Walkathon report coming soon!

 

I don't know how many people read both this blog and my other blog, the Frankie report... but I've posted this picture in both places. This is our walkathon team.

The walkathon story is actually pretty funny, but I don't have time to post it right now, so check back later!

SUNSHINE (finally!)

 

These are my biker boys. They need to do a 25 mile bike ride, and also a 50 mile bike ride, for the cycling merit badge for Boy Scouts. Today was a beautiful day for a bike trip! (I don't ride bikes. Their daddy took them, and took this wonderful photo.)

I, personally, had a pleasant day without them.

But they are cute, aren't they?

I'm a very shallow person.

I'm not looking for everyone to jump in on this with comments to make me feel better, by the way. I really think I'm just shallow. A lot of things that bother people don't bother me like I suppose they should.

I like to make friends, but usually the level of friendship is on the lighter side. I don't remember to ask about things that I'm supposed to remember. I don't remember birthdays very well. (If you are my friend and I should know your birthday, I hope you aren't upset with me when I forget it. I don't even know the dates of my Mother or Father's birthday!)

Sorry, everybody. I would like to be a better person. I try sometimes, but then I forget to try other times. It isn't internalized like it is for some people. I think it's actually part of my nature, somehow.

I like everyone to get along. I don't like confrontation or anger. I feel uncomfortable around arguments. Why can't we all just get along? That's not to say I care if you have a different opinion than I do. I totally accept differing opinions. I don't even mind debating differences, as long as the debate stays friendly.

Sometimes, especially (mostly) with the kids -- mine and others -- someone will be telling me a long and involved story about something, and I will totally drift off. I feel terrible when this happens, but it happens again and again. I'll be listening. Then I'll start thinking about something else, and my mind will totally veer off topic. When I tune back in, I can't even begin to tell you what you just said. When I do that, would it be better for me to just admit it, or should I try to cover up?

So, I'm a shallow person. I want to be pleasant, I want to have a lot of casually pleasant relationships... sorry...

NJ 2007 Walk North Jersey - Team Statistics

Click here to find out about our walkathon! NJ 2007 Walk North Jersey for Crohns and Colitis We've raised about $1000 -- but some other kid raised way more! C'mon, guys, get involved! If you haven't donated, and you want to but keep forgetting, please click on the link and send in your donation.

Of course, if you don't want to donate, we totally understand... no pressure...

Home Sweet Home, KMSR

 
This is my FAVORITE PLACE in the entire world. Just so you know that.

People often wonder why I like the Boy Scouts program so much. This is why.

The scenery at KMSR

 

The scenery with the lake and the trees and the rocks and the moss... and yes, even the bears... it is unbelievably peaceful. The only sound you hear is the bellow of boys running around like wild indians.

Campfires are the BEST Part...

 

Yeah, campfires. Campfires are the best part of the Boy Scout program. Or maybe the best part is...

Kids who are required to cook for me

 
How can you go wrong with a program that teaches boys that they have to learn how to cook? Here, Nicky and one of his buddies are making spaghetti and meatballs. They HAVE to cook...so that they can earn badges...

No, one of the best things about Boy Scout camp is ...Rocks,

 
and more rocks.
No. Probably not rocks. Although, those of you who know me REALLY WELL know that I prefer rocks to flowers.
Ok, not rocks. The great thing about Scouting is ......

Target Shooting...

 

...With good old fashioned black powder muzzle loaders! And other fun activities. There are all kinds of things to do, like...

Making a matchless fire

 
This is the equivalent to rubbing two sticks together to build a fire. It's actually hard for some of the kids to even make a fire WITH a match, never mind with a bow drill. I tried. I couldn't do it either.

Ok, cool activities are great, but where except for Scouting would you have a ride like this...

Stylish Transportation

 
PIMP
MY
RIDE!
(please?)

Ya gotta love such a stylish vehicle. But really, what I like best is...

How about educational lectures about fish?

How many times have you been standing around with your kids when an impromptu lecture on fish breaks out, as the professionals stock your own private lake?
Not that I fish, mind you.

 

Good Citizenship

All those "uncool" values like honesty, loyalty, leadership, teamwork, and of course, citizenship, are the whole point to the program. Although the kids don't seem to notice that, they just learn and have fun. That's the great thing about Scouts.
 

Arts and Crafts

 
Everyone knows how much I love arts and crafts, right?

The boys worked on patrol flags all night. One patrol -- Nicky's group -- was "Duct Tape." I was impressed that they spelled it correctly. The other patrol was "Skull Candy." It referred to the name on the headphones one of the older boys had on his MP3 player.

Ok, but really, the best thing about scouting is...

The Comfy beds

 
Here's Nick on his bunk. Note the cozy spring sag under him? Can you imagine how much the springs sag under ME?
Lucky for me, I get my own room because I'm a girl. So I don't have to listen to the boys snore (and talk all night.) On the bad side, if the cabin only has one room, I can't go or I have to sleep in a tent.

The best thing is...

... being invited to play with the sling shot too... I missed.... 

BUT WAIT! At the risk of sounding mushy, this is really the best thing about scouts:


For real, the number one thing I like is the people. My kids have made great, lifelong friends, with some really nice boys. Our troop is the nicest group of boys you would ever want to meet. And I have made friends with a lot of really wonderful, dedicated parents and young adults who have the same kinds of beliefs I do.
I sound really mushy, I know. And I'm not usually a mushy person, but I feel like it today. These are some great people.
That's really why I love scouting.

Me at Lollapalooza? Well, I like the stockings, but i DOUBT I'll wear them...

Create Your Own PaloozaHead - Visit Lollapalooza.com

Everyone say HI BETH!

I took this photo of Beth at the comedy show we went pretty recently... she looks better in real life...

YAY BETH!

Beth has a new blog now too! Welcome to the blog world, Beth!

Everyone go to Beth's site and say HI!

Beth is my best friend for 100 years. Well, maybe not quite that long, but since we were in middle school, which is a really long time.

When we were in 9th grade, Iselin Middle School was called Iselin Jr. High (and it went up to 9th grade.) All of the kids from St. Cecelia's, who didn't go on to Catholic High School, merged into the public school system with us.

Beth and Jan knew each other from St. Cecelias, and Ann and I (barely) knew each other from Iselin Middle. I had Beth and Jan in different classes, and one of them had Ann in some classes. Anyway, the four of us started hanging around together, and we became extremely close. They were my BFF's before there was a such thing as BFFs. Or LYLAS's.

So we've all stayed friends thru the years, although Annie is the most distant, living in Florida and not in contact very often. Jan is in Pittsburgh (Hi Jan!) I know she reads the blog occasionally at least, and we talk once in a while. I hope to see her this summer, or maybe in the fall... we have to work on it. And Beth lives closest to me, still in Jersey, but nowhere near Iselin anymore, and a bit too far away to just stop by.

I got married earliest. So even though our ages are all the same, I feel the oldest. Beth still has babies, so she still has to go thru all the child stuff... I kinda miss the baby years! I miss those years with my kids UNTIL she starts telling me about waking up at 6 AM with a baby sick and crying....

Visit Beth's blog at
Just About Us

Playground

I was at Aftercare today, turning the jump rope for hours -- it seemed like hours -- and it is kinda weird, because it is the same playground that I played jump rope on as a child. I had this strange sense of deja vu... but I'm a lot happier now than I was back then. I was such a nervous worried weird little kid.

But today, I wasn't nervous or worried (I think weird is for life) and the sun was so nice and warm, and it was very fun in a very childlike, invigorating way.

And all I could think of, was, I get paid for playing with these little kids. They are very nice little kids. I would like to have been friends with them when I was a little kid. And here I am, still playing jump rope after all these years!

Well, I turn but I haven't been jumping yet -- but I think I might actually jump too, tomorrow...

(That'll be good for a laugh!)

Map of Chicago Downtown,(Chicago, Illinois, US)

Spontaneous Vacation Plans

So, how does this sound? I was planning a very simple summer this year. BUT, I'm a sucker for travel plans!

So we decided to go to Cedar Point, the roller coaster capital of the world, because we didn't get there last year so Frankie is having withdrawal (the Great Adventure roller coasters aren't good enough, ya know.) And we were thinking of going on the August 3 - 5 weekend. But Frank didn't really want to drive all the way to Cedar Point, a bit more than 500 miles, for a long weekend. (What? Don't you do road trips?) So he wanted to add something else, and I figured it would be a good time to visit Jan.

But then he came up with an additional plan. Over that same weekend, Lollapalooza will be playing in Chicago, and Pearl Jam will be appearing. Yup. Chicago is only 800 miles, so THAT we can do. Then, we can drive back 300 miles to Cedar Point on our way home. (I still hope to hit Jan's house in there for a while, if I can! Hi Jan!)

Lollapalooza is a big jam band concert in Grant Park. So -- within hours of thinking about it -- we had bought tickets for the weekend concert, and booked a hotel in downtown chicago. It's supposed to be a DUMP, but it's close to the festival, we can walk it.

So yeah, we're spontaneous about our vacation plans. I sure hope my new job doesn't mind.....