Friday Memories - Mom Fails

Hello Friends -- it's time once again for another installment of my "Here's What I've Been Thinking About" series - this one about Mom Fails! For your viewing enjoyment (and mine) - here are some photos that are from this same time of year (Thanksgiving) from 2008 on to 2014 (i think). Photos have nothing to do with text -- I know, I'm weird that way.

1. Killing the stinking gecko . . . by accident! My sons had the stinkiest gecko when they were growing up that somehow fell to me for care for most of the time. I did draw the line at hand feeding it live crickets, so they did that, but the yucky crickets lived in the refrigerator next to the milk. GROSS! One bright, sunny warm spring day, I figured the gecko would LOVE to be outside in the sun. After all, I had to buy a warm rock for it to sit on in the house, so a bright sunny day sounded perfect. So, I put it on a little table on a deck in its glass container. The deck was black and I suppose reflected the sun back up into its glass home. Guess what was a crispy critter when we got home from work!! Yep -- that disgusting gecko! It looked worse than an extra crispy burned piece of bacon. Bye bye stinky gecko. Truly was an accidental killing as I figured that geckos like the heat in Arizona, why wouldn't it enjoy it on my porch in a glass container on a black deck???

2. Fireworks! Aren't there always fireworks incidents/accidents with kids? Who could forget the time that I allowed them to have some fireworks when I was at work. Who knew they would chase each other around with a lit punk and a paper bag full of fireworks with 2 neighbor boys?? You can guess where this is going, can't you? Of course, the punk lit something in the bag and loads of fireworks exploded in advance of July 4th - burning a hole through a table umbrella AND a huge burn mark on the patio table! I dreaded the 4th of July for many reasons after that year!

3. Magnifying Glass Incident. So proud the year one of the instructors at the tennis shack called me and Rickster over to say the boys had started a fire! WHAT??? Well, they were doing an experiment to see if using a magnifying glass with the sun focused on old dead leaves would result in a fire -- yep it did. It was quickly put out - but my face stayed red for a long time!

4. Sending kid to doctor on his own. You know how there is so much talk now about adulting and having your kids learn to be adults and do things on their own??? Guess I started early as my oldest was probably 12 or 13. We did not live far from the doctor's office and I had to work. I instructed him to ride his bicycle and go on his own and show them the rash on his legs. I figured they'd give him some lotion or creme and that would be it. Nope -- they got some needles out, dug in and cut into the abrasions on his legs! Who knew?? He rode home for the doc with his legs bleeding. BAD mom!

5. Ear Issues. Another one for the oldest. He had loads of ear infections and problems with his ears when he was young. After finally feeling like his ears were in good shape, I didn't want him getting a lot of water in them when he was swimming one summer. Every time he went swimming, I'd put some drying drops in each ear. Lo and behold, he complained his ears hurt. Took him to the pediatrician who said --"I don't know what's going on, but his eardrums are so dry, they are about to burst!!!!!!!!!" Oooops! Oh dear -- another fail! I threw those drying drops away and never admitted they might have contributed to the dry eardrums . . . until now!

FYI - That's my little sister Amy in that photo with a couple of her coworkers. We both went to parties that weekend (hers in Florida; mine in Nebraska) and I think she may have had more fun then me! :) Wasn't that a fun trip down memory lane? :) Have a good weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy 4th from last year!

Such a momentous holiday and so LOUD!

Recycled the beach photo below from a 2009 summer vacay at Hilton Head.

I need a beach visit soon!

We love to celebrate the 4th of July though it's become

a lot tamer than when the boys were young!

During those noisy years, it seemed like we were

constantly running to the fireworks stands for 

more, more and more supplies!  

Most years we head to the pool for fun

4th activities!  I have been know to think about doing the

biggest splash contest or noodle races, but I generally chicken out!

One year, someone (not saying who) had me try out

for the karaoke contest.  I came in dead last --  but hey,
at least I didn't get booted

out of the contest!

It was after that I realized I'm better at lip synch

than karaoke! 
In other words, don't sing out loud!
I got the message!

Hope you all have loads of fun!

Stay safe!

Happy 4th!

Happy Independence Day!!!

Happy Independence Day!!

What a special day to celebrate our freedoms!

Mr. Tennis and I lived in Philadelphia a few years and the celebrations 

there were simply amazing!

I love Philadelphia!

I must admit when my sons were young and LOVED fireworks,

I kind of dreaded the 4th of July -- not the actual holiday, of course,

but the danger involved with boys and fireworks!

Mr. Tennis was like a kid himself and the three of them

together were constantly blowing things up (including toys, 

stuffed animals, little cars)

 and making more and more trips 

to the fireworks stand for supplies! OY!

We had a few mishaps over the years . . . 

probably the most memorable was when a spark somehow

ignited a bagful of fireworks on the patio table!

Ended up with a hole in the umbrella and a fried table!

But, at least no one was injured that time!

Looking patriotic in her Happy Hound bandana, but terrified of fireworks!

Maddy and I like the pretty fireworks and sparklers,

the Roman Candles, buzzing bees, smoke bombs 

and cracklin balls.  Much tamer fireworks!

We're planning some pool time and hot dogs on the grill.
A little gin and tonic is on my list!

Maddy and I may make a quick trip to our local zoo.

Sounds like a perfect day to me!

Happy 4th Friends!!

Ka-Boom! Fun on the Fourth!

We love the 4th of July --

celebrating our country and our freedom is so special -- 

and  let's be truthful here . . . 

having an extra day off work is also very nice!  :)

We had blasted hot, hot, hot temps before the 4th,

but then rain and chilly weather in the days leading up to the 4th.

We were hopeful for clear and sunny skies, and finally the clouds moved out,

the humidity moved in and the

 temps soared!

Look at that camel  whispering in her ear!

Maddy and I went to the zoo in the morning when it was rather

unseasonably cool out and NO crowds at all!  Sweet!!

After the skies finally cleared off, we headed to the pool 

for noodle races, ice cream sandwiches and 

the lovely smell of sunscreen!!

However, the chilly days prior along with a lot of

rain made the water temp icy cold! 

Brrrr!

Love the shades, but they are hard to see clearly through!

Then it was time to hit the fireworks stands!

Although I've been buying fireworks for what seems to be a million years,

I always forget which ones are the faves.

I neglected to get any artillery shells (really, I don't like to light those),

but smoke bombs, sparkling balls and some screaming bees and sparklers

all made their way into our bags.

Guess I have toned the fireworks way down

since the boys were young and every single year, we had a

fireworks-related "incident!"   

Not kidding here -- one time, a lighted firework fell over and ignited 

a bag of other explosives - burning a hole in our patio umbrella

and a burn mark on the patio table! 

Luckily for us, some neighbors had a quite a show

of artillery shells and we could see the

Country Club's fireworks from our driveway!

All in all, it was a fun and safe 4th -- just the way I like it!

KA-BOOM!  

Ka-Boom! Fun on the Fourth!

We love the 4th of July --

celebrating our country and our freedom is so special -- 

and  let's be truthful here . . . 

having an extra day off work is also very nice!  :)

We had blasted hot, hot, hot temps before the 4th,

but then rain and chilly weather in the days leading up to the 4th.

We were hopeful for clear and sunny skies, and finally the clouds moved out,

the humidity moved in and the

 temps soared!

Look at that camel  whispering in her ear!

Maddy and I went to the zoo in the morning when it was rather

unseasonably cool out and NO crowds at all!  Sweet!!

After the skies finally cleared off, we headed to the pool 

for noodle races, ice cream sandwiches and 

the lovely smell of sunscreen!!

However, the chilly days prior along with a lot of

rain made the water temp icy cold! 

Brrrr!

Love the shades, but they are hard to see clearly through!

Then it was time to hit the fireworks stands!

Although I've been buying fireworks for what seems to be a million years,

I always forget which ones are the faves.

I neglected to get any artillery shells (really, I don't like to light those),

but smoke balls, sparkling balls and some screaming bees and sparklers

all made their way into our bags.

Guess I have toned the fireworks way down

since the boys were young and every single year, we had a

fireworks-related "incident!"   

Not kidding here -- one time, a lighted firework fell over and ignited 

a bag of other explosives - burning a hole in our patio umbrella

and a burn mark on the patio table! 

Luckily for us, some neighbors had a quite a show

of artillery shells and we could see the

Country Club's fireworks from our driveway!

All in all, it was a fun and safe 4th -- just the way I like it!

KA-BOOM!