katiefleck's Flickr photos
So far I've uploaded about half the pictures taken at Camp Jeep and all the fishing ones from the weekend.
And down the slippery slope I slide...
How is it the last day of July already?
I'm in that weird post-vacation blah period and not quite ready for the back to school rush. I know, I know, it was all I could talk about a month ago but now that it's almost August the thought of shopping makes me ill. To make matters worse, all the after school activities and sports emails have begun. I'm so not ready to even start thinking about leading another year of Girl Scout Brownies. OH! Did I forget to mention that Greg signed himself *cough* us *cough* up as Zach's Cub Scout den leaders this year? Oy...
Eek, speaking of Zach, his 10th birthday is less than 10 days away and I think I said something about him inviting a few friends to sleep over. And there is that small matter of his birthday gift, he wants a Nintendo DS Lite and I don't want to spend $100+. *sigh*
Time to write out some killer To Do lists.
(Oh yeah, pictures... I think I'm going to cave and start a Flickr account. Please tell me this is the right thing to do and I won't lose precious hours sucked into the void?)
I'm in that weird post-vacation blah period and not quite ready for the back to school rush. I know, I know, it was all I could talk about a month ago but now that it's almost August the thought of shopping makes me ill. To make matters worse, all the after school activities and sports emails have begun. I'm so not ready to even start thinking about leading another year of Girl Scout Brownies. OH! Did I forget to mention that Greg signed himself *cough* us *cough* up as Zach's Cub Scout den leaders this year? Oy...
Eek, speaking of Zach, his 10th birthday is less than 10 days away and I think I said something about him inviting a few friends to sleep over. And there is that small matter of his birthday gift, he wants a Nintendo DS Lite and I don't want to spend $100+. *sigh*
Time to write out some killer To Do lists.
(Oh yeah, pictures... I think I'm going to cave and start a Flickr account. Please tell me this is the right thing to do and I won't lose precious hours sucked into the void?)
Camp Jeep 2007
Camp Jeep is basically a big huge get together for Jeep owners of all types. It's mostly Wranglers but I saw some Liberties, a few Cherokees, and like one Grand Cherokee (so I kept trying to imagine my mother-in-law there with hers and no offense at all cause she's a wonderful lady but this was so not for her and it was an amusing thought). There were contests, stuff to buy, things to do, concerts/shows (Tim McGraw, The B52's, Tony Hawk & Shaun White), and trail rides.
Ah, the trail rides...
Okay so this is how they work. They were named A through Q, A being the toughest and you had to have a seriously modded out Jeep and risk the chance of roll-overs and serious breakage and Q was like a bumpy ride through the woods. Guess which I was on? Duh, Q!
First I should say a few words about the Jeep. It's Greg's Jeep (a stock, no upgrades, 2003 Saraha Wrangler), not our Jeep. I was rather surprised when he said I could do the Saturday trail ride, I figured I was just along to keep track of the kids and cook dinner. The Jeep is also his commute vehicle to work every day so as I drove off Saturday afternoon with the girls, he said "Don't break the Jeep." And since I never do anything I'm told (ha!), I broke the Jeep.
What a sway bar connector is suppose to look like:
What I did:
See how the connector is no longer connected? Oops.
All the trail guides said it's a really common break on stock Jeeps and it wasn't my fault (I was going over a bumpy dry creek bed and the Jeep was flexing like it was suppose to and the piece just "popped" out) and it was just dumb luck it broke on my trail ride and it could have easily happened to Greg the day before on the same trail. And in the end, it's all Greg's fault cause he should have installed "quick disconnect" connectors before off roading. So there. (hehehe)
The Jeep is still drivable, the sway bar is an additional balancing thing (okay it's way more technical than that but I'll spare you mostly because it didn't make much sense to me). And the "quick disconnects" upgrades? Are meant to be disconnected (or popped out like what I accidentally did to the factory one). So while it's drivable, it can be a bit "squirrely" (their term) on tight curves. Honestly I didn't notice a difference at all as I drove back from the trail ride.
I say I was just helping Greg get to a few of his upgrades a little quicker. Besides how cool is it to say I broke the Jeep on a Camp Jeep trail ride? We'll just leave out the part about the wussy trail and the common break. hehe
More pictures and the full story of the rest of Camp Jeep in a bit, I'll put it under the Pictures section soon!
I broke Greg's Jeep on a trail ride!
Pictures and story later after I tackle the insane task of getting red Virginia dirt out of everything.
Greg, you are not allowed to read this post.
Stupid procrastination.
We're leaving tomorrow at noon. Let's go down the check list...
Grocery shopping, not done
Target for random camping supplies, nope
CVS for various health care products, double no
Laundry for packing, um...
Packing, HA!
Instead I have been fighting with the children all morning concerning why they are not allowed to go to the neighbor's pool. The same neighbor who doesn't know where her kid is 90% of the time. I don't have the time nor want to sit at the neighbor's pool to insure the safety of my insane bullet-proof "I won't drown but I can't swim in 4 feet of water!" children. We have a pool membership with lifeguards so I don't have to go to the neighbor's pool. Basically I don't want to go to the neighbor's pool ever. But the kid keeps inviting my kids and no matter how many times I say "no", no one listens to me. (I'm annoyingly hermit-like regarding neighbors, I really need about a 10 acre buffer between houses.) Hand over the Mean Evil Mommy award, would ya?
Needless to say, it's not been a cheery morning around here. And now somehow I need to drag everyone around on errands without the free world exploding. I'm kicking myself for not shopping last night. But who knew that today all 5 of my children would revert to 2 year old temper tantrum status. And there may be the small matter of it being "that time of the month." Who me? PMS? Just hand over the chocolate, back away, don't argue with me, and no one will get hurt. grrrrr....
Today is going to be a rough day.
We've been waiting months for this week!
Finally the big event has arrived! We're registered and now it's time to decide which clothes to bring and what to do while we're there. The new people to meet, the activities and planned speakers, the yummy food and drinks. The 4x4 tires and tops down and rock crawls and...
Oh, you thought I was talking about BlogHer? Nope, this weekend I'll be at Camp Jeep with Greg and the kids.
(BlogHer 2007 is in Chicago! Chicago! Like my favorite-est town ever! And instead I'm going to be in Virginia camping in the July heat and humidity with 5 kids and a bunch of crazy Jeep owners. Not that Greg is crazy... But BlogHer! Chicago! Chris! Mir! Y! Carmen! Mindy!)
*sigh*
I guess I should go pack. And leave the cute pointy heels and wedge sandals in the closet.
Harry Potter!!!!
(I promise this is the last HP post for a very long time.)
So as we last left it, I was going to CVS for a second copy (although technically having it before the Amazon one makes it the first). At 11:45pm, I walked into the 24 hour drugstore and saw 5 people hanging out by the registers. A line! But four of the five were couples so I was number 4 in line. A very good thing since there were only 7 copies in the whole store!
So... I've finished the book. At 6:20am in fact. I'm a fast reader, Greg thinks I'm cheating but I can so tell you what happens to Harry... But I won't. It's a really good book, some things I figured would happen, happened but Rowling weaves a fabulous story. If you really want to discuss the book, send me an email or call, don't ruin it for anyone in the comments. At least not until Monday or so. Cause surely even the slow readers who waited on Amazon delivery will be done by then. *winks*
Okay, now where are the drugs to make the kids quick running around like lunatics so I can take a nap?
(Kidding! Sort of...)
Also it's 10:30am and the Amazon book isn't here yet. I don't know what I was thinking, there's no way I could have waited this long.
OMG!!!!1! My mom has two copies of the 7th Harry Potter book right now! (She's a librarian in my old home town.) Too bad it's a 12 freaking hour drive... And she signed all these papers saying she wouldn't open the packaging or show them to anyone before midnight, guess I shouldn't try to get her in a bunch of legal trouble.
Amazon's earliest delivery date is now Monday which is too late for me because I'll be done with the book by then. So I'm going to check if my local CVS will have them tonight, it's the only 24 hour store I know of around here. And then Zach can have the Amazon copy when it arrives on Saturday. That should work...
I don't usually obsess this much but sheesh, how do they expect anyone to get any work done today? I feel like all the excited witches and wizards in the Leaky Cauldron in the first book. Harry Potter is back!
Two more days until Harry Potter!!!
I pre-ordered my copy off of Amazon months ago. It seemed like a good idea considering we only have one Barnes and Nobles and a local population of 2 million. (I exaggerate. A little.) I think waiting a few hours for my friendly UPS delivery guy to drop the book off at my door instead fighting a crowd the size of Delaware at midnight is worth it.
But now, now Zach has decided he likes the Harry Potter series. For years I've been telling this boy to read the books which I have all nicely lined up on their own little shelf on the book case. But no... He wanted to read all 13 Lemony Snicket books
. And both of the long ass Eragon and Eldest books. He even briefly started reading the Redwall series until I "accidentally" purchased book 4 in a different format (he likes the smaller sized paperbacks instead of the larger "reader" format with big margins and font). I keep telling him the story is the same but he just can't stand the different type of book binding. I blame his picky ways on his father. (Not that Greg really has picky ways, I just don't know who else to blame, hehe)And then someone at school said he should read the Harry Potter series. Peer pressure. *sigh* So he finally read all six books about a month ago. And now is a rabid Harry Potter fan like the rest of us. And is eagerly looking forward to Saturday and the 7th book.
Except I only ordered one book.* Cause back in February, Zach wouldn't read the HP series. So Saturday we will have one book and I will have to share. Only I don't wanna share. Or deal with the insane mob of people at a bookstore to buy a second copy for him. Too bad there aren't any Kroger stores around here.
Also for you knitters who like Harry Potter, check out this new book: Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter
I really want to knit myself a Wealsey sweater! And a Gryffindor House Scarf. And maybe some Dobby socks... I seriously need Hermione's Time Turner.
* I think I'm just going to order another book off Amazon. We'll donate it to the library afterwards? Cause otherwise it may be a battle to the death over the one copy and I really kinda like Zach and $18 is cheaper than a funeral and I don't look good in orange jumpsuits anyways...
Hosting Steph and her crew. She's doing such a much better job of blogging their vacation while they are here, go check it out.
Tonight we're going to catch a Washington Nationals game since the Baltimore Orioles are out of town. (Camden Yards is cooler than RFK Stadium, just saying.) The miracle part is I actually found two babysitters who are excited to watch the kids. I think they just know I pay really well and they need the money. I'm looking forward to a little adult time after two weeks of Girl Scout camp.
"Girl Scout Camp, Girl Scout Camp. Oh they say the leaders are something mighty fine but when they take their make up off, they look like Frankenstein. Oh I don't wanna go to Girl Scout Camp. Please Mom, I wanna go back where the toilets flow, please Mom I wanna go home. Girl Scout Camp, Girl Scout Camp."
Is 5 really that many kids? Maybe it is, I get looks when I'm out with all of them. The odd thing is that since Zach's at Boy Scout camp at the moment, no one has batted an eye at me with the other 4. 5 isn't that many more than 4... (One exactly, I know, thanks smart ass in the back.)
Anyway if you think 5 is a lot, then here's some more larger family news. My latest post is up at Larger Families. We're discussing birth order, do you think your kids fall into the stereotypes?
And then I may or may not have contributed to a book, titled Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World
. A while back Meagan Francis was doing research on larger families for a book she was writing. I answered a few of her questionnaires and the book is due out in late October. I still think we're on the small side of large (we're even short one for the book title!) but I'm looking forward to reading about other large families. And maybe seeing some of my ideas (and wisdom as she puts it, ha!) in print.Quote of the Day: "Home is where you can say anything you like cause nobody listens to you anyway." -Author Unknown
Girl Scout Camp.
The End.
(Until next year, of course.)
"A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut. Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut. A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut. Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut. McDonalds, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut."
(Seriously, I may need brain surgery to stop singing all these camp songs in my head. It's like all those crazy baby/toddler nursery songs/rhymes stepped up a notch and multiplied by two.)
One day more!
(Now I have the soundtrack from Les Mis stuck in my head, "One more day to revolution, we will nip it in the bud!")
I feel really bad because I haven't taken one single picture of my kids at camp. And I've had 9 days worth of opportunities. I think my scrapbooking license has been revoked at this point.
I'm really tired. Thursday is always my breaking point. I warned my co-leader and PA's (teenage assistants) that this was going to happen. So I tried to do the majority of the crap work earlier in the week and let them have it easier. Today and tomorrow are now their chances to step up to the plate and finish up the week.
So freaking tired...
Greg and Zach are at Boy Scout camp, hopefully having a good time. On Sunday my bestest friend since 1st grade and her family are coming to visit, yah! And sadly this is all my poor brain can write before I fall back to singing Girl Scout camp songs.
"My dog, Coffee, likes to play, one day Coffee lost her way. She came back, nice and clean, where oh where has Coffee been?" (You have to mispronounce, at least to my ears, been as "bean." I say been as "bin.")
Things are going well even if my poor co-leader at Girl Scout Camp is about to be driven to drink (it's her first year).
Two whines however:
How long have I known I needed to sew up lavender bandannas for tomorrow? About 5 weeks. Did I do them ahead of time? No... Must make 26 bandannas tonight. Anyone want to guess how long this is going to take me?
Second, why the hell am I gaining weight during camp? I was at 137 (I think I'm giving up on 130 by the way) before the 1st week of camp. I went up to 143 by the end of it. I can't figure out why, I cut out a Mountain Dew a day and am only eating a sub for lunch (ham, turkey, lettuce, tomato) with a banana and nutri-grain bar and then a sensible dinner. In fact I'm probably eating less than before camp. While exercising my butt off all day plus my weekly runs. This morning I hit 145. WHY? I thought "eating less, exercising more" was the way to lose weight, not gain it. My clothes fit the same although I do feel a little more flabby around the middle. This makes no sense.
"I'm bringing home a baby bubble bee, won't my mommy be so proud of me."
Ow, I'm sore.
I ran my 5K race on Sunday. I'll put up a longer post about it later. And then I have no idea what I was doing at camp yesterday that made my arms and back ache. Maybe that's leftover from the race too. Today's campfire day at Girl Scout camp which means lots of squatting around the fire and lifting heavy cast iron dutch ovens. Joy... As long at the thunderstorms stay away, we should be alright.
"Stay on the happy side, always on the happy side, stay on the happy side of life."
The second week of Girl Scout camp begins today.
I know it's going to be easier than the first week because now I know what the heck is going on but then again today's high is somewhere between 94 and 99 degrees F (34 and 37 degrees C). I'm not really complaining because I always say I'd rather have the heat than the cold. The problem is that the heat makes other people miserable and that can ruin my mood. Although standing over a campfire to make lunch in this weather isn't exactly what I'd call fun either.
And I'm not really looking forward to all the Girl Scout songs and chants turning my brain into mush again.
"I said a Boom Chicka Boom!"
The kids are all home, woohoo!
Let the insanity begin.
But first I need to detox the Big 3 from all the sugar they've ingested while at Grandma and Grandpa's.
Oh, oh, did you see the Staples ad for 1 cent school supplies starting tomorrow? *evil grins*
I think I want another tattoo. I've only been thinking about this for 8 years so this isn't really out of the blue. The questions are what and who to go with. Cause half the fun of being tattooed is doing it at the same time with a friend. (My first one? With Sherry's husband. Long story.)
It would probably make a good twenty-ten birthday gift to myself. Anyone going to be in the DC/Maryland area in September?
(To my parents, I apologize for being such a wild and crazy person who gets tattooed. Look, 5 cute grandchildren!)
Did you know that To Do lists work better when you actually do the stuff on them? I'm looking at two things crossed off Monday's list and one of them was drive the kids to Ohio. And Tuesday's list, yikes. How in the world is it already Thursday?
Our 4th was a bit of a wash (literally) in my opinion (although not Greg's but we have differing ideas on how to spend days off). First the fireworks were rained out by a bunch of thunderstorms that rolled in around 5pm. And I didn't plan ahead (as in I haven't been to the grocery store for more than milk, bread, and cereal in weeks) so we didn't have any "traditional" 4th of July foods to eat. But then again with the crazy weather and the fact that most of the food would have required outdoor grilling, I guess it all sort of worked out in the end. Besides we didn't have friends or family over (my requirements for a good 4th are the 3 F's: friends/family, food, and fireworks) so Chick-fil-A and Baskin Robbins ice cream made Greg and the Little 2 happy.
So today I'm looking at 3 days worth of To Do lists to complete and a stack of 20 items to sew (4 of which are sold). I think I may pull a late night sometime soon to restock my store before I lose yet another week at Girl Scout camp. I don't mean to sound grumpy, I just have a lot to do and unless someone can stop time for me for awhile, I'm not sure how I'm going to get everything done. Or more importantly how to get everything done and keep everyone happy at the same time.
Quote of the Day: "When I was a Boy Scout, we played a game when new Scouts joined the troop. We lined up chairs in a pattern, creating an obstacle course through which the new Scouts, blindfolded, were supposed to maneuver. The Scoutmaster gave them a few moments to study the pattern before our adventure began. But as soon as the victims were blindfolded, the rest of us quietly removed the chairs. I think life is like this game. Perhaps we spend our lives avoiding obstacles we have created for ourselves and in reality exist only in our minds. We're afraid to apply for that job, take violin lessons, learn a foreign language, call an old friend, write our Congressman - whatever it is that we would really like to do but don't because of personal obstacles. Don't avoid any chairs until you run smack into one. And if you do, at least you'll have a place to sit down." Pierce Vincent Eckhart
Okay this "two kids only" thing is very weird.
One, it's quiet. Which is kinda nice especially since I nearly lost my voice Monday yelling at the kids to quit fighting while driving to Ohio.
Two, I ordered 2 pizzas for dinner last night and we have leftovers. Usually I order 4 and the kids want more.
Three, we all fit in the Jeep!
Four, there's no bickering over the computers or TVs. It's great when the entertainment devices out number the children. (I wonder if there's money in the budget for 2 more TVs and computers.)
But I miss Zach Zach, Em, and Ally Belle. Kyle and Kelly do too, Kyle constantly wants to call Zach on the phone to tell him stuff and Kelly is a bit lost without her older sisters to follow around.
But it's still kinda cool we all fit in the Jeep.
Have a happy 4th of July!
I really wish sewing was more portable. Like if I was a writer for a living (got to add that part since I make no money on this drivel at the moment) and I had a laptop, I could write anywhere! And there is always that pencil and paper method too. If I sold knit-wear, I think I've already proven I can knit all over the place too. But sewing... I'm kinda stuck in the house.
So like yesterday when I really needed to sew some stuff for BKD and everyone had to go to the pool, we went to the pool and I lost a few hours of sewing time. And today while I drive 8 hours to Ohio, there's 8 more hours gone. (Not to mention the 8 hours back to Maryland tomorrow.) And the crazy thing is that people want to buy my sewn stuff and I feel really really bad putting them off for a few more days.
Seriously someone needs to expand the 24 hours a day thing or finally get a teleportation device up and running.
Ack, it's July!
Where is this year going?
On deck this month: a trip to Ohio to leave the Big 3 at my in-laws for a few days, another week of Girl Scout camp, Boy Scout camp, a visit from Steph and her crew, our wedding anniversary (which we won't make a big deal of but it's funny to watch Greg try to remember the actual date), and a camping trip.
Not too bad really. Although is it awful that I was drooling over the Back to School supplies at Staples yesterday?
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