Wordless Wednesday: Helping Out

I just love it when Hubby offers to take care of the morning school run!

Car Talk

I've been doing double duty in the carpool division this week. The upside is having a chance to "talk" with my oldest one after we've made our last delivery. Just him and I, alone with our thoughts.

With Thing One, you just never know what he's going to say when participating in a social "chat".

Case #1:
Me (grumbling, frustrated by the lack of speed the driver in front of me is displaying): I wonder why that car is going so darn s.l.o.w.

Thing 1: Mom, he's probably driving a heavy kid. Heavy kids will slow you down.

Case #2:
Me (commenting about an incident that occured earlier in the day, involving Thing Two): Your brother is just like Me when it comes to things like that...

Thing 1 (perplexed, and really not being a smart @ss): How can that be, I mean, Mom, he doesn't even have breasts.

Now I get why my carpool pal tells me that some days, the highlight of HER day is "chatting" with Mr. P.

Not sure what to think....

Driving home, the carpool boys were well...a bit wound up. Whenever they spotted a classmate or friend, they would call out that friend's name with a repetitive chorus of Hi, Hi, Hi!

As we rounded the corner, we spotted a girl walking ahead of our vehicle...
I said "I don't think you know her, guys"...

When suddenly, Thing Two chimes in..."Well, her behind looks familiar!"

(no, we didn't know her, but she did have naturally curly hair like a classmate from last year...so I knew where he was going with his remark)

A place to call home..

Sis and I, circa 1975, yes my mom made those costumes...

As a young adult in the Army, one of my least favorite questions was "So, where are you from?".

There was no clear answer: if I said "WI" then I had to explain why I didn't go to college there or that my parents no longer lived there.

Our house in Torrington, circa 1983

If I said Wyoming, then there was the whole "yeah, but now my dad lives in GA". Followed by the then very emotional question "Well, what about your mom?".

Our house in Cheyenne, circa 1987

You can see why this simple question never ended with a simple answer!

When Hubby and I got married and decided we wanted to leave the NoVA area, one of the main concerns for me was having a place we could call home.

Sure, loads of people call NoVA home but for us, we didn't care for the fast paced way of living (the go-go-go style where your neighbors leave even earlier than you do, arrive home only to promptly lower their garage as they pull into their slot on that never ending row of townhomes).

The cost of living was another major concern. In order to afford that house in the 'burbs, both of us would have had to work full time and spend long hours in the traffic that is D.C. metro area.

Yep, not what I wanted...

I wanted what all my Army buddies had talked about...a place to call home....as corn-ball as that is...the place where everyone knows your name. A place for the boys to come home to on college break

After 12 yrs here in PV (and almost 13 in Colorado), I know that we are there....

Last night I had the PLEASURE of attending a school play put on by the middle school students.

For starters, it ain't what we did in middle school....the parts were all very well cast and hardly anyone "over acted" (yes, you know what I"m talking about....a middle schooler thinking her lines as whatever is worthy of an Oscar. and you cringe when she turns her part into something more than it really is). The costumes were eye catching and the set design was clearly done by middle schoolers with some talent worth highlighting.

Many times I found myself laughing out loud and just smiling...

Not that it was THAT great (yes, Wicked remains my favorite theatrical production that i've seen this week: Go SEE WICKED...even in the cheap seats it is bound to make you glad you went!)...it was that I KNEW so many of those kids...

• Thing One went to preschool with the handsome prince
  
• The King's trusted assistant is the son of my former boss


• One of the mice went to Water World with my boys this past summer


• That page over there? Well, she's in Thing One's class and her younger sister goes to school with Thing Two.


• Another chorus member? Well, her mom was sitting in front of me and during intermission we caught up on some HOA issues....


• And tonight, I would love to go and watch the second crew...because Mrs. Kravitz's daughter is the fairy godmother and one of the Evil Step-sisters is without a doubt one of the nicest girls you will ever meet.

Yes indeed, I have found a place to call home...and already I'm seeing the beauty of giving your kids roots...and watching the little ones in your community bloom and grow!

So, you may keep your D.C monuments, your plethora of museums (that are free), you can even have your Cherry Blossom festival...I've got Park View-Centennial and it is all that I need (and then some....)

12 on the 12th: It's been awhile...

It's been a few months...let's see if I remember how it's done...

Just after 0700...Hubby heads out on Miss Reliable, Brigitta.

An hour later, It is time to send Thing One off to school (Thanks JG)

In the never ending quest to find ways to make track off seem like vacation for one child, while not inviting the green eyed Jealousy monster into the home, we decided to try "breakfast out".

Note to self and others: their pancakes are very filling. Split an order next time...
Next stop: some groceries. Only bought what was on the list. I guess going with a full tummy is good for the sticking to the list concept!

Post Office: yeah, they are closed today but I was determined to mail my HOA proxy in before I lost THIS one too!

Note to fellow PV Pals: have you mailed your proxy in?

Now, I knew the post office was closed, and was pleasantly surprised to see the bank was open.

Columbus Day: apparently only some federal folks enjoy this "Holiday".

Oh, wait, it is also Canadian Thanksgiving, right? Happy Gobble Gobble to my Northern friends!

I couldn't resist. After months of waiting, the sign to our section is up.

It is SO pretty...I really hope that the taggers decide to leave it alone...

Week 3 of 3 weeks off track: Don't ask...I've given up trying to keep the house in some state of order.

I had thought about returning to the craft table...but then...

The Sprinkler Guy showed up for our seasonal blow out..

Of the SPRINKLERS you fools...come on, usually only MY mind is in the gutter...
And in keeping with the "change of seasons" lawn care going on outside, I decide to tackle the bedroom closet. Out went the summer tshirts (on the bed), and in went the long sleeved tshirts.

The pile on the floor is NOT laundry but rather stuff going to Good Will.
And just when you think the end of a quiet day is near, the Sheriff shows up!

Ok, so I knew he was coming.. You see, while I was watching the sprinkler guy do his thing, his partner pulls up to chat and find out where the next job is...

Only problem is, the partner when backing up and turning around his truck, took the corner too sharp and clipped the pretty red car.

YES, they don't call me Mrs. Kravitz for NOTHING...

I saw the whole thing and when it appeared as if "sprinkler associate" was going to ignore his problem and drive off....well...me and the realtor (Hi SB) brought it to their attention. (oh yes, right as the associate did his poor turn, my friend and the realtor for the house next door to mine, showed up and saw the entire incident from a second angle. We shall crown her an honorary Mrs. Kravitz)

They were cool about it...and ultimately did the right thing...

*They had better have done the right thing...I know the one guy's dad and he'd have been H.O.T. had I called him and told him they acted in any way less than decent young men.

Yeah, they don't call me Martha "Mafia", leader of the coven for nothing...

A Good Weekend for....

With the weather so frightful....I decided to skip the studies and spent a little time

Playing in the craft room...

And since the first crafting attempt in months went so well, I tried again...

And next thing you know, I"m working on a third layout...

And while I was playing, Hubby was not. Read more about it here

And while I had a "wicked" good time playing, today I am happy to report, I have something else exciting planned. See you after the show!

Tell me it isn't so...

is that white stuff I see falling from the sky this morning?

Seriously? It's only early October...but looking out my window those are indeed snowflakes falling from the sky.

Oh well...it won't last and maybe this cold spell will kill off the germs that seem to be bouncing all over the neighborhood!

Stay warm and stay well...

Frustrated with the weather...

Thing Two: "Mom, the worst part is that they are making cold weather without snow! That's just w.r.o.n.g.!"

It is all in the details...

"She's a Genius I tell you, pure GENIUS".

Nope, my oldest wasn't referring to me in the SHE.

The full conversation went something like this:

"Well, I had a headache so I went to the nurse to see if I could just get some quiet. My classmates were all going crazy in science. Next thing I know, the nurse takes my temperature and I have a fever. I can't go back to school now until Monday! She's a genius I tell you, pure genius!".

Yeah, genius indeed....