Random Thoughts, The Cursed 3rd Edition

Today is July 3rd, which usually means I wrap the children in bubble wrap and we all sit in the middle of the room and don't touch anything or anyone for fear we'll injure ourselves or one another. In recent years July 3rd has involved high fevers, motorcycle vs. car accidents, intestinal viruses, attic fires and window snakes. Today has been calm, but I'm still leary. We made a run to town because I had yet more garage sale junk items to put in Tater's garage and on the way home Paul said, "I just realized that today's the 3rd." I said, "Yeah, I know. We were takin' a big chance going to town." He said, "Shut up, woman. We ain't home yet! Hey.....think you oughta slow down some?"

But we ain't superstitious. Riiiiiiight.

--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

I've babysat all week this week. JackJack is one of my old daycare kids. I got him the first time around when he was three weeks old. Now he's a new two and wow is he ever. I have made the statement more than once this week that I am completely out of practice and how glad I am that my kids are out of this stage. Not that he's a bad kid, he's just two. I'm used to my kids getting their own drinks, fixing their own snacks when they want, not throwing themselves at my feet when Go Diego Go! is over, etc.

I figure that uttering the statement that I'm glad my kids are all in school and growing up will pretty much ensure that I am pregnant right now as I type. That and the fact that my sister's garage is now holding the very last of any baby items that have been in my house.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Our yard is so clean right now that it's scary. For the last few weeks I have teased Paul by humming the theme to "Sanford and Son" any time I am out in the yard. Hey, he can gripe about the inside of the house being messy, I think it's only fair that I tease him a little about the yard. He has spent his entire vacation cleaning up the yards and fields and driveway and carport.

I got rid of the mildew in the bathroom, he got rid of the junkyard on our property. We rock.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Since our family is blended, highly disfunctional and just plain GIGANTIC, we are having the 4th on the 5th this year here at our house. There will be roughly 30 people here and would be more if Cousin Courtney's Baby Conner wasn't still in the hospital. The Glenn side of the family won't be making their presence known, so that just leaves 90 bazillion Ferrises and Hoovers to fill the gap. I was really hoping Cousin Courtney would be here because she is a karaoke queen. Alas, we will have to wait until Christmas or Festivus for her to break out her mad vocal skillz on us all.

Speaking of Cousin Courtney, she called me last week while I was at camp to tell me she was at the hospital, dilated and contracting. Since she wasn't due for three more weeks, I gathered a bunch of kids together and we had a quick prayer for everyone's safety. The next afternoon at 1:28 Baby Conner was born. 7 hours later he was in the NICU on antibiotics. Evidently Cousin Courtney had a false negative Group B Strep test and they didn't know to treat her during her pregnancy. Fortunately, they caught it early and he's going to be fine, he's just been a sick little fella. I'm a bad cousin for not posting this sooner. Sorry, guys.

Send up a prayer or twenty seven for Cousins Courtney and Chad and Baby Conner if you're the prayin' kind.

-0-0-00-0-00-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

I got an email awihle back about how Listerine is supposed to be this awesome mosquito repellent, so I had Paul pick up an industrial sized 55 gallon drum of that stuff.

So far I don't have any mosquito bites or gingivitis.

-0-0--0--0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0-0

Week after next I'm teaching the youth in VBS.

ACK!!

-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Abby got her first babysitting gig for tomorrow night. It's mom's neighbor's little girls. Since it's a holiday and Mom and Pops weren't going to be next door for backup, we're just bringing the girls out here for a sleepover instead. The mom texted me this morning to ask if $30 was enough to pay Abby. I had told Abby the going rate for sitters and that she was going to have to learn to set her prices and stick to them if she's going to be sitting for people. When I asked her if $30 was enough her eyes nearly fell out of her head. I laughed so hard at the look on her face. It took her a few minutes to find her voice and say, "Yeah......but do you think that's too much?" I know she was trying to be a good girl and make sure she wasn't taking advantage or overcharging, but I also know that she was spending that money in her head already.

When I was working, she was babysitting her brother and sister a few days a week. Oh, that girl had money burning a hole in her pocket continually. She's run through all of that and has been broke the last few weeks. The thought of $30 was making her heart race, I could tell.

Then I reminded her that I had ordered some hair color replacements for her Conair hair streaky thingamabob (that drives her Pops crazy because she came to church with blue hair last night) for her the day before and that she owed me $12 plus shipping.

Life is rough when you're 11.

-0--0-0-0-00-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

I have been taking a nap with JackJack every day this week. I keep telling myself that I have a sleep deficit left over from camp last week. It's bull, but I'm buying it.

-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0

I can't wait to get my hands on some firecrackers.

-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Abby invited her boyfriend, *Chance*, to the 4th on the 5th party. He is scared of me and kept telling her maybe but we all know darn good and well that means no in Chancespeak.

I told her to tell him he's a poopyhead.

I'm not sure, but I don't think that made him like me any more than he already didn't.

I have many things to learn regarding daughter's boyfriend relations. Calling him poopyhead is probably top of the list of things not to do. I'm pretty sure.