I've been bitten...

I've been feeling a little less bloggy lately. I can tell you exactly why, too. Because I've been obsessed with the Twilight series. And by obsessed I mean can't put it down, ignore my children, read it at stoplights obsessed. There hasn't been anything this powerful since I discovered Philippa Gregory's Tudor period novels.

And I sort of knew this would happen, actually. which is why I've been avoiding them. I've read all sort of bloggers talking about how great they are and all that but I avoided them. Because I surely don't have time to get myself all sucked into another series of novels.

However, for some reason I caved. It was election day. I don't know what came over me but there I stood in the Super Walmart and the movie edition paperback seemed so harmless. I added it to my cart.

And now, exactly 10 days later I'm halfway through the third book in the series and I can't stop. When I finish one I get a panicky feeling inside until I can start the next one. What am I going to do when it's over?

So I'm sorry, I've been reading instead of blogging. I can't help myself. I'm sure you understand.

No Heads In The Refrigerator

Today Bug had his second appointment with his therapist and she gave us a lot of tips on how to reign in some of the frustration Bug has with his siblings and life in general. She also gave me some information on how to handle children with ADD and ADHD, which I have not had a chance to look over just yet.

I don't really know what's going on with Bug exactly. Today he shut his sister's head in the refrigerator. Yep, you read that right. No need to go back.

He has no explanation for this. She wasn't even really irritating him at the time. He just wanted to shut her head in the fridge.

So off he went to time out while I got to listen to Munchkin cry about her head. Her head that has been hurting for a couple of days while she's been battling some virus and had a fever. Her head that finally stopped hurting for a little while today until her brother shut it in the refrigerator.

And as much as I know that Bug is a good-natured kid who typically doesn't want to do anyone any harm, I wanted to wring his little neck for hurting her when she's so vulnerable. It's interesting how protective and defensive I can feel for my child, even when it's my other child I have to defend her against.

Bug really enjoys going to see the therapist, I think. He thinks she's very nice and they played Uno together. She lent him her Uno game and told him she trusted him to take care of it. I think it's great for him to have a sense of responsibility to take care of someone else's thing. He talked in length with her today about Cryptids, of which he has an obsession with. It was great to see his eyes light up and for him to repeat definitions to her as if he was reading straight out of a dictionary... even though all that information is stored right there in his head.

He's turning into who he's going to be. I hope we're guiding him correctly.

How do I love thee, electricity & hot showers?

So I'm back... and I survived... and I actually sort of kind of maybe had fun. I think I'd even do it again.

Shocking, I know.

It was with trepidation that I drove to Camp Welaka Saturday morning. I left my quiet house in the dewy morning, coffee in hand, Munchkin's pink canvas duffel bag slung across my shoulder, and my new 30 degree sleeping bag dangling from my arm.

I arrived at the camp around 8 AM, checked in, and walked my stuff straight into my assigned camp site. As I was walking to the site, one of the trainers stopped me on the way in. She was telling me which cabins I could choose from and then added that some of us would be sleeping in the unit house on mattresses on the ground and that the benefit to the unit house was that there were fans.

Guess where I chose to put my stuff.

After unloading all my stuff on the bench in the unit house, I ventured out to talk with one of the trainers and wait for the rest of the attendants to arrive.

When everyone arrived we all headed over to the main flagpole for an opening camp ceremony. Now, our council, the Palm Glades Council, has recently merged with the Broward County council. Recently, as in last month. So as with any merger, there are kinks that need to be ironed out. Evidently, the proper way to do a flag ceremony needs to be ironed out still. There were all kind of bickering between leaders from Broward and leaders from Palm Glades about such things as where did the horseshoe end and whether women were allowed to wear hats and if you were allowed to be carrying things in your hands. It was all very unprofessional and unsettling... not exactly a great way to open up camp.

But whatever... I was planning on making the best of this 28 hour session and hoped this bickering wouldn't continue throughout the weekend.

After the flag ceremony we headed back to the site where we settled in to learn knife safety, how to tie a few basic knots (square, clove hitch, and bowline), and how to select and make a good stick to roast food over the fire. Then it was time for lunch.

And here's my note on lunch. If you choose to roast a hot dog over an open flame, simply put your toasted weanie into a bun. Do not try to get fancy and wrap crescent roll around the dog in lieu of a bun. Crescent roll is a pain in the butt to cook over an open flame.

After lunch we took a 2 1/2 mile hiking tour of camp, including a walk on Welaka's cat walk. The cat walk (and forgive me, I did not get a picture) is a very narrow stretch of wooden boards that you can walk over the natural swamp land and through the thick mangrove trees. I do vaguely remember this from being a girl, but as an adult I'm more observant of nature and I was in awe of all of the little crabs walking along the trees right next to us and how dense the mangroves are in that area. It was spooky and beautiful and magical and I can't wait to take Munchkin to see it. :)

After our exhausting tour of camp was complete it was time to head back to our site and cook our foil packet dinner.

I was a little freaked by the amount of people who were in the fire circle at one time...

But dinner turned out great. We made sliced chicken with peppers and onions and potatoes and learned that putting a wet paper towel in between the pieces of foil would keep our chicken moist and a couple of ice cubes inside the packet would help steam the vegetables.

After dinner we, of course, had to have toasted marshmallows!

After our marshmallows we had a flag retiring ceremony at another fire circle and invited a couple of other sites along to watch. Before the flag retiring we sang typical girl scout songs and some groups performed a couple of skits and it was really just like traditional girl scout camp! So much fun. The flag retiring ceremony was very moving and sort of sad and beautiful. I'm so glad I got to see it, it really helps inspire respect for the flag and I hope to do it with our girl scouts one day.

Later, some of us opted to go on a night hike to the catwalk. I was a little apprehensive to go on the catwalk at night, but I wanted to experience as much as I could and the moon was very bright, so I went. We really didn't see too much, but it definitely got our adrenaline rushing to be out in the swamp at night! Definitely spookier than in the day!

When we got back to camp I was ready for bed. I headed into the unit house and found that there was NO mattress left for me! My stuff was still there, but there was no mattress. Super.

Luckily, there was one extra bed in one of the cabins with a couple of the wonderful women who had gone on the night hike. I could not thank them enough for their hospitality as they welcomed me into their cabin and I lugged all my stuff up the hill, in the dark, and to their little cabin.

As they went down to munch on cheese and crackers and then get ready for bed I set up my little bunk and changed into pajamas. Not easy to do by flashlight, let me tell you. When I stripped off my socks I was shocked. All my hiking had made my feet smell like something I had not smelled for 20 years. It was Camp Welaka foot, for sure. Horrified, I scrubbed them with baby wipes I was thankful I had remembered to bring and put on new, clean socks.

Once I was all clean and had ventured down to brush my teeth I slipped into my sleeping bag and settled in for a night of whacking mosquitoes and wondering what every noise I heard was.

In the morning I woke up early enough that my little group wasn't all awake yet. After changing I decided to take a short walk down to the lake where we had been for our flag retiring ceremony the night before.

I sat for about 10 minutes and reflecting on how peaceful and serene it all was, the birds flying around, the muffled sounds of people getting ready for the morning, and the stillness of the lake.

Finally I got up and walked over to take a picture of the fire circle from the night before.

I was sad to see this piece of one of the retired flags that someone had dropped and forgotten. Not knowing the protocol, I simply placed it in the center of the fire circle hoping that it would be retired properly during the next fire.

Soon it was time for breakfast. We had decided to cook cinnamon rolls in a box oven for breakfast. When it was first presented to me that you could actually make an oven out of a cardboard box and some aluminum foil I was intrigued. I guess I assumed that the foil protected the box from fire and that was how it didn't go up in flames. I was wrong.

Our box (which was unfortunately borrowed from another group since the group member that was responsible for creating our box - who also happened to be the only man in our group - didn't show up) went up in flames. We lit our coals, placed them inside the box, and waited for it to preheat. While waiting, we decided to quickly go into the unit house to get a drink.

By the time we grabbed a drink and went back to the fire circle, this is what we found.

We had to beg to get someone else to lend us their box oven so we could make our breakfast. Some running was involved. :)

And after much ribbing, and a little ruffling of feathers, and some comments about how you never leave a fire unattended and how we could have burned the whole forest down we finally got to eat our cinnamon rolls.

And they were really good, too.

(We were supposed to put the coals in after the flames had gone out and they had gone white... I know, seems like common sense now... duh.)

After breakfast and clean up and packing up and evaluating and saying our goodbyes, we all got to head out to the parking lot to drive back to civilization.

It's good to be home. :) All in all, I met some wonderful women and got some great ideas about things we can do with our troop. I have a completely renewed love for scouting (girl scouts, especially, of course) and really can't wait to take the girls camping. It was a great experience and it's going to be wonderful to watch these little girls grow into strong and confident young ladies.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Did I tell y'all I'm going camping this weekend? No?

I am.

By myself.

Well, by myself and with a bunch of other Brownie moms.

But without the kids and without The Man. And without anyone else I even really know. Because somehow I became camping mom for Munchkin's troop. Therefore I must complete Basic Troop Camp training and therefore will be spending all of Saturday and half of Sunday (and the night in between) camping at my old girl scout camp from back when I was a girl.

Ahhh... Camp Welaka, how I loved you so.

I loved you so much that I wrote letters home nearly every day of my hot, humid, sticky, dirty, buggy summers that read something like this:

Dear Mom,

Please come get me. I am dying here. I hate it. It is hot. I want to go home. I am covered with mosquito bites and may have malaria. I think one of my bunk mates is a lesbian and has been trying to sneak a peek at me in the shower.

They have been trying to feed us something called Girl Scout Stew and pretending it's great to eat, but I know it's really just everything from last nights leftovers shoved into a big pot. It is slop. If I have to hike up that hill to that lodge one more time I think I might keel over and die.

Please, mother, have a heart. Retrieve me from hell.

Love,
Me

The last summer I spent there I remember wanting to go home so badly that when I spotted my sister there to pick me up on the last day I burst into tears at the very sight of her. It was as if she was retrieving me from the site of a battle I had just barely survived.

And now?

I'm camping mom.

I'm going back to that place of my own accord. Willingly. I think I can hear the bugs mocking me already.

Stay tuned for a report on Monday. If I survive.

That which doesn't kill us...

The past couple of days have been a mix of happiness and sadness and confusion and anger and elation. I'm thrilled that our new President Elect is Mr. Barack Obama. I'm deeply saddened that America was not quite so open-minded about Amendment 2 and Proposition 8. I'm confused that people I love so much and hold so close to my heart can shut their minds so firmly and I'm angry that some people who I have grown to care about will have rights taken from them due to this vote. I'm elated that our country, as flawed as it is, has made such a bold step in the right direction of equality.

Sometimes I think the universe, God, karma, whatever you'd like to call it has a way of laughing at us. We can feel so strongly about something and all of a sudden we're thrust into a position of having to deal with it. Every corner we turn around shows us that we can have no plan... there is no way to predict what will be thrown at us.

I seem to stand alone in the face of the people I love. I am different, I have always been different. How I emerged from their strong opinions and ideas to become the person I am today is mind-boggling to me. I never wanted to be the one to make waves. However, I can't help but know what I know and feel what I feel and believe what I believe. To deny all of those things would be lying to myself.

I am praying... yes, praying... to whom or what I don't even know... but I am praying for peace today. I am praying for love and acceptance, for openness and honesty, for all of us to put aside our differences and do what is right and good.

In the great words of Bob the Builder... Yes We Can!

There isn't too much I want to say about the election this year... not too much, but I can't help but say a few things.

I couldn't stop my tears as I watched the election coverage. November 4, 2008 is a day that has changed our country, our world, forever. We have made a giant leap in such an exciting direction. I can truly turn to my children now and tell them with no doubt that anything is possible.

I can tell them now that anyone can become everything they have ever hoped to become in this country of ours. I can tell them how lucky they are to be here, to be born here, to live here, to have the rights of an American citizen. Because here, not only can they be whatever they want to be, they can feel whatever they want to feel and say whatever they want to say. They can express themselves and change their world. There is limitless opportunity.

And I can point to November 4, 2008 on the calendar and show them that this was the day that proved that all things are possible.

As The Man and I sat together and watched history happen on our big screen TV, I imagined doors opening for people of all types, all races, all sexes, all belief systems. I felt hope well up inside of me for a future for my children that is free from all the bigotry and hatred of the past. We changed the world November 4, 2008 and it was for the better.

All They Want For Christmas

I don't know about you, but I've stepped on one too many Legos in my life. Among Legos, I've also had the privilege of stepping on Barbie shoes, Lincoln Logs, Magnetix, and many other assorted toy parts.

Every Christmas there is a new onslaught of toys with tiny little parts that are brought into our house for me to injure myself on or otherwise become frustrated about when those tiny little parts are found in places like the drain of the sink, in between the cushions of chairs, the dryer, or teensy little crevices of the minivan that I will in no way ever be able to retrieve them from.

So this year when I get the inevitable "What should I buy your kids for Christmas?" question from family members and friends I have told them all "NO TOYS!"

This year, I'm all about toy alternatives. I'm thinking that even though my children won't be receiving quite so many toys this year, they'll still have a great Christmas. They'll be receiving books this year and some shelves to put them on. Perhaps some tickets to one of those fabulous Florida theme parks are in order. Some games for the Wii or the Gameboy will make a nice gift and maybe even some new crayons and coloring books.

I refuse to get caught up in the Hannah Montana/Tickle Me Elmo/Xbox 360 crazes that go around every year and I will not wait in 3 hour long lines and plunk down half of our monthly income so that Munchkin can have the *perfect* Christmas morning.

Because Christmas morning in this house will not be about material possessions or dollar amounts spent per child. That morning is about our family and how much we love each other. It's about wonder and magic and lights and pajamas and bare feet and hot cocoa. It's about sandy eyes and tousled hair and half eaten frosted cookies left out the night before.

And darnit, I just can't wait. :)

For more Works for me Wednesday posts, check out Rocks In My Dryer!

How appropriate for election day... Vote!

On our way to the therapist's office yesterday Bug asked me if I'd like to live in the white house.

"Well, that would mean I was related to the president and I probably wouldn't like that very much." I replied.

"Well," he said "I was thinking I'd be the president, but I won't do it if it wouldn't make you happy."

And in that moment, a little munchkin crept into my body and squoze my heart. Of course, I quickly corrected myself and made sure that Bug knew that I wanted him to be happy and if being the president was what he wanted to do that I'd support him and be incredibly proud.

Today I'm reflecting on that conversation and I just can't help but be in a little bit of wonder at how limitless my children's dreams are. My babies, my children, the little people I have produced, me, me! They can be whatever they want to be and they know it.

My children are born in this country and they have limitless opportunities. How absolutely amazing is that? I just hope that they never lose those aspirations, that they continue to know they can be anything, that they continue to strive for their highest dreams. I guess that's the best thing I can do as their mother is keep feeding those dreams.

We're heading over to vote this afternoon when the kids get out of school. The Man will take Bug with him and I will take Munchkin. Goober isn't quite old enough to understand what's going on, but Bug and Munchkin get it. Munchkin keeps asking me who I'm voting for and I keep telling her it's a private matter. She doesn't quite understand why I don't discuss it, but I know she will one day. Their schools have been talking about the election and they even had a mock election at their school. I'm happy to say that both of my children voted for the right candidate. ;)

Maybe I'll Get It Together This Week

Why is it that by the time I really feel like I'm getting the hang of this whole time change thing it's time to go ahead and change again. Although, I'm sort of thinking that I like this particular time change because this morning I woke up without the aid of my alarm clock.

And every family member who is reading this just about keeled over from shock with that sentence.

Today I took Bug for a meeting with a therapist to discuss his inability to focus in school among other issues. We talked about how Bug is easily distracted and unable to keep things organized and the therapist asked me if there was a history of these problems in our family.

I felt as though five gleaming gold shiny arrows magically had appeared above me and were pointing down to my head as I answered.

"Well, I guess you could say I'm a little disorganized."

And then, sweet lady that she is, she asked me what I did to help combat that.

"Um... nothing yet."

I wonder what she was writing in that notepad.

Child's problems stem from mother's inability to get her crap together.

At the end of the appointment she handed me a little questionnaire to fill out and one to give to Bug's teacher and we made another appointment for a week from now. I guess we'll see how that goes. Perhaps I should attempt to put some type of organizational skills to the test in the meantime...

Like, totally, that party was mad kickin' for sure!

This weekend was my brother in law's 30th birthday. To celebrate he threw an 80's birthday bash and we all dressed up in our finest retro garb.

I threw my own outfit together at the last minute, discovering that it's pretty easy to put together the 80's look with things I found in my own closet (with a little help from my sister and niece).

The Man wore an AC/DC 1982 reproduction tour tee shirt that I found at Walmart along with black jeans and the oh-so-retro checkerboard Vans.

Much beer was ingested, much pool was played (I would have won that second game if I hadn't scratched on the 8 ball), much Michael Jackson and Freestyle was heard, and all in all strangeness and wonder occurred. If that doesn't make a great birthday party, I don't know what does.

Happy Birthday to The Man's only brother and welcome to your 30's. :)