Vacation!!

Do you know what happens when you have a vacation? Not necessarily a time when you travel away from home, but simply a time in which you are not required to go to work. I'll tell you what happens...

You get even further behind than you have been! How does that happen?? I guess things aren't that bad. The kids are out of school for the summer, so if I'm stuck in the throes of paperwork, it's my own, not theirs. They are begging every single day to have so-and-so over, or to go over to so-and-so's house to play, but that's no biggie, and not atypical for them (they would ask that after homework was done during the school year anyway).

I at least had a handle on laundry, sorta kinda, at the beginning of the vacation. Now it's backed up again, but I've started on it early this morning in the hopes that we might actually be getting out of here for a few days. Later today, I plan on going around the house with trash can in hand, to collect "stuff". How said stuff accumulates without actually going anywhere or doing anything is Beyond. Me.

So what have we done? Well, I've begged my older son to let me cut his hair (just a trim!), to no avail. I've watched Jacob get very angry at a V.I.D.E.O. G.A.M.E. because it won't move fast enough. I've seen GinaGina not only begin to actually *crawl*, but to pull up on her knees as well (sigh). I've gotten to watch my entire DVR collection of Burn Notice, or at least start watching it. I've got today to finish, as tonight is the season premiere for the third season. I told Patrick that's what I want for Christmas - seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.

Still haven't gotten the electricity wired to my sewing machine downstairs - that might be a later summer thing. My garden is in full swing as well! My corn has popped up, the tomatoes look terrific, and yesterday a friend brought over another plant for it - he said "It's either an eggplant or brussel sprouts, but I'm not sure which". Then he said he hoped it was eggplant because he doesn't like brussel sprouts. I said I'm the opposite - I was hoping for brussel sprouts because I don't like eggplant. This, of course, led to an entire discussion on how to prepare each veggie. I don't think I convinced him, but he didn't quite convince me either!

My dryer calls!

image courtesy of babble.com

I recently received some of the best news I could receive. One of my siblings is expecting!!! Yes, I'm going to be an aunt (again)!!! My brother and his lovely wife are expecting their second child sometime, I think, in February of 2010. Congratulations all around, and sis, if you're reading (and brother too, heh), I'm praying for an easy-peasy pregnancy for you!!

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My garbage disposal isn't working. It's amazing that you don't know how much you use something until you can't use it anymore. When I flip the switch, it hums, but won't move. I've read all about unjamming the disposal with the hex wrench, which I've tried. I've read all about unjamming the disposal with the handle of a wooden broom, which I've tried. The disposal moves freely, like it's supposed to, while trying said remedies. But it still won't move when I flip the switch. I'll say this though - it forces me to take the trash out a whole lot more often than I did before.

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The woman who daycares my kids (*wonderful* woman, and I'm blessed to know her) brought over a bag of material she bought at a yard sale for a buck - a buck!!!! It's a huge bag! Then a few days later, she brought over a bunch of material she cleaned out of her basement collection. As soon as I an get electric run to that side of my basement, I'm going to be one busy sewing woman!

Image courtesy of testseek.com

A few nights ago, I decided to grill out, even though my husband was at work - usually I make him do the grilling while I do the "indoor foods" such as salads, sides, etc. But I'd had some chicken breast defrosting and didn't want to do "The Norm" with them. So I found a bottle of Italian dressing that I'd gotten for free back in my coupon-clipping, sale-ad-watching, get-things-for-free days. I'm not one for Italian dressing, so I have no idea why I got it, other than it was free (and who passes up free stuff???)...I won't eat in on a salad, ever. But I've heard of marinating chicken in it, so I figured I'd give it a whirl (I know, I'm a wild woman). I also searched our camping stuff and found 2 campfire pans, into which I put baked beans and corn and slapped those babies on the hot grill as well.

Let me tell you - I must be living in a cave for never trying that before, because that was some of THE. BEST. chicken I've ever eaten.

I may never do "The Norm" with chicken again.