Seriously....couldn't make this stuff up.

I have a little story for you.

Where I live, there are two outdoor, public pools. I have always gone to the one over the bridge.......there, they actually have two pools, side by side, separated by a short fence. To be in the two foot pool, you have to be 6 and under. I have always gone to this pool, because of this. I can keep a better eye on the boys. The cost is only 50 cents per kid, and I get in for free, as I mostly just sit on the side. I have never been to the pool on MY side of the bridge. There hasn't been a super specific reason. The one on MY side of the bridge has one L shaped pool.....the three foot section, then a rope.....then the "deep end." MY side of the bridge, also charges $1 per child.....I get in free.....(I know it is ultra cheap.....either way). I finally decided I should check out the pool on MY side of the bridge...............I have regretted it, ever since. Here is my story.

We picked up Mister for a quick lunch out, before venturing to the pool for the afternoon. Fash was talking about swallowing too much water at the pool, and it makes him have to go poop, a lot. (Yeah, I said poop....so what) Sass interrupts Fash to tell us.....

"It doesn't make me have to poop when I swallow the water......I just have to pee....and a lot."

*WHAT!?* I usually only last about two hours at the pool.....they always go to the bathroom before we get in.....**click, click, click**

"Sass....I don't remember taking you to the bathroom the last time we were at the pool."

"Well....no mom, you don't have to....I just pee in the water, and I do it A LOT!"

*Ack-ack-double ack* Mister has a bit of a phobia about public pools....he doesn't really like to even talk about it.......much less imagine we go during the summer....by this point he is soooo sicked out.

"Enough.....let's never speak of this again...will you all please stop..La, la, la....I can't hear you.....will you just drop me off here....I can walk back to the office....."

*giggle...giggle....seriously, that is so sick....giggle*

"Sorry dear, we will stop....no wonder they always have a belly ache when we leave the pool....sorry....I will stop." *grin*

The boys and I pull into the new pool.....I take them both to the bathroom....*mental note, take them out at pool break, for a potty break* The boys took off...hit the blue, not yellow-or green water....and never stopped. I eased into the pool, sort of propped myself up on the side, partway immersed. That is when she happened.

A chubby, freckled, red headed girl came swimming over to me, she was wearing a suit, and an over sized light blue t-shirt, which came to her knees. (I like chubby, I like freckles, I like red hair.....it just happen to be what she looked like.)

"Hi, what is your name?"

"So Dak Angel, what is your name?"

"Umm....are you here by yourself, I am.....my Grandpa dropped me off. I am going to be here all day.....while he is at work.......I live with my mom, my dad, my aunt, my uncle, my Grandpa, and my Grandma. I don't know when he is coming back here. Have you ever had a sunburn, I have....it hurts. I have 4 brothers, and 3 sisters....they live in Nebraska....I am nine years old, and I have never been touched by a stranger. Do you have any sunscreen?"

"Ummm.....what?......sunscreen....um, no."

"Do you have any money? I do.....my Grandpa gave me $4 and 50 cents.....he said to let it last all day, I have already had three things and I have some money left, so I am going to have some more, but not right now, because I have to make it last all day....that is what my Grandpa said, you don't have any sunscreen? I forgot mine in my Grandpa's pick-up.....have you ever been to water works? It is a water park in Nebraska....it is really fun, I got scared a lot....and I got a sunburn, and I never got to go back. I am wearing this shirt so I don't get a sunburn, see...here is my swim suit....do you like it? My feet are like raisins....I am just picking the skin off of them, see."

"That is gross."

"Why, it just floats into the drain....see....there is the drain right there."

"It doesn't just float in there, you really shouldn't do that, it isn't very nice for the other people in the pool." *good gravy, why won't she stop that*

"oh.....well......if it doesn't float in there, then they sweep the bottom with a vacuum thing.....then it will just get sucked up."

"Do you have any friends to play with? You are a big girl, why don't you show me how you can jump off the diving board." *Enough.....let's never speak of this again....will you stop....la, la, la.....I can't hear you.*

Yeah.....I am just going to keep driving over the bridge.....I like that pool better anyway.

Ahhh....my little fashion plate!

The boys and I decided to attend story time at the Public Library. As you MIGHT imagine.....we were running late, as I did a few finishing things in the house, I asked the boys to get their shoes on, and "load up," to my shock, and surprise.....THEY DID! They were even both buckled by the time I got outside. Turns out the "Dairy Princess" of South Dakota was there, crown and all (boys said in a whisper..."mooommmm.....she is soooo pretty") to read the story, and talk about good nutrition, and what have you. ***Boy, oh boy....am I ever going to impress this little princess with my sweet, adorable boys....***

As my sweet little nearly perfect Fash was sitting on my lap....I noticed it...........dun....dun....dun....

OH YES HE WAS!!! I looked down in horror at his feet.....sticking straight out in front of him, nearly touching said princess.....**gasp** I can't even explain it......no socks.....two different shoes....one is navy blue....one black....both right feet.....one shoe is a size 11....the other is a size 1.....oh, my....

I did what every reasonable mother would do in my situation.........I started laughing.......poor princess......I am sure she was horrified at me.....AND my darling little Fash's shoes! I gave him a hug.....sweet Fash.....always good for a laugh!

He did however inform me, always so fashion conscious that he is, "they are both Champion shoes, and I like them both.....so I weared (yes...that is what he said) them both, do I look nice?"

Lessons learned......

I know that my children have taught me far more than I have taught them......though sometimes I don't like to admit it.

Sass told me once, while he was in trouble mind you, "mom....sometimes you could be a nicer mom.....BUT...you couldn't be a prettier mom, you are already the prettiest."

You soooo know he was done being in trouble. I guess I could have been hurt, he wishes I were nicer.....but who cares......I AM the PRETTIEST!!

Here are some other things I have been taught.

Dad's don't yell as much as moms, but they yell louder

If you have bunk beds.....you might as well sleep on top

Don't say "the last one there is a rotten egg" unless you know you can beat your brother there.

It is easier to spend your mom and dad's money, than your own

The person on the other end, always asks the question again, when you nod on the phone.

Ask why, until you understand

It's possible to feel full when it comes to more dinner, but NOT full when it comes to dessert.

What have your kids taught you lately?

Good Mail Girls.....revealed!

I KNOW you have all been dying to hear from me on this....

I wanted the good mail I sent out to have a reflection of me, since I did not, at the time have a blog. It took me awhile to settle on the final content of the package I sent out, and I wish I had adjusted some things.....but....that didn't work out, so you got what you got! I love to travel....so the items are a reflection of places I have lived.....Here goes.

Origami--When I moved to Oregon, I knew virtually nobody (not the nobody who is blogging, the nobody.....sniff....I am lonely sort of nobody).....I met a whole group of people from Hawaii, and Guam.....I was shown how to do Origami there.....forgot, re-taught myself from my handy dandy Internet.....
Whale origami--I lived in Alaska for 7 years, during the summers.....1st time I had ever seen a whale
Heart origami--I met my husband in Alaska, he was from Minnesota, I lived there for 8 years with him....the Mayo Clinic is in MN, and it is the #1 Cardiology Hospital in the World.....I have also had heart surgery at this hospital.
Pheasant feathers--I think these feathers are so beautiful, I do some crafting with them, when I am pretending I am crafty.....the Pheasant is the South Dakota state bird.
Good stuff notebook--I try to be organized, and hate to forget things.....I have lists everywhere....thought they would be handy for people like me.....I figure...you are all my people.
Address labels--I like to be helpful, and figured it would assist on motivation to send out good mail. I sent you each nine....cuz I have nine kids..........ah....just teasing....I have 11.
I was going to put a little rock in each package......As I grew up near the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.....I forgot.....so I kept it as forgotten......besides, who on Earth would send somebody rocks, bad enough I stuffed the package with feathers.
If you haven't received anything from me yet...it is coming.....I got another shipment scheduled for Monday.

Happy Independance day...Land that I Love....Community that is FREE!

I just want to take a minute to tell you how great my community is! We have been fortunate to be a part of a great community for a few years now. Here is a fine example of my community in the last couple of weeks.

Capital Community Celebration--We got fire Engine rides around town, got lifted in the fire truck cage through the trees. There was face painting, and beading crafts...fishing for the kids at the Capital lake...poles and bait provided....poloroid pictures of each childs catch, small tackle boxes given out, and boat towels. We were fed hot dogs, burgers, chips, apples, cookies, and soda's, and bottles of water.....frisbee's given out with the plates.....Cost--$0

Oahe Days--parade loot--candy, frisbee's and a t-shirt. Blow up castles, and obstacle course for the kids, helium balloons, magic show, yo-yo expert show, Karate demonstration, BMX bike riders from Michigan, quick draw shoot out at targets, coverband concert on Friday night and Saturday night......Cost--$0

Shanes Pharmacy 1 year anniversary--Hot dogs, soda...Cost $0

Rubber Duck Race--Rubber ducks racing down Missouri river...sign up for ducks, numbers on the bottom, prizes for winning ducks....Cost--$0

Fishing Day for Dad and kids--Fishing poles and bait provided below the Oahe Damn (2nd largest Earthen Damn in the World!) Prizes for certain catches...Cost--$0

SD beef council--Burgers and soda at local Grocery Store...Cost--$0

Car Dealership Summer days--hot dogs, chips, and soda...Cost--$0

Lizzie the Clown story time--Lizzy does tricks and reads stories at local parks, every Monday, throughout the summer....books for each child at each event...Cost--$0

We also had a traveling Carnival come in which offered 10 rides for $10....We did not go.....Mister used to go on Carnival with his Carnie momma.....we don't really trust the rides...so we passed, much to our children's sadness.

Today was the 4th of July parade. I am not over exagerating when I say the parade was an hour and a half long. This is the loot we walked away with. Neither I, nor Mister picked up a single piece of candy, and my boys shared with the younger kids next to us, and we only allow them to run out directly in front of us. Parades are interesting......they go against everything we teach our children...."don't take candy from strangers"..."don't run into the street"...."don't pick up candy off the ground" But who really cares! Look at all this stuff we got!

Living in a Community like this.......PRICELESS! (Thanks Kimberly)

There will also be an hour long fireworks display tonight over the Missouri river...looking forward to that! Hope you all have a great celebration!

Party pictures!

Here are a couple of pictures which got snapped at the party.....we stayed pretty busy....what with the snake and all.....but managed to take a couple of pictures.

We made it!

We made it through the birthday party this weekend! We only had one child cry, and lost another one....both for like a milla-second! I think that would be classified as a successful partay! Kids beat the pinata, showing nooo mercy! It was fun, glad it is over...........Fash took no mercy on me, reminding me his birthday is "coming right up!" It is actually a few months away, thankfully.....so there will be some time to recover, and by then I might just forget that it is a crazy thing to invite 18 kids to my house for a party....I just MIGHT I said!