It has been a busy 2 weeks since the kids got back. Derek and I had a nice time together just the two of us while Micki was at camp. Micki had lots of fun at camp. The weekend of the 4th I hustled and painted the entire wood swingset structure a solid stain. I pulled the enormous weeds in that area and cleaned up a lot of that area. Now I just need to put the pieces back, take a pic and put it on Craigslist.

The kids wanted to have a garage sale, so we prepared for it last week and held it on Saturday. It was sucky. Derek had two friends stay the night and they helped put things out and helped with the whole thing, Micki had a lemonade stand, but there really wasn't a lot of traffic. It was actually a very very quiet day in the neighborhood. We made a little money, but the kids were disappointed after all their work. Now they know why I don't like to have them. Derek and I took all the small stuff that didn't sell and loaded it in the truck to donate. I left the bigger items out like the weight set and table saw. Someone came by yesterday and bought the weight set and it didn't even have a for sale sign on it.

I got into another accident Saturday evening, same exact spot on the car as the last 2. I should be an expert at fixing it now. Some guy rammed into me while I was at a traffic light waiting to turn right. I waited for a fire truck that was coming with his lights and sirens blaring and this yayhoo slammed into me. He said he wasn't sure who was at fault as he thought I was going to keep going since the light was still green and he hadn't seen the fire truck yet. Ummmm...hello!!! You hit me from behind you idiot. Sheesh.

Yesterday (Sunday) I dropped Derek off at church at 7 AM so he could head to camp. It's a 5 hour drive for them. Micki and I went to church, I was nursery helper in the 2-3 year old class. Afterwards Micki wanted to go to the mall. We went and I came out with a much lighter pocketbook. UGH. There are so many sales going on right now and lots of cute clothes. I'm so excited, I've been losing weight and am now down to a size 6! I couldn't believe it when I tried that size on and they buttoned and zipped and actually looked good. For dinner we hopped on the motorcycle and rode into town to Ma's, a local Chinese place.

Today I had to go home and meet the cable guy. The internet has been intermittent for months now and it has gotten worse in the last few days. He figured it out supposedly, I hope so. Oh, that reminds me, I was without a computer for 2 weeks. The motherboard on mine fried. The hard drive was fine, but when the tech kept trying to transfer everything to the new computer it would crash about 3/4 of the way. So, I've lost everything unless we can make it work somehow. I'm so glad I keep all my pictures backed up. That is my main concern with something like this happening.

I got the kids back on Saturday! They were gone for 6 weeks! Wow. I was ready to have them back and they were ready to come home. We (including Mom & Dad) agreed that 6 weeks is too long. In the future if the kids stay with them it's only going to be for 2-3 weeks at the most. Mom & Dad brought the kids to Bend from Colorado, they had promised Grandma that they would pick up some more of her stuff she wanted. I drove the 3 hours to Bend on Saturday morning. We visited, did some shopping and then the kids and I visited their other grandparents for a few hours. We then went out to an Italian dinner where we took lots of pictures and said our goodbyes afterwards. I think Mom & Dad had were leaving with some emptiness in their hearts, but probably some relief too. The kids were ecstatic to see Clue and Furby. Derek gave Micki's hermit crab a proper burial in the garbage can. (I left it for him) There were no tears between us with this one.

Sunday we went to church and then Derek went to his best friend's house to stay the night. I wasn't going to let him with him just getting home, but he missed him so much and I decided that I'd rather have him here with me when Micki went to camp, so Micki and I had a girl's night Sunday. We were going to see a movie, but she'd seen all the kids ones between her grandparents and her dad taking them so we decided to rent a couple. We watched tv and played a hand of rummy.

Monday Micki needed to be at the church by 9:00 AM to leave for camp. She has been looking forward to this all year. It is for 4th - 6th grades and she is finally going into 4th grade. We got to the church and they got everyone accounted for and settled to leave. Micki was excited that one of her good friends was going, although they weren't riding in the same van. They left at about 9:25. This is the second year our church is having their own camp and it is in Gold Beach along the Rogue River, just east of the ocean. She comes home tomorrow (Thurs) in the late afternoon.

Derek has his Jr. High camp in a couple of weeks, it is at the All For One camp at Camp Crestview outside of Portland. This camp services all the Foursquare churches in Oregon who want to participate. He went to this one when he was going into 4th grade, this was before our church decided to have their own for kids in this age group. I hope Derek has fun, it sure is expensive and he didn't want to go at all but now is kind of ok with it. He just had so much fun last year with the one in Gold Beach that he felt it wouldn't be as much fun and he has been the only one in his grade this past year and doesn't really know the 8th graders since he is just moving up to the next level in youth group. He went to his new youth group class on Sunday which actually was combined with Jr. High and High schoolers and he had a good time, but didn't know who was in what group. Even though he started Middle School last year in 6th grade, our church is in a city that starts in 7th grade and that is what they go by even though all the surrounding cities are like ours.

Well, it is Wednesday and I'm about to start my last hour of work. Yippee. Saturday can't come soon enough for me.