Sumary Sunday

It's been a whirlwind of a week. After my auto accident last Saturday, I have been busy getting my life back in order.

Sunday -

Started looking at new Town & Country Mini Vans. The boys are very excited. They think they are the decision makers. ( secretly I think they are!) After sizing up our family, an astute salesman found some keys for a 2008 model with Sirius radio/TV & dual DVD system. Not sure how wise it was leaving 3 young boys in a running vehicle, but they were glued to the SpongeBob cartoon that was on the car's multi-screens.


They were ready to buy it right on the spot!

Monday - I was set up with a rental car. I was able to get a van, a Chevy Uplander. A stripped down van with a broken middle passenger seat, a bit dirty inside and smells like an ashtray. As much as I did not think automatic doors mattered much, I am missing mine. A lot! Also miss my navigation system, DVD player and radio system, leather seats and my familiar dashboard.


Tuesday - The Insurance Estimator came to inspect my vehicle and after 3 1/2 hours determined there was $9,100 damage ( using salvage parts). Estimated time in shop is 30 days.
The adjuster is anxious for us to get the car into the shop as the "clock is running" and at $38 a day, the rental car adds up.
Some lady who "heard" about my accident called our house to see how I was. She works for a local chiropractor and wanted to offer a free consultation.

Wednesday - The medical claims adjuster came out to start the paperwork. I have some muscle soreness and very, very slight numbness in one arm which is understandable due to the circumstances. I decided to open a claim as a precautionary measure and have two years to close it out.

When asked about my son, I told the truth. He was fine and no he was not traumatized by the accident. He's a true boy. He thought it was "cool"! He was merely disappointed that we didn't make the 6:00 news and a little upset that I wouldn't let him inspect the damage and shiny parts of the wreck up close. I guess the fact I screamed at him every time he inched within a few feet of my car might be considered trauma but I don't think I'll file a claim on his behalf.

I was warned that now that my police report is published. I will start getting phone calls from Attorneys and Chiropractors.

Sure enough later that day, there were more phone calls from concerned citizens. I had no idea how many "caring" lawyers and chiropractors were in my community. Also car salesmen! Once it is known that you are in the market for a new car, these buggers can be persistent! Do you think that "Pain, Suffering and Loss of Income" applies to the amount of time spent on the phone with these folks?

Thursday - My poor car was towed to the garage. Gone is my daily reminder of how "lucky" we are. My husband had to sign a release form for the dealership garage so that they can "dissect" my vehicle. He was told that it would take at least 45 days to repair and that there was most likely a bit more damage.

After dinner we went to another dealership to take some test drives. My boys inspected every car in the showroom. I took two cars for a quick test spin to see if engine size really matters. I came to the conclusion: not so much. We were offered an extended test drive for a few days and I politely declined. I am still a bit "twitchy" and not keen on driving a brand new car so soon. It still feels like all the drivers on the road are gunning for me. The boys were disappointed. They fully expected we would leave with a brand new car.

Sorry guys! It's not like shopping for a new pair of pants... You can't have one for every day of the week!

Friday - The phone calls have momentarily died down, although I did get a nice letter with a copy of my police report from a local high-profile, personal injury attorney. While I'd love to appear in his next ad campaign, ( I think I'd look HOT in a neck-brace) I think I'll pass.

I kind of goofed up anyway. I was supposed to call him first BEFORE I spoke to anyone....Oh well.

Saturday - First day I had passengers in my rental car. I took two of my boys on a shopping trip for school supplies, clothes and groceries. While I am a bit more comfortable in my temporary transportation, I still feel like a giant magnet that pulls oncoming traffic into my path.

I also get confused on finding my car in crowded parking lots. It's hard enough to find my "normal" car in a crowd of look-alikes. Imagine keeping track of a vehicle I am not familiar with.

Sunday - We won't find out until tomorrow ( Monday) about the status of my car. I decided to take the rest of the weekend off from worrying about the next steps.

Almost Wordless Wednesday - How to Help The Economy

Front View

Back View

New View

Check from at-fault driver's insurance company for estimated repair costs - $9,100 (using salvaged parts)

Rental Car while car is in shop - $39 a day ( for approx. 30 days)

Approximate Cost of New (2008 Chrysler Town & Country) Car - $30,0000 ( after dealer incentives, before taxes & trade-in )

Look on our neighbors' faces when they saw my wrecked car in our driveway - Priceless!

We're Moving to Nebraska!

I just heard about the new safe haven law passed in Nebraska.

"Nebraska this year became the last state in the nation to pass a so-called “safe haven” law designed to protect unwanted infants by allowing parents to legally surrender them at a hospital.

But the law, which took effect July 18, is unlike any other. It allows parents to give up a minor of any age — possibly an unruly teenager — instead of just infants.

Passed in February by the state's nonpartisan Legislature, the law specifies that no person can be prosecuted for leaving any child in the custody of any on-duty hospital employee. While other states set a much lower age limit for children to be left under safe haven laws — the oldest is a year in North Dakota — Nebraska law defines a “child” as anyone up to 19 years old. "

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=333827

Sunday - A Few More Blessings to Mention

P.S. I forgot to mention 2 more big blessings this week.

1. Last night, after the accident, my 7 year old son ( the one in the car with me ) finally learned to ride a 2 wheeler bike!

2. One of my posts was picked up on Friday over at Blogger's Annex. It was the one entitled, Antidote for Holiday Hell, which I wrote last year right before Thanksgiving. This post was written as advice to a fellow Mom Blogger who was complaining about MIL drama ruining the Holidays.

Blogger's Annex is a new site that promotes the idea

"that only the best posts will be published. Our hope is that it will feel like an honor to have something published here."

If they let me join, I'm pretty sure anyone can. Only one post is published per day. My advice is join early so you have a better chance of being "published". If you have a chance, visit and / or join Blogger's Annex

Good News / Bad News / Good News - Count Your Blessings - Saturday

I was going to originally post a summary on the 6 week - Faithful Friday-Count Your Blessings- that I took part in. However on the way home from work, I was given some more things to be thankful for.

First for some Good News: Looks like I may be getting a brand-new car!

Now for some Not So Good News: I was involved in a car crash and my mini-van has sustained some pretty serious damage.

Back to some Good News: No one was hurt. And it was NOT my fault!

This morning, I took my youngest son to work with me for a couple of hours. I wanted to do a bit of paperwork to get caught up for next week. On the way home, as I crossed an intersection, where we did not have to stop, I was smashed into by a car that failed to notice the stop sign he was supposed to stop at. In a split second I saw the car coming at me, but did not have time to do anything but yell out to my son in the backseat.

I was hit so hard my car spun around, hit a telephone pole and a telephone box before stopping at an 180 degree angle and facing back towards the way I had come. As I came to a stop, I made sure my son was o.k. and other than being shaken up, I was in one piece!

I got out, made sure the other driver was o.k. which he was, other than a leg that was scraped up by his airbag. We began the one & a half hour process of police reports and insurance company phone calls. I was less than 2 miles from my house and my husband was able to come quickly to help out.

It may be a few days to find out if my car is "totaled". Which means I will be in the market for a new car. It will cost me some $$$ for this privilege but I guess it's only money....

No sense getting worked up over what I can't change. I am very grateful that no one was seriously hurt. Property can be replaced; hopefully the insurance company will be reasonable.

As I write this post, I realize the influence Count Your Blessings has had on me. I could have looked at this event and only seen the bad. Instead I chose to see the positive!

Sometimes you just have to Count Your Blessings ......

Wordless Wednesday - First Tomatoes of the Season - Finally!

Faithful Friday / Count Your Blessings - Week 6

This week the blessing I am giving thanks for living in the moment and delighting in life's little details.

Last night I took my eldest son on a shopping trip. He will be starting middle school in a few weeks and is getting his own room. He will be on a slightly later schedule than his brothers so my husband decided to shuffle boys, furniture and rooms. Because of the new arrangement, my 6th grader had to give up his bed, comforter & sheets to his youngest brother.

Most kids would be thrilled to have a chance for new bedding. He was not. Funny thing is, his beloved bed set was over 25 years old! The bedding came from my parents' house. Old, yet comfortable.

At first, my son was inconsolable when told he needed to replace his bedding. Last night he agreed to come shopping with me. Just the two of us. Some quality mom and son time. It was an enjoyable outing.


Thirty Minute Vacation
We went to a nearby shopping center and after finding a new comforter set at Bed, Bath and Beyond we ventured over to the upscale portion, Easton Town Center, and stopped for dinner at Cosi. We dined outdoors and pretended we were in Los Angeles, California on vacation.

The weather was perfect, sunny, warm and breezy. As we sat among the upscale shops on the shaded patio, we watched the stream of pedestrians who passed by. This center has an international draw and in a short time many nationalities passed by speaking a variety of languages. People in all shapes and sizes. Some well dressed, others not so much. Some carried shopping bags from the surrounding chain stores. There was a faint whiff of cigar smoke in the air.

We could have been dining alfresco in any number of cities. I tried to take note of every minute detail and burn a picture in my memory. Quality, one on one time with my son is infrequent, if not rare. Something to reflect on during more trying times, where I for a brief moment want to strangle him!

Living in the moment is not one of my strong suites.
I tend to be a multi-tasker, taking on many tasks at once, yet not accomplishing as much as I should be able to. Many times my mind is so cluttered, I will go from point A to point B and not remember the journey in-between. On these days, you don't want to be on the road with me!

Lately, I have been trying to slow down and pay more attention to the little details that I often overlook. I am rewarded with reminders of life's little blessings.

Even the smallest detail can have great significance.

Tonight I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. 15,000 Chinese performers took part in this ceremony of epic proportions. The attention to detail was incredible. Hand gestures, costumes, color and graphics. Nothing was over-looked. So much beauty and symbolism. There was one portion where a single dancer was performing on a platform that was supported by hundreds of participants beneath her. This was to illustrate the point that "The accomplishments of one are made possible with the help of many."

Some of the many blessings this past week:

• Friday night of this past weekend we had friends from Florida come visit and my husband hosted a dinner at our house in their honor.

• He bought too much food and on Sunday night, we entertained another set of friends and their 10 year old son.
• After coming home from a successful shopping trip on Thursday night, I found out I won a contest at Dishing with Debbie for a comment I made several days ago. Ironically enough it was about saving money at Macy's and I had just come home with more "savings" from Macy's!
• In addition to finding a comforter set for my son, I "found" a cute Jones New York summer dress and a cute knit top on clearance sale! Once again I "saved" my husband tons of money!
  

In conclusion ( finally!)
As I make a concerted effort to slow down and savor life's little moments, I am reminded of one of my husband's favorite quotes.

Slow and Steady wins the race.

Wordless Wednesday - What No One Seems To Notice....

Eyes Right Before I Leave The House

Eyes A Few Hours Later

FAITHFUL FRIDAY - COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS WEEK 5

This week the blessing I am giving thanks for is that of my blog.

Last week, as I went for a walk with my 7 year old son, I stopped to acknowledge a neighbor with a friendly dog. As we continued on our way, my son asked, " Do you know that woman?".

I answered "No." and he remarked, "She looks like a blogger."

He thought the lady might be a blogger because she was friendly even though we were strangers. Just like in the bloggy world. .....

I started my personal blog last year to see what "Blogging" was all about and to see if it might be useful for my business. I found the blogosphere to be so much more. It has been a wonderful outlet to archive my family stories. Sort of an electronic scrapbook, that allows me to keep track of everyday life and other minutia. My blog has brought me so many blessings.

Once again, I have friends!
I used to have an active social life. Then my friends and I grew up. We got married, had children and spread out all over the country. Friends that I used to speak to weekly now communicate in yearly Holiday Newsletters. Between work and daily family duties, there is very little "me" time. Schedules are hard to match up and get togethers with friends are difficult to plan.

As I became more active in posting and commenting, I started to "meet" other bloggers and make new friends. I sometimes feel that I live in two universes, "The Real World" and "The Blog-World". Two of my blog-friends, Tara & Tena, have written about the confusion that takes place when we relay "blogosphere friend" stories to those in real-time. Both worlds contain valued camaraderie.

I am very grateful for the friendships that I have made through blogging and blogger networks such as Cre8Buzz. I can now have conversations with friends when I have the time to log on to my computer. No worries about interrupting meals, activities or sleep.


By tracking my life in bit-parts and sound bites, my life seems more memorable and dare I say "interesting".
I have found that daily life seems more exciting in print. I am much more aware of the little, often over-looked details of daily life. Now that I am constantly thinking about my next post, I am more appreciative of events that could easily been missed. My life seems so much more full.


I am now a scrap-booker of sorts!

Sometimes I will refer back to older posts and smile. I have never been much of a archivist and never kept a journal. Somehow it has been easier for me to post my thoughts and stories electronically.

I guess the pressure of knowing that someone will notice if I cease to keep up, is a great motivator! My blog-friends are like workout buddies.... without the sweat and pain..... That's what the "Real World" is for! On that note, it's time to break for fresh air.

And the search for my next post!

Wordless Wednesday - with really long captions...O.K. almost wordless? How about not so wordless???

What to do with a 20 year old Aloe house plant that is no longer wanted in the house???..... if you are my husband, you hang it from a tree in the back yard!!!!

Maybe we can do that with the 20 year old pit group that is finally in our basement. The lovely shade of brown would fit in with our back yard motif!

Not sure how the neighbors would feel about seeing furniture hanging from our trees.....

Faithful Friday / Count Your Blessings - Week 4

This week I'm running a bit late and decided to break from my usual theme and give thanks for some of the smaller blessings this week.

Sunday we got to meet our new nephew from Seattle for the first time. He is now almost 10 months and just adorable. My middle son Alex told me that his cousin was even cuter than he imagined.
"If he was any cuter, Mom, I'd think he was an alien sent from outer-space to take over the Earth!"

We had a beautiful day at my sister-in-law's pool followed by a barbeque in our backyard. My boys had a chance to see their four girl cousins who live on the other side of town. We also got to see my husband's parents and visit with my Seattle sister-in-law and her partner ( parents of the cutest baby in the world!)

My oldest son was given a trumpet that his cousin Annie, who is his age, didn't need anymore.
As I listen to him attempt to play it, I'm not sure who this is a blessing for.... I think my sister-in-law mentioned something about a no-return policy!

My middle and youngest son continue their weekly piano lessons and are giving mini-concerts on demand for our visitors. They even taught me how to play "Ode to Joy". Speaking of joy,... we have been getting much joy out of our piano, which is turning out to be a good investment.

My older two boys had a chance to swim in the Finals for their swim team and took home some medals.

Last night we had some friends from Colorado visit us with their four children. Another back yard cookout. And fortunately great weather.

Finally, I read the post from Terri's daughter, that she made it through her surgery just fine!

Garden Pest

I found out what's been munching on my flowers and plants in the front yard. On my way to my car this morning, I saw this guy in my Lavender. I had to get a quick photo. At times like this, I wish I had a better camera; one with a macro lens!

If I was not so squeamish, I'd pick him off and stomp him. Instead as I left for work, I put my oldest and baddest boy on that task.

Some things you just have to delegate.......

Wordless Wednesday in the Garden of Bad Momma

Tomatoes are progressing.

Bee at work

Taking A Break

Jalapeno

The Ever Illusive Yellow Squash

Hanging Out

Glad my Gladiolas are finally showing up!

Sometimes a plant shows up that you don't quite remember. I don't recall planting this gem. Anyone know what varietal this Lily is?

Cukes in a Pickle!

I picked a bunch of pickling cucumbers tonight. The giant one is about 5 1/2 inches long and 2 1/4 in diameter. I found that one hiding near the bottom of the vines. There are several that are oval shaped or have started to curl up at the ends. My Straight Eights have yet to take off.

This is due to the heat! It has been in the 90's for several days. I have heard from several bloggers that they are having problems with their crop this year. I spoke with a friend who is quite knowledgeable about gardening. He told me when it is hot, the plants are concerned with putting out seed in a hurry and that's why the fruit tends to ball up. My friend suggested watering the garden for several hours to get the ground fully saturated down deep. Then don't water for a few days. This will encourage the roots to burrow down deeper into the earth for water. This should make for stronger, healthier plants.

I will give it a try! I also hope to try my hand at a sample batch of Kosher Deli Style Dill Pickles. I'll post the recipe I use if I do!

Faithful Friday - Week 3

This week I am celebrating the Choices That Are Made For You .

Sometimes the best decisions you make are ones that are made for you by forces out of your control. About 3 1/2 years ago, my husband and I both had some of the best decisions of our lives, made for us.

For several years before that time, we had been preparing for the eventual job-loss of my husband. His company had been continually down-sizing and off-shoring American workers as a way of cost-cutting. We had no idea how long we had but the "writing was on the wall".

Suze Orman Would Be Proud

We saved our money and became debt-free. We never built the new house on the land we purchased. Instead we continue to live in my husband's starter home, the one he bought as a bachelor a few years out of college. For 4 or 5 years we prepared for an uncertain future.

Finally the day came. The round of cuts that severed my husband's career with a company he had been with over 20 years! It was almost a relief. My weekly ritual of asking "Do you still have your job?" was over. Thankfully we were financially prepared.

The Ax Falls Again!

The next decision made for us, took me by surprise. Within a week of my husband's "choice", I had an unexpected announcement from my landlord of the building that housed my business. He had an offer for an 18 year lease and much higher rent from a realtor who had a client that wanted my space. After 9 years on a prime corner in a trendy neighborhood, I was either going to have to move or ante up more than I was prepared to offer.

I came home in tears. My husband hugged me and said "You've been laid off, too!"

The Best Decisions We Never Made

After much research and soul searching, we came up with our plan. The local job market for my husband was sparse and would have required taking a considerable pay-cut for less than desirable work. Relocation would prove costly and most likely another unstable situation. I would have to sell or dump my business.

We decided to change my business model and moved my work to a more cost-effective and efficient set-up. We cut out the retail portion and concentrated on the internet and corporate clients. My husband decided to take a few years and stay home. He had projects he wanted to work on and wanted to spend time with our boys while they are young.

Less is More

I am working a few less hours a week. Greater efficiency in my operation has increased profitability and lowered my stress. I am so much happier at work. The boys are now in public school. They are no longer in an After Care program. Dad is waiting for them at home with a snack. Homework is done earlier to allow for more free-time after dinner.The boys are now meeting kids that live nearby and have friends in the neighborhood. (Their old school was not near our home). We are not only surviving, but thriving! Our lives are so much better.

I like to refer to this period as "The Best Decisions We Never Made!"

Absolutely Un-Fabulous

Recently I've been getting these invitations in my in-box:

"Please come join me at Beautiful Fabulous. I know you are thinking another social network, but trust me you will enjoy yourself!"

Not sure I would fit in. Nor enjoy myself! Nor am I in the habit of trusting total strangers.

I also am not sure why anyone would think that I would be interested in:

"The social network that celebrates everything Beautiful & Fabulous! Join our celebration for free!"

Don't think you could pay me to join. As a self-proclaimed Bad Momma, I tend to celebrate the un-glamorous side of life.

First Meal with Yellow Squash from the Garden

I almost waited to post these pictures on Wordless Wednesday but I am so excited, I couldn't wait. My summer garden is like Christmas during July and August. Everyday Mother Nature has a new surprise for me! Yellow squash is a new crop for us this year. It has only been a week or two since these big, yellow blossoms appeared.

Within a week of the blossoms, I have my first squash. I googled some info on the web. Did you know that the squash flowers are edible? They can be dipped in batter & fried. I also found out that there are male and female blossoms. Not all the blossoms will have a vegetable attached. So far I have a crop of one!
Yellow squash is best when it is still young and tender. The later you wait, they will be larger, tougher and seedier (more seeds). They are best at 6 to 8 inches long and up to 2 inches in diameter. This one is 6 inches long and I couldn't wait!

In my haste to harvest my "dinner", I did not notice this baby squash that was attached. Although I'm not sure I could have avoided taking it early, I wish I had tried to be more careful.
I also picked some lettuce, green onions and basil.

I sliced the plant into disks, and sauteed it in olive oil with garlic, basil, sea salt and lemon pepper. I served it on a bed of Angel Hair Pasta and garnished with a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese. I also had a salad of fresh garden greens, grapes, croutons, fresh parmesan and raspberry vinaigrette.
There is nothing like harvesting and cooking a dinner that you grew!

Faithful Friday / Count Your Blessings - Week 2

This week the blessing I want to acknowledge is that of Family.

I was single until I was 36 and had my first child at 37. I remember a time where I did not think I would get married, let alone have children. Now I can not imagine a life without my husband and 3 boys. Having faced the possibility of being a life-long "singleton", makes me much more appreciative of what I have.

I am grateful that my boys are happy, healthy, smart and relatively good boys. They help make me a better person. My life is full.

We had a cookout last weekend with some friends and their two beautiful and brilliant girls. This couple also centers their life around their children. We were discussing the importance of a good education and the importance of parental involvement.

The mom of this family emigrated from China with her family when she was young. They had to leave much of their possessions behind to come to this country. She pointed out that with Wealth, it is possible to lose everything. Education can't be taken away. Her family was able to quickly rebuild their lives due to her parent's knowledge and skills. ( medical and engineering)

She has a friend who owns a business with her husband. The couple work very hard and are never home. They have babysitters watch their children. Mom and Dad are gone from early morning until 9:00 at night. The children are staying up late to see their parents and are doing poorly in school.

The sad part is that the couple is working longer and harder than they need to. They want to provide their children with money and the finer things in life. These mis-guided parents equate money with love. The children need their parents and their presence, not presents. This family may have money but they are poor.

The last few years, we have started to simplify our lives. My husband is taking time out of his career to stay home with the boys. We have adjusted our lifestyle so we can afford to do this. We have discovered that less can be more. Sometimes we need to slow down and enjoy life. Savoring every moment. We are truly blessed to be able to enjoy this time with our boys while they are young. Can't put a price on that!

This post is part of the 6 week Count Your Blessings

Wordless Wednesday in Bad Momma's Garden - The Promise of Things to Come

Corner View of Vegetable Garden

First Cucumber

First Tomato

Squash Blossom

Faithful Friday / Count Your Blessings - Week 1

Wornoutwoman is starting a "contest" of sorts. More like a challenge to take note of life's blessings.
Every Friday for 6 weeks, I will be posting blessings that I am thankful for.
In honor of the July 4th Holiday, I'm keeping the 1st week simple.

Today the blessing I want to count is that of Freedom. The freedoms that we take for granted. The freedoms of free speech, free choice, and in freedom of how we live ( as long as we are not endangering ourselves or others). It is also a time to be grateful to those who gave their lives to protect these freedoms.

We just came back from seeing our local fireworks. Lee Greenwood's God Bless The USA is a staple in the background music. This verse pretty much sums up how I feel today.

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

My 10 year old son, also decided to participate. This is what he is thankful for.

Comparison Shopping for Fire Power

Which would you choose and Why? ( note: I am making my son use his own money )

If I was buying, I would totally get the cheap one at Meijer. My boys have to use their allowance if they want more water-power. Half the guns from last year are not in good working order.

I came home today to find my oldest using my dry erase board for Decision Tree Analysis. All the boys in the neighborhood are having nightly water battles. Good weaponry is key!

My 7 year old has his eye on the Aquashock Arctic Blast where you can add ice for a cold shock of water. I find that quite disturbing!

Requirements

Too bad Dry Erase Boards Don't Come With Spell Check

The Cheapest:


The Better Quality ( and pricier ) Weapons found at Target
From Sam's Club ( Jenny's Recommendation )

Blast a colorful water steam up to 30 ft. (914cm) with these pressurized pump-action blasters! Fill the tank with water, choose your color, load a Color Jet Cartridge, and infuse the water with vivid color with state of the art Color Infusion Technology. With or without color, this powerful blaster will soak your opponents!

The color formula is non-toxic and easily washes out of clothes. Bring color to battle! Color Stream…Color rules! Includes 4 Color Jet Cartridges – infuse up to 80 tanks!

Blast a colorful water steam up to 30 ft. (914cm) with these pressurized pump-action blasters!

Fill the tank with water, choose your color, load a Color Jet Cartridge, and infuse the water with vivid color with state of the art Color Infusion Technology

With or without color, this powerful blaster will soak your opponents

The color formula is non-toxic and easily washes out of clothes

Includes 4 Color Jet Cartridges – infuse up to 80 tanks

Weekend Update

It's been a wet and relatively dull weekend. We had hoped to go to ComFest for more Fair Fare, cheap trinkets and free concerts, however, it was raining on and off all weekend. I rather stay home and vegetate than to brave the elements with my three wild boys.

ComFest, also known as "Commie-Fest" is a community festival that was started in the '70s and has stayed the same for over 30 years. Think lots of tie-dye, incense, beaded necklaces and cheap crafts. Also beer, wine and bands in a park setting. It is Columbus's version of Woodstock. It is also the same weekend as Gay Pride; I think we have the 3rd or 4th largest Pride gathering with over 90,000 expected to attend. While I love a good Gay Pride Parade combined with a lovely Hippie Festival, I am not a big fan of crowds and fighting for parking. Throw in rain and I'm staying home. Maybe next year....

Anyway, today we finally saw our first Hummingbird after having the feeders out for a couple of weeks. My favorite Lily's have started to open up. I believe they are a variety of Stargazer Lilies. The 4th of July is our next chance for some local color. Perhaps we'll go to the Doo-Dah parade!

Wordless Wednesday - Garden Update

Fence is Up

Pesto

Lily - White

Vacation on a Budget - Festive Backyard Vacation

June 20 - 22 Gahanna - Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival

Columbus Jazz Orchestra - photo by Devon age 11

Day 1: Friday evening, Dad who is not a festival guy stayed behind for "me time" and I took all three boys. We arrived at the festival shortly after it started and could not find nearby parking. Parked at the local High School and took a shuttle bus. Turns out it was the same bus and driver that my boys had during the school year. Not sure how thrilled Mr. M was to see my 3 bad boys but it was neat for me to get to experience their daily "ride".

The bus was packed to capacity, 3 to a seat. I chose to sit behind my boys so I could keep a close watch. They started with their Three Stooges Routine: my eldest is always Moe! As I sat at the edge of my seat, ready to intervene, they moved on to the singing portion of their act.

Not sure what triggered this jingle, but they started to sing " Viva Viagra!" from the television commercial. I quickly popped up, leaned over the seat and issued some death stares and motioned the cut sign. Not sure if anyone noticed. I was a bit flushed. In my defense, it is summer vacation and those commercials appear a bit earlier than they ought to. I mean, 10:00 p.m. is still early, right? Any way, after a short ride, we were dropped off near the sectioned-off party area.

I stopped to visit a friend at a nearby business and then we were off to check out the festival. We did not have dinner so we canvassed the food vendors for some nourishment. After a lovely meal of Funnel Cakes, Curly Fries, and Slushees, we went down to the creek to rent a paddle boat. At this point there was a 2 hour wait and reservations were shut down for the night.

My oldest was disappointed about "missing the boat" on the paddle boats and decided we needed to go home. Not wanting to push my luck, I called it an evening. We boarded the next bus back to our car.

Day 2: Saturday Afternoon, I first made sure the boys had lunch. As I would not guarantee we would try to get a Paddle Boat, my eldest stayed home with Dad. We parked and took the shuttle and proceeded to the festivities. Managing two boys was much easier and we were able to visit several businesses and booths before heading down to the Creekside banks to check on our chances of getting a boat. We were in luck and after a short wait and for the low price of $2 for 30 minutes we were happily peddling away. Unfortunately five minutes into our journey, the skies clouded up and winds picked up. We peddled as fast as we could back to the base, just as all the boats were being herded back. Just as we were removing our Life Vests, it started to pour down rain. Did a little bit of shopping; the boys brought their own money and were allowed to buy what they wanted. They each bought a trinket which they didn't need but hopefully will be a treasured remembrance of the day. We stopped to listen to some music and went home.

Day 3: Sunday Early Afternoon, and all three boys decided to go. We suited up with backpacks filled with the essentials: Bottled water, tissues, umbrellas, suntan lotion, a digital camera and money. We arrived at the parking lot just as the bus pulled in. We ran and made it to be the last people to get a seat. The skies began to cloud up as the bus pulled out and by the time we were dropped off, it was pouring. The boys were game to go. We were the only passengers to get off the bus. Every else went back to their cars.

Armed with umbrellas, we survived the short storm. We made our way directly to the boat dock and were the first in line. After a ten minute wait, donning our life vests, set out on our adventure.

Bad Boatin' Momma & her Badd Boyz - photo by next person in line for our boat.
Not sure why we needed life vests when the water is knee-deep in most spots; deepest point could not have been more than three feet! Oh, well: Safety First!

After a couple of laps around the creek, we worked up an appetite. My oldest is now hooked on Funnel Cakes, thanks to me, and we split one. He came prepared with plastic baggies, in case we couldn't finish ( we devoured it - sadly no left-overs ). The other boys had ice cream AND Italian Ices and my oldest bought a Coldstone Creamery confection ( $4.75! Thank goodness it was his money!).

Spotted a woman with a Parrot on a leash & had to take a photo.
We visited a bunch of booths, played games and filled out forms for raffles.
Won't my husband be surprised with the sudden increase in telemarketers calling our house!

Mad Money! I now almost have enough for an ice cream cone! photo by Devon

I did win a turn in a money machine. It was a sparsely filled wind tunnel with a combination of fake and real dollar bills. Couldn't have been more than $20 of which I was able to grab 3 real dollar bills and a couple of fake ones ( which entitled me to a gift bag of promotional items - whoopee!) and $3 dollars cash!!!

We stopped to listen to the Columbus Jazz Orchestra for a bit ( see top photo ), walked along the creek and went home; tired but we all felt like winners!

This concludes our "Vacation on a Budget"!