Spring Break (partially) Revisited

As my readership is by and large comprised of bright folks, you will already have deduced that there has been a dearth of pictures from our recent trip to sunny Florida. The biggest -- but by no means only -- reason for this is that after a trip to the beach, the camera no longer worked. In plain language, I got no photos of the children at Disney. Go ahead, gasp in dismay [here].

Before you stone me as a bad mother for not having picked up a few dozen disposable cameras, let me assure you that I did. But they are not electronic, and besides, I let the children be the photographers. I promised I would not blog their "work" without consent, because although I'm their mother and thus I technically own whatever property they have, I'm NOT a plagiarist.

Here, then, are photos of one of our trips to the beach, taken by me with the camera that has now betrayed me for what I believe will be its last time:




It was busy in spots, but more beautiful sand and water would be difficult to find.





How about a smile with a side of cheese.





He loved how huge the ocean is.





"If you eat my brocolli tonight at dinner, I'll totally help you dig out of there."





"Dang brocolli... now we're ALL gonna have to eat it."

Proof (as if you needed any) that I really am insane:

OK, Internets, here is my life for the next 36 hours:

-Go to home improvement store to purchase fixtures and supplies.
-Go to the bank
-Get gas in the car
-Pick up children from 3 different schools, dropping one off at track practice
-Wash and dry 1 baseball uniform (along with a full load to go with it)
-Take 2 children to practice the Jr. Ridge to River course
-Drop off one baseball player for warm-up
-Pick up one track star
-Load car with chairs, blankets and coats
-Attend 1 baseball game
-Make dinner for 5 (plus 3 guests)
-Clean up
-Force 3 children to bed before they "feel sleepy" *sigh*
-Sleep
-Awaken, herd sleepy children through breakfast (which Mr. Eclectic makes -- how much do I love that?!)
-Get one child to soccer practice; assist the other two through Jr. Ridge to River as race day volunteer
-Gather entire family for lunch, clean up
-Pick up 1 child plus 5 friends and drive 35 miles to drop them off at a horse rescue society where they are volunteering to muck stalls and stables, and otherwise just generally help out for 5 hours.
-Return home. .
-Install bathroom fixtures and replace light fixture in the entryway
-Return to horse society to retrieve said child plus 5 friends, and take each one home.
-Make dinner (again!)


And that should take care of all that pesky extra time. Although, if there proves to be any, I plan to sneak in a bike ride somewhere as well. Someday, "they" tell me, I'll look back on this stage of life and miss it. I don't believe "them" yet.

Internet, Intercourse, Interview... it's all interrelated anyway.

The ever-charming Hilly from Snackie's World has posted the results of her interview meme, and I immediately volunteered to copy her, I mean, be interviewed as well. She sent me the following questions, and I offer the following replies:

1. Friday the 13th....friend, foe or just a bunch of hooey?

If it's a good day, then obviously it's a friend. If not, it's a foe. If it's just another day, then it's clearly just a bunch of hooey. So the answer to your question would be, "Yes. It's friend, foe, or just a bunch of hooey, depending on what kind of day I have. Because everything -- even the existential nature of Friday the 13th -- is ALL ABOUT ME."

2. If you could switch lives with one blogger just for a day, who would it be and why?

It depends -- do I get to choose the day, too? ;) Nah, just kidding... I'd choose to be Jenny, because then I could make cheese AND get to see Chicago. Oh, I'd also have that kick-ass curly hair and I bet I could get a tan, too. *sigh*

3. Pretend money is no object and you have all the time in the world....what would be your next vacation destination?

Australia/New Zealand

4. Are you more of "a saucy evil pirate wench" (SEPW) or a "fair maiden in a tower"(FMIT)? Why?

Well, if Mr. E were the one asking, I'd take SEPW, and maybe even at "Girl's Night Out"; but most of the time, I'm more FMIT. Probably has something to do with being married...

5. And finally an easy one....Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise?

Ugh, if I have to use it at all, I will use only the Kraft Fat-Free Mayo, but I try not to ever use it because it smells icky.

Now, because I'm an Officer of the Court, and sworn to uphold the laws of the land, here are the rules that accompany this meme. If you want to participate:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me", or words to that effect. Extra points for style.

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions, but I get to pick the questions, no questions asked. Any questions?

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. Because I did. Even though that is causing me to post on back-to-back days, which I never do (as you well know).

4. You have to include this explanation, and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

So, who's first?

OK, OK, OK...

I'm back like a bad penny, and I've been out visiting you guys. You've been posting so much (well, everyone but Jill, that is), that I can hardly stay on top of commenting, let alone slap something up over here!

Still, as a show of good faith, here is a photo essay of Brizzy's first trip to the dentist, to hold you over while I find time to write a real post. *



At the beginning of the examination:






"Ah, NOW I see why your breath is so horrible":






The dentist learns the patient has no dental insurance:




"***sigh***:






And here is a gratuitous picture of soccer try-outs, just because I like to show off where I live and truly, I am happy to be home:




* A real post is like a unicorn... everyone knows what one is, but nobody ever feels like they wrote one.