HOA

Most fairly new neighborhoods have an HOA these days. These organizations of human conformity mean to keep the community beautiful. In their pursuit of beauty, we have received another "nicely" written notice that we need to weed our front yard. In went something like this:



We are writing to inform you that you must have overlooked the enormously large amounts of weeds that have killed all your grass in the front yard. Please rectify this situation immediately, or pay the dire consequence of being the worst land owner on the block. Oh yeah, we could also fine you. We love to fine people a minimum of $50.00 because they do not want to conform to our understanding of the beauty that is a well maintained and perfectly green front yard. Sincerely, Your ever checking, measuring, and scrutinizing HOA.

Ok it wasn't that bad but, we do have a weed issue. Our weeds are not the gangly type that grow up past the grass and sprout nasty nobby little burrs that catch on socks. These weeds lie low to the ground and at the present moment they are flowering. We have had them all summer but up until now they were green like our sparse grass. So from a distance green meant lawn was being kept up tidily and HOA left us alone.

The white mass of weeds have now given us more than the plain green lawn would ever give. Outside today, the boys and I stumbled upon three monarch butterflies feasting on my weeds. They fluttered to and fro and gave us such a wonderful moment of peace. The boys and I paused on the sidewalk and gazed at God's glorious creatures.

I guess we will eventually comply with our HOA. But, for now...I think our lawn mower is broken.

The Case of the Milk Nabber

Saturday, I made the weekly trip to "The Walmart". I am to the point that I really don't like Wal-Mart. It is big, crowded and, really, not that much cheaper than the other grocery stores in town. It does have an Optometry Center, though and that is where I needed to go. Yet again, I needed to straighten out the badly shaped frames resting precariously on Aaron's nose. Being Walmart, it was open. So, in I went.

Like all Walmart shoppers, I found myself thinking that I might as well get the week's groceries and not make two trips somewhere. Yep, I was falling right into the dark and dangerous schemes of Walmart's Top Brass. Get 'em in and they can't leave for under 100 bucks!

Aaron and I shopped, and then went to the check out line. Amazingly, there was only one solitary man checking out in front of us. I unpacked my cart and began browsing the magazine rack. After about half of some cheesy entertainment magazine, I felt a tug at my shirt and heard Aaron ask why the man in front of us had taken our milk. As it happens, when Aaron talks, I usually don't believe him. This is one of those sad consequences of a boy who continuously tries to get out of trouble, but as I scanned the conveyor belt I saw no milk.

"What did you do with the milk?" I questioned Aaron. Indignately, he looked at me, mouth gaping and pointed to the man wheeling his cart toward the exit.

I grasped what Aaron was saying about the same time that the clerk did, and she turned and caught the man and tried to explain the mistake. "No, he said. I bought milk, too." She turned and looked helplessly at me and stated that this man obsconding with my milk had told her it was his. But, where was my milk that I had put on the conveyor belt? I told her my milk color and make. I looked in my empty cart to just be sure milk wasn't hiding there.

Sure enough the milk in his cart was the brand and color I usually buy, sure enough my milk (that I can visualize getting out of the case at the back of Walmart) was also not there. The man just stood there and shook his head at us like we were all idiots. And out the door went my milk.
The clerk did go get me more milk, but I have to wonder if that man really knew what was going on, or if he was a MILK NABBER!

11 days

I can't believe it has been 11 days since I last posted anything. That's a tale tell sign of how busy we have been. We have had piano, soccer, grad school, boyscouts, a camping trip that turned into a sinus infection for me and a new dog to top it all off. The school year is flying by with homework, projects and loads of activities. It seems that we can barely catch our breath.

Here is a top 10 list of the most exciting portions of our lives over the last 11 days.

1. Getting Marley our new Shepherd Mix dog from the pound.

2. Introducing Marley to Pete and Harriet - keeping them from killing each other for the first day. Now they are best friends.

3. An Eye Doctor visit, Pediatrician Visit and a Urologist Visit. - All is well, but Aaron's eye sight is really bad! We are now using the eye patch four or more hours a day - like it or not.

4. Camping for one night at a local lake and watching Marley play in the water.

5. Aaron goes a whole week with good behavior at school!

6. One nature hike where lots of fishbone pictures were taken.

7. Isaac is exited from the Speech program at school - He has come a long way, baby!

8. Aaron keeps the patch on his eye for several hours without complaint.

9. Boys attend their first ever bicycle rodeo.

10. One 30 minute nap today after I finished writing my 3rd paper for graduate school.

Whew! I am tired just remembering it all. Below is a pic of our newest family member.

A Strict Policy

Yesterday we sat in a popular restaurant eating a late dinner. A t.v. buzzed behind us and Isaac kept looking at it. Suddenly, He yelled. "Hey, that's Barack Obama" and right after that announced John McCain had filled the screen. He looked at us with great importance and then made the announcement that he would like to be President someday. Well, that's cool. I could be the first mother. I might even get a secret service detail out of the deal.

Aaron, of course, wanted to join in the conversation. He stated that president wouldn't do for him, but he would like to be a judge. That of course, prompted a discussion about which had more power a judge or the President of the United States. Then out of nowhere, my 5 year old, kindergartner stated that if he was judge he would ...Now brace yourself...I swear these are his words....

"Make a strict policy on pizza" I looked at Nathan and then at Aaron and I repeated "a strict policy" Those words just came out of my child's mouth. Where in the world did he pick that up and then use it in a sentence that made sense. (well, mostly)

A policy on pizza, I asked. What kind? "A policy where I could eat it whenever I want!" Aaron stated with a smile. Yep, it was used correctly.

Goodness, my children don't miss a beat!