A Waste of Time

Me:  Shane, take a shower.

Shane:  Grumble, grumble, grumble, Da*eler look, Da*eler look, Da*eler look.

Me:  Did you take a shower?

Shane:  YES.  STOP ASKING ME THAT!

Owen:  Shane didn't take a shower, Mom.

Me:  Yes he did.  He told me he did. 

/goes and checks the shower.  It's dryer than the Sahara Desert.

Me:  Shane, did you take a shower?

Shane:  YEEEESSSSS!  OWEN IS LYYYYIIINNNGGGG!!!!

Me:  Shane, your hair is bone dry and so is the shower.

Shane:  MEH

Me:  Why did you lie?  Just take a shower already.

Shane:  Eh.  It's a waste of time.

Me:  MEH

Things That Make You Go Hummmm...

There is always controversy where ever you live.

Although you can find a thread of controversy that is common to most communities, there is usually something that is unique and special about a certain region or area that is irrelevant to other areas of the country, US or world.

And I guess that if you've never lived in the area, it's probably something that you never would have thought about as an issue that would need to be dealt with.

But in that area of the country, it *is* a big deal.

Such was the case when we were out west.  People in that area are trying to figure out how to co-exist with the native wolf population.

Wolves are encroaching on human's living areas and it's causing issues with the people who live there.  If you can't read the second one, the mom is concerned about her toddler being attacked by wolves.

And that is truly a legitimate concern when trying to resolve an emotionally charged issue such as animal rights vs. human rights.

Or is it that humans are encroaching on areas where wolves have always lived and they're just trying to survive?  

Or maybe, it's just an economic issue as one person nicely suggested.

Sometimes people aren't willing to address the issue.  If you ignore it, it will solve itself.  Or maybe they're just young and naive.  Like the 12 year old boy below.  :)

Some people are philosophical but don't really offer their opinion on a solution.  That's an easy out.

 

I guess it boils down to the fact that sometimes although there is acknowledgment that there is in fact a problem, there just are no easy answers.

One of the reasons that I like to travel is to learn about new cultures and this is definitely an issue that I never would have thought twice about.  (I worry more about minor issues like terrorist attacks.  lol)  But it's obviously a huge issue in that part of the country.

But I do find it interesting that of the majority of comments that I read (and there were hundreds posted on the bulletin board), that most were emotionally charged responses where the author had a definite opinion and didn't seem to be willing to budge on it.

And that's why there's controversy and wars everywhere.   Because even if an issue starts out small, people can't work together to come up with an amicable solution that is beneficial to all parties involved without becoming judgmental and accusatory in an effort to "win their argument."

The exhibit definitely did what it intended to do.  It made me pause and think.  About a lot of things.

And it wasn't just the issue of what to do with the wolf population surrounding that area.

You know.  Things that make you go "hum."

Shot of the Day

Wish I had this view every day.  :)

Location: Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming

Every. Single. Day.

The boy is obsessed with football.  OBSESSED.

Apparently Owen has been wearing a football jersey to school every single day since school started.  And I know this not because I'm an observant mom who cares what her boys wear to school.  (Because I know that they're not going to wear something inappropriate.  Probably dirty and definitely wrinkly.  But nothing that would send my blood pressure soaring.)

Nope.  I know this because one of the teachers at the back to school night last night told me that she thought Owen was so funny because all of the kids kept telling her that he's wore a football jersey to school every single day this year.

In my defense, I *did* notice that he had a lot of dirty jerseys when I did the laundry.   :p

He has a flag football game this weekend and all of his teammates are wearing regular orange shirts today to show support for the team.  Except for Owen.  Because it's not an actual jersey.  :rolleyes:

Like I said, the boy is obsessed.

Clean It Up and Clear It Out!

Now that the boys have gone back to school, I am in the clean it up and clear it out mode.

I've cleaned out our bathroom closet, the linen closet, both boys closets and dresser drawers and Ken and my closet and dresser drawers, the food pantry and the food cabinet in the kitchen so far.

And the house doesn't look like I've done anything in it.  Ugh.

But  I'm determined to get rid of this clutter.  The back room is next.

Ugh.

Oh well.  I made the mess.  I guess I get to clean it up.  Meh.

One in a Million

This little flower just refuses to die.

Don't let them drag you down little flower!  :p

The Waiting Game

I was commiserating with my friend the other day about our children and their unique talent for leaving their crap laying all over the place, blissfully clueless that it's driving us absolutely nuts because it will lay there for DAYS as they walk by it, step over it and basically ignore it like it doesn't even exist.

And it lays there until we pick it up.

The conversation started out because my friend said that "someone" left a bag of chips (empty of course) laying around her house.  She said that she was just waiting to see how long it was before someone in her awesome family owned up to it and cleaned it up.

I suspect she's still waiting.

For them to pick it up and for hell to freeze over.  ;)

Now, I'm no novice at this game.  I've played it before.  Many times. 

But my latest battle involves Shane and his backpack.  FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR.

It's been sitting in the living room since June 17th, 2011 when he got out of school.  Right where he left it.

That's right.  Almost three full months I've been in a non-verbal battle with him to see if he'll clean it out.

But nope.  Nothing.  And I know that he has to see it because he has to walk past it every single time he goes up and down the steps.  And that's at least twice a day.  For three months.

I had begun to think that he just forgot about it.

I came home the other day (right after my conversation with my friend about her children's inability to pick up their stuff) and he had gone through it for something. 

AND LEFT EVERYTHING LAYING ON THE FLOOR RIGHT BESIDE THE DAMN BACKPACK.

So.  He just confirmed for me that he knew the backpack was there.  He was just doing a stellar job of ignoring it. 

:mad:

Seizing my opportunity, I told him that he needed to clean it out.  He said he would.  I asked him this morning if he cleaned it out before he went to school.

He said yes.

He didn't.  Surprise.

My children drive me nuts.

I guess he figures that the maid will pick it up.

So I scooped the papers back up, shoved them back into the backpack and then proceeded to stew and huff about it for the next 30 minutes.

Ugh.  So I wonder if my friend ended up picking up the chip bag or not.  I'm betting so.

Cause she's not as stubborn as me. 

Apparently I like fighting battles with people that don't even know, or care, that I'm fighting them.

I haven't decided how I'm going to handle this one.  Do I leave it there and just see how much longer it goes before he decides to actually clean it out and put his school things from last year away or do I make him clean it up?

What's the over/under on how long it will sit there until I make him clean it up?

Kids.  Ugh.

This blog post is dedicated to my friend and all of the other moms and dads out there who are fighting this same "awesome" battle.

Just Because

I love Owen.

He's just so... well, him.

He insisted on climbing down this hill in Yellowstone.  He would NOT be talked out of it.

Just because he wanted to do this:

I totally love him.  :heart:

Picture of the Day

So many good ones from our trip out west.  But I love this one.  The composition is spot on.  :)

No! Don't Eat Them!

No!  Don't eat them!

Please!

Tee hee.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming.

The Buffalo Bill Museum

When we were in Cody, Wyoming, we visited the Buffalo Bill Historic Center.

And can I just say that it  is one of the most well put together, informative and interesting museums that I've been to.  And I live outside of DC so we go to a lot of museums.

The crux of the museum is to educate, inform and get visitors interested in the history of not only Buffalo Bill but also the area and historically how the west was settled essentially.

It's all about fun!

And learning about how the pioneers and Native Americans lived and got around.

Thank God Darrel likes the rifles and weapons.  Shane was impressed with this area of the museum the most.  Boys.  Sheesh.  But...it was mutually beneficial for Shane and Darrel as they kept each other entertained!

The boys couldn't resist taking a shot (see what I did there?) at target practice with the rifles.

While they went through the (yawn) firearm section, I wandered off into the Western art section.  Wow is all I can say!  There was some truly amazing paintings and sculptures in there.

But not all art was done in a serious manner.  I love this!  I don't know if you can see it, but there's a Coors can at the feet of the cowboy, near his dog.

Shane in particular enjoyed the science focus of the museum.  They did a great job educating people on Yellowstone and the surrounding area and how it came to be.

He can not pass up a sciencey-thingey that allows him to look through it.  (How sad that I can't even remember what the name of this instrument is.)

And, of course the focus was definitely on the animals of the region.

All in all, this was an excellent museum and I'd highly recommend it.

A world class museum in Cody, Wyoming.  Who would have thunk it?

For the Record, It Didn't Help

The kids are back in school!  Yes!!!

So Shane came down today wearing his cowboy hat.

I told him that he wasn't allowed to wear it to school.

He responded that he knew but he needed to wear it until he left for the bus.

I asked why.

He said that his hair was sticking up all over the place and it would help flatten it.

tee hee

For the record, it didn't help.

And he didn't go back upstairs, wet it and comb it down like I suggested.

Boys.  Sheesh.