Gutter Guys & Gals-- Vampires Behaving Badly: The Discussion

[bac]

Thank you for the birthday wishes!

Our family just had a nice vacation in CA and that was a nice gift for all of us. We went to the beach, Disneyland, had lunches and dinners with friends and family. It was great. GM has 2 grandmas that are still alive. One is 90 and one is 85. It was nice to visit with them and let my daughters get to know their great grandmas a bit. We took photos. I didn't know any of my great grandparents so I think this is sort of special for them.

I am looking forward to the Harry Potter movie and the next psy changeling book. On the plane someone was reading HON and we had a quick discussion. Her bookmark was Edward and Bella from the TW movie. Very funny. I really need to put those on my "to be read" list.

Happy Independence Day to those in the USA!

a few good men

[fanMNM]

I feel like I've missed so much! I swear I'll go back and read the pages I've missed but I just wanted to say hi really quick Vacation is awesome but three weeks being away from home really makes me feel like I'm out of it! Got to do some reading while I was gone though. That's always nice

Sorry I am late but I hope you....bac and GNE...had great birthdays!!!

[spookybell]

you actually have not missed that much! It's been a bit like a ghost town. Hope you have a great vacation!

[Openhome]

Hi guys! Sorry to miss all the birthdays! I just spent five marvelous days with our Scout Troop at Scout camp in Wisconsin. Lovely time! It was cool and rainy until yesterday, but I'll take that over the heat.
I went on the zip line and the high ropes course!! None of the boys would do it. We have a terrific troop, and I have such a fun time each time I get to go.
Guess what the best part is?
Hubby gets to stay home with four hormonal teen girls and COOK! It just makes me feel good inside knowing he is at home taking all the abuse while I am singing, hiking, making s'mores, and playing on the waterfront!

[fanMNM]

Openhome....glad you had such a great time!!


My vacation was full of its ups and downs, which I am sure can be said for many vacations which including two small children who have been off their routine schedules for 3 weeks! LOL We had a great time in the mountains but Maine was alittle disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful there! But it rained the whole week and it was freezing! (Coming from FL...it's hard to accept cold weather in June! LOL) But the kids did get to play on the beach a couple of mornings and walking around the quaint little towns was great! Orlando was awesome as always, but it offers such a wide variety of things to entertain kids so it's a life saver for moms and dads everywhere! We played mini-golf and went to Sea World. We went out on the boat and I even got in some reading time!

Glad to be home now...although my mother was kind enough to book us for a week on the beach here in FL to make up for the kids missing so much of the beach in Maine. I'm grateful but sooo tired! Then I get to come back and have 2 weeks before Teacher Work Week starts at my school. Ahhh! And somewhere in there, I need to get my daughter, who has no interest in the potty whatsoever, potty trained so she can start her Beginners class in August!

Pray for me! LOL

[twilightmom]

FAN: I hear your pain. We've been on "vacation" for almost 2 weeks now. We drove across several states and got to visit my family. Which included a surprise visit from my cousin that lives in Australia. Only my folks knew she was coming. But having the late nights and crazy schedules, my kids are crazy. Hopefully things will calm down next week once all the family but mine and my folks are here. I am going to my 20th HS reunion this weekend - no kids for 2 days! (Well, I'll be staying with my friend who has 4 kids, but they aren't mine!!)

FAN - I've also been hearing about the horrid weather back home. My husband is back there, as are my inlaws, and I hear daily about the horrible rain and cold weather. SO glad I'm not there!!

Okay, time to go enjoy the sun and *try* to read!

[una]

Vacation? Hmmm, vacation? What is that, I think I have heard of it! I would love a vacation but I think I might get one in September for a week.

We have been spoiled lately here in central Cali! We've been in the mid 90's. We are going to hit the low 100s this coming week but then we go back down to the mid to high 90's. I can't complain. Normally we'd be in the mid to high 100s or worse, the low 110s!! So, I'm grateful we are hot but not that hot.

[Openhome]

It rained a lot on the Scout Camp, but at least it was cool and the biting flies were in hiding.
Our weather here has been unusually cool this summer. We have only used the AC for 8 days, and this week the high will be 81 degrees on the hottest day. For us, it is the perfect summer, for the corn and tomatoes, not so much!
The Scout camp was my vacation this summer, and since I was surrounded by 450 stinky boys, it wasn't so much of a vacation, but I still loved it!

[nissanmama]

*pokes head into room*

Um...Hi Gutterites? Am I still welcome? By way of introduction for those who don't know me here, I'm of the first generation of Gutterites and have lived through most of the Lex's hacks and reincarnations. I'm nearly the oldest one around here - which I complain about - a lot! I live in Ohio. My oldest, Football Stud (FS) just graduated from high school and leaves for Centre College next month where he will be playing running back and majoring in pre-med. My daughter who is most days a mystery to me (Mystery Girl = MG) is fifteen, a sophomore in high school, and driving me completely insane with a boyfriend even though she's not officially allowed to date until she's sixteen. She hates me. I have it in writing...on multiple page letters. My Little Guy (LG) is ten and has some serious medical issues which we manage really pretty well. He'll be in fifth grade in the fall and yesterday we had "the talk." I'm surrounded by would-be adults. *shakes head*

Unseasonably comfortable weather here in Ohio. Not a word of complaint from me, but LG would rather be sitting by the pool. Today is my last full day with him before the teens come back from their trips this week. We'll probably work on his room today. I have to do laundry.

Twimom~ Enjoy your reunion!

bac~ Have you finished Mercy's book? I just finally picked it up last night. So looking forward to Harry Potter! I just started reading the books with LG. He said, "Mom...(insert eyeroll here) I've already seen all the movies so far." "Yes, honey, but the books are different. There's a lot more in the books. You'll really like them and we can do it together." I need one of my kids to like me!

[bac]

Openhome, boy scout camp surrounded by stinky boys does not count as vacation. I am glad it was fun, but please find some time for yourself to escape (even for an evening with hubby). A one night or one day vacation can do wonders.

Nissanmama, yes I finished Mercy's book. Yummy Riley. We are going to start discussing the book on July 21 (or after) on the psy/changeling thread to allow people time to read it. *bac waits patiently for everyone to read*
I am glad you have had time with LG. He probably doesn't get that one on one time a lot to do shopping or work on his room or HAVE THE TALK (heehee).

I started rereading Twilight yesterday. I haven't reread in over a year. So I am going to read the whole series from beginning to end. I am going to take it slow and not devour the books like I did the first time (I couldn't read them fast enough). I am hoping to find new insights and just enjoy them.

My 11 year old EM is driving me slightly insane. She is walking around with her ipod listening to the same 5 songs over and over again. Not a big deal except that she is singing along with it and with a stuffed up nose. And, over the last few days I have had to ask her 5 times to do things because she doesn't hear me until I yell with those ear buds in. My 8 year old JM is going to her first sleep over at a friends tonight. We have a rule that you don't do that until you are 10. I was on the phone with the mom and agreed to it before I knew what I was doing. I think I was just so excited that JM had a friend that wanted her to come over. She has had a tough time here with making friends that call and invite over. The parents don't know us and at 7-8 years old, the kids don't have that much say on who comes over to play. So tonight I send my baby off and see her tomorrow. The big guy, GM is busily healing people at the hospital as an anesthesiologist (gas man). He is working pediatrics right now and successfully intebated (sp?) a 3 year old yesterday. That may not sound like that big of a deal, but I am proud of him. Working with little kids is so different than adults and he is still in training. I am trying to get my life in order. I feel out of control. I am starting to wake up earlier and do some things in the morning for myself. Earlier is 7 am. I was letting myself sleep in until 8-9. I would like to get myself to waking up at 6 am by the time school starts. Of course that is in a month.

here is a morning pick me up