The sky cleared, the sun came out, and my backyard dried up.
We were missing a couple of our regulars (one out of town, one had some personal things to work out, and another just didn’t show), but we had six women plus me and my mom, plus six kids.
I marinated chicken (half citrus/soy and half balsalmic vinegar and rosemary) and made pasta salad and salad. One woman brought a Texas red, white and blue iced cream cake with our FRG leader’s name. Some other ladies brought more sides …

Today I am hosting the Battery Social and my house to give our FRG leader a break and also because we are planing to honor her.
I went out yesterday and got charcoal and was planning on a BBQ.
Now it is raining. Just figures…we’ve had perfect weather for our last few socials but when I’m trying to host one, it rains.
That wouldn’t be so bad, but some of the ladies have kids that are at that highly energetic but uncoordinated age–when you basically want to run them around in the …

Although my baby will be bunking in with me (and eventually my husband) until she is a little older, I don’t think I’ll be much up for preparing her nursery right after giving birth or right after DH returns.
So, my mom has been visiting and helping me lift/drag heavy objects home from various stores. Then I’ve been assembling the furniture (no pre-assembled for me–what do you think I am? made of money?) with her assistance.
Right now her nursery is a lovely sage green and it has a crib, a …

I have begun to have “inadequate mother” dreams, in which I am trying to take care of my baby and messing up:
Last night I placed her on the floor on a changing pad to change her. When I turned around from grabbing the diaper, she was gone. Someone pointed out a baby shape under a pile of blankets. Terrified she might smother, I pulled the blankets off and then found nothing under there.
You don’t need to be a master of dream analysis to figure out these are just …

I am on the local freecycle list and every week (sometimes daily) I see several adds for people giving away pets. Occasionally, they have a really good reason and my heart just breaks for those people. Ninety percent of the time, though, they are people who shouldn’t be allowed to have goldfish, let alone a cat or dog…
I’m in a little bit of a pissy mood about it. It just makes me so sad I think about leaving the list.
The following are valid reasons for giving your …

I’m starting to dream about drinking glass after glass of wine. When I actually get to sleep that is.
This little girl better appreciate the good start I am trying to give her!

I hope you are enjoying the weekend with friends and family.
Please take a moment to think of the fallen heroes. Whether they fought for their families, or ideals of God and country, or simply because they were called and did not run, they were brave.
They deserve to have their too brief lives remembered.
Today I am thinking of a song DH and some of his classmates sing. It was popular during World War I, but probably originated earlier. There are many different versions. Below is one I’ve cobbled together from DH …

I’ve learned a little secret.
I’ve been frustrated here trying to host get togethers. Most do not RSVP. Those who do, frequently back out last minute due to exhaustion, unexpected schedule changes, etc.
This becomes worse once the men deploy. Somehow it is harder to motivate yourself to go out and be social when you don’t have a partner to help get you out the door. Somehow leaving the house is scarier alone, I suppose.
Well, here’s something that works–ask people to help!
Although I hate relying on others, I finally …

Okay, the “Monday Stinks” idea does not mean much to me since I freelance from home…but this Sunday felt like a classic Monday.
Saturday night the lightening was striking, the thunder was booming, the cats were chasing each other across the headboard, and the pain in my hips and back kept waking me up.
When the alarm rang to get ready for church, I felt like I was crippled. I couldn’t move without sharp stabbing pain in my lower back (sciatica).
Although I knew I would feel worse not going to church, I …

To all the military moms out there–whether you are the mother of a soldier or the mother of a military brat or a soldier with children:
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!
Saturday I got a pre-Mother’s Day pre-Mother call from DH. If your soldier spouse or child is deployed, I hope you are all able to hear from your loved one this weekend. If your soldier is near, I hope you get the celebration of your love that you deserve.
I was trying to come up with something witty, but I should probably finish writing …