Fun Monday - I so quirky

The lovely Lisa of Lisa's Chaos wants to know if we have any quirks. According to BN, Quirk is my middle name. As usual I have no idea what he is talking about.

Here are a few of his favorites:

• I stack my Christmas presents. After opening them, I stack them neatly. Wazzamatta wit dat?


• I like ice. Milk, soda, tea, whatever. lotes de hielo, por favor!
  


• The pant legs of pajamas cannot ride up. I been known to ask him to reach under the covers and pull my pants legs down in place, pretty please.


• I prefer not to sweat...ever. Not even when working out. BN bought me a deeeluxe fan that sits right in front of my BowFlex treadmill. And the fan needs to point towards my face.


• The soap dispenser has to be on the sink next to the faucet. BN likes it behind the faucet area and the boys leave it all over the counter. Soap has its place, people.


• Every food product I order is special. No onions, no tomatoes, etc. BN refuses to order at the drive-thru for me. He always goes in to make sure they get it right. Such a darlin' man.


• I refuse to put down the car window next to me, no matter what! Anyone with hair longer than a Dorothy Hamill can vouch for all the little wispy hairs tickling your nose and lips when the wind blows.


• Lip Balm! I must have one tube in every purse, drawer, nook and cranny. Need I say more?


• I think that is enough for now.

Thanks, Lisa for a fun topic. Although I don't see any of these as quirks, but rather life necessities.

~R

MOTY

I am so happy my oldest will be in day camp next week. After 742 consecutive days with my sons, I need a break. That's one of the drawbacks to homeschooling for me. I love my children, but I am an introvert. I NEED time alone to regroup. And wouldn't you know that I'd have two sons who need to be around people to regroup.

1 introvert + 2 extroverts = Mommas going crazy.

Sign me up for Mother Of The Year. (MOTY) Voting has begun and I am clearly the winner!!!

~R

Fun Monday - Clothing

The Hula Girl has decided we need to show clothing that we just can't part with.

I didn't even have to give it a minutes thought. I already knew exactly what I would show.

Back in 1993, BN went to Thailand. While there he purchased a short set for me made of Thai silk. He was so proud of that purchase. He thought I would be just as thrilled. He was so wrong and now he only buys me jewelry. He's a quick learner.

Back in 1993, I was a size 5/6. I had a 24 inch waist. This outfit was labeled "One Size Fits All".

Even now at a size 10, it still doesn't fit me.

Everytime BN sees it hanging in the closet, he reminds me that I have never worn it. I remind him that I never will, but one thing is for sure, I'll never part with it.

~R

RePete's Pet

We went to Sonic yesterday and RePete got this bug catcher in his meal. Thankfully, the bugs did not come with it!

At my sister's house, he caught a bug and showed it to me. It's a beetle.



Repete: Mom, Mom, Mom (his new speech thing), I have a pet.

Me: Really (resisting urge to say it two more times), what's its name?

RePete: Bug.

Me: Oh that's great!

RePete: Look at his little head. It's tiny.

Me: Yep, it's a beetle.

RePete: Oh. He's my pet.

At this point my sister and I, and later BN and I, laugh our asses off (when he can't hear us of course) as we borrow lines from "Dumb and Dumber". "Pretty bird", we say as we stroke an imaginary bird head.

I forgot to mention that the beetle was dead. I love that kid.

~R

Speaking of Poop

After 3 days of hiney squeezing and tippy toes dancing, RePete, at the ripe old age of 4 years, 4 months and 16 days crapped on the pot.

A very welcome ending to this chapter in my Mommy Book.

~R

Round Robin - I Made That!

This time around we have to show things we've made, whether that is food, crafty things, kids, whatever. This is a tough assignment because I usually give away what I make - except for the kids. (insert nervous laugh)

Back in November/December timeframe, I started a Robinella's Craft Corner Series. (hmm, I should start that back up) Anyway, you can see what we made here, here, here, and here.

As photographers in this ring, some of you may be interested in this post about building a light box. I ended up cutting the box down so that it was square and that helped with the lighting tremendously.

So let's see what I might have hanging around or any photos of things I've done.

View photos of old artwork here.

Here is an antique bureau that I refinished and that wild fruit laden tree on top is one of my creations. I'm not so good with the fruit - but I really liked how it turned out and it made a great vignette for our foyer.

This little stool was done by special request for my neighbor who is petite - only 4'-10". Her daughter is equally petite and needed a stool for the potty. So I made this:

And finally, in our first home (originally built 1914), the chimney could not be used without extensive repairs, so the previous owners covered up the wood stove openings in the chimneys. It was hideous. BN ripped out all the tacky plaster covering the fireplace opening and I faux finished it.

Before:

And after:

I don't how big this will click up to but on the mantle shelf is a model I made of our first home out of cardboard. It became an ornament for our tree - which my first son tore to pieces as a baby.

Enjoy the rest of the Creative Robins out there.

~R

Forrest Gump

That's my new name for RePete. No matter what we call it, he calls his ass a but-tock (complete with that little separation.)

~R

School Is Out

It is with mixed emotions that I post about the end of the school year.

Yesterday, we visited with friends and heard about award ceremonies and I was shown all the awards that my kids will not be getting since we home school. I thought about making some for them, like perfect attendance. Everyone who home schools gets perfect attendance, right. But I didn't make any. Maybe next year.

Today, I passed the high school on the way home and saw kids driving away from school for the last time this year. Everyone was laughing and I imagine the ones that are seniors must feel...exhilarated. Do you remember that day? Your last day of high school? Signing yearbooks, laughing, crying, hugging. It was like the air more filled my lungs when I stepped out of that building for the last time. I can still feel it even 20 years later. (gasp)

Tomorrow, I'll be over the nostalgia part. Because tomorrow the parks and museums will be crowded. The zoo, the mall, and the beach will be crowded. And the pool will be crowded. One of the benefits of home schooling, and one that came as a surprise bonus, was being able to go to any of those places during the school day and have it all to ourselves. No waiting in long lines or not being able to see my own children in the sea of laughing faces.

So here in Casa de Robinella, we look forward to the next school year. At least I do. What are your summer plans?

~R