or something. It's been a tough week!

But wait, it's still Carter's weekend. I'll just start dropping hints now. I hear Mother's Day is coming up. That's totally a weekend event, isn't it?

Happy B-r-r-r-thday

Despite the fact we're making Carter wait until his party Saturday to open presents and the fact that his parents dumped him at the sitter's the one time he has no school on his birthday, I think the new 11-year-old had a good day.

We honestly would have loved to have had the day off with him. But both hubby and I have major deadlines that just wouldn't allow it. Somehow we'll make it up to him. He had a great time at the sitter's anyway so it probably worked out for the best.

After we picked him up, we enjoyed some birthday "cake" -- actually an ice cream treatza pizza type thing from Schwan's. I put 11 candles on it and it wasn't enough to melt the ice cream, so he must be young still. (We won't be trying that for my birthday!)

Tonight was the season opener for racing at Golden Sands Speedway. Our nephew Colin is back in action in the superstock division so we wanted to be there to cheer him on for another season. Forecast called for way chilly weather, so we bundled up in sweatshirts, coats and hats. Trust me, by the end of the night, we needed all of that!

During time trials, we had them announce Carter's birthday. He thought that was pretty cool. He also reconnected with some of his "racing friends" so he was little to be seen -- except when he wanted money for ice cream. Really? Ice cream? Does the fact that I had to take my mittens off to give him money illustrate the irony? Kids these days. They don't get any smarter at 11, do they?

Colin did very well in the feature race. He started seventh and moved his way up to second place where he fought for first for the last 6 or 7 laps. It was very exciting. He just couldn't get around the first-place driver and ended up finishing second. But that's something to be very proud of the first time out for the year. I expect we'll see a lot of good racing the summer!

When we got home at 11, there was a birthday message for Carter from his old girl friend Tamara. How cool! I don't even have to tell you that he'll have sweet dreams tonight. Who needs presents, right? Family and friends are the best gifts ever! (And cash, probably.)