Summer vacation is finally here!

This week is P's first week out of school for summer break. I do NOT miss hearing that alarm at 6:30 every morning. Excuse me, 6:32. For some reason my alarm clock is allergic to 6:30. If you set it for exactly 6:30 it won't go off so I have to set it a few minutes later. God knows I won't set it for a few minutes earlier.

P's report card came in the mail a few days ago and the results of the CRCT test. He did really really well. He made all A's again. That makes 3 straight years. He was so close to a perfect score on the CRTC, he scored above average on all sections. He missed a perfect score by only 5 questions. I am so proud of him. On to 3rd grade for him!

Both kids spent last Saturday and Sunday night with my parents. JB had a court date Monday morning that resulted in a $405 fine. Because of that fine, he now has to work through most of his vacation the next 2 weeks. We didn't have much planned anyway, but it is still disappointing. We planned on camping in the mountains, but with the fine, the most we can manage would be taking a day off to go next weekend. Unfortunately right now it looks like the weather won't cooperate. Maybe it will change.

Yesterday I was about 3 miles from home when the van exploded. Part of it anyways. All of a sudden there was a loud pop and a puff of smoke came out of the right front corner. We need new tires and I was sure the tire exploded and it did feel like I had a flat. I pulled over and there was nothing wrong with the tire and no more smoke. I assumed that I ran over something and drove carefully home. No lights or gauges came on but when I pulled in the driveway smoke was pouring out from under the hood. The upper radiator hose had exploded and it was actually steam. We called around to find the part and were surprised to find out it was special order. We did finally get one and the van is repaired today. Just in time for a birthday party tomorrow. Every birthday party this year has so far been met with disaster. I was late to my own child's party in January because the freeze plug popped off the car and we couldn't drive it. The kids were sick for the next party they were suppose to be at and then the van has issues that I thought were going to keep me from a party this weekend. I hope I didn't jinx myself.

Potty Time

I have officially started potty training. E is finally ready.

For months now I have tried to get her interested in the potty. I could get her to want to go play on it but I never was able to get her to use it. Sure enough, after spending forever in the bathroom with her, I would give up only for her to pee in my floor before I could even grab a diaper. It was frustrating. At 2 1/2 she still hadn't used a potty despite showing all signs of being ready for almost a year.

Whoever told me training girls was easier than boys was wrong. P was easy. Let him run around naked and show him the ant mounds. Worked like a charm. Done before his
2nd birthday with no effort.

Last night I took E to the potty and sat her down. And she used it. For the first time ever. And it only took 2 minutes.

I made a really big deal about it and we ran through the house singing and dancing and laughing. Yes I looked like a fool. No I don't care. I even think my potty time cha cha was broadcast on the internet thanks to JB, voice chat and Day of Defeat.

Oh well. What's a little embarrassment during motherhood? It isn't like it was the first time and it won't be the last.

30 minutes later she came to me doing the dance. You know the one. The one that says you have 3 seconds before the flood hits. So we ran to the potty and as soon as she sat down she started singing and dancing and then she used the potty again!

It's a start and now I can seriously begin potty training.

Wish me luck.

At Last...

I have finally gotten a vehicle that will hold every member of my family at the same time. AT. STINKING. LAST. (the first child to throw up in it will get left on the side of the road*) Now I don't have a large family, there is only 4 of us, but pretty much all year me and JB have been taking turns leaving the house because the truck only seats 3. Just the thought of not being able to leave if I needed to was really getting to me. I felt trapped. The walls were closing in.

Now I feel free.

I feel giddy with power.

The power to finally leave my house at will and know that I can take any or even ALL of the household with me. Not that I want to take any of them.

No more fights over who gets to go with me to the store.

No more needing to have a babysitter** for me and JB to be able to go somewhere together.


Too bad I have nowhere to go.





~Disclaimers~

*No matter how much I may want to, I would never leave my child on the side of the road. Beat*** them, maybe. Disown them? Absolutely.

**Babysitters be forewarned, this does not mean that I don't need you, and you know who you are. So rest up. Stock up on energy bars, coffee, Valium, Xanax, or liquor. Whatever helps you make it through the day. I won't judge. School is out in 17 days...

***I was kidding. I won't beat them either.