While the Cat's Away......

1. Staining my deck. Yes, this is my real deck and not an image I "borrowed" from Google. And because we are suppose to get another nice, sunny day tomorrow.....

2. Sand and Paint the railing on my front porch and paint the steps on the front porch.

3. For the rainy days that will soon be here, painting my bathroom. Be gone Canary Yellow ceiling!

4. Remove the wallpaper off the walls in my bedroom. Except, where the T.V. is.

Things you don't need pictures to see...

5. Weeding the front and back yard. Plant grass on patch in front that was meant for flowers, but decided we don't need flowers there.

6. Steam Clean Carpets and stairs.

7. Relax, sit around and watch Soap Operas and eat Bon Bon's all day, make Hot Dogs and Mac & Cheese for dinner for the rest of the time that the Dad is gone, and do little as possible.

I get a little vacation too.

Lee left for Montana @5:37 am -well it was supposed to be 5:30am sharp, but Sleeping Beauty better known as my husband-slept though his alarm and was woken up by the door bell. He will be gone for 2 weeks. Lee going to Montana has been a tradition for 17 years. He went the first year (less than one month after we were married), and has gone once every few years. He hasn't gone in 3 years-so this was a well deserved vacation for him. Am I angry? Jealous? Absoulutely NOT! It's a "Man" trip with his Dad and brothers, and anyone else who would want to go. They drive for almost 1 1/2 days straight to Montana, sleep the next day, and drive out onto the Praries.......looking for Prarie Dogs to shoot. The Ranchers of Montana LOVE it when guys like them come. Prarie Dogs cause large holes on the Rancher's fields. Fields where they raise cattle. When a cow steps into a hole, they break a leg, and the Rancher loses that head of cattle. Some Ranchers lose alot of head of cattle, which means they lose $Money$. Prairie Dogs are challenging, because they are small and fast. So, Prarie Dog shooting is a sport. I have never had the desire to go, ever. I have seen video footage, and it validated all of the reasons why I have never wanted to go. Dirt, being out in the middle of nowhere, dirt, shooting, being around 4 or more Bryant males, and more dirt. I don't like dirt.

Anyways..........Back to my original subject of this post.

While Lee is away, the above list is a chore list of things I want to do. These are things that I have to do before it starts raining, again. These are things that would disturb the balance of our home, and inconvience some, not naming any names. We will see how much I actually get done.

Did you know?

Mason and I drove Mac to school today (he was sick last week, and still has a cough). This was a conversation Mason and I had.

Mason: Mom, I want some Hot Cocoa when we get home.
Me: Okay.
Mason: With Marshmellows.
Me: Do we have any left? You were eating them yesterday.
Mason: No. I eat them all gone.
Me: You did!
Mason: Yep. Because they are good for my heart.
Me: Marshmellows are good for your heart?
Mason: Yes, so I ate them all gone.

So, for all of you who have heart problems, buy a bag of Marshmellows-and eat them all gone.

Because Mac was sick all week last week, Mason now has what Mac had.

My Camera

Well, as you can see, I finally go this picture thing on the blog figured out. This is the camera that I chose. I needed something that was bigger than my phone, and I didn't care if it was pink, blue, or purple. I can hold onto it and take a picture-without dropping it. It has some cool features on it, but not so many that I won't use them. After I whinned (yes, I really did whine) and nagged (yes, I did this too) to my husband, about my camera or lack of camera situation-he told me to get online and pic one out. I got online and printed it out and left it where I knew he would see it. Hints don't work with him, seriously. He looked at it and said "this is what you want?" I said yes. And the next day-there is was. I thought "this is what happens when I whine and nag? Wow!" I never whine (I can't stand those who do) and I rarely nag (because I met several of Lee's former clients who really nag, and decided that I wouldn't do this). But, the irony of it all.......Lee had this little gem in his "Electrical Tote from Hell". Yes, I cursed. Because that is EXACTLY what it is. This is last year's model. He bought it, used it a little, and then didn't like it. So, he kept it. He thought when I was asking him for a digital camera, he thought I wanted a pretty pink one. I continue to suprise him, and after 17 years of marriage he still can't get through his head, that my needs are more simpler than he thinks.

Oh, FYI: The whining and nagging where fueled after a really long, sad, exhausting day. I drove to Ellensburg, with the boys (and my Dad) to my Grandma's funeral. I was emotionally spent by the time I got to talking about the camera.

The Bryant Men and thier Motorcycles

On Labor Day weekend, we took the boys and thier Motorcycles and went to Grandma and Pa Bryant's house. They live on 5 acres, and on those 5 acres is where anyone who owns a "bike" goes to ride. The pic above are the Bryant Men, or some of them, (from R to L) Pa (Lee's Dad), Lee, and the second to the youngest of the family-Calvin. Lee is really a little taller than what is in the picture, he is leaning against his trailer and slouching. But for the record, all of his younger brothers are taller than him. Lee, Calvin, Wes, and Pa-are all at Montana, as I type this.

Mason and Uncle Wes on Mason's Motorcycle. Mason's "bike" is the smallest one you can buy, and he has no interest in it this year. But his Dad and Uncles has all sorts of interest in it. I didn't get any real pictures of it, but there was nothing funnier than adult size guys on a little thing of a Motorcycle. I'll get a picture of them, sometime, maybe. I think Mason will be riding this thing all year next year, it just goes to fast for him right now. For those of you who know Mason, I know-that's hard to believe.

Mac on his Motorcycle at Grandma and Pa Bryant's house. He wanted me to take a bunch of pictures of him riding, but, being that I had my camera for all of 3 hours and I wasn't familiar with it yet, this is all I could get. Lee and I left the boys, for 1 night (we spent the first night there). According to Grandma-he rode from sun up, until sun down. When I came to pick them up, they were both upset with me, asking me what I was doing there. It's nice to know that I'm loved.

First Day of School

Mac was up, and ready to go to School almost 1 hour before it started. He rides his bike to the Middle School. He loves 7th Grade, and was already talking about going to the Mid-High next year when he goes into 8th Grade. I told him he needed to get through 7th Grade first. He went to school for the first 3 days, and then he got really sick with a cough, cold, fever thing that has lasted for 6 days. He still has a cough, but is going back to school tomorrow.

The first day of School was kinda a big deal around here, for Mason. He was supposed to go last year, but didn't want to go. Started hyperventilating, crying, etc. He just wasn't ready. This year, was another story. We went to the "Meet Your Teacher and See your Classroom" night the week before, it was a big hit. HE couldn't wait to go. We got his school supplies, backpack, and was ready to go, but not to ride the bus. I drove him. All the way to school (a whole 3 minute drive) all I heard was "Mom, we're gonna be late. Hurry Mom! Drive faster Mom. Can't you find a parking spot already?!" He got to his class. He found his desk, he sat down and started writing his name on the laminateed paper with his name on it. He went right to work. He wanted me to leave right away, but I had to take a few pictures. He humored me. Then I left. But I shedded a few tears on my way to the car. I then met him off a few hours later when he came bouncing off the bus. He likes the bus, which is great, because he wanted nothing to do with this last year. I have 3 hours all to myself. What am I going to do with all that time? Going to the Gym-the same one I joined 3 months ago.