rachel's continued ramblings

The last two days have cemented the idea that I either need to install a door on the master bathroom, or have my kids evaluated. Probably both. Our house has an obscenely huge master suite in which dave and I, as the apparent masters of the house, reside. It includes a spacious bathroom which includes a shower, vanity, and jacuzzi tub, with a water closet and a walk-in closet. It's really a pretty decent set-up, except for one thing. There's no door.  Yes, there is a door on the water closet. (Thank goodness.) There is also a door on the closet. And obviously, there is a door on our bedroom.  I guess the idea is that the bedroom door is sufficient to keep other family members out, and that couples only require privacy from each other when using the toilet or choosing their clothes. I still find it a little weird. At any rate, we've had issues with kids walking in at various times, and we yell at them to get out or dive quickly behind one of the doors, and then lecture them ...

When I got up this morning, I needed coffee. Like I do every morning. This is not unusual. My coffee cup was in the dishwasher. This, also, is not unusual. However, when I opened the door to get my cup, I found this: In case you didn't figure it out, this is unusual. It seems that the part that holds the upper sprayer arm onto the top rack is broken. We can get a new one and fix it. Happy/sad that we don't need a new dishwasher. In the mean time, hand washing dishes. Yay! 💃💃💃 Later in the morning, layla announced that she was going to finish off her birthday box of lucky charms. (If you don't know the deal with that, every birthday, I let my kids choose whatever birthday breakfast they want. Sometimes it's donuts or cinnamon rolls, usually it's some box of sugar freak cereal that I won't otherwise buy.) Micah got mad about this, since he's a whiny little brother and is bitter that she isn't required to share this box. At any rate, this happened, when ...

Somehow, I have spawned a child who does not innately understand the importance of folding towels in a neat, orderly, and always-the-same methodical fashion.  Today, I asked layla to help me out by folding a pile of towels. I have always folded on the half, half again (parallel to the first half, not perpendicular), and then a final half again (this time perpendicular). Layla started to fold them differently  (I won't say "wrong", although it was), so I corrected her and demonstrated how I wanted it done.  At that point, she asked the question. "Why does it matter if they're folded the same?" Really?  "BECAUSE IT MATTERS!!!" "But why?" "So they will stack neatly in the linen closet!" "I still don't see why it matters. It's not like you're going to have guests that will be looking into your linen closet to see if your towels are folded the same." "It's important for my sanity, okay?"

Before picking Micah up from his final day of scout camp, layla requested to go to a park. We decided to try out Lake Tye park, since we hadn't been there before. There were lots of swimmers and families there. We didn't have a ton of time, but layla declared the water warm enough to swim in, so we plan to go back next week.  During the morning, we did housework, walked the dog, and discovered that we have some blackberries ripe on the street. Meant to go back and pick them, but forgot.  Something hit me in the afternoon and I wound up with some crazy-unpleasant allergy attack. Had to take a Zyrtec, which rendered me unconscious after dinner, and in the meantime, didn't do anything for the incessant sneezing and dripping nose. Guess I should just stick to Benadryl, if I'm going to fall asleep anyway.  Micah was ecstatic to have earned his whittling chip at camp, which grants him the right to carry a pocket knife, apparently, and is now very impatient to go and buy his o...

So, I'm wanting to get back into blogging more regularly, and decided that perhaps I should try using this as a bit of a daily journal. We'll see how that goes. Or more accurately, how long that goes... Day 3 of scout camp for Micah.  Came back to find that the dog got out. Gate was not latched and IF collar battery was dead. Found him visiting Gretzkie at the Smiths. Reading a book on prayer. Laundry. Took layla to the library to return books. Checked out audio book of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Layla listened to/read the whole thing. Grocery shopping. Ran home to drop off the groceries, then off to Layla's rheumatology appt at children's.  Exam looked good. New dr.  Ordered new x-rays. Starbucks on the way home. Smiths brought Micah home from camp.  Made banana bread. Micah helped. Cut cantaloupe.  Ate pigs in blankets and cantaloupe for dinner.  Dave was at the sounders game. Shane was hanging out with Bailey. Made blueberry muffins. Blogged ...

Right on the heels of Layla's 11th, Shane turned 17 on Tuesday. Back-to-back birthdays are no joke. The birthday boy had to work all day, so we met up in the evening at Olive Garden for his choice of dinner. Somewhat predictably, he ordered the fettuccine Alfredo, this time with sausage. (I had the chicken parm, also predictably.) Even though everyone was stuffed, they brought him a slice of cheesecake (which then went into a box) and we all sang. Then we reconvened at home for gifts.  Traditional t-shirts from layla. A water thermos from Micah. Working construction in the summer, this is a good thing. (And a pack of Swedish fish, to make up for the ones he gave him last year, and then ate.) Cards and money. And then the "texted gift". It was a picture of a truck and some speakers. We are helping him upgrade the stereo in his truck. And then we stuck 17 candles into a tub of Papa Murphy's cookie dough and sang again.  We were all still stuffed, so no one ate more than...

So layla had her golden birthday on Monday. Since dave and Shane were at work all day, and Micah was at scout camp, we had a fun girls day.  But first, the last day to be 10 picture the night before. First stop was 7-11 for free Slurpees. Then pedicures. Love the traffic cone orange she chose. Tradition dictates that the next stop was for lunch at Red Robin. Then to the theater to see The Secret Life of Pets, which she enjoyed, and I thought was just ok. For dinner, she chose ribs, mashed potatoes, and broccoli (with a lemon wedge). Yum. Presents.  Money. A Harry Potter case for her iPod. (It is meant to look like the Marauders Map.) More money. And, since our gift to her is a bedroom makeover, Micah got her some lantern lights, And Shane got her a full-length mirror for her closet door. And then it was time for cake. Donut cake, that is.