Blame My Brother

Just some random weekend photos here. We didn't do anything on the 4th, because the town I live near has their celebration a week later, so next weekend we will be going to the kids parade and fireworks there. It was great having 3 days off work, though!


Last weekend I was watching the boys play in my front yard as I sat on the front porch, and you see the corn! For a minute there, Lk disappeared and I frantically called for him. It would be like a Stephen King movie if they ever got lost in it.

Here, Lm did not want to stop playing outside and come in for dinner, so he protested...

But all was well once he actually came in and started eating. He is the messiest eater I've ever witnessed; hopefully he will learn some table etiquette...

Some people who go to my church and are friends of the family have a daughter with twin boys 2 yrs older than L&L, so we have gotten lots of good hand me downs. These shirts say "Blame My Brother". Touche.

Lm had to be bribed with the remote on Grandma's couch before he would sit still for a picture.

In January, I get to change my insurance plan through work, where I would pay an extra $75/biweekly in premiums but for better coverage. I'm leaning toward it, as right now I have to rely on their guardian angels to keep me financially solvent when it comes to medical bills. Here are some things they love to do which I'm constantly nagging them for: flips off the couch, messing with all electrical outlets, putting dry catfood and rocks in their mouth from the sidewalk, climbing on everything, throwing things, wrestling with each other. No matter how hard I try, they are just too clever for me, and danger can be found everywhere.

For instance, I was so careful about putting Off on them. I covered them head to toe in it. Where does Lm get bit? On his eyelid! You can see it on his left eye, the outer part. I just can't win!

Swim Date & Worry Over Looming HS Reunion

On Sunday, L&L were back in the pool, and we invited a friend over. Heather and I went to high school together and she is a single mom of a little girl just a few months older than my two. They came over a little later in the afternoon, so I got in the pool with the boys before they arrived.


This time, Lm was not so sure he wanted to be in the pool. When I put him in, he cried and couldn't be consoled. Maybe he's going through some post-traumatic stress from last week when he tripped head first in the water? Anyway, I had to take him out and stayed in with Lk until Zoie arrived.

Bad hair day, so I chopped my head off in this one...

Heather took this one...

And several of these...until she lost her camera in the water. Since everything seemed to be going swimmingly, I asked if she could keep an eye on these two while I went in to change Lm into a dry diaper and shorts. While in the house, I heard loud cries coming from Lk. Apparently, he fell backward in the water and was totally submerged. Heather had her camera around her wrist, so when she went to save him, the camera too was submerged. She got the memory card out, but the camera is toast. This time, she says, she is getting one that is waterproof. Thank you, Heather, for saving Lk!!

They really had a great time.

Then we grilled hot dogs and the kids played on the swing set.

Then we went inside so Heather and I could sit down for a few seconds while they ran all over the house, up and down the hallway giggling, and playing with the buttons on my TV and stereo. Yes, it appears they are chasing girls already.

Lm snagged the remote...

...and thought he could get away with it...he's a sly one.

Heather was our class president in high school. We had a 10 year reunion, and let's just say that the 20 year mark is going to be hitting us before long. In just a couple of years. Don't most people celebrate the 25th instead? That one is a long time off. That one I can handle. So I asked Heather whether she was planning a 20th, and wouldn't it be better to forego that one, and go directly to the 25th. Well, she said no, she's planning a 20th!

In short, if I'm going to find the perfect husband, become wealthy, and get boob implants, I would need to get cracking pronto. So I balked about it.

She said, "But you had fun at the 10 year."

"True, but I was engaged then. Plus I was drunk."

And, let's face it, I wasn't a single mom back then. As Heather aptly pointed out, I would have been the last person anyone would have guessed would end up a single parent out of our class. I was a goody-goody, honor roll student to the core! The only time I came even close to getting into any kind of hot water was Junior year when I got a detention for eating a vanilla wafer in the library.

At the 10 year reunion, being engaged and all, with my handsome fiance at my side, there was still the illusion that life might still work out for me as everyone (myself most of all) assumed from the beginning. But at the 20th, the facts will speak for themselves.

We'll see. By then, so many from our class will be divorced anyway. Heather keeps up with everyone and some of the stuff she was telling me about our former classmates was heartbreaking. Some are going through bad divorces, one woman (who's a year below us but hung around us a lot) lost her husband to suicide this year, some have lost children, some can't have children, and others are dealing with horrible illness in the family. And, even though I went to a Catholic school with just 25 or so in my class, I ran down the list in my head of girls (well, women now) who either have been, are now, or will soon be, single mothers, and I am certainly not alone. Who knows, maybe after a few hard drinks, I might even enjoy myself.

Little Cruisers

A couple of months ago, Mom and I were out shopping and saw these outfits at Gym**bor/ee. I really wanted them! They're adorable, and most stores have cute clothes only for girls. The boy clothes are sport or super-hero or auto related--yuck! But I saw these, with little felt monkeys riding bicycles below the words "Little Cruisers" and wanted to get them. Problem was, I couldn't reconcile paying $26.50 each. Especially when they will only wear the outfits one season. So we left the store without them, saying to each other how ridiculous it was to charge that much, and so on, but all the while we have thought of those outfits.

Last week she was at a different location and lo and behold, they were on sale for 60% off, so she got them. Woo-hoo! Good eye, Grandma!



I love this picture of Lm. So serious!

Hi, Lk!

Lm loves to sing...

One of the trees felled by the tornado was our apricot tree. Here are the remains...

In this picture, Lm really looks a lot like Lk!

A close up of the outfit. Fitting for my two monkeys.

When Email Does Not Work Either...

Me: The bulletin is coming from B, but KP is supposed to be working on, as he is the writer.
My boss: The one from B is the one from KP.
Me: Right…I thought KP was submitting that one?
My boss: B works for KP.
Me: I thought KP was responsible for it though, as writer.
My boss: He passed it to B.

Me: I am putting these in Ready to Post.
My boss: I would not put them in Ready to post since they've not been signed off on. How about we send them to KP?

(I am banging my head against a wall as I know what is going to happen…)

Me: {Attached bulletins to KP}
KP: for 003 I would use the language from XXXX (see bottom). if this is just an FYI it should be titled something similar like "XXXX" for 004 you need to update the existing bulletin (XXX) and add a section for the XXX machine.
Me: ??--Please make edits on the actual docs or in Word.
My boss: You need to use Word.
KP: I need the original word docs for the published bulletins below.

Three days later…

KP: are the word docs (from the original bulletins) on the way?
My boss: Theresa, did you send these to KP?
Me: Here is the link to the bulletins...
My boss: Theresa, he can't get to them. Can you either send them or place a copy in your everyone folder and let KP know where they are? Thanks.
Me: I've created this directory he can get to:
KP: I need XXXXXXX also.

Hours later…

Me to my boss: Is there any hope you have this bulletin? S___ and I cannot find it to save our lives. We’ve been searching two hours.
My boss: I can't find the source doc, but here's a pdf.
KP: I found a copy of the original doc.
My boss: For future information, where'd you find it?
KP: I had not deleted the old copies we maintained.
My boss: Where are they? Can you point them to us?
KP: I gave them to you in Feb.
My boss: Yes, I know. But as you know, J was responsible for filing things … and she's gone (left the company). So, if you would, please point us to the location of the bulletins so we can make sure we have them. Thank you.
KP: you don't have access and it will take weeks to copy (if it finishes).

My boss comes around the corner and goes, "Let's have a Meeting To Discuss It. We'll go through our matrix line by line..."

A Tale of Two Rednecks

Rita and Frank had to leave this weekend. Before they went, we celebrated her birthday early. The twins and I got her a shirt that says, "Got wine?" along with a Sudoku book and some other things.
Grandma, always spoiling her grandsons, bought these onesies for them. They showed them off this weekend!

Lm has the most adorable expressions, if I say so myself. He just looks so matter of fact.

Yesterday was a special day, as it was the first day we managed to get the new swimming pool up and running. I bought it as part of their early birthday loot along with the swing set. It was tougher to assemble than I imagined! I had to drain it twice before finding a level spot. Then we had to use Dad's air pump, fill it with water and let it warm for hours before getting in.

Grandma feels the water with her hand to make sure the water is right for her grandsons!

Lm was so excited by the pool! He could not wait to get in, and had a blast.

Lk was more hesitant...

They wore special disposable swim pants that cost about as much as the pool itself. I don't think they made these when I was a toddler back in the olden days (the 70s).

Lk held on to my shoulders for a long time until he got used to the water. Lm immediately started splashing around.

I got their ball out and they played catch with it for awhile.

They got thoroughly soaked! Sometime after this last picture, Lm got a little wild and fell headlong into the water. He got some in his nose and cried, poor bird! So he played in the yard with Grandma for awhile and Lk stayed in with Mommy until dinner.