Isn't the living supposed to be easy?

You know, summertime and all that???

We have been bus-s-s-s-y since the beginning of last week, so let's do the time warp again (with thanks to the Rocky Horror Picture Show) so I can show you.....

last Tuesday (not July 1, the one before), both of my sons graduated from their respective grades, Ben in the morning from Grade 6, for which I found myself coordinating their afternoon luncheon (note to self: must work on my 'just say NO' skills this summer).

Oh, and the stars behind Ben and his teacher? Yet another instance of my spinelessness... I started with these , which were generously cut and donated by the father of a friend of mine - just scrap pressed board, nothing fancy

UNTIL some poor schmuck spends the better part of a weekend spray-painting them gold
,
tying ribbons into the pre-cut holes and then writing on the names of all the recipients (there were 44 in total)

and THEN, because, again, the 'n' word is not something that works unless dealing with the offspring in question (NO, I will not pay $75 for a t-shirt; NO, I will not buy you a Gibson Les Paul), same schmuck spends an hour pinning the stars to the backdrop curtain, then unpinning after the ceremony so the kids could get each other to sign the back and then keep them...

my spray-paint laden lungs and pin-scarred fingertips may never be the same... but I digress...

that evening (last Tuesday, not the 1st - still with me?), Tanner celebrated his graduation from Grade 8...

Tanner was surprised to learn that I fully supported his choice of attire (an Aerosmith shirt with a suit? TOTALLY), and I was reminded yet again that dark bras are better under dark t-shirts...

We shared the traditional first dance, which interestingly was held in the cafeteria, and frankly, you can't beat food service counters for ambience, during which I kept apologizing to the poor boy who was SO uncomfortable, and then he and his friends opted out of the remainder of the dance and came with me to Dairy Queen instead...

nothing says Happy Graduation like an Oreo Blizzard...

I spent the day on the verge of tears, but held it together pretty well, only tearing up here and there and never outright blubbering, for which we were all grateful...

oh, and that same day, the school held its final assembly, during which I was presented with a lovely, thoughtful gift as a thank you for running a weekly lunch program for the past 5 years, and earning over $20,000 in total for the school coffers...

really, all I needed was Old Yeller dying in front of me to make the emotional rollercoaster complete...

since then there have been pool parties, bike rides, the latest installment of Woolgirl's sock club

I know I've said this before, but Jen puts together the most FABULOUS packages - look at the perfect, tiny froggie stitch marker in the middle of all that


There has been attempted (and aborted) warping

Maggie didn't know what the hell I was doing, but stayed right there watching me

and then yesterday, my young men were off on their first official summer expedition - three days of 5 males in this


I have never seen one so big up close before - 31 feet long, at least 2 1/2 feet taller than a city bus, 2 TV's and a FULL BATHROOM - their father is of the opinion that bigger is always better... at least, until he has to drive it down a tree-laden street, leaving the carnage of torn branches and shredded leaves in his wake...

I was invited to visit for a day, but I have no interest in seeing my boys playing Lord of the Flies

So, upon re-reading this, I think yet another lesson for me is to post when I think of it, and not wallop y'all with these occasional sagas... and maybe to enjoy a little quiet time while I can...

the living is easy... right???