For some reason, our little town has a firework show on the third. So, we have already celebrated our freedom. We packed up the kids and snacks and drove to the local middle school where we sat on the front lawn and watched the show. We talked about which colors were our favorites. Bigweld had a bloody nose. Have you ever tried to clean up blood in the dark? I got home only to find a trail of blood down my leg and into my shoe. I love that 11 minutes after the finale my kids were home, in bed, and asleep!
The only thing we have planned for today is a nap followed by hot dogs for dinner. We might let the kids do some sparklers in the driveway. Those were always my favorite…until my sister caught my blankie on fire…but that’s another story…

So thankful for my freedom,
SIL

How do you celebrate the birth of a deceased loved one?

The day my father-in-law was born is a day worth celebrating. I don’t want to forget/ignore/pass over June 7th.

All day, I have been on a mission (ok, I was thinking about being on a mission) for German Chocolate cake (I don’t actually like German Chocolate cake, but L did…a lot). If I had found a piece, I would have eaten it and forced myself to love it…just for him.

So, Happy L’s Birthday, Everyone! Let the cake eating being!

A warm shower is refreshing and clean feeling.

A warm pool, on the other hand, is anything but clean.

Swimminginlaundry here at SimplyKoya’s trying her laptop at live blogging a sewing project because keeping our six kids alive, chasing a dirty dog through the house, and a counting rounds on a knitting project just wasn’t enough for us to do.

We just decided that our sewing requires someone to sew and someone to supervise.  Case in point, SimplyKoya just sewed up the same arm hole twice.   We are using half of a pattern and a whole lot of imagination.  Hopefully, our end products will fit our girls and not some wild octopus (or a tame one for that matter).

We are now taking in the side seams.  There is no real science or measurement.  We just think it would fit better if it were narrower.  Now we are ripping out said side seams (as ye sew, so shall ye rip).

Simply Koya just threw the iron onto the floor.  It landed on a plastic bag.  I’m really not making this stuff up, I couldn’t even if I tried.

Maybe I should quit typing and do more than supervise. Maybe we should just go buy the girls new dresses… just a thought….

On the way out of town, I could have sworn that I passed my father-in-law.

Courtesy of public school, Violet knows that there is a “bad finger”.  She has shared that information with her brothers.  I glanced into the rear-view mirror just as Bigweld was silently using the finger.

The kids talked THE. ENTIRE. drive to my sister’s.

Bigweld broke a glow stick on his white t-shirt before we even saw the judge.

The judge asked if any of us wanted to say anything.  I don’t know what I was thinking but before I knew it, I was standing to commend my sister and her husband for opening their hearts and their home to little Rachel.  When I get nervous, liquid flows from my eyes and my throat closes up.  It is U-G-L-Y ugly.  I really hope that the video camera failed.  I’m not sure what actually came out of my mouth, but I wanted them to hear how proud I am of them and how this whole experience has touched my immediate family.  We are excited about a girl cousin.

Rachel’s adoption was finalized.

We went for pizza and actually let the kids play in the germ infested play area.  They had a good time, and I got to try out my new spray hand sanitizer.

Then we loaded up all 6 kids (in one car) and went in search of a yarn store — because that’s the way we really celebrate adoptions!

1.  I am the oldest of three girls.

2.  I was born in a small Oregon logging town.

3.  I lived in a third world country during elementary school.

4.  I speak French (and English, of course).

5.  I am a wife.

6.  I am the daughter of a twin.

7.  I have twins (2004).

8.  I also have a singleton daughter (2001).

9.  I’m married (1996) to an airline pilot.

10.  I’m right handed.

11.  I don’t like to drive, and I tend to be a bad passenger.

12.  I love to bake but hate to frost cupcakes.

13.  The Pilot and I met in college.

14.  I love to watch Jeopardy but rarely have the time.

15.  I consume a lot of coffee.

16.  I’m slowly becoming a small town girl.

17.  I love anonymity (and it’s really hard to find in Small Town, USA).

18.  I love to hear “I love you, momma”.

19.  I graduated from high school in California.

20.  I HATED high school.

21.  I loved college.

22.  I am a work in progress.

23.  I’m conservative with my money.

24.  I love to water ski…in fact, I love all water sports.

25.  I taught myself to knit last year, and now I am addicted to yarn!

26.  I’ve been in more than one serious car accidents (and they weren’t my fault).

27.  I love to sleep late.

28.  I enjoy spending time with The Pilot.

29.  I’m looking forward to some sort of trip this summer (The Pilot’s family rarely travels).

30.  I hate to do the laundry.

31.  I can’t sleep if there are dishes in the sink.

32.  I enjoy yard work.

33.  I am a Bible believer.

34.  I am truly blessed.

They say that having kids will keep you young…I don’t think I believe them.