Sunday, August 8, 2010

Tax Free??? Seriously????

I would have loved to update my Facebook status to tell you all about my weekend, but it simply wasn't possible. I have too much to tell say!!

My dear wonderful friend Wendi listened to me when I told her all about the "Sketch to Screen" exhibit at the OKC Art Museum. She got me a family membership to the museum for my birthday. How awesome is that??? The exhibit is set to leave on August 15th, so Kevin and I knew we had to get there very quickly before we missed it. We made our plans, got Jan Jan to babysit and headed off to OKC on Friday night. I have to mention....we had plans to get get school supplies for 3 kids while we were there. (This is a key point later in the story.) Friday night was awesome. I read my book while Kevin drove and listened to his iPod. It was so relaxing being able to do what we wanted without any kids yelling the background. We had a nice dinner and at On the Border and had a beautiful hotel room for the night. We got up Saturday morning and started our day with a trip to the museum....

I am not your normal person who loves fashion of all types. I love to touch the fabrics, feel them on my face, in my hand, smell them and taste them if I need to. We walk into the first room and I see 2 gowns worn in some Hollywood movie in the 20's. Please note....I'm not a HUGE Hollywood fan. I enjoy watching movies and think that the actors and actresses have great talent.....but.....I LOVE FASHION!!! When I saw those two hand made dresses I gasped. Yes...I really did. I really thought I was going to cry. The velvet ropes and the security guard made it impossible for me to fully EXPERIENCE these 2 works of art. I kept fiddling with my hands wanting to touch them so badly. Judging simply on the age of the garments....I think the tasting part was out of the question. Do you know they have doorbells on those items that go off if you get too close??? Craziest thing I've ever seen!!! Anyway....I saw the dress that was worn by some lady that played Cleopatra too! It was incredible. The artistry is amazing!! It truly is! There were outfits from all sorts of movies, but my favorites were the ones that were the most elaborate. Kevin thought the Wolverine and Skeletor outfits were awesome, but I couldn't care less. I wanted to touch them!!! Everywhere I turned....another security guard and a whole group of uppity old ladies that wouldn't let me get close enough. I'm pretty sure everyone in that place thought I was NUTS and I was beginning to wonder myself! Is it normal to be this excited by fabrics and embellishments??? These designers are incredible. 3 dresses worn in Gone With The Wind and 2 from Titanic rank on my favorites list. The work is so amazing! The dress that the designer didn't have the funds to make and had Liza Minnelli bring her own white sequined Halston gown in and it was remade into an incredible work of art. What movie??? Not a clue.... Seriously.... I couldn't remember the movie if my life depended on it, but I can tell you all about the accordion folded chiffon in hot pink and red that cascaded in a long beautiful train. Wow!!! Anyway.... I'm just sharing this little bit of information with you so you know..... I have lived a lot of years out of the fashion world and I love the life I live, however.....you can't take the love of fabrics and embellishments out of a girl. I will forever have a special place in my heart for fashion. I think I'm all ate up with it..... I really do!!! I loved the rest of the museum as well. Kevin spent a lot of time sitting in front of the TV watching "The Way Things Move" while I experienced the room of an artist that was all excited about boobies....yup...you read that right!!! He was very talented, but he really had an obsession with boobies. He even drew skeletons with boobies!!! Apparently, they were all in a very cold environment too!!! (if you catch my drift) My goodness!!! I was glad I didn't have my precious little boys in there with me. :-) If you haven't been to the OKC MOA you should take the trip, if for no other reason....to see the glass art by Chihuly! Wow! I could have spent days in there! He is simply incredible!!!

Ok....so enough about our museum trip....it was awesome...relaxing (except for the heart palpitations that I felt in the fashion rooms)......and we had a wonderful time.

Now...my dear friends....it was time to shop for school supplies for 3 kids!!! Kevin and started this leg of the trip with a very bad idea. Why don't we drive to the Quail Springs area and do our shopping there??? They have every store we could ever want and more!?!? We should have said....Why don't we go hang out in Iraq with the soldiers!!! OMG!! We went into the whole day with a laid back attitude and we were almost eaten by mothers of small children that she brought with her on the hunt. All kidding aside....I thought we might die! We went to Target and found isles full of empty school supply displays. Finally....we had to go get some lunch and Kevin drank 3 beers to get his courage up for the rest of the hunt. We were ready for a change!!! We headed to NW Expressway and found everything we needed in a much more laid back....Switzerland...environment. Praise the Lord!! We lived through it!!! After being home for a day and having some time the think, I have come to the conclusion that anybody who shops during the Tax Free Weekend is NUTS!!!! It wasn't our intention, it just happened to turn out that way. We were worried that there would be very large crowds and our concerns were valid!!! No more tax free for us......The Ruff Circus will pay the tax and be happy we did!!!! We will get out of stores with our lives and our limbs and the rest of those people can fight amongst themeselves.....nope....not us!!! Not this circus!!!

I am happy to announce....all 3 Ruff children were happy and healthy when we returned. I'm not sure they would have survived the trip.....if some other mother didn't eat them....I might have!!! After witnessing the things I witnessed this weekend.....I am vowing that I will do every possible thing to avoid taking my kids to pick out their own school supplies. Our kids were THRILLED with the things we brought home....ya know why???? Because they didn't know there were any other options!!! :-) Life is good today....really really good today!!!!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Chuck and Wilbur Ride Again!!!

We spent the entire month of June running to baseball and t-ball games. Kylan and Cade haven't had much of a chance to play in a month. Today, Kevin took Carli to work with him, Kameron was hanging out at Jan Jan's house and Kylan was left at home alone with Momma. I thought it was the perfect day to have Cade come and play. Sounded good at the time....

As soon as Cade arrived, he showed me his brand new tennis shoes. (This little bit of info will come in handy very soon.) It was a beautiful morning and they headed outside to get the bikes and ride. (insert happy little tune as background music here) They were so happy to be together. It was truly beautiful watching them ride down the road together. It seemed like it was going to be the perfect day for me to get some much needed work done. They did really well until the afternoon....then...something happened. (insert scary music here) I'm not sure if an alien spaceship landed and took those 2 sweet little boys or if they just made a decision to bring out CHUCK AND WILBUR, but it happened in a BIG way!

The very first thing was the phone call from a downtown business....Caryn...do you know that Kylan and Cade are at the post office???? WWWWWHHHHAAAATTTTT??? Then she says...oh..wait...they are riding toward home now. I went outside and caught them. I told them to follow the rules and NOT go out of the area they are allowed to ride. They both looked at me like I was nuts and said "ok." (that was a kind of a dorky sounding...ok...by the way.)

Off they went....Cole shows up to the church with his Daddy. They all 3 hang around outside throwing sidewalk poppers out of the back of his pickup. I found out later that Cede' and a friend were walking by that truck and Wilbur dropped his pants and shook his boy parts at them. (wiggle...wiggle) OMG!!! Is this kid being raised by wolves??? What sort of behavior is this??? I'm much too refined to be raising a kid that acts like this!!!

A friend shows up at my house and says...Caryn...is the lid to the deep freeze supposed to be open??? I said...No...those darned boys left it up when they got popsicles out. I yell outside to Chuck and Wilbur...shut the lid on the deep freeze....they yell back....we can't...I say...what do you mean you can't???....They say...there's a toad in there!!! WWWWHAAAATTTT???? Seriously??? I go out and look inside. I said... are you serious? There is a toad in here? They say...yup... I said... Where is it??? Wilbur says...don't know...can't find it. Grrrr.... (I must add...I don't like to touch toads and squish them to pick them up.) I start moving boxes out of the way and there he is. A toad as big as my hand sitting on the bottom on some ice. Seriously!!!! I would swear I saw him shivering! Poor little guy. I used a bubble wand that was shaped much like a spatula to get him out. I wanted to flip him like a pancake, but I opted to sit him on the garage floor. The poor little guy had ice on his feet. Somebody asked me later...Do you think he pooped in there??? My answer....heck no...his little hiney had to be frozen shut!!! He sat for a long time, but finally found a new home over behind the shovels in a very dark corner of the garage. I think he is hiding from the 'toad bullies.' Chuck and Wilbur said they just wanted to put him in there!!! Mommy said....I need a strong drink and a cigarette!!!

I go back in the house....my cell phone rings....It's the fireworks stand at the Methodist Church. Cade and Kylan were over here. We told them to go home. They left, but we don't think they went home. Seriously??? (I know I keep saying that...but it was just what I was thinking??) I found them riding in their normal riding area. I told them...stay away from the fireworks stand. Once again I get that dorky...OK. Off they go....

Now you might be wondering why I didn't take their wheels away at some point. Believe me...it crossed my mind, but I thought better of it. My thinking was...Chuck and Wilbur are out in full force again...do I really want them INSIDE??? NNNNNOOOOOOO....... I just let them terrorize the neighborhood.

Wilbur comes in the house. We want to go play at T.J. and Beth's house. I tell them...NO...it is too far. Wilbur argues....they can't come here, so we want to go there...I tell him...NOOOO....He says....OK..(dorky again)....he walks outside...he and Chuck mount up on their bikes and they start heading for T.J.'s house. I step outside and yell for them to come back. They had these confused looks on their faces. Not kidding.... I said...I told you not to go down there....it is too far....they said...no it's not...we want to go....NOOOOOO....I felt like I was talking to a brick wall. Finally, I got them to understand that I meant business.

Chuck's Momma had told him....DO NOT PLAY IN THE MUD IN YOUR NEW TENNIS SHOES!!!

Kevin comes home from work. Caryn...Do you know the boys have thrown mud all over the outside of the house??? WWWWHHHHAAAAATTTT??? CHUCK AND WILBUR!!!!! What are you two thinking????.....We don't know....Weren't you told to stay out of the mud??? Yes...(in that dorky tone).....then why did you make mud and throw it all over my house??? ....we don't know (dorky again)....They were covered in mud. I turned on the cold water hose and made them wash their faces. I sat them in time out on the driveway. I kinda thought about running away while they were sitting there, but I opted to wash the mud off the white siding on my house!!! Making them do it would have been way too much fun for them... Boys with water hoses.... Speaking of....I forgot that the very first thing they did this morning was unhook my sprinkler and spray my new swing cushions with water. I should have known right then, that some thing was going very wrong.

To wrap up the day, I spent about an hour picking up little 'popper' wrappers out of my yard and sweeping them off the sidewalk...cleaning the siding....asking questions about how things got broken, etc....wondering how 2 little boys can drink an entire box of Capri Sun in one day and eat most of a box of popsicles.

To end the night....they did it....they rode all the way to T.J and Beth's house. Kameron had to get on his bike and go retreve his brother. In the end, Chuck and Wilbur managed to get grounded from all things with wheels for a week. Was it worth it???? I don't know....you'll have to ask Chuck and Wilbur!!!

As for me....I'm drinking Iced Tea (wishing it was a margarita) and wondering if it is safe to go to bed. Wilbur finally went away and Kylan came back home. That sweet little boy is sound asleep on the couch. Praise the Lord this day is OVER!!!

Life was good today....but I sure hope it's better tomorrow!!!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Still easily distracted by shiny objects!

I has been 19 years since I went to my Senior prom, yet, I still get so excited about those dresses. I had the HONOR of shopping for the most beautiful prom dress with the most precious beautiful girl several months ago. Miss Molly made the whole day so fun....HOW? You ask???... She fell in LOVE with the 3rd dress she tried on...a beautiful zebra and hot pink number! We got to spend the rest of the day shopping for everything else all over OKC. Great time! Then..yesterday...the day had arrived. The day that my Molly could show off her beauty!! I was there when she got her hair fixed and I got to help her with her make-up. Carli even went to hang out with us!!! We traveled to the Grocery store to show her off and then to the bar!! Yup...she was at the bar before prom!!! It was a fun day! Thanks for the memories Georgia and Molly!!

With all of that being said.... We arrived at the 'Promanade' and got in our places. For those of you not familiar with this event.... This is an awesome grand entrance to the prom where all of us OLD chics and oooo and ahhhh over dresses!!! I L.O.V.E. it!!! I know you would have NEVER guessed that! Anyway.... We are all stading there inocently watching when a pregnant girl enters. Her dress was not hiding any part of her 'baby bump' and Miss Carli must have been confused.... You know how you sometimes wish your children would suddenly develope a stutter or a very slurred speech where NOBODY would understand them..... This was one of those moments!!! Carli...my precious sweet...says what she's thinking says....loudly...and clearly.... "Mommy...she looks like she has a baby in her tummy!" DOPE!!! I wanted to hide!!! I quietly explained that she 'did indeed have a baby in her tummy.' Praise the Lord.... She was able to leave it at that! Ugh.... I'm so glad everyone around her thought it was funny, because I could have DIED!!!

Sure wishing I could wear one of those dresses....in the size same size they were worn in last night....just one more time!!! What a fun night! Life was good....so good!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Lowered Expectations!

After fighting the broken storm door on our house for months, we decided to take the trip to Lowes and buy a new one. Carli stayed with Jan Jan and Poppa and Kevin and I took both boys. We had a fun day running all over Enid....then all of a sudden...it hit.... Our TIRED was HANGIN' OUT!!! We went to Lowes last so that we wouldn't have to fight the doors (yes...had to replace 3) all day. Please remember....we drive a mini-van....with stow and go seats....but still....not pleasant for large loads. Anyway....we got our doors in the van and headed off to find a place to eat. Kevin decided we would drive all over town to 'look' at the restraunts!!! LOL The boys and I were STARVING!!! He made a u-turn and the doors fell over on the 3 of us. Kevin...sitting comfortably in the drivers seat yells at us to 'stop whining.' Fast forward about 6 days...probably only 10 minutes, but we are very hungry.....we pull in to Chili's to eat. Kylan says....and I quote...."We really need a pickup truck!" I look back and say...yes...but why do you say that....he says..."So we can put this s*@t in the back!!" I thought I was going to die. Kevin and I said...in stereo...."KYLAN!!!" He says..."oops...I meant CRAP!!!" ((we think we might have to limit his time he spends with the Baptist preacher's kid.....or maybe Poppa)) ((Grin)) We really think we have a 40 year old man in that little 5 year old body!!! Gosh I love that kid!!!

Now...on to the lowered expectation part.... I think I always become disappointed when my "special" day falls apart. It was a crazy day! Kevin got up early to install the first of 3 storm doors. I woke up to hear the news...."Honey...I measured wrong...or something...I just hung a 32 inch door in a 36 inch hole." WHAT??? DO YOU KNOW HOW FAR THE CLOSEST LOWES IS??? YOU'RE KIDDING....RIGHT??? Nope...no kidding...he did it. He says...."I guess we will make a trip back to Enid today...." AHHHHHHH!!! Well...I talked him into waiting a week or so before we go exchange it.

Before church...the kids came running in the living room with some new perfume, a beach towel (no tickets for a trip to the beach...darn it) and an awesome jewelry holder! It is always so fun to see their little faces when they give me a gift and getting those hugs and kisses! Somewhere between that moment and 10 minutes after church......it all fell apart! ((ahhh....poor me)) Kevin sent Carli and I to Woodward to get a drill bit so he could hang the new front storm door. When I left, I took Carli....when I began the journey home....I had Wormetta.... ((ahhh...poor me))

I was a whining Momma because the kids were NUTS all afternoon and I wanted them to be perfect! (Is there something wrong with all of them bringing me lemonade, flowers and kisses all day long???) LOL Why does that NEVER happen??? Does it have something to do with the fact that they are KIDS??? Kevin and my Daddy installed the new storm door. It is beautiful and I love it! The kids....they ran all over the neighborhood and brought more kids to play with them. Nobody wanted to mind....everyone was crazy!!! It was chilly and windy and they were cranky....and ME too! I thought it was a terrible day.....

Good news....I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and renewed! I can do this....I can....I love these little monkeys and I will keep on being their Mommy forever! As it turns out....things could be a whole lot worse than a cursing Wilbur Roundbottom....whining Wormetta Roundbottom....and a smartelic 9 year old Kameron..... I could be a crazy cat lady...living all alone and wishing I had this life!!! Life is good today.....Life is good today.......

Monday, May 3, 2010

Can this day get any crazier??? Really??

OMG! How did this happen? I was having a great day today. The boys rode their bikes to school on a beautiful morning..... Carli and I visited Pre-K this morning. It was a fabulous day! I picked Kylan up from school..... Things were good. Kylan and Carli wanted the Wilcox circus to come to our house. It was a great idea! The sun was shining so pretty and the birds were singing. It was a bit of childhood euphoria that I had going on in my silly little mind! I even called for the Cronister circus too! What a wonderful day for a play date with bikes and riding toys. We would have so much fun!!!!

It is now almost 4:30 and I'm ready for bed. Hurry up bedtime because I can't take any more!!!

As soon as our friends began arriving Kylan and Carli disappeared into the wild blue yonder and out popped.....yup you guessed it!!!! WILBUR AND WORMETTA!!! ((shiver..shiver)) There was fighting...crying...tattling....fighting...crying...tattling.... I heard a major fight in the kitchen and went to see what the story was.....there I find all the kids around the fridge wanting the cake that Jan Jan made for Carli's birthday. There are a couple of kids with cake on plates....one with a HANDFUL of cake and a MOUTHFUL too!!! LOL There are kids and pink cake EVERYWHERE!!! OMGosh!!! What happened??? They are all fighting and arguing over this poor little cake. I carefully stepped in the middle.....being so so careful not to be noticed.....ravinous dogs frighten me.....I got the poor little cake pan and the half eaten piece of cake from them. As soon as I had the pan....nobody wanted the last of the cake. I kinda think the cake doesn't taste as good without out fight!!! Hmmmmm.... Something to think about when trying to lose weight. Don't get me wrong.......on MANY occasions you might have found ME in the fridge with a handful and mouthful of cake.....but that is different!!!!

Wormetta tore the pretty tassles off of Carli's new bike and stuffed them in holes around the outside of the house. Wilbur tried to take the training wheels off of Claire's bike. I, finally, lost my cool and forced them to clean up the messes in the bedrooms and then SIT on the couch and watch cartoons. The funny thing is.....all of that....and NONE of them wanted to go home!!! LOL Seriously.... They all like me.... I'm confused!!! What is it with kids being drawn to the wicked witch with the deep freeze full of popsicles???? This could be very dangerous!!! How do they know I don't lure little children to my house....put them in the fridge in a cute little cake pan....and them eat them with my hands!?!? OMGosh.... what has happened to me....this story is somehow turning gross.....

I better close this before I totally lose control..... I'm just praying for a better day tomorrow!!!!