What a Weird Day

...oh, btw, if you notice that a word is missing a "d", it's because my "d" key is being stupid. I'm convinced that it's either the result of teenagers eating at the keyboard, although I've done the turn over and pound on the back thing, or that they've just plain damaged that key. I'm going to start charging them a fee to use this computer. I still don't have it paid off and they've managed to trash it. I suppose, though, that is the way with teenagers.

Back to the post. Today has been a rather interesting day. PC, ET, and SmallBoy left this morning to go camping with the scouts. The town where their campsite is located is up north, near the Wisconsin border and got SOCKED with snow the other day. They WILL be staying indoors, but their cabin is heated only by a wood burning stove. Being scouts, you just know that they will have been outdoors from the moment the exited the comfort and luxury of the nice, snuggly warm car.

They went prepared, though. They had a very explicit packing list and directions on dressing in layers - and bringing tons of socks. Long underwear, layers, coats, boots, hats, gloves in tow, the guys hit the road. They haven't come home, so that's a good sign. I was worried that they might end up returning home this evening if the cold got to be too much for SmallBoy - because once he wraps his mind around the fact that he's cold, he stays cold and perseverates on that to NO end. I bet they're having a blast, though.

PC is so wonderful for going on this trip with our Not-so-SmallBoy. He's never really had this much time alone with SmallBoy without ME, so this will be a great opporutnity for the two of them to form an even greater bond than they already share. I'm missing them desperately, but I know how good this is for me. (This "d" thing is really starting to piss me off.) I feel so comfortable in the knowledge that my bug is in such good, loving, hands. He is with someone who knows him like he knows himself, sometimes I think PC has a better handle on SmallBoy than I. He'll know what to do if a meltdown is imminent. He'll know what to do to avert a meltdown. He'll know what to do to continually encourage SmallBoy.

ET brought to the trip, not only his experience as an Outward Bound alum, but his love for SmallBoy. He, too, in the short time that he's known my son, has grown to love him - also unconditionally. He knows what to do, how to handle situations that might arise. He also, on this trip, will have the opportunity to use his expertise with Outward Bound to help explain to SmallBoy WHY so many rules have to be enforced when camping, why this, why that...simple things that most of us would take for granted. I am SO glad that both of these wonderful guys are with my son today.

Which means - it's me, LargeBoy, and Girl. Weird. PC and I will have been married for all of 2yrs come New Year's Eve, but it feels like forever since it's just been me and the kids, not to mention how long it's been since I've been with just Girl and LargeBoy witOUT SmallBoy. Very, very strange.

This morning, Girl had placement exams for math & science for high school, and wrapping gifts for underprivileged kids with an order of nuns today. I went with Meem, FIL, and Punkie to the auction where Meem's art was on the block. Talk about exciting. It was an amazing experience and, I must say that we left there celebrating! It was truly exhilirating. I don't know how we didn't squeal with delight every time the bids were raised, and how we didn't just leap with joy out of our seats when the gavel fell. Oh! It was WONDERFULLY exciting. We followed the auction with a celebratory lunch (thanx, Meem & FIL!), and then went to our respective homes to enjoy the rest of the day.

When I arrived home, LargeBoy was up, and Girl was still out. I had grand plans for this afternoon. Laundry, intense cleaning, sweeping up all of the remaining globs of dog hair, washing everyone's bed linens, FINDING my bedroom...you know, all the fun stuff. The stuff that I have absolutely NO time to do on any other day because there are always too many oter things that MUST be done.

I sat on the sofa, LargeBoy in the comfy blue chair, and he asked me if I wanted to play one of his video games with him. I SUCK at today's advanced technology. If I can't just move a joystick and hit the red fire button, or roll the ball to get my blaster to blow up a centipede, an asteroid, or a space invader, it's just entirely too much for me an I can't do it. Well, LargeBoy convinced me that I could, in fact, o this. It only involved MOST of the controller, instead of ALL of the controller. I said ok, and I loved it. I still suck at it, but I had great fun. It's not often that I get to play with him anymore. Seriously, how many 16yr olds sit down and acutally PLAY with their mothers?

After my ass-whooping at the game, I decided that it was finally time to do some of those things that I never get to do when we have a house full of other places to be and places to go...and then I nodded off for about two hours on the couch. I was able to justify this, however, because it IS something that I never get to do, unless it's the end of the night and we're watching a movie.

Tonight, LargeBoy is out with his friends, and we're having a girls' night. Girl is having Snood and her friend TR stay over night. We've decided that we'll probably watch a movie and play a board game later, and that I'll hide the computer so they're not messaging all of their other friends all night long. We've already been bad and ordered really greasy, cheesey pizza, and now the girls are in Girl's room decorating her doors. I'll have to remember to send you pics. She puts quotes all over her bedroom doors. It's really quite cool. If we ever move, I'll have to be sure we take the doors with.

Yesterday was pretty chaotic given that it was a snow day. PC and ET were out gathering all of the stuff that they needed for the trip, Girl was at the sled hill with the rest of the school, and SmallBoy went out in the snow to play. He wanted to build a snowman, but was convinced that it was entirely too difficult and that someone should do it FOR him. Well, you know THAT didn't happen. But he ended up having a blast anyway. The picture was taken during the brief 15seconds that the sun chose to come out and blind us with its glare off of the snow.

I sang last night at the house walk. Kristina, Laura, thank you for your fabulous ideas. It went very well. The house was decorated beautifully and I think I only had to repeat one or two songs. It was a lovely evening. When I got home, after freezing on the way back to my car, we stayed up for another couple of hours. PC, ET, LargeBoy and I played a game of dominoes while waiting for SNat to come over to hang for a bit. Exhausted (and out of beer) we crashed at around 2 or so.

Tonight, we will crash MUCH earlier, or at least I will. I know that Becky's friend, TR has to boogie out relatively early in the morning, and I have to cantor 11:00 mass. SmallBoy was supposed to be singing with the choirsters tomorrow morning, which is how I coordinated the mass I was going to sing, but he won't be back from camping by then, and if he is, I'll bet he'll be wanting to shower and sleep.

Well, the girls are getting loud, so I should probably go do the "mom thing".