It was a perfect day until...

we got home from grocery shopping and found that the girls had left the lid off the hamster's cage.
Goldie- there
Sandy - there
Babies - check, check check - one missing.

Before the drama, Jay and I had played racquetball. We had a blast. It is amazing how I can find the energy to do that but walking out to my car after class seems like such a long walk.

The girls swam. Well, no water passed their necks which is their version of swimming. They have amazingly dry hair after swimming for an hour. But Tara had her goggles on all the same. Emily gave one kid a dirty look when he got too close to her with his splashing.

I brought my book on the Industrial Revolution into the swimming area. Yeah, that never got read. I have a report to do for a class. But, the good news is that summer school will be finished by the end of next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh goodness this baby hamster could be anywhere. We checked under furniture, etc. Millie is looking rather pleased with this sudden turn of fortune. This sucks. The girls have totally no concept that we may not find this baby hamster. They think it's funny. Grrr.

Naps are great

The picture is of Tara covered in her favorite blanket today right before I went off to school. The blanket is old and is ripped in parts, but she doesn't want me to sew it. She likes it that way. She told me how she likes how the blanket feels cold and how she wakes up and adjusts it so that she stays cool. She says that Emily's hands are cold but hers are always hot so she needs her cool blanket.

She and Emily are often having sleepovers in each other's room. I let them because it's summer and I think it's cute. But they don't get as much sleep as they should. Too many giggles and playing with toys instead. Thus the nap. The red bag behind her holds all her treasures. It has a view master. Remember those? It also holds her play cell phone and play CD player. There's a book about fairies, a bracelet and a hat. It had a dollar she earned for doing her chores until she gave it back to me because she says she loves me. She is such a doll, my little Tara.

Pictures

Jay's additions to the cage. I rest my case. He needs stop building. There won't be any room to eat our dinner! :)

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tara looking glum because the boys wouldn't let her pass.

A neighbor's party today.

Some on Saturday

• The girls have been enjoying summer break. They have been taking swimming lessons and are learning to get their face wet, which I'm told might be necessary with swimming. :)
• I had a very long week at school. Senioritis is in full swing.
• The lightning storm we had a few days ago knocked out our TV and computer for two, count them, two days. We were beside ourselves. The kids were like, "Let me get this horrifying news straight- no TV and no computer?" Their equally horrified parents stared back at them and nodded solemnly. Yes, we are addicted to our techy things. I'd like to say that we all learned something profound about doing without our electronic stuff and all bonded around a bonfire singing happy songs. Rather it was a happy, happy morning today when Jay somehow fixed the connections.:)

I live with these people...

Jay ----- Today we went to the pet store to get yet more housing for the hamsters. There are four babies and two adults. I told him there should be a support group for people who can't stop adding on to hamster cages.

Tara----- I asked Tara if she'd be coming to my grad school graduation in December. This was her ever so loving response. "I don't know, will there be food there?"

Emily----- We were smelling candles today at the store. Emily came up to me and said, "Hey Mom, smell this candle. It smells like bad breath." As nasty as it sounded, I couldn't resist and smelled it. She was right.

Jaytalking III - Happy Father's Day

Hi everyone, Jay here. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! And before you give me any kind of credit for making the crosstitch above, DON'T. It's just clip art.

HOWEVER, I did make SOMETHING today...

A MEATFEST!!

Hee. Okay, I know, I know. We live in precarious times, and meat is taking away all of the earth's natural resources. We need to be reducing our carbon footprint on the planet, and meat is so terribly, terribly terribly....

tasty.

Wait, I can redeem myself. Let me add a can of 100% vegetable juice to make this a balanced meal:

There, now everything is in perfect balance.

Anyhoo, hope all of you are having a nice day. I realize Father's Day may actually contain an element of sadness, bitterness or difficult memories for some of you, as none of us gets through this life unscathed. If you happen to be in that situation, I hope you can find some degree of comfort in that I am having a TERRIFIC day today. It is children-filled, creative and carnivorous. I think Father's Day is my new favorite day of the year. I have been reminding everyone around me that dads must be served today, and working it to my fullest advantage. GO ME!

Homer's bowling ball

Today we went to the store to get a Father's Day present for Jay. Emily used her chore allowance to buy him flowers. "Are these for you or your dad?", the male clerk asked Emily. Emily said they are for him. The only thing is that the flowers are kept in her bedroom and Jay has never really been a flower loving kind of guy. Yep, it's a Homer gift.

Happy Father's Day!