Sum Sum Summertime...

What a boring blog indeed. In addition, this will serve to be a pretty boring post as well, which isn't all that bad because it must mean I've been having a good, even keeled summer with no need to vent & no epiphany's to share. I haven't been too extremely busy to post rather too content - much like an overfed house cat.

I just returned from a wonderful girls weekend up north. Without going into detail, just say now that my more-often-than-not bitchy disposition has dissolved, I was able to shake off some cobwebs and return to a relaxing life complete with great friends, great family (and even better food!) I'm only half joking about the food - it was definitely a highlight but I think I had more garlic than you could stick a shake at!

We're doing our best to gear up for the 4th. Rather than trekking a few towns north for the big parade, we have adopted the tradition of dressing up the boys and their bikes and walking up to our neighborhood kiddy parade. It's always a lot of fun and when the parade is done, the people who organize it take care of games, lemonade and watermelon slices for the kids to feast upon. It tires the kids out enough for an early nap too (bonus!) We live just up the road from the local park where the fireworks are and therefore enjoy hosting a gathering of some sort beforehand. This year we're going to have desserts and drinks. As such, people should get used to me smiling ALL OF THE TIME this holiday. I've gotten a hold of some very good recipes and look forward to indulging in cheesecake, blended cocktails and an elastic waste band.

I suppose I'll end on that note - if I fail to update prior to the 4th, I wish you all a great holiday.

Here's a good one of Noah with his daddy. What a smile, huh? (You would never know that Noah was testing every one of Andy nerves at that moment!) 

About five and a half years ago at the Minnesota's north shore (at Mom and Keith's wedding). this is one of my *all time* favorite pictures of Andy and Elliott. (Makes a mom just sigh a breath of relief knowing she doesn't have to chase her 2 yr old out of the icy waters of Lake Superior!) 

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto...

I've been listening to an 80's radio setting online and am having a great time reminiscing. I love how music can immediately transport us to an entirely different time and place in our lives. It really does make a person stop and think about the people who meant so much. It got me thinking that I ought to take better ownership of my past; both to the events that took place and the people who stood by me, even if only for a little while.

It’s rare when life’s ever changing circumstances hold us tightly together... weddings, children, geography and quarrels – all causing us drift little by little. For some, these happenings are a simple speed bump along the way; you still reach out when you have the time but you now find that time is just not as ample as it once was. Those kindles still burn ~ maybe just a little milder now.

What about those friendships, though, that not only drifted - but fell right out of existence? Was I drained of the energy it took to nurture them or was I just too lazy? I realize that not every friendship is meant to be long term, but there are some that just stopped - much like a book being closed when there were so many pages left to read.

I’ve been thinking a lot about those people who I no longer have regular contact with. I wonder how they're doing; how they've changed through the years and if they ever think of me. I think often about touching base. On one hand I am fearful that my attempts would be met with confusion and pity but on the other hand I say go ahead and scoff if you must, but know that you're fondly thought of whenever I hear "Putting on the Ritz", "Total Eclipse of the Heart", "Candle in the Wind", or most anything from Madonna.

Turmoil - Commonplace in Uganda

I remember watching the Oscar winning movie, Hotel Rwanda and thinking I never even knew. I was never aware that such tragedy took place or was even possible. Extermination, mutilation and horrific oppression; these things only taking place on a black and white screen in my mind's eye.

Through the efforts of a friend-of-a-friend, I was made better aware that these same nightmares have been taking place on a continual basis in Uganda since 1987. I remember hearing the occasional news blurb discussing unrest in the Congo, but I never once allowed the gravity of it all to sink in. I looked into it a little further and got a larger dose of knowledge about it.

Evidentially, a group named the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), formed in 1987, has been following through in many of the aforementioned acts. Violence grew stronger in the early to mid 90's and one of the main atrocities they have been engaged in is the kidnapping of northern Ugandan children, ages 3-17, for the purposes of (1) use as soldiers; (2) sex slaves; and (3) civilian intimidation. The Acholi people have been the main victims of this. Most have been forced to evacuate and move into internally displaced person (IDP) camps, which are said to be miserable places. Each night, the Acholi send their children on a 12 mile hike to the center of the City, near Government sites for safety from being taken by the LRA army. In the morning, the children hike back.

I will refrain from going on and on (though I could), and allow you to click on the link above (the title). Check it out for yourselves. Through the course of my own enlightenment, I've read that real action is being taken to put an end to the LRA afflictions. I realize that getting on a plane to scoop these people up and take them home with me is not an option, though there are ways to contribute. And lest we not forget there is always prayer to offer.

Okay, I'll hop off the soap box for now. Thanks for the ears.

Going Batty?

We're back! (From camping that is.) We had a great and perfectly exhausting time. The boys spent as much time as possible in or near water via the beach and river, and we adults had a great time connecting too. Oh! and I didn't have to sleep in a tent being as there was a perfectly good pull-out sofa available in my father-in-law's cabin/trailer thing. (What luck!)

In an effort to get as much out of our weekend away as possible, we decided to come home late Sunday night. That way the boys would sleep during the drive and we could transfer them with ease into their little beds; well - at least that's how we envisioned it going! We had two very over-sunned and over-tired little boys; when Noah would cry he would send Elliott into tears - both of them complaining how tired and hot they were (as it turns out, our vehicle's air conditioner decided to go out for the first 90 degree weekend!) Dad was the hero who jumped into the back seat with them for stories, movies and giggles.

We made it home, struggled to put the air conditioners in, dunked the kids in a cool bath and shipped them off to bed. I fell into bed exhausted myself only to be surprised when Andy bolted into the bedroom slamming the door - "what in the world...?" With wild eyes, he tells me that a bat just flew after him. A BAT. It must have found its way in when we had the screens to our windows off... I thank my lucky stars that I was so tired because as it turns out, I was too tired to be afraid. We spent roughly an hour looking for the little bugger, and when we were sure it was confined to our bedroom, we passed out on the couch. At about 5am, I woke up to Andy poking me with a hockey stick "It's down here!!" With sleepy eyes, we chased that ridiculous bat around our house. Well to be perfectly honest, Andy was the one doing the chasing. I was still pretty much in a daze; I swung my hockey stick around when he turned his gaze to me but other than that, I hardly moved.

Andy finally cornered the little bugger and I was given explicit instruction to watch it as he ran to the garage for Elliott's BB gun. I giggled at my post in the kitchen, thinking poor Andy had come home from deer hunting each year empty handed... and now he thinks he's going to shoot a mouse with wings? To my amazement, Andy unloaded 4 shots on our unsuspecting bat. The kids couldn't believe that all this took place during their slumber.

I can't help but think how oddly ironic it is that I snub my nose at camping because of bugs, critters and the elements only to come back from an incident-free weekend in the woods to find stifling heat and flying bats in the sanctuary of my own home.