Jessica's June 22nd Writing Assignment: Write about the weather and how it makes you feel.

Ahhh, the weather, always a nice subject for small talk. This post will probably end up being "small blog talk".

Rain makes me feel energized. I used to love walking my dog Prim in the rain, both of us getting soaking wet. Those were the days when I didn't care much about wet dog smell in my house, or floors getting dirty. My dog and I, me and my dog, that was what mattered.

Sun can make me happy. In the summer it'll make me apprehensive, because often in the Midwest, sun can me hot temperatures with lots of humidity. The perfect weather to make you feel so sweaty and nasty, there's no way you could be in a decent mood.

Snow is wonderful, as long as I don't have to go anywhere. I HATE driving in the stuff, but love looking at it.

Today's weather was lovely, for the most part. The temperature was just about manageable, especially in the shade. We spent quite a few hours outside today, and it was a good day for that. While I may have felt uncomfortable a bit, it was a joy to see the kids having such a good time.

It's late, this post is quite choppy and jumpy. No literary masterpiece from me tonight!

Jessica's June 18th Writing assignment may involve a little trip to the store or ice cream parlor. Today you are going to get your child(ren) an ice cream cone or popsicle. Watch them eat it and describe! Are they happy? Neat? Messy? Did you eat one too? If you can bring a camera along!

I'm a bit behind in writing assignments, but I did have it in mind when Kate and I went out to our town's Canal Days this weekend. We actually went twice (the second time with her brothers), and she had some ice cream both times.

It is hard to fathom how a child of mine could favor chocolate ice cream. While I love chocolate, I do not enjoy chocolate ice cream at all. I barely tolerate chocolate chunks in ice cream. Kate always asks for chocolate ice cream. It's a messy proposition I tell you. I didn't bring a camera, but tried to pay extra attention to how she enjoyed the little treat.

She doesn't finish it, not by a long shot. Why on earth does "the smallest kiddie cone you have" mean a giant scoop or dollop? There is one ice cream place nearby that sells baby cones, and those are the only size that are appropriate for a 2 year old.

While we were both eating ice cream on Saturday, she looked at me, as I was eating my own cone with banana ice cream. When she saw me not just lick the ice cream, but also use my lips to sort of bite a bit more off than licking allows, she imitated me to a tee. This made everything even messier.

Today we went with her brothers, supposedly for lunch. The boys really wanted funnel cakes and Kate asked for ice cream. Coldstone Creamery had an ice cream stand, and I spent 2 dollars on a chocolate ice cream for her. She ate some, smeared tons over her white leggings (ugh, she wore them for the first time, I'm not sure it'll come out). She had just eaten about 20% and was done. This was too chocolaty, madame said.

Her leggings are soaking in Oxy-clean. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Yesterday I ended up in the ER. I had a hugely severe headache, either due to a migraine or sinusitis. It was so bad, my knees were shaking and couldn't really get around. Mike took me to the ER and Kate came with.

After first driving to the urgent care center, and discovering that it wouldn't open until 4 (2.5 hours later) we ended up in the ER of Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet. It's a very nice ER actually.

They did the usual check in stuff, and I was promised something for the pain. When the phlebotomist came in to draw blood, Kate was right there. Mike had to leave to arrange for Kate's aunt to come pick her up, so it was just Kate and I in the room. I tried to get her to hold my other hand, but she wanted to look. She told the girl: "Be careful with my mommy, I love her very much." That brought tears to my eyes.

The Delaudid did a wonderful job making me relax and no longer in pain. It also did a wonderful number on my stomach. I vomited 5 or 6 times, in spite of the anti-nausea meds. I had 2 doses of Delaudid and was able to go home after that. Today is a much better day, headache wise. Unfortunately Kate's home from daycare with a fever. When it rains it pours.

Jessica gave me a writing assignment. She often gently nudges her friends to blog when she wants more to read, so I asked her to be a creative writing teacher and come up with an assignment. Here's what she came up with for today:

dyk OK today you are going to come up with 20 things you love about summer and 20 things you do not love about summer!

dyk it can be a list... I do not expect an essay!

Twenty things I HATE about summer:

1. Extreme heat
2. Midwestern humidity
3. Tornado-ish weather
   
4. Getting overheated, hot and sweaty from the extreme heat
   
5. Electricity bills (from running the AC)
   
6. Mosquitos
7. Ticks
   
8. Wasp nests
   
9. Sunburn
10. Allergies
11. Summer break being so ridiculously long
12. People wearing shorts and tank tops who really shouldn't be
13. It's construction season (pretty bad here in Chicagoland)
14. Crappy tv with lots of repeats
15. The constant roar of lawn mowers
16. Extra high gas prices
17. Vacation traffic
18. Summer clothes (they somehow never fit me right when I'm not in a skinnier phase of life)
19. Having to water the lawn, it's so wasteful, but I don't want it to die either
20. Little League Baseball

Twenty things I LOVE about summer:

1. Longer light
2. Everything is green
3. Flowers
4. My kiddo in summer toddler clothes (she looks so cute in shorts)
5. Strawberries
6. Watermelon
7. Peaches
8. Plums
   
9. Corn on the cob (okay that's even better in September, but still)
10. Wearing my Birkenstock sandals
11. Horny frogs in the pond behind the house
12. I hate paying for it, but I'm SO grateful for AC
13. Ice cream
14. Summer salads
15. Summer birds
16. Summer trips
17. Picnics
18. Kiddie pools and other kiddie water play
    
19. Sun light
20. If (big If) it cools down enough, sitting outside at night (with citronella candles)

Wow, coming up with 20 wasn't easy, especially on the things I hate.

Yesterday we were "watching" big brother Alex' ball game. That really means that Kate tries to get as much time on the playground as possible. Luckily brother Danny was willing to oblige. He met some friends at the park, so for part of the game he was off doing his own thing, while Kate hung out with me and the boys' mom, blowing bubbles.

At some point she asks the boys' mom: "Where's Danny?" Her answer: "He's over there, talking to a girl." Kate's reply: "Uh oh, he's in trouble, I gotta go save him." She may be watching way too many shows about kids or animals rescuing someone or something in trouble!

Later that night, when we got out of the car when we came home, she keeps telling me she wants to go visit with the boys' mom (she loves her, it's really cute). She tells me she wants to see the little doggies. I told her they don't have little doggies at that house. She's sure they do, they have these cages and bite your fingers.

It dawns on me, we hung out with them on the front lawn last year in August. The boys brought out their hamsters to show Kate. The hamsters have died since then, but Kate's memory of them hasn't. She just didn't know they were called hamsters. It's been 10 months and she remembers!

Right now she's in bed, not even pretending to nap. She talking to her stuffed animals, reading to them. Usually we find her bed piled mile high with stuffed animals and blankets. There's no room for her, not really, and often she ends up on the cushions in front of her bed, on the floor. She's playing with her Backyardigans now, singing the theme song. She should be so TIRED after being up so late last night.

"Wake up Mommy, it's seventeen o'clock!" This is going to be labeled as "things to remember". She very serious, and of course way off, when she wakes me (us) up at around 6:30 am.