Friday, July 31, 2009
Lucy's Week in Pix
From the Charlie-Happy-Machinery album, I had to include this sweet one of PLT's daughter and LLGA.
Charlie and the "Happy" (Heavy) Machinery
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029125&id=1475913643&l=6e8211ac39
Cut and paste the link above into your browser to view photos of Charlie at Patty Lisa Triplets' very own "construction site".
Lucky PLT! (Not)
Cut and paste the link above into your browser to view photos of Charlie at Patty Lisa Triplets' very own "construction site".
Lucky PLT! (Not)
Returning to the blog...
As I type this, I have "enjoyed" my last b-day until the Big 4-0. Woo-woo.
I have some spiffy new shoes, a number of good reads, and a lovely Murano glass necklace ... and 3 hot chocolates! (I also inhaled several gallons of cheese/carmel popcorn, if I confess to everything). Thanks to one and all for the cards and e-mail. a
This week has been devoted to a number of far-flung issues -- some private, some blog-worthy. There may be some deliberation even among the latter category.
* Prepping the J-crabs for week of sleep-away camps, respectively.
* Having a birthday outing to Yogurtland.
* Taking all 5 crablets to back-to-back peds neurology appointments (so much fun I can barely imagine not living that dream EVERY week).
* Purging (and refilling from the never-ending pyramid of plastic tubs) the boys' closets...including FREAKING out that Tim went from XXL boys/S men to LARGE men in under six months (but that's what 6-foot-tall, 166 pound boys wear).
* Raiding Ben's closet to have something hanging from Tim's closet rod -- which necessitated a heart-to-heart with my beloved spouse that if his fiancee bought the item of apparel, it was probably okay to bequeath it to his almost-15-year-old son.
* Follow-on conversation in which I expanded on this theme to offer dry commentary that Big Daddy Commanding Officer probably shouldn't be outside the house in some of these faded items.
* Major Do-Over on Thursday involving Tim's dual enrollment...too tedious and annoying to revisit tonight -- suffice it to say the case manager I'd thought was in my rear view mirror is not only back on the bus but driving it (and me) over the Cliff of Irritation!
* Plumbing Wednesday in which the day started with the realization that the agitation function was not functioning at all on the clothes washer (with the Eureka! discovery that our clothing looking dingy and stained was because it WAS still dirty, merely soaking in water and draining) and ended with about 90 minutes of snaking to fix a bathtub/toilet line problem after dusk. Said problem included leaking up from the gasket beneath the replaced-two-months-ago toilet. Charming!
* Since I was calling in that washing issue, I remembered to ask the Maintenance Guys to patch some dry wall, render the back sliding glass door lock-able, and fix the sprinklers.
* Twin Birthday Presents from the Government:
1. The Governator exercised his line-item veto to reduce the boys' IHSS (which was not expected) in addition to signing a budget that eliminates funding for Tim's social rec program at CCC Kids; and
2. Big Navy issued an ORD MOD (modified orders) for the Naval Crab, effectively zapping my Plan to "Vacation" in Newport for 5-days and ensuring that Patty Kiki or Patty Barbara or both have the Naval Crab eat their turkey n' fixings and commit me to a role of Holiday Scrooge-crab as the Crab won't be back in the Castle until Christmas Week '09.
* Special Husband/Wife/Sleeping Baby excursion to the Ticket Office at Miramar to procure admissions to Sea World, USS Midway, Boomers (a mini-golf, arcade, bumper car, ferris wheel, etc. spot), and Knott's Soak City in addition to annual passes to the Zoo in anticipation of GMK's and my nephew's visit beginning next week.
I have some spiffy new shoes, a number of good reads, and a lovely Murano glass necklace ... and 3 hot chocolates! (I also inhaled several gallons of cheese/carmel popcorn, if I confess to everything). Thanks to one and all for the cards and e-mail. a
This week has been devoted to a number of far-flung issues -- some private, some blog-worthy. There may be some deliberation even among the latter category.
* Prepping the J-crabs for week of sleep-away camps, respectively.
* Having a birthday outing to Yogurtland.
* Taking all 5 crablets to back-to-back peds neurology appointments (so much fun I can barely imagine not living that dream EVERY week).
* Purging (and refilling from the never-ending pyramid of plastic tubs) the boys' closets...including FREAKING out that Tim went from XXL boys/S men to LARGE men in under six months (but that's what 6-foot-tall, 166 pound boys wear).
* Raiding Ben's closet to have something hanging from Tim's closet rod -- which necessitated a heart-to-heart with my beloved spouse that if his fiancee bought the item of apparel, it was probably okay to bequeath it to his almost-15-year-old son.
* Follow-on conversation in which I expanded on this theme to offer dry commentary that Big Daddy Commanding Officer probably shouldn't be outside the house in some of these faded items.
* Major Do-Over on Thursday involving Tim's dual enrollment...too tedious and annoying to revisit tonight -- suffice it to say the case manager I'd thought was in my rear view mirror is not only back on the bus but driving it (and me) over the Cliff of Irritation!
* Plumbing Wednesday in which the day started with the realization that the agitation function was not functioning at all on the clothes washer (with the Eureka! discovery that our clothing looking dingy and stained was because it WAS still dirty, merely soaking in water and draining) and ended with about 90 minutes of snaking to fix a bathtub/toilet line problem after dusk. Said problem included leaking up from the gasket beneath the replaced-two-months-ago toilet. Charming!
* Since I was calling in that washing issue, I remembered to ask the Maintenance Guys to patch some dry wall, render the back sliding glass door lock-able, and fix the sprinklers.
* Twin Birthday Presents from the Government:
1. The Governator exercised his line-item veto to reduce the boys' IHSS (which was not expected) in addition to signing a budget that eliminates funding for Tim's social rec program at CCC Kids; and
2. Big Navy issued an ORD MOD (modified orders) for the Naval Crab, effectively zapping my Plan to "Vacation" in Newport for 5-days and ensuring that Patty Kiki or Patty Barbara or both have the Naval Crab eat their turkey n' fixings and commit me to a role of Holiday Scrooge-crab as the Crab won't be back in the Castle until Christmas Week '09.
* Special Husband/Wife/Sleeping Baby excursion to the Ticket Office at Miramar to procure admissions to Sea World, USS Midway, Boomers (a mini-golf, arcade, bumper car, ferris wheel, etc. spot), and Knott's Soak City in addition to annual passes to the Zoo in anticipation of GMK's and my nephew's visit beginning next week.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Lucy pix from the week
Snuggling with Aunt Patty Kiki.
Above her left eye...Baby's first shiner.
Waiting for Tim's bus with Dad and Jamie.
Swinging with Papa.
Kissable.
Baby's SECOND trip to the beach. Claiming the boogie board as her own private island. (After having made an offering to the ocean gods of her pink sunbonnet).
Pouting because she's been placed back under the sunbrella (because of inadequate pate UV protection).
Patty Lucy holding LLGA.
Clutching her new BFF, Scoopy (TM) from Culver's. (Courtesy of Patty Lisa Triplets).
She can wear pink, but she's destined to be a tomboy.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Charliepalooza #6 (continued, OOO)
Video evidence of gift wrap. 
Could anything be more awesome than a John Deere (TM) construction video? 
Dumpers & Diggers, how to draw 'em ... heck, how to DREAM them. Very cool.
Hurrah!
Sticker books require intensive and immediate study.
Ralph's World...YAY!
A tractor book! What joy!
DVD of construction vehicles and lumberjacks (Huh?) that I snagged for cheap-99.
Fire engine outfit. From Costco.
So fun to witness the enthusiasm. (Then again, the kid had to wait 48-hours for the wrapper to cease her procrastinating tendencies).
Crocodile dentist! SNAP!
Two days after the 2-day-after party, Round 4 of Charliepalooza arrived from the Cat Store:
A tote...what every 6-y-o has at the top of his wish list. :-)
Life-size posters, too. (or at least Charlie-boy-sized).
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Pix of Charlie Today
Enjoying Nature's 2nd-most Perfect Food: The Mini Krispy Kreme.
Showing off his new cap.
News video...
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Most_Vulnerable_Hit_Hardest_By_Budget_Cuts_San_Diego.html
Tim is lurking at the far table (eating pizza) in one shot.
This story is just one of 90 for this program alone. There are other programs in similar jeopardy, including Patty Xena's son's program.
Tim is lurking at the far table (eating pizza) in one shot.
This story is just one of 90 for this program alone. There are other programs in similar jeopardy, including Patty Xena's son's program.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Another Birthday
Some number of years ago, a little girl was born. She would eventually have a younger brother and a younger sister. She had already decided to marry her future-husband by the time she was a kindergartner, giving new meaning to the word "precocious".
Time passed as it does, and she finished school. Marquette University then University of Illiois. Then the predicted wedding and decades of farm life. It wasn't enough to rear five children of her own. Some more school at Illinois State. And then working at State Farm long enough to retire with benefits. (Obviously, I'm glossing over plenty of milestones).
On numerous instances, she has been summoned, dispatched, or sometimes even "vacationed" in San Diego...most recently, for a marathon sentence in the Castle. July to October, December through June (with a few weeks off for "good behavior" -- or more aptly phrased, much-needed "R & R").
While the touching TV coverage (or adverts) show the service members, their parents and spouses and children, the commercials rarely pan back enough to capture the service members' in-laws. They are behind the front row at Change-of-Commands. They are behind the scenes. And, for some, the sacrifices near those of the shiny faces waving flags awaiting an embrace on the TV screen.
But GMK (and Grandpa Mike) really stuck the landing on this IA. How does one say "Thank you" for suspending their life together for a year? How does one indemnify (just using that word 'cause we like to) for all the scenarios/travel arrangements/decisions/who's-paying-this bills that had to be discussed via phone? How does one repay the dozens of doctor's visits? the hundreds (really!) of trips to the grocery store? the nights of interrupted sleep? the peace of mind that accompanies having a back-up to She Who Must Be All Things To All People??
I didn't often blog the nitty-gritty details (even though it may have felt like I left no minutaie unexplored). Know that in excess of 50% (by instance, not volume) of excessive bodily juices that landed in places not formally approved for their placement were cleaned up by GMK. (And a couple of red wine stains, too!) Know that more than 90% of the meals that crablets rejected, protested, or (shock) inhaled were prepared by GMK. Know that at least 75% of gas pumping was accomplished at her hand. I don't want to guess at the number of loads of laundry or beds made or dishes washed. Cindercrabma would have been an appropos pseudonym for GMK.
And that doesn't even include the Crablet Extracurricular/Extramedical Benefits. Boy scouts and cub scouts. Little League. Vision therapy. French horn lessons. Honor band/orchestra rehearsals. And concerts. CCC Kids emergency fetchings. OT/PT/Speech for C-boy. Charlie the-bus-didn't-show transport. Birthday party attendance. And, for the CQ, continued participation on CAC and Area Board 13 as well as IEP meetings and Troop parent meetings.
If ever a woman would be worthy of being the guest at a State of the Union address, it is GMK. An example of putting one's shell where it's needed most -- not just in service of one's family but in the greater service of one's country. The fact remains: GMK deployed in support of the Combat Crab's deployment. Without pay, without benefits (except those that LLGA and Pierre the Expensive Stylist provided), and largely (gulp) without much day-to-day appreciation.
So, here's a blog award presented to GMK for valor in the combat zone that is the Castle o' Autism.
(This is a WWII-era sweetheart ribbon in reality).
(I understand she already enjoyed a Birthday Vigil helping of Jim's Steakhouse Brittany dressing). Today, please join me in raising a glass to, offering a prayer for, and/or glancing with cake-eyes at a bakery window in celebrating GMK's latest "still legal" birthday!
And, thanks, Mom. ::hug::
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Catching up: LLGA pix
7/13/09...my Island gecko.
practicing her "enough, paparazzi!" wave.
7/13/09...cute Lulu outfit... and a pretty cute (but busy) Lulu wearing it.
7/14/09...Time for a "stare-off".
7/15/09...LLGA likes construction vehicles. Are you KIDDING me?
Saw an adorable pink CAT t-shirt that reads, "Ponies are overrated. I want a CATERPILLAR machine!"
7/16/09...Waiting for b-day cake!
7/17/09...leaving devastation in the pantry in her wake.
7/18/09...attending a b-day party.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Charlie Turns Six - Day Two
Couldn't pick just one to post!
Videos of Day Two (State Farm parcel) coming soon...
Videos of Day Two (State Farm parcel) coming soon...
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