Summer Funnin'

I cried "uncle" today, begging tearfully for summer fun to grant me a day off. Between all the days we've been away (planned and unplanned), plus my self-appointed job as Official Children's Summer Social Director (the pay is terrible- sometimes it even COSTS money out of my own pocket), I'm tired. My eyes are literally burning from the tired. Or it could be from the Central Texas pollen count, but it sounds more dramatic if I blame it on being tired.

And speaking of burning, Y'ALL. It's desert hot here. We're considering developing some kind of asbestos clothing to prevent us from walking outside and catching fire from the heat. I think the risk of spontaneous combustion would be greater than the risk of mesothelioma. Seriously.

Anyway, today's plan, Operation Everyone Just Be Quiet, went pretty well. I spent most of the morning on the couch pretending to fold laundry. Can it be called "pretending" if no one is really watching? Or caring? Basically, I sat on the couch surrounded by piles of laundry that needed to be folded and put away and every few minutes I tore my eyes away from the Today Show or the internet and thought, "I should fold this laundry." It was very effective.

I also successfully threatened the boys that they would have to do extra chores if they got too rowdy. To support my fake laundry-folding initiative and to maintain some peace, they were strictly instructed to either watch TV or read books.

Listen, I'm all for kids completing chores simply because they are a part of a family and everyone is expected to pitch in regularly with no expectation of reward, but what's good parenting without sending some mixed messages to kids every once in awhile? For today, quiet and rest reigned supreme over intentional parenting. Don't judge.

Missy was at school all day because we have to pay for part-time care during the summer in order to save her full-time spot for fall. And if we have to pay for it, she might as well go. She likes being with her friends anyway and I have 33% less arguing at home when she's there, so win-win!

I have no plans for tomorrow either, but I'm pretty sure I've ridden the Quiet Train as far as it will go. But if it gets any hotter outide, I may have to demand a raise.

I'm still kickin'. And so is she.

Am I the only one who finds that the longer I put off doing something, the more difficult it is to figure how to approach the "doing" of it when I finally make up my mind to do it once again?

Maybe I should have just thrown in the towel on this blogging stuff, but I still find myself writing blog posts in my head even after all these months of never typing a single word on this blog. Usually, I have enough self-discipline to just shut down those writing thoughts altogether, knowing that there are too many other things competing with my time and energy.

But then there's today. And while I don't need a forklift to haul in all the money I make "authoring" ye olde blog (which is 0 dollars and 0 cents, by the way), I AM a proud mother who shamelessly uses her blog to show off her children's accomplishments.

Like my daughter's first recital.



and



You are welcome.