Sometimes Things Do Not Go As Planned

So last Saturday night was a camp out for moms and sons that was put on through Matthew's school. It was a sign-up type of event that was a fundraiser (and did quite well as I understand, yay!) and Matthew and I had really been looking forward to it. It was muggy and hot last Saturday but our spirits were high and It promised to be an exciting adventure for both of us. For Matthew it was just because camping is cool and a bunch of his school buddies would be there to play with. For me, it was the adventure of actually doing all the work myself (yes, I often have Andy do the things like set up the tent!) and having time to hang out with my kid and with a lot of other moms of boys!

Well, we carpooled with our friends Karin and her boys and got there (out at Oxbow park) in good time. I got everything set up easily and fairly quickly and then grabbed a bite to eat as there was still plenty of lunch stuff to be eaten. It wasn't long after this that Matthew began complaining of a headache. I figured he needed to eat and hydrate himself and then we had planned on going on a short hike on some of the trails. Of course, we hadn't gotten very far and Matthew kept saying he felt like his stomach was in his throat and he had to throw up. Great......so I encouraged him to at least aim for the bushes and not in the middle of the trail. In that process, (he ended up not barfing at this point) Matthew got his first introduction to stinging nettle! So now he was too busy crying to notice that he still felt sick.

We finally got back from the walk but then Matthew finally threw up. I wondered (hoped) that maybe it was just an upset stomach so I had him drink some water and rest for a bit in the tent. But of course the lure of all the other kids playing was too much so he went out again and I went to go converse with some of the moms. But again, it wasn't long before I saw Matthew throwing up again over in the bushes and this time I got him to lay down and stay in the tent. He did fall asleep and I began to figure how I was going to get out of there before Oxbow shut down their gates at 9 p.m. Naturally, getting a cell phone signal was almost impossible but I did manage to get a text through to Andy. I was still chatting with some of the moms about my predicament and how I was going to get my sick kid home when my phone actually beeped at me and Andy had left a voicemail saying he was on his way!

When Andy got there he helped me pack up our stuff and Matthew didn't wake up for any of it. Poor kid! I should mention that before he fell asleep I had told him that I was going to have to call daddy to come take us home early and he was devastated. He cried and begged me not to call daddy but I wasn't interested in being stuck there all night with a sick kid! I mean, who knows what will happen at 3 a.m. ? Matthew could be up puking and I really don't want to chance being stuck in the park! So we went home and Matthew pretty much forgot about being upset about leaving since the curvy road getting out of there was real tough on him. We had to stop in Gresham to get a plastic bag at Safeway because this was the one time I was unprepared and didn't have one in the car. But we got home and got him into bed and boy was I feeling a bit disgruntled, knowing all the others were back at the camping spot and sitting around the fire and eating smores!!

The next day Matthew still looked rather pale and sat around watching movies all day. By Monday he was fine but we are both now looking forward to next year. Since we weren't there very long, I didn't get too many pictures but here are a few. And for a much cheerier and brighter account of how most everybody else enjoyed their experience, go check out Amber's blog. :)

I have to still laugh at this last picture! Just before I snapped it, the boys noticed I was about to take their picture and suddenly yelled "Camera Alert"!!! I clicked and then they ran! ;)

6 things about me

So I have been tagged by Amber for a little meme of six random things about myself. Actually, quite awhile back I was also tagged by Sarah for the same thing but I never got around to finishing the post. So I figure it is time to actually complete it! ;)
1) As much as I enjoy scrapbooking, I have yet to even devote a page to writing about myself! Partly because I seem to be perpetually behind in all the things I want to complete and partly because I do enough self-examination in my head. When I want to scrapbook, I want it to be fun and not always does analyzing myself seem like much fun. Way more fun to analyze my children (and hubby!).

2) Andy and I are coming up on our 10-year wedding anniversary. Amazingly, we met in a bar! And I had sworn I would never date anybody I met in a bar. The funny part of it was, I actually was aware of who he was. He grew up about 2 blocks away from me and we went to the same gradeschool, middle school, and highschool but never had a single class together. This would be due to Gresham's year-round school system at that time and it just worked out that way. He knows the neighborhoods like I do from our childhood, and it's fun (still!) being able to reminisce with my partner. He knows exactly what I am talking about when I mention playing in the 'field' as kids or as teenagers learning to drive at the 'dogs' (the parking lot for the dog tracks in Gresham which is now a Fred Meyer and Lowes).

3) I enjoy cooking. I enjoy reading about food and I enjoy food blogs too! Sometimes the most relaxing bedtime reading is a really inspiring cookbook or food magazine. I am not a particularly innovative cook on my own but I do enjoy trying new things and I tend to like most foods. Although, super spicy foods I find rather difficult to deal with. I don't want to cry while I eat dinner! But sometimes a good "food adventure" can include some serious spice! :)

4) I am surprised sometimes how much I enjoy being a mom. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of not so good days were I am sure the kids are going to drive me to drink 24/7. But I thought by now, I would have been interested in maybe getting a career going or at least working more than one day a week. However, I enjoy being with my kids (sometimes!), I enjoy volunteering at their schools, I enjoy being involved in their lives. Why mess with a good thing when there will be plenty of time later for career stuff? (Besides the fact that I am amazingly blessed that I can stay home and be with my kids and not have to work all the time)

5) I do not like bugs. I hate spiders! I know that some of them are beneficial (but seriously, do we really need fleas? or lice??!!) and I can deal with them outside (barely) but if they enter my house at all, they must die. Occasionally, if a ladybug gets in, I can scoop her up and put her outside. Otherwise it's smoosh for anything that isn't on 2 legs (or 4 furry ones...poor cats, they do get accidentally stepped on once in awhile!). With my disdain for bugs, it's amazing I enjoy camping but I do! (A post on camping coming soon.)

6) I have been enjoying the t.v. lately!! I will never be one of those people who never watches t.v. but I am also not one to watch many of whatever is hot show of the moment. And a lot of reality t.v. on the major networks drives me up a wall! The things that entertain me are the things that as a teenager, my brother and I relentlessly made fun of my dad for watching. Things like The History Channel or The Discovery Channel. My favorite program though, is American Experience on OPB. I have the DVR set to record it and always have a few on hand to watch. In fact, I just got done watching the ones on F.D.R. and Eleanor Roosevelt. I had just watched before that, the first half of the one on Harry Truman and somehow I missed the second part! argghhh!! oh well, I am sure they will repeat it again. Did you know that you can actually go on PBS's website and vote on issues of the day and see if you would have sided with either say Truman or Thomas Dewey during the election year of 1948? Go here if you want to check it out! But I understand if you could care less, I just happen to find it fascinating! ;)

So I really don't have 6 particular people to tag for this (many have already been named by Amber anyway!) but I will list the rules and feel free to participate! (But Diane, you should really do this!) :)

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

The Sounds I hear.....ALL DAY LONG!

Mason is a car kind of boy. From the beginning it has been all about hot wheels and cars and whatever else has wheels and can make noise. (it doesn't seem to matter how many wheels either!) Case in point:

Aside from the occasional (or more than occasional on some days!!) fighting between the boys, that lovely woo woo woooooo sound is what echos throughout the house. Yes, it's going to be a long summer!

Allowance

In our house, we have recently had the discussion of an allowance for Matthew. I am actually rather unfamiliar with this practice as my parents didn't do the weekly allowance thing. Andy did have an allowance, so I have pretty much let him chat with Matthew about what earning an allowance would entail. Well, apparently Andy wasn't real specific with what chores Matthew would need to perform in order to earn the said allowance so Matthew took it upon himself to make his own chore list. So about 20 minutes ago, Andy found this list by his side of the bed!

Translation: wash the dishes, make the beds, put the laundry away, water the plants, make mom's coffee, turn the news on (!). At the end he writes: I can choose between one another! So what do you think we should give him for allowance? ;)

Reptile Party!!!

What a treat!!! This morning the boys and I went to a birthday party featuring the Reptile Man. My lovely friend Anne had a combined! (you smart woman you!!) birthday party for both of her boys and used the gym facility at her kid's school and had the Reptile Man come. The kids had a blast! And honestly, who can complain when the birthday party is educational as well. I would have taken more pictures but I had totally forgotten to charge my camera battery so I am lucky to have gotten the few pics I did.

Some of the highlights included the boys and Melinda getting to touch a Cobra in the above picture. You can't really see it too well but it was the best I could do at the moment!

Matthew was chosen to go up and help hold the python (?), If I am wrong on which snake that is I apologize! He ended up holding the tail end and later told me he was laughing because it kept curling around his hand. Colin and Nathan got to be at the head of the snake and I think Colin spent most of his time grinning from ear to ear! All the kids were very cute and most of them seemed to love the reptiles. And although they loved the snakes, I suspect some of those kid's favorite part may have been the alligator that waved, when the Reptile Man wasn't looking of course! You should have heard the laughter..... :) And I think a few of the dads (Scott!) enjoyed the reptiles as much as the kids did! ;)

Happy Birthday Colin and Nathan!!

Shopping Results

Ok...so remember when I said I was going on the Art Walk? Well, it ended up being very warm out that day and I didn't go to nearly as many stops as I meant to. But I did, of course, manage for a few purchases! Exhibit A:


Cute, non? Very good for everyday (since I am not always kind to my purses on a daily basis) but I am a total idiot and forgot to ask her what it was made of! I think I was a little too excited about my other purchases..... Exhibit B:








Oh yes....the scrabble board purse! I saw this last year and totally kicked myself for not buying it! And now I own it and feel very much better. I actually bought another similar type purse but it's a gift and I am pretty sure that person reads this blog. So I will have to post pics later!


Many beautiful purses to choose from and I almost bought a purse made out of old Disney books like the ones I grew up reading. I probably should have caved and got one but ohh well. The one other purchase was for Matthew (who actually wanted to come with me on the art walk, very cool!). Look what he picked out....



I thought it was the most adorable wallet and Matthew loved it! And yes he does use it and stores his money in it. It is apparently pages out of a book and the most darling illustration, perfect for an almost seven year old boy.