I guess June is almost done too...

And i'm ready for a break... i feel like sleeping for a week ~ lol. I'm waiting to hear which days i'm babysitting in the next two weeks, and then, I think, we're done ~ the full-time babysitting anyway. At least for the rest of the summer ~ lol. I had given my notice for end of June, but their new babysitter has several days in the next two weeks that she can't have them, so we might just have them for the next two weeks yet. I'm fine with that... it's not as intense since we're done watching Robbie. I was planning to take the kids to the zoo today, but the weather really wasn't that great, so we didn't go anywhere.

I've been enjoying weeding my garden this year ~ and my body is actually enjoying the warmth of the sun (this is something new for me since last summer ~ i think that is thanks to homeopathics)... not too much of it though (last Saturday was a bit much ~ and i'm sure the heat by August will seem almost unbearable). But mid-20's or so?? and loving it enough to make me feel like taking a pillow out to the trampoline and having a nap... if i could wind down that much. Actually, i know this doesn't make any sense, but the other day, as i've been feeling so tired (mixed with "enjoying weeding") I said i felt like sleeping while weeding my garden (like, doing both at the same time). Yes, i'm over-tired ~ lol.

Last Sunday i took the kids (and two of their friends, and my younger sister) to a free-for-all at a nearby (1 1/2hr. drive) Bible camp. Much as i would've loved to have Jonathan there too (his worship team was up and he forgot to get a replacement), we all had a great time. Janique got to ride horse (the one and only thing she really cared about), the boys did some archery, pellet guns, paintball guns (just at target bottles ~ lol)... i think Darwin tried the wall climbing, and he & Reagan & I went canoeing (my highlight). The weather was about perfect ~ toward the end of the afternoon we had some rain ~ light at first, and then a bit more. It poured on the way home.

Oh, soccer season is done now too ~ Reagan's last game was on Tuesday. That was a bit of a mix-up... their games were scheduled for Friday's but the other team said they couldn't make it for Friday (today), so they asked to have the game Tuesday. Sure, agreed upon, and we were told the game was in their town (altho originally scheduled for our town). That team was told it was still in our town. Yep, we all went to Hepburn, and they all came here. Fortunately for the cell phones we were able to connect and still have a game (in their town)... and i think it was a tie game. A nice way to end the season.

and i better go...

Glad softball season is over!

It's not that i mind the game, and i love to watch my children's sports... but it almost hurts to lose game after game. Tonight's game was the biggest loss of the season. And it's a good thing they are limited to 6 runs. The other team got their 6 runs every time they were up to bat, and it took til the LAST inning for our team to actually get any runs ~ and then they made it good and got 3! Lol... But i had a nice chat with a mom from the other town/team (her son was playing). I think Darwin is a bit discouraged that they didn't do better in the season and he's talking about not playing next year... but it's a short season, and with so few players returning year after year (and a bunch of kids new to ball each year who are learning from scratch), it's just hard to make a lot of progress in such short time. They seemed to have fun though (mostly), so that's really what it's about.

OOOOPPPSS!!!

Set the stage... Coco (our toy poodle) is way over-due for a grooming. Poor dog can hardly see already, and it's just time for a proper cleaning up. We haven't been totally pleased with our previous groomer the last few times, and since we'd heard about someone closer to home (MUCH more convenient, btw), we decided to try the new place. So i made the appointment a while ago ~ but she couldn't get us in til next week Tuesday because she's taking two weeks off to move to a new house.

So yes, stage 1 is set with "Coco badly needs a grooming."

Stage 2... we have no fence yet, and our neighbors across the back alley don't really have a fence either.

Side note... Unknown to us at the time, these neighbors are pouring concrete for a driveway/sidewalk?? and i think they were in the process of smoothing it. I didn't see any of this of course.

Continue setting the stage... I'm outside doing yard work, and Janique is coming outside to join me (Jonathan took the boys fishing).

Ok, no more stage setting... now it's time for the action...

When Janique opened the door, Coco decided she wanted out too. Usually she's just fine hanging out for a while off her leash, so when Janique started calling Coco to come in, i said i thought she'd be ok ~ she'd like to be outside with us for a bit, but bring the leash. So she brings the leash, and tries to get Coco, who seems to think it's more fun being free. As Coco wanders off into the back alley, i go to help, but can't catch up to her before she takes off into the neighbors' back yard. Thinking they might have just put grass seed down (they recently brought in top soil to build up their yard), and not wanting to mess it up, i continue calling Coco, but don't run after her at this point. Coco doesn't listen AT ALL! but keeps going. She's heading for their front yard (and i'm thinking, the street! and then the school yard??) I send Janique around the back alley to try catch up to her there. She didn't get far before i hear someone YELLING "GET OUT OF THERE!"

My first thought when I saw Coco coming back around was, "hmm, i guess that worked." I considered thanking them...

As she ran home i noticed that she looked unusually "muddy."

Yep! She's wearing some of their freshly poured driveway!!!

Yikes! Never mind "thanking them" now... i guess we'll have to go apologize?? Sigh!

I'm really looking forward to Coco's grooming on Tuesday! Til then, she'll just look a bit goofy since we've given her a "partial" grooming (including a bath, of course ~ just what i stayed home for today ~ NOT!)

Hey, i guess we can count down the hours now ~ lol

We're on our last day of watching Robbie full-time (well, full-time Monday-Thursday). And referring to it as "full-time" because to be sure, we'll be asked to babysit him from time to time. The last two weeks have been somewhat easier just knowing we were almost done... and now that we're on the last day, i guess we can count down hours. I don't mean for it to sound bad... Robbie has been fun too... but it has been a lot of work, and a major distraction from things we need to be doing too (Brenden's program, homeschooling, yard work, housework, etc. etc.).

The other family ~ i asked a while ago to be done at the end of June (that was the original plan anyway as she anticipated being done work by then ~ but it looks like she's more permanent now)... and i haven't heard if they've found someone else or not, but the oldest child was saying something about having a different sitter by the time her sister is in school. And she seemed to know that i'd asked to be done by end of June. So we'll see... I think i might miss that job. But, i have to admit i'm looking forward to a little break anyway. And then, lol, i've already been thinking that i can make myself available to foster families who need sitters (respite and whatever). I almost wouldn't mind taking in a few foster children, but it's probably not ideal for us at this point, (plus i don't have my family's support yet), so this is something i can do to still help out a bit financially, while helping out the foster families who need breaks!

BUT, first of all we need to get us on track. I think we've decided that Darwin will do homeschool one more year, and then we'll probably let him decide next year if he wants to try school or not... so now i can go ahead and plan our next school year. That feels good... just to know where it's at.

Jonathan's work has been a bit frustrating ~ they've been told that they'll have to work manditory over-time every Saturday til Christmas! Yikes! If he wanted to work weekends he could've stayed at the farm (ok, there is still the pay difference, and he does get Sundays off). He should be getting benefits by now, but we haven't seen that yet... so still waiting for all that to come through. Along with confirmation that his probation is over and/or his position is considered permanent.

Anyway, i should run...

Ouch!

I guess my fall the other day hurt my knee more than i realized. The bruise on that knee doesn't look all that bad, but the pain if i kneel on it!!!! It doesn't hurt unless i kneel on it, so i keep forgetting it's hurt ~ until i accidentally kneel on it. And then it burns! It feels something like a very nasty rug-burn and/or a big wound being ripped open. And then it continues to burn for a while. Strange, because it doesn't "look" like it should hurt that much. I think i almost scared my little guy today when i got down on the floor to get his diaper on him after he went potty... i forgot about my knee until i was on it, and it hurt SO bad i yelped in pain as i quickly tried to get off that knee. I think i've probably bruised the actual bone... Jonathan wondered if i might have chipped it too, but i don't think so. However, if it continues to hurt like this for too long, i might get it checked. Not that there's likely anything they'll do for it...




Oh well... most of the time I AM remembering now to stay off that knee ~ lol.



We had an absolutely beautiful day for Reagan's soccer tournament on Saturday. The forecast that morning was for showers, but all day was perfect soccer weather ~ not too hot, not too cold (light jacket over a t-shirt was about perfect for me ~ shorts and t's for the players was fine), and almost no wind.



We came home taking a drive through the country along the way, and as we neared home, the clouds were beautifully dark blue and grey. I suggested the kids quickly pick up anything outside that they didn't want blown away, and we brought our stuff from the van inside... hadn't been in one minute and it was hailing. Nothing too big, but fascinating since we don't see hail too often. It was pretty cool watching it come down the eavestrough with the rain that followed. The rain did a lot to melt it quickly too. I got a few pictures, but we had to download what was on the camera before taking more, so by that time the hail was melting quite a bit.

Well, i better run check on my kiddos...

Lazy Friday??

Well, hardly "lazy" with Robbie & Andrew here ~ lol ~ but i'm still in pj's anyway! (My other family isn't here today, so i took the liberty to sleep in a bit, and "feel lazier" in pj's, etc.). Normally i don't have R&A on Fridays ~ my younger sister used to have them Fridays, but she only committed til the end of May. And since we had the benefit supper last night that we help out with, Trudy offered to take the day off so i wouldn't have her boys, but then we'd watch them today. Although i still had the other kids yesterday i agreed to the arrangement. I thought i might not mind the break after our crazy busy Wednesday anyway.

Had i known the other family wasn't going to be here today i would've probably would've rather had Robbie & Andrew yesterday instead of today... but i guess this is a good arrangement for Andrew who's been dreading coming because he & the other little girl don't get along too well. (Of course, yesterday would've meant just Robbie since Andrew had kindergarten... and it would've been a shorter day... but i guess it's nice to have a day with just these two too).

I took a tumble yesterday ~ upon arrival at the watermelon supper. Coming to the front door, there's a bit of a step (like 1-2"?) just before the door that i forgot about and didn't see, so my foot hooked on it and i went flying. I thought i had almost regained my footing just before i totally crashed/crumpled to the sidewalk. The door was open ~ i think i had caught it from one of the kids who was just ahead of me (might have been in a bit of a rush to catch the door?? and i'm guessing i probably grabbed it as i began flying), so once i was sitting i made a good door stop. I kind of wish i could see a replay in slow motion to see exactly what happened ~ it must have been an almost funny sight anyway. So now I have a few more bruises to add to my recent collection, and a sore muscle on my left arm (doesn't bother me unless i'm trying to use that muscle). I won't be kneeling on my right knee more than necessary for the next few days, and my right arm is sporting two new bruises ~ lol.

The other bruise ~ At Darwin's ball game last week (the game where he hit a homerun ~ woo hoo!), at one point the ball went foul and came over the fence right in my direction (i didn't remember who had batted that ball, but Darwin told me later he was sure it was him). So there were two of us in line... the other mom was sitting just to my right and one row down. She scooted over to the right, me to the left, and we were both "out of the way" but she reached out to try and catch the ball at the last mili-second; the ball deflected off her hand and into my elbow. I didn't think it really hurt much (i was wearing imitation leather jacket), but later my arm felt stiff, and then i saw the bruise.

Reagan has his soccer tournament tomorrow, so another full day there. I wish they didn't spread the games out so far apart (11, 2 & 5), but this is the way it goes. There's a LOT of teams, so i'm sure they were just trying to space them evenly. The boys were hoping to go fishing, but i guess they'll have to wait. They're getting a bit annoyed that Jonathan is still working an occasional shift at the farm on weekends ~ taking away from potential fishing days ~ lol. They've really taken to fishing! (Thanks to Grandma & Grandpa! lol). Milking is a fun out for Jonathan though, and he gets paid for it too, so i won't try to take that away from him. (at least not at this point).

Well, i better go see how everyone is doing...

Feeling a little blah today... wondering if the last trip to the chiropractor was too much for my body?? I usually see a different one, but with our busy schedule lately i've been going to whoever is available when i feel i need it... and the one i saw now has been good for me before, but the last two times it's been a bit too rough. I'll feel good for a day, and then my head/neck feels tight and i feel tired!

Yesterday was another busy babysitting day. Over lunch time we had 8 extras again (all 5 and under). I had a brainwave later on that day, or was it this morning?? I should ask the parents to bring bag lunches for the kids ~ lol. I think it would actually save me a bit of work.

Today I just have one family (2 kids now, and their sister comes after school) ~ my sister took the day off so i was less tied down because we're helping out with a fundraiser supper today ~ Watermelon and Rollkuchen. But then i have her boys tomorrow (which will be a longer day for us because Robbie doesn't have preschool on Fridays... ).

Next week is our last week to babysit Robbie & Andrew (although we've already been asked to have Robbie one day the following week ~ lol). I am looking forward to that break though... and i'm still hoping we have most of the summer off altogether (although i know we'll end up doing occasional days for whoever all, whenever all ~ ha ha).

Darwin is asking to go to school, and we're having a hard time deciding. I'm almost ready to let him go, but i do have some mixed feelings about it. And then we'd have to decide which school... more mixed feelings. I am praying about it... and i've asked Darwin to pray about it too.

Anyway, i better go...