Summertime Summertime

Nothing is better than hanging out with your cousins in the summer.

Well.  Nothing except eating watermelons.

Yeah.  That too. 

And playing with the doggies.

Yeah.  That too.

All those things done together is the best!

I suppose playing games on your cellphone inside is equally fun to a teenager.

:)

Ensuring The Love

Mary Mayken:  Sheldon's going to love me forever.

Me:  Oh. How do you know that?

Mary Mayken:  Because I bought her a birthday present and she's going to love it!

Me:  Well.  That's one way to ensure someone loves you.

LOL!

Getting the What Not

This could have been me or Susan about 25 years ago.

Getting the whatnot from Nanny.

Sorry girl.  I do feel your pain but better you than me. 

LOL!

Because I Said So!

Owen and his pain in the ass sidekick Sheldon are on a campaign to get a dog.

Because their RELENTLESS campaign to get stupid guinea pigs worked. 

Written report complete with a bribe.  They also had a poster board.  :D

My car was decorated with their thoughts.
 



Written report.  Complete with smiley faces.  :/

 

Owen *was* really excited to get his piggies.  He sent Sheldon a note at camp.

 

 

 

 

 

Just so you know, he named his piggies Peace and Harmony.

At the vet to check them out after we got them.  Who the hell takes guinea pigs to the vet?  Oh yeah.  I do.  Because my friend's daughter works at the pet store who sold them to us and she insisted that they had to be checked out.  As soon as the boys heard that, they were relentless (seems like a theme) that we take them.  The vet bill was more expensive than the piggies.  Meh.

 

 So now, those little stinkers are on a crusade to get a dog.  Owen has an instagram account where I saw that Sheldon had put a comment on a picture of his stupid piggies and asked whether she had started the report for a dog yet.

Ugh.  I knew *exactly* what that meant for me when I read it.

Then I came across his report.  It's a work in progress but I thought that I'd put up at least one page that succinctly summarizes his arguments.

First of all, I can't stop focusing on his use of the word "there" instead of "they're".  I mean, it's cute and all but I can't stop twitching every time I read the next bullet point.

Okay.  I can admit that #10 is really cute.

But I can counter his bullet point #11 with my very own list.

It will be numbers 1-100 and every single one of them will be...because I said so.

And I mean it this time.

They should have gone with the dog when I gave them a choice between a dog, a cat or piggies.

I love dogs but not enough to put myself though taking care of a dog.  For the next 15 years.  Because I'm sure that they'll take care of the dog with no arguments just like they do the piggies.  Not.

Yeah.  No thanks!

Introducing Daisy Duke

Everyone needs a Daisy Duke.  She's such a happy, smiley doggy. 

 

 

She has her favorite toy.  As she should.  :)

 

 

And she has her BFF.  As she should.  :)

 

Oh.  She's naughty too.  As are most doggies.  You probably shouldn't let her kiss your face.  I'm just saying.  :)

 

But everyone needs a Daisy Duke.

Well.  Everyone but us.  I'm quite content to just come and visit the farm and see her.  Owen and Sheldon are on a mission to get Owen a dog.

That campaign may have worked with the guinea pigs but I'm NOT getting a dog. 

You can take that to the bank baby.

We will be happy to visit Daisy Duke and her friends Jack Bo, Maggie Moo and Scooty Pooty whenever the kids want.  :)

The Relentless Campaign

In the latest news of which pet isn't this mean mom going to get her kids, they (specifically Owen) are on a RELENTLESS "please get me a RAT for a pet" campaign.

And I lay the blame solely at the feet of my sister.

Because she had the child that sucked HER into getting rats for pets.  And now, as any good family member would do, they're trying to suck me into it.

I am holding out tho.

Cause I don't want no stinking rats for pets.  I don't care if they're guised with a cute little name like "guinea pigs".  They're freaking rats.

Owen came home from my sister's three weeks ago with a report on guinea pigs.

It was actually very well done with lots of good information.  Hard to say no, but I was able to somehow muster up the words to say it.  ;)  He did a presentation and had an answer for EVERY question I could throw at him.  I can't wait until he's a teenager.  Not.

Not only did he have a report but he had also used ALL of my sister's ink from her printer printing out pictures of the rat's (ie - Guinea Pig's) needs.  These are only a few of the pictures.  I couldn't fit them all onto the scanner.

It's not bad enough that Owen is STILL bugging the crap out of me to get him a rat (every other sentence from him is about the rats...not sure where he got that laser focus from...), he's got others helping his cause.  Namely his cousin.

Sheldon, his little co-conspirator, sent me a letter from camp.

But she disguised her mission with a cute little cloud around her signature.   I also can't be bought with presents.  I'm onto what's going on girl!!!!

She also sent Owen a letter keeping him pumped up and primed for the battle.

Oh yeah.  I know what's going on.  I get the whole entire picture sister!

And that's okay.  If I have to get them a stupid rat, Sheldon and Mary Mayken are coming back from my house next time loaded down with toys.

And my sister won't even know what hit her because her husband will be the one to pick them up and he'll be distracted by the kids and won't even notice when I put the garbage BAGS into his truck.

So, ha.  Take that.  That'll show her and her daughter, who started all of this pet rat non-sense.  :p

Cruisin the Grocery Store in Style

I usually go to the grocery store when the kids are in school because it's easier, cheaper and quicker for me to do so.  And as I zip through the aisles I secretly giggling at the moms struggling to push their kids in the stupid carts that have the cars attached to them.

I never let my kids ride in those car carts. Because I'm mean. And because I just can't push them. Well. I can but it usually ends up with me pushing them into something or someone.

I had to take Owen, Sheldon and Mary Mayken with me to the store the other day.  There was no avoiding it.  And, well, you can see where this is going. I just say couldn't say no to Mary Mayken's "please Aunt Kem" plea to ride in the car.

And then Owen got SO excited and was like "Yeeeessss! (with a fist pump and all) We get to ride in the car cart. " :rolleyes:

And then he proceeded to cram his 8 year old body into the car.

The view from behind.  Just in case you've never been privvy to steering one of these bad boys.  Or trying to as is the case with me.

Laying on the horn in traffic.  Oy vey.  They will both be aggressive drivers if the grocery store driving is any indication of how they will act behind the wheel.  

No trip to the grocery store is complete without cruising through the deli drive through for a slice of cheese.  :p  Owen's already a one handed driver. And someone forgot to tell Mary Mayken to put Annabelle in a car seat.  That's not very safe.  :p

Oh well.  At least they had fun.  :)

And secretly, I am happy that Owen still wants to ride in things like this.  Even if he really doesn't fit.  ;)

Don't Wish It Away...Summer Fun!

Remember the summer when everyone was complaining about how hot it was and wishing for the snow and cold?  I do!  And to all you people who wished for it...I hope that you're happy!

So, here's some pictures and a video from summer fun at the pool.  Oh man.  That seems like a snow storm, two school cancellations and a school delay ago!

Oh, wait...it was.  :/

Kids doing what they do best...just being kids.

Nothing better than the froggy slide!

Owen!

 

The big kids.

Weeee!

But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end eventually.  

Time to go.

I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!!!

 

YEAH!  I'M TALKING TO YOU TOO, OWEN!

Bazooka, Zooka Bubblegum!

Camp songs are the best.  They're fun to learn.  They're fun to sing.  And you never forget them.  I use to work at a Y camp and I can still sing those songs today. 

Sheldon loves to sing and she learned a lot of fun songs at camp this summer, which she taught the boys this week.  Or, attempted to teach.  At least they learned the best part - the hand motions.  :p

I give you Bazooka Zooka Bubblegum!



But, wait...that's not all!

I give you preparations for I'm A Little Nut...



And...now...I'm A Little Nut!



So sorry for the ear worm.  You will be probably be singing these songs, and doing the hand motions too (don't kid yourself!) for the next couple of days.  Enjoy!

The Birthday Cakes! Yes...Cakes!

This woman:

Made these cakes. Yes, THESE cakes:

For these kids:

To

their birthdays.

Shane turned 11.  Sheldon turned 9.

Shane's favorite: red velvet cake!

Two pictures of it since it was so good!  (The other cakes were vanilla and chocolate and they were just as yummy!)

Shane's eyes got big as saucers when he saw the cakes.  He was so impressed.  Seriously.  Because he's use to cakes that look like this:

So sorry, Daddy. It's the thought that counts, right?  ;)

Mary has a soft spot for kids.  And a talent to go with it.  Which I *obviously* do not possess.  (Like that   even needs to be stated!)  Thanks to my aunt Mary for the hard work that I know that she put into making the kids birthdays so special!  :)