Pardon Me, I'm trying to swim!

WOW! I have been away for a while. Sorry to make you all check my blog only to find that I am too busy doing other things to talk to you in the electronic world! Ok, it's not like it's all THAT exciting... it's work. Lots of work. Our annual conference starts the 28th, so we are busily doing last minute tasks. I won't even bore you with the details of how these tasks weren't supposed to be last minute! That's another story for another time!

I did host my family for the 4th of July. Cop'er managed to get the pool together, so we had a Potluck Pool Party. I was looking forward to a low-key gathering where I wasn't needed to spend the day in the kitchen (everyone knows I don't belong there!). Added to my excitement was the fact that the pool got up to 79-degrees! That might be the 'hottest' it's ever been. I think it was helped along by the 104 record-breaking day we had the week before.

The excitement about having a warm pool was short-lived though... the temperature drops down into the 50s a few days prior to the 4th & it was all over. Everyone likes a pool that's 68, right? By the actual party day, it was warmer - 70-degrees! Like bath water!

Once all the party-goers arrived... the fun began! Some were a little hesitant to get in because the water was too enticing, but they eventually succombed. They couldn't resist the rest... the relaxation... the calm waters... the... water gun fights!

Cop'er setting up for his kill shot.

  

Sister KidEduc8r absorbing strategies before she gets armed.

Caidelcake - we teach them young how to protect themselves.

Take a look at Cop'er face - the enemy is going down!

DragonSlayer is a dedicated soldier.

Caidelcake (with co-captain, Sweet Pea) is not ready to meet the press.

DragonSlayer is practicing submarine skills, coming up to launch his weapon.

Mi padre is not to be outdone. He's got far-shooting aim even from the pool's edge!

No one is safe from this end of the pool as long as DragonSlayer resides there. 

Caidelcake & Sweet Pea know how to use the protective gear they were given.

Sweet Pea leads the charge as Caidelcake urges escape from Cop'er.

Cast of Characters

It's come to my attention that I am introducing more & more "characters" to my blogs & maybe it's time to do a little synopsis of these people & where they fit into the Grayzeee Life.

Cop'er = my husband, Aaron. We met on match.com & were married 4 yrs again. He's 'from' Missouri, though he's lived in many places since his dad was in the military. Cop'er is... a cop. He's also got a great retirement & pension! Hmm. Is that info only important to the woman who will be retiring with him???

Sister Fantanimal = my sister, Candice. She's the 'forgotten/overlooked/stepped over/pushed aside' (did i forget any of the words you told me to use?) middle sister. MEN - She's single!!! Sister F is an animal lover. I'd like to say 'dog lover', but I'm just not sure it matters what kind of animal it is! Her house is a menagerie with animals coming & going.

Sister KidEduc8r = my sister, Heather. She's the 'parents' favorite/baby/always got her way' (Sister F - did forget any of the words you told me to use for her?) youngest sister. (Yes, you guessed it - no boys in this family. Defective sperm?) KidEduc8r is a teacher of America's future. You know the kind - looking for snow days & school holidays. She's mommy to Ry-Guy & Caidelcake with another on the way.

Mi Madre = pretty obvious that this is my mother, mom, mama, Ellen. She's... hmmm... well, she's RETIRED! That's right. She now keeps a pretty mean house, cooks a wicked dinner & watches my nephews in her massive amount of free time. Sometimes she's just too tired to do all though, especially after a long battle with her computer!

Mi Padre = this is my pops, pox. dad, Ted. He's a pharma-father. We like that & enjoy having our own personal pharmacist 'on staff' at home. He's a collector of things too - coins, baseball cards, a few Civil War odds & ends (well, what did you expect - we live in VA!). Mi Padre also gave me a love for thunderstorms (something Mi Madre curses every summer)!

FlyRunner = my cousin, Angel. FlyRunner is a swimmer (from VT [scholarship] days) and mommy to Austin & Carter; wife to Collins (look for their character names in a future posting). She's a writer and photographer too - perhaps this runs on Mi Madre's side!? She is also a wonderful friend, soft-spoken and ballsy.

AriCaVA = you met her here. She's Betsy, the BFF, the big cheese, my 'go to' person. We met at Circuit City in 1994. After her west coast adventures, I am THRILLED that she calls VA home again. She's a landscape architect by trade, but I believe she likes "partner in crime to her BFF" as a better title. AriCaVa is mommy to Jelly and Otoño Poco; mistress wife to Mr. AriCaVA, who I have decided to introduce by another name later in this episode.

Cattails = I mentioned her lack of surprise about me in this post. She's Ashley, my lunch buddy, bridesmaid, DD, Saturday afternoon playdate. I met Cattails through Sister F. They were friends; now we are friends. Big ole happy family. She's a number cruncher and works for the state. (Possibly a State of Confusion?). She's wifey to DragonSlayer & mommy to Sweet Pea and soon-to-be Little Pea.

Ry-guy = my oldest nephew, Rylan. He loves to call Cop'er, "Snickelfritz" and play in our 'pirate ship' (swingset outside). He's a smart cookie, is in his first year of 'big kid school', loves drawing and is very sweet. Ry-guy is into being best buds with Cop'er and stirring up trouble when the 2 are together. I have to admit, Cop'er is VERY impressionable!

Caidelcake = my younger nephew, Caiden. He's 'the man' - much more rough & tumble than Ry-guy was, but loves him some fruits & veggies! He could put most adults to shame! Caidelcake loves being involved in anything Ry-guy is into and makes faces that will keep you laughing for hours. He also has a great sad face -- pretty convincing when he needs it! I totally fall for it!

Jelly = my honorary nephew, Jeffery (who I call Jeff), Since our first meeting when he was a mere 2 months old, we've been compadres. I'm Aunt Amie to him - even if he won't let ME read bedtime stories. We always have a great time eating pancakes & checking out everything in Michaels! 

Otoño Poco = my honorary niece, Katie. Katie & I are still feeling each other out. She's new to my world, so I understand it takes a little getting used to. I also know sometimes you just have to let it all out - just scream until it's out! You gotta be heard! I think she's starting to like me though. Just this past weekend I got a SMILE & A CRY out of her! Talk about progress!

Sweet Pea = Cattails' daughter, Sarah, who is 5. She's a character! I have this recent memory of her walking right into my house for a pool party. She just opened the door, walked in ahead of her parents & said 'hi Amie'... then walked right past me to where the action was. I was amazed by her seemingly fearless side! She's a talker & a questioner & I think someone is going to have their hands full when she gets older! Time to lock her into the bedroom!

DragonSlayer = Cattails' hubby, Kev... or as I like to call him Kevey and my 2nd husband. Since he was with Cattails before I got to know her, he came with that package. It's a good thing I think he's pretty cool! He's currently best known as director of "daddy daycare", but he also does a good interpretation of mechanic, computer repairman, mover, painter, gamer, friend. He's gearing up for the arrival of Little Pea... hoping for a repeat performance of pink.

DuJour = AriCaVa's hubby, Josh. DuJour is a chef! Calm your tastebuds down! He's taken! Well, I suspect for the right price he could be yours! Wait. I mean, for catering, cheffing, those food things. Not the other thing you were thinking about! He's quietly witty & one of the (if not THE) biggest Star Wars lovers I have ever met! DuJour is also outdoorsy &, from what I hear, might just be someone's Prince Charming.

Until our next casting call...

Another List... Type A gone crazy

I know Cattails wouldn't have been surprised if I'd written that I like to make lists... or that I am a Type A personality. But thinking about lists made me want to do another one! I know, these are only fun for me! Skip ahead, if you must!

Songs I know all the words to - you might be surprised

1. Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
2. Take Me Home, Country Road - John Denver
3. Love on the Rocks - Neil Diamond
4. Runaround Sue - Dion
5. All I Need - Motley Crue
6. Lose Yourself - Eminem
7. All the songs in the "Miss Saigon" musical soundtrack
8. Get Stoned - Hinder
9. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley's version
10. Heartless - Kris Allen's version (YUM!)

Songs I know all the Words to - You will totally NOT be surprised!

1. Anything by Chicago (it was pointless to try & narrow it down)
2. My Immortal - Evanescence
3. Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
4. Mandy - Barry Manilow
5. Anything by Josh Groban (even more pointless than trying to narrow down Chicago songs!)
6. Fame - Ireme Cara
7. What Goes Around - Justin Timberlake
8. Walk Away Renee - Left Banke
9. Amie - Pure Prairie League (yes, they really spell it like that!)
10. This Woman's Work - Kate Bush or Maxwell (I like both versions)

10 Movies I have seen more than 5 times

1. Titanic
2. Top Gun
3. Troy
4. Man on Fire
5. Jerry Maguire
6. Legend of the Falls
7. National Treasure
8. The Cutting Edge
9. Beauty & the Beast / The Little Mermaid
10. A Walk to Remember

10 Movies I have never seen (& many of you will think I need to!)

1. Casablanca
2. Miracle on 34th Street
3. A Christmas Story
4. Pulp Fiction
5. A Clockwork Orange
6. Gone with the Wind
7. An Affair to Remember
8. The Big Easy
9. Wuthering Heights
10. Citizen Kane

Ok, enough of the lists for today. I think I might have oozed all of the Type A out of me for the moment.

Addendum to 100 Things about Me

A good friend, we'll call her Cattails, told me today that my list of 100 things didn't tell her anything new about me! How??? Out of 100 things there was nothing new??? No surprises???

It's exactly what I feared... i. am. an. open. book. No surprises. No skeletons in the closet. Nothing to make jaws drop. How boring can I be?

Ok, Cattails, I'm going to try for something that you didn't know... I don't care that we have been friends for more years than I can remember! I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING NEW!

1. (101) I think taking showers are a total waste of time... baths too... but, that doesn't mean I don't take them. I see them as a necessary evil.
2. (102) I like rap music... ok, not all rap, but i don't mind it if i can understand what they are saying!
3. (103) I don't own an iPod. I own a Zune.
4. (104) I have SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. I need lots of light (& chocolate) during the cold grey winter months!
5. (105) I would like to fill my house with photographs I have taken - larger than life photos.
6. (106) I don't like coconut, cherries or eating oranges. (I also don't like OJ with pulp - reminds me of drinking hair!)
7. (107) I collect quotes.
8. (108) I won't let Cop'er use the 'good towels' for showers. Now that I think about it, I can't recall letting him use the good towels ever. He's very dirty!
9. (109) I would like to learn how to do stained glass creations... but I don't have much interest in pottery.
10. (110) I only do easy/medium sudoku puzzles. The hard ones take too long & get too messy. I might like a challenge, but not that one!
11. (111) I have been collecting Disney ornaments for longer than I have known Cattails! I have a Christmas tree with nothing but Disney on it!
12. (112) I know how to crochet and cross-stitch, but I haven't mastered the sewing machine (& I do own one!)
13. (113) I have worn contacts since I was in 8th grade. I hate glasses, but enjoy the new ones I just got because they make me look cute & smart. (It doesn't matter that those are things I said about myself!)
14. (114) I have read the whole Twilight series & know it's not about vampires as much as it's a love story... & who doesn't enjoy a love story??? hmmm... maybe I should ask Sister Fantanimal!!
15. (115) My ears make too much earwax. It's been that way since I was a kid.
16. (116) Even though I have many purses, I have yet to find "the perfect purse"... Hence the reason I have many purses.
17. (117) If I were to let my hair grown into its natural color, I fear I would age 30 years. (Thanks, Mom. I'm sure that was your side of the family blessing me with the early grays!)
18. (118) I prefer to spell 'gray' with an 'e' rather than an 'a'... as in grey. Unfortunately that's not going to work with my last name, Grayson.
19. (119) I only wear 2 colors of socks - Black & white - unless it's a holiday. I have socks for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's and St Patty's Day.
20. (120) I use colored staples, colored paper clips and colored binder clips at work. No one else does.

Well, Cattails, that's all i have right now. I hope at least ONE thing was something new for you! If not, I'm going to have to suggest we not spend anymore time together until I can acquire something new & exciting to talk about!