You can understand my enthusiasm as Blessing #4 and I are in the Costco bathroom, and she merrily informs me, as we’re crammed in that tiny stall and she’s squatted on that big old potty, “I opened the doors!”

Obviously she’s had some physiology lessons from her big brother. (For your insight into B#3's insight, go here and especially here. He’s a smart kid. And he’s pretty funny, too.) I am quite impressed with her. (Picture my beaming face here, as my pride is bursting out the seams.)

She opened the doors! Not only did she open them, she opened them in public! So obviously I continue to encourage her. “You did?! SUPER job, Moma’s big girl! You are such a big girl opening those doors. Moma’s soooo proud of you! Now keep going… did you go poops?"

“No, I all done. I go wets. No poops. Me all done, Moma.”

“Oh. Didn’t you open the doors?”

“Yep! I did! I opened the doors! Moma, I’m done now.”

“Oh… did the doors close?”

“No.” She gets off the potty and lets me know it’s my turn. Hmmm… alrighty then. I haven’t talked to B#3 about that yet. The wind blows ‘em open, but I don’t think the wind blows ‘em shut. I make a mental note to find out what information I can glean from him on this particular subject, and then I get ready for my turn. I get everything situated, and I sit down and settle in.

“I go wash my hands, Moma…?” She asks this as a question, but she’s already assumed the answer, so as I’m still forming the words of “Yes but not yet, let Moma finish first,” she’s already opening the door. “See, Moma? I opened the doors!”

Oh yes, I see now. She’s unlocked the stall door.

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Friday night was time for the annual trip to the Dairy Queen parking lot. We got there early enough to grab a seat so we could share a couple of the Blizzard of the Month treats and some french fries. It’s the one Friday night of the year when the DQ is a mad house, the night they’ve got like 40 employees working, the night you’d better get yourself there before 6:30 or you won’t find a table... otherwise, you may have trouble finding enough patience (in yourself and in your kids!) to wait in the crazy long line to order.

And don’t bother trying to go through the drive-thru ‘cause on that Friday night, it’s a walk-up-to-the-window night… and that line is long, too.

It’s the night that streets are cordoned off, that access to parking lots is restricted, that the air is humming and buzzing with the sounds of people and cars. And, of course, the air is also filled with the smell of the stinky exhaust from all those cars and some of those people’s stinky cigarettes. (I know, I know. Whiny, whiny me. But, hey, I’ve got a sensitive nose, and those kind of smells get to me.)

It’s the night for the show 'n' shine, the first night of the weekend-long car show… and on this Friday night, after the big city cruise, it ends up in front of the Dairy Queen… in the parking lot, along the street, across the street in the stripmall parking lot. It’s a big thing, and it’s pretty cool.

You’ve got the old fancy classics, the new fancy Lamborghinis, the race cars, the monster trucks. (And, of course, there’s always that one late-80's Corolla entry.)

The kids had a lot of fun looking at all the cars. And their favorite car of the night? Well, the police car, obviously! B#1 was too embarrassed to sit in it for a picture, but there was no hesitation from the others. The only hard part with them was getting them out.

Lights and sirens and radar guns, oh my!

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I don't know if it's even possible to pass the third grade according to this web test...
since I haven't been successful yet!
But after a couple attempts at the test, I'm proud to let you know that I've scored 40/48.
(83% is passing by my standards!)
U.S. geography is not my best subject, and I guess I just need to brush up on it some.
And, for the record, I think I'd do much better if I didn't feel so pressured by the quickly moving timer bar...
As soon as the page loads, the timer starts ticking...
be prepared!

How do you score?

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We had family camp for church this past weekend-- Thursday evening through Sunday noon. It was nice to be up in the mountains and to be able to wear a sweatshirt all day! We had a really good time, and the kids had a blast. They were worn out by Sunday, though... :)

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Please scroll down to check out the pictures and posts of my cutie patootie kiddos...

and do it quickly if you don't like to look at bugs.
Especially weird ones. Up close.

*updated*
Since the sight of a certain creepy crawler has made my stomach a bit squeamish, maybe someone can tell me what this unidentified bug is.

B#1 thinks it's a spider with two legs pulled off... carrying a bunch of spider babies.
(Ugh. Please no!)

It bears some resemblance to a big ol' fat dog tick full of dog blood, but no, don't think it's that either. I stand corrected, specifically with this picture from a place far, far away. Ugh ugh ugh. Where? How? I have never ever ever seen a tick here.... much less an 'engorged nymph.' Ick.

This bug was discovered five feet away from me.

This bug has hairy bottom. (Can you see that in the picture?!)

This bug looked way too full of guts to squish...

So I just tossed him outside the front door. After he fell into the vinca, I immediately wished I had walked a little farther and had thrown him into the street so the trash truck could have rolled over him. Again, why? Why didn't I toss it in the street! I just threw a dog tick into my front yard and did not squash it.

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After a lull in posting, here is some excitement for today.

1- The little guy loves mac ‘n’ cheese.
And he loves chocolate-covered raisins.
He does enjoy eating the food, but he likes wearing it just as much.

2- The littlest gal had a case of unexplained bleeding.
She wore a bloody grin and didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

3- Inadvertently leaving toilet paper in a kitty-accessible area (also known as: on the edge of the tub next to the potty) may mean that one enters to find the bathroom has been teepeed.
But you know who’s to blame when the evidence is stuck to his mouth.

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B#2 Biography

Blessing #2 came home from class today with all kinds of mail in her folder... we got her 1st grade placement for next year and lots of other info. In a big zippy bag was a letter from her reading buddy and several books he gave her. The bio he wrote about my Blessing had me laughing as I read it. I know it could be that I got the giggles because I'm her mom, and I can picture her answering his questions... So those of you who know B#2 might get a kick out of this. And those of you who don't, well, you might just have to wait until my next post for something entertaining!

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