Monday Monday Monday

First of all, NO ONE ever calls me (but my honey and kids' teachers when the kids have barfed or something) and the ONE day I leave my cell in the bottom of my purse I get SIX messages yesterday. I apologize to everyone for ignoring you!

I had the BEST weekend! Not much was accomplished, but we had a blast! Friday night was a good time. Jeff's 20 year reunion was Sat night but he didn't want to get all dressed up and pay $75/couple PLUS cash bar to hang out with everyone, so he was talked into hosting a get-together for his old friends Friday night. We had a blast. I only knew 2 people there, but got in my "makin' some friends" party mode and really enjoyed myself. A bit too much. I was moving slow Sat. morning, but not too much damage. It's kind of scary to realize that though you're old and haven't been a party girl for a while, your body can still handle a wild night once in a while. NOTE-->GREEN TEA the morning after is very soothing to the tummy, the head and the soul. I read about mixing it with hot chili powder and a few other things for the ultimate hangover cure, but that would've made me hurl. Green tea. It's a good thing.

Jeff's boys are in Canada with their mom and their big family summer vacation, so he just hung around with me and my munchkins all weekend. We went out to Cabella's and wandered around looking at the animals and big boy toys. Do guys ever grow up? NOPE. Their toys just cost more. Jeff did well, only bought a new fishing tackle box. I've been to the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, MO, but this was UNREAL. They have all kinds of animals, the requisite deer, elk and other critters men like to shoot. They also had a jungle safari room with LIONS, ZEBRAS, ELEPHANTS, WILDEBEASTS, and tons of other massive animals all set up in little vingettes. It was really cool. The place ALMOST made me think about going camping again. There's some seriously cool stuff there. almost. not till it gets COOLER outdoors and not so many bugs. I think I could handle camping in the fall. maybe. we'll see.

Jeff fell asleep on the couch Sat. night at about 7pm after dinner(we'd been up till 4:30am the night before) and I sat and dozed and knitted in the rocking recliner nearby. My kids played like ANGELS and had a "sleepover" in Beth's room with she in the top bunk and Joey in her lower bunkbed. Jeff woke up and we snuggled on the couch watching a little tv, then to bed. mmmmmmm. Nice domestic evening. It just feels right and that's so nice. It's funny how sometimes you have to go through a lot of CRAP and heartache to recognize and appreciate someone very good for you.

More domesticity, Sunday we went over to Jeff's house, kids played outside in the sprinkler and we got them washing our trucks and I helped Jeff make and can salsa. We all went out and hosed down the trucks, the ice cream van came down the street and we had a very nostalgic afternoon sucking on frozen ninja turtle with bubblegum eyeballs on sticks and bomb pops. Anyone else notice how FREAKING CREEPY ice-cream men are now? ick.

Sunday night we went to a dinner party thrown by Phuong, with make-your-own spring rolls and AMAZING food. MMMMmmmm. Jeff ate octupus, shrimp and beef along with the asian veggies and noodles. I did the beef thing and even ate a couple of shrimpies. Beth even ate a ton of noodles along with canteloupe and tried the Asian fruit medly. Joey ate peanut butter ritz bits and pringles, par for the course. Jeff did the hang-out-with-the-boys-outdoors thing and seemed to have a good time. I got to hold a little 6 month old cutie Taylor all night since she was fussy and I have the magic touch. GOD I LOVE BABIES until they move. Then the magic's gone. Seriously, I'd have followed along in my grandma's footsteps and cranked out the tons o' babies if they STAYED babies. I also love kittens but cats not so much.

Back to work. Is it a bad sign when your company runs out of envelopes and doesn't want to order more as they may not BE HERE to use them? Jeez. I signed up for 2 classes this fall at good ol' Johnson County Community College aka harvard-on-the-hill. I do like that campus. Now I'll be a real college girl again. Ok, an OLD college girl but still. Drinking beer and skipping class just doesn't work as well when you're over 35, guess I'll have to STUDY and GO TO CLASS this time. cripes.