Another week down! Yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself that I survived another week flying solo. And only 2 more days till school starts!!! But who's counting?

I took the kids swimming 4 days in a row this week, and the boys all improved vastly. I am totally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. For the past couple of years, swimming just seemed like too much to handle for our family, even w/Adam and I both. But we have finally turned a corner, I gave the boys swim lessons all week and they improved a ton and I actually had a lot of fun! They all improved a lot, but Jacob definitely gets the most improved award.

Still no yard. We're having to fight hard to get anything more than just a little seed sprinkled down. I want hydroseeding instead of just seeding, and some bushes/shrubs put back in places where they were removed, and some tall grass planted around the coffin (filter) and electrical post they put in. Reasonable?? I think so. Especially since our contract says that "the appearance of the yard will not be altered in any way". When I called the son-in-law of the woman who we bought the house from, our middle man through all of this,, I got an earful. He misjudged me for some helpless housewife who's huband's in Iraq and thought he could treat me like crap, telling me, "listen honey, we are done here, it's over", and telling me I would have to get a lawyer to fight them for it. Honey? Hello, don't call me honey. Anyway, I called the lawyer who has their 40 grand in an escrow account to pay for all of this, and he reassured me that I wasn't asking for anything unreasonable, that no $$ was going to be released till the job was done, and to direct them to him. Adam also called him as soon as he got my email about it, and of course he was a completely different person w/Adam. I hate that!! Although I'm sure it won't be the last time that someone tries to pull one over on the helpless husbandless housewife.

Adam spent the past week in Kuwait training, and waiting. Yeserday he was finally sent to Camp Bucca, a camp kind of in the middle of nowhere where about 20,000 detainees are being held. When he got there though, they decided that's not where he was suposed to be, and sent him back to Kuwait, to then go to Bahgdad. He should be heading there tomorrow. Sounds so organized. He's trying to keep a good attitude about it all....hopefully they'll get him busy soon.

Well, that's all that's new around here. Thank you for all remembering us in your prayers, I truly feel it is making a difference.

I totally impressed my five year old this morning when after I finished the last page of "Breaking Dawn" he asked me with eyes the size of quarters, "Wow Mom, are you proud of yourself??" It is a little thicker than most books I read, but I didn't tell him that it was a totally fast, easy read about bloodsucking vampire lovers.....he thought it was a book about chess (or checkers as he kept calling it).

Last night Luke came to the couch for his bedtime story looking like this, he'd put the hat on himself. I cracked up, and had Isaac grab the camera and take this pic, more for Adam than anything. Adam finished up training in Georgia (USA) this week and left for Iraq yesterday. I heard from him last night when he arrived in Bangor, ME, where a line of old veterans had greeted as they got off the plane. I wish I could have been there, I got a little choked up when he was telling me about it. We talked while they refueled in Bangor, and then they left for Germany. He should have arrived there this morning, and flying to Kuwait sometime today. And I'm not sure from there....or when we'll hear from him next, hopefully it won't be too long.

We survived another week, so 2 weeks down and I'm trying not to think about how many more to go. The new septic was finished up on Thursday, now I'm just waiting for my yard to get put back together. Hopefully next week, I can't take much more mud and dirt tracked in the house!

Em, Sarah, Isaac and I went school clothes shopping yesterday. That was our 2nd time out and I think we've pretty much finished! Yeah!! I can only take so much of that. Em still needs a few more things, but we're going to finish up after school starts, in case there's some new fashion out this year that we don't know about yet.

That's pretty much all around here, other than I'm still trying to get my dose of prozac every day so I don't lose my sanity and am ready for the marathon in Oct. I've been having to go early in the morning before anyone wakes up (and if they do, they know to wake Emma--and I have my cell w/me, don't anyone freak out, she is ELEVEN now).

Forget Dad, we've got a new kitten!
Last Thursday was Luke's 2nd birthday.....
We actually celebrated w/Jeannie before she left, and Emma had made his cake while we were gone--I love it! Anything that will simplify my life.....

We snapped couple of quick pics before leaving for the airport Sunday morning. Normally it takes a good 2 doz pics or so before getting one where everyone's looking at the camera, no bunny ears, and smiles, but it must have been meant to be, because Adam was a little stressed about leaving and only giving us 3 shots, and 2 out of 3 turned out!

Adam spent several hours on Saturday fixing our dishwasher--a mouse had chewed through ALL of the hoses. Glenda (our cat) is doing a great job earning her stay, she's always leaving mice or rats on the grass to show us, she just can't keep up on it on her own. So, I decided we needed another cat. The kids found one that was free and near the airport. I thought it was a perfect plan, I am a firm believer in distraction. It worked great, they were sad to say goodbye to Adam, but they were thrilled to get a new kitten!

Still working on a name, we can't all seem to agree on one.

The night before Adam left we went blackberry picking. We actually went to pick raspberries at a secret spot we found last year, but we were about a week too late on the raz's, but there were a ton of blackberries ripe! I had a few blueberries and raspberries in the fridge, threw them all together and yesterday I made Jumbleberry Jam (remember Jumbleberry pie?). I also have too many cucumbers to eat in my garden, so decided to try to pickle a few. I think it worked.....we'll see how they taste later....

Monday morning we woke to the sound of tractors and trucks. We are getting a new septic system put in this week, so our yard is a mess.

Look closely at the left side, that is my treehouse!!! The treehouse tree had to go. Boo hoo. I worked so hard on it! Oh well, better that than septic backed up in the house I guess.

If only I could keep the kids and dog out of the mud....hopefully I will have some sod down by the end of the week, I can't take much more!

This week Adam's in San Diego, and Georgia next week. So far the reality hasn't really set in since I can talk to him on my cell pretty much whenever I want. He's doing well, just getting all his medical things out of the way this week. He got his 1st out of 6 Anthrax shots on Tuesday--he said it was a fun one. He also was told on Monday that he was going to be wearing an army uniform for the next 7 months---he put up a pretty good fight though until they finally agreed to let him drive to another base and get the Marine cami's he needed. Other than that he's doing well, just ready to get going.

Do I really have to come home?
Adam and I just got back last night from 8 days in Boston, Maine, and Quebec. It's amazing how enjoyable a road trip can be w/no whining, fighting, and "are we there yets?"! The first night we went to a Red Sox game, the second day bought a new family car (Adam's car died and wasn't worth fixing, so we bought a Volvo Wagon for me and the kids to run around in, and Adam get's the gas hog Suburban since he mostly rides his bike anyway---we'd already seen it last week, just needed to exchange $$ and title). Then drove to Brunswick, ME for a night, then on to Quebec where we spent a few days. Quebec city is celebrating it's 400 yr birthday this year. It had such an old, quaint, european feel to it. Maybe you already knew this, but they speak French in Quebec. I knew they spoke some, but I thought maybe as a secondary language- it was definitely their primary language though! I saw Les Miserables--all in French!

We visited a waterfall at Canyon St. Anne. It is actually bigger than Niagra Falls--well, higher, not wider. There were 3 bridges over it in different spots to walk over.

We also rode a tram to the top of a mountain to see these cute little sled dogs. There were 75 of them. They were very interesting to learn about--if we ever go back, we'll definitely take the kids there.

More evening pics of Quebec City. I loved all the copper top roofs.

This is the Chateau Frontelac. It sits high on the edge of a cliff over a river. It's been rebuilt a few times, but the original dates back to the 17th century.

Guess we didn't bring a whole lot of luck w/us, the Red Sox lost. We did almost see a no hitter though, the Angels pitcher threw a no hitter up until half way through the 9th inning. Finally it got a little more exciting though w/a Red Sox home run and some bat breaking and everything.

I'm totally dragging my feet, trying to get back in the swing of things this morning. Adam is in Boston w/the oldest 3 to taking his mom to the airport. She did such a great job w/them. The house was clean and everything when we got home last night. She said the kids were good, just all the normal mess and chaos that 5 kids bring. No visits to the ER or anything though, so she was happy. She had the boys to bed by 8:30 every night, and then she and the girls would hang out playing games or watching tv for a few hours, which the girls totally LOVED.

Adam leaves for Iraq on Sunday, so these next few days we're just going to try to take it easy and do a few fun things w/the kids. Wish me luck, I'm getting a little nervous.....