Max will be 2 tomorrow. He didn’t get the memo that he’s not 2 yet. By the way he behaves, it’s quite clear that he thinks he turned 2 six months ago.

I can hear him right now, in the crib, laughing and talking very animatedly to either 1. the wall, or 2. his still sleeping older brother. I would be inclined to go and get him as I’m sure he needs a diaper change and he sounds just so darned cute. However, I have learned from experience that when I go to get him, his seemingly charming mood will immediately shift upon seeing me and he’ll turn into the angry, tantrum throwing thinks-he’s-already-two that I deal with on a daily basis.

Yesterday is still fresh in my memory and can I just tell you….?

I don’t want to.

I thought that since summer came really late, it would at least last longer. Well, my toes have been cold for a week + now, and I’m coming to the sad realization that my days of barefoot bliss are coming to an end.

Pout.

Socks and shoes that aren’t my Dr Marten sandals are a pain.

So that’s it. That’s my ground shaking post after a month long break. Awesome, huh? I’m getting a bit tired of Facebook, so I may come ’round here a little more often.

The kids started school today. Clark will be going off to Kinder in a half hour or so. He’s at a friend’s house this morning. Liv is at the Junior High. Veronica is in 5th grade (that’s so weird), and Abby is home because the 8th and 9th graders don’t start ’til tomorrow so the “Sevies” can have a day to themselves to get the lay of the land.

This morning, I showed Abby how to curl her hair (she has layers now) and then we went to the mall to look at eyeliner and mascara as she’s starting to care about things like that. So off to the Clinique counter at Macy’s we went. The eye pencil I use is this one, and I love it ’cause it’s soft and smooth and easy to put on. That seemed like a good characteristic for Abby’s first eyeliner.

My old one is True Khaki, but some of the other colors look neat. She came away with Roast Coffee, which is a much darker, richer brown than the website shows and it makes her blue eyes really stand out. Hard to see in a photo, but here you go.

Abby’s lashes are so thick and black, that the mascara doesn’t really make much difference, other than looking more “finished” with the eyeliner. The lady at Macy’s said to only put mascara on the tips of her lashes, to definitely NOT go all the way down to her eyelid. Wouldn’t that be nice?!

I bought Violet eyeliner, however I’d love to go back and try some others. Like Navy. We also went to the Body Shop to get her some of my favorite makeup remover.

Abby looked sooooo pretty with a little eyeliner, mascara and a light lip gloss. Not “made up” at all. It was really fun doing the girl thing at the mall with her.

My good friend in CA has invented something cool for babies.

Check out this baby bath!

We’re wrapping up the summer with a bang! A couple camping trips is all, but it should be really fun. The kids are anxious after a laid back summer to get to school and rub shoulders with their friends on a daily basis again. And Clark is going into Kindergarten!!! Wow! If anyone is still actually reading my blog, I know it’s been less than exciting the last couple of years, you probably remember seeing the cute little baby pictures when he was born 5+ years ago.

I’m of two minds about school starting up. The quiet time will be nice, but it’s also been nice having them around and having no schedule to keep. My goal in September with what free time I end up with (half-day kinder seriously cuts into having a big block of time to work with) is to get my 9 latest songs recorded and sent off for copyright. Then, I’d like to write some new stuff. It’s been a few months at least and I’m ready for some fresh new material to play around with.

The girls and friends are cutting up old clothing made from knit fabric to make headbands, fingerless gloves, tote bags and such. They’re having fun. Nate’s in Canada ’til tomorrow afternoon giving a marketing presentation to some lawyers. I’m cleaning things.

I’m not sure where the boys are at the moment. They’re playing with cousins. I should go find them. They’re being awful quiet.

I played and sang in a band assembled for a one time performance in the park at the Pioneer Day celebration on Saturday. It was really fun. My first live performance. I had to practice in front of a microphone because it’s not that easy. It takes some freaky coordination to play, sing, and keep an appropriate/consistent distance from the mic.

But I had so much fun!

(I’m the one with the guitar. Ok, the one standing up with the guitar. The other one is a bass)

We were playing old folk songs a la Home on the Range and Clementine. We also snuck in a few others like Horse With No Name and Tinman from America.

Having my first taste of performing live music, I want to do it again, so I’ve put together a setlist of my own songs that I’m practicing in front of a mic at home. My own songs are a lot harder to play than two chord folk songs like Skip To My Lou, etc. but I’m doing it.

Here are a few pics…

Clark before his haircut (I was overruled. I love his beautiful curls).

Brothers playing cars on the porch. So cute.

Liv and her cute little friend, Dylan at our watermelon carving party on the 4th of July. (They snuck inside the church with cousins for some recreational music).

I actually have more pictures of the 4th.

stop the press! A picture of Abby that isn’t the back of her head running away from the camera!

Liv and Dylan again.

watermelonhead

coolest watermelon of the day (not ours. This is Tim’s creation)

Later that night, Nate lighting his watermelon

Clark’s first year enjoying the fireworks instead of hiding in the house, covering his ears

Max and I, watching fireworks

I think that’s it. Wow, posting takes a long time!

Well, if you’re me, you bake 24 loaves of bread!

I think I’ve put about 25 pounds of wheat through the grinder today, but I didn’t use it all. I grind every other bread baking day. So there’s a big Rubbermaid container of fresh flour in the fridge (about 12 loaves worth) for next time. So I’ve got 16 loaves of whole wheat for us, 4 for my friend and neighbor, and by huge request, 4 loaves of raisin cinnamon bread for morning toast.

We’re probably having french toast for dinner. I’m not feeling up to much more than that at this point. (Hmmm, I wonder how raisin cinnamon french toast would be?)

As much as I don’t feel like cooking anymore today, I found what looks to be a great biryani recipe online and I’m dying to try it, with some of this on the side. Maybe tomorrow.

I’m trying to think of what has happened since I checked in last…..

The kids are out of school. Max is really growing up. He’s understanding more and communicating more. He’s really stinking cute. Still not sleeping through the night… I’m convinced that the sleep lost between him and Clark is going to cost me a few years of life expectancy.

I’ve never caught the full version on film, but this is a little taste of what he looks like when he’s really irritated.

And it cracks me up. His eyebrows are quite animated.

Liv graduated 6th grade today.

Yay, Liv!

…as defined by the school’s break schedule more than the weather, for sure.

I spent the weekend up at Warm Beach with Liv and her 6th grade class. We had a very pleasant overnighter and I got a sunburn. In the 2 hours or so of actual sun that we had. Go figure.

The campfire

The climbing wall

Down time

Liv’s been a busy bee. Here she is at the track meet finals

Playing Demetrius in Midsummer Night’s Dream

And at the final orchestra concert of the year

Here’s Abby looking stunning, if not a smidge blurry at her band concert

Veronica had a birthday. She’s 10 now, tho’ still a wee little bug.

Clark graduated from preschool.

(And yes, they actually played Pomp and Circumstance. Nate and I couldn’t stop laughing, which was probably not particularly polite). His tassel is hanging on the rearview mirror of my car.

Nate won the Fluevog ad contest! THANK YOU to all who voted for him!

Max is driving me completely insane. He eats almost nothing but formula, and of the foods he used to eat that he’s still willing to put in his mouth, he’ll just chew on for awhile before spitting it out on the floor in gooey little pieces.

And he broke my 100 watt amp. He twisted the input jack off and I had to take it all apart to fix it.

It’s a low end Marshall, so it didn’t really want to be unscrewed, but more than that, it didn’t want to be screwed back together again. What a nightmare.

So that’s about it I guess. I’m still working on music in whatever spare time I can find. I’m working on lead guitar again, and am getting pretty good at soloing and moving through scales and modes, cliches, 6ths and 3rds. I’m very proud of myself.

I’ve also been working out for 2 1/2 months, 6 days a week and I’m eating really, really well. Much smaller portions, no sugar or cheese, lots of raw vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, 3+quarts of water a day….

I can do pushups! And I hate them! But I started out barely being able to do 1 at the beginning of April, and now I do 15, the rest of my floor exercises, then another 10-15. Yeah, I’m a rockstar. I do the strengthening stuff 3 days a week and 45 minutes of elliptical the other 3 days. My resting heartrate is down to 53 and I feel great, have energy, skin looks amazing blah blah blah. Now if only my PANTS WOULD FIT BETTER!!!!!

But I’m not bitter.

Oh yeah, I’m totally bitter.

We are very excited that Nate has made the top 4 in Fluevog’s worldwide ad competition!!!

Congratulations, Nate!

Now it’s up to internet voters to decide the winner, and he’s neck and neck with the competition. My internet sleuth friend, Carol discovered that the person that knocked him out of 1st place has posted to a large forum for votes.

This is a 5 day competition and each person/IP address can vote once per day. If you’d like to help out, please vote for him everyday! From home and work! Tell your friends (if they won’t be annoyed)!

Vote Here

Thanks!