Today

I have been so moody the last couple years days! My poor kids. They haven't been angels, but even the slightest thing and I'm howling. Lately I've had to repeat myself 3-4 times for simple things like turning the TV off when they are done with a wii game, or not leaving their shoes in the middle of the walkway. Summer, and spending every waking minute with each other, is sinking in fast.
Dad comes home in a few shorts days, and I'm sure I'll have a smile on my face... and possibly the keys to the car in my hands.

The highights of my day did not include:
-stepping in dog poo in a flip flop
-dragging my hand through algae and sludge to stand up the pond fountain that keeps tipping over
-vacuuming a seemingly endless trail of dog hair that pervades every room of the house
-finding my freshly dried bed sheets on the line getting rained on
-learning that apparently cat vomit is irresistable to ants (who knew?)
-finding the dog chewing on the ant bait
-having a scheduled water shut off for neighborhood construction, so half the house smelled like excrement half the day
-learning Ben sticks his finger in the ceiling fan to make Hunter laugh
-avoiding a buzzing bug of some sort I poured chocolate banana smoothie down the back of my shirt and walked around with it on my back for a while thinking the cool sensation was my sweaty shirt
-Despite tracking every morsel and caloric sip I put into my mouth I gained 2 lbs. In the history of all the times I've done weight watchers I have never gained more than .2lbs when I'm honestly tracking. What gives?
Or, how about the other day when the blender exploded? Totally don't wanna talk about it...
Let's focus on the positive, shall we? Highlights of today did include, but are not limited to:
-that smoothie was delicious
-I had a delicious mango that only cost me $.68 @ Walmart
-I planted lettuce & zinnia seeds that were $.10 at Menards

-the kids and I cuddled and watched the new episode of Good Luck Charlie, laughing and happy
-I walked around my neighbors yard with her and admired her lilies and hostas
-I took a hot shower and the clean towels were still warm from the dryer
-Soon I'll be going to bed in those line dried clean sheets, my favorite
-I found an old barely used Lavender Yankee Candle and burned it all day
-I got to have an actual conversation with Theo, uninterupted by any of the people who need him constantly
-Despite temps in the upper 90's, the deep watering I did yesterday held up throughout the yard
-My blender did not explode
-One of my favorite dahlias, Arabian Night, opened up:

-I made this curtain for our side door for right around $2.

-I fancied myself the wife of the man in the Toby Keith song, and put up some 4th of July decorations. Nothing crazy. Well okay, this huge Uncle Sam wind sock is pretty crazy- so he's on the back porch. Gotta admit, when he blows in the wind and turns his face in the sliding glass door its a lotta creepy.

I seriously wrestled these "bunting" lights forEVER, and finally said, frick it, and twisted them into a garland of sorts. I put em' in the play room over the back door.

 Put one of these by the side door. I want more of these... but this was from another year.

The flag banner I made (possibly last year?) is in the dining room.

 And this old thing I painted a million year ago is on our garage door.

Happy Summer!