WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN AND CALL THEM BY NAME!

It's been a few days since I've written. That, of course, doesn't mean that nothing is going on. I've just been busy with summer projects.

My beloved screen porch is now clean! Last year's rummage items have finally found new homes, ok, so it was the trashcan. I can sit there sipping my Diet Coke and playing games on my laptop or reading and listening to my new MP3 player (my birthday gift to myself). Ah, so relaxing...until. Until those neighbor kids come outside.

Now, mind you, my parents live across the street on the opposite corner of our block. They have a fenced yard with plenty to keep the grandkids busy. They have a fire pit that we love to use for smores. The fence is a privacy type that is about four feet tall. Yes, that is significant, just be patient.

Next door to them, is a yellow house. That's were those kids live. On the side of the yellow house, opposite my parents, are some really great people. They have dogs, like us, and had a three foot tall picket fence. Their daughter graduated from high school this year and they did the "crazy graduation parent" thing and spruced up their already beautiful home. They replaced their fence in the process. It always amazed me that their dogs had no desire to jump that short fence. Unlike those kids. They now have a SIX foot tall privacy fence.

Behind my parent's home and these other houses is an alley. A bumpy and rutty alley, but well used, nonetheless. We take that route often to come home after dropping Grandma off.

The property behind the yellow house with those kids is owned by a sweet young couple with two small children. They have ample play equipment, as we did when the kids were little. They haven't been in the neighborhood long, but longer than those kids. About two months ago, when it was time for them to put up their quick set, huge pool, I noticed some holes. They now have a beautiful privacy fence. It's about six feet tall.

We have a fence, as do our next door neighbors. Our fenced areas are in the back of our properties. They aren't the privacy variety, but they do well keeping our dogs corralled.

So, if you have been paying attention, the yellow house has about five neighbors. All have fences. Three are privacy and two have been installed since those kids descended on our neighborhood. Aren't you curious as to why?

The oldest child is about nine and a boy. Next, is another boy that is about six, followed by a girl that is probably four or five. They can be cute. Not when they are standing on a chair by my parents fence observing our cookouts. Not really cute when they sneak into Mom and Dad's back yard and leave the gate open so the puppy gets out. Reaching through a picket fence to torment dogs isn't especially cute either. Playing in the alley neighbors sandbox when no one is home isn't exactly cute.

Now, here's the kicker. Obviously, it's really hard to blame the kids. It's also kind of hard to enjoy my screen porch. When the parents are watching those kids. They get called everything but their names. We have screeches of "You dumb@##, get out of the road!" and the like. Now, I know that God wants us to love others, and I do my very best. At this point, I have decided to love them because they have brought many new decorative fences to our neighborhood. Can you blame me?

Starting Out

Obviously, from the title, I am new to this. I have so much to say it's a fabulous idea. I figure this way, if you care, you can read it....if you don't care, don't. That's simple enough.

First off, I don't claim to be a grammar queen. I am sure that will make my English teacher friends shudder. They can critique me, it's fine. I love reading blogs. I find humor in knowing that life is what we make it. It's our own passions and character combined with the ingredients that other people throw in. Boy, do I have my share of people throwing stuff in.

First off, I am a wife. I have been married since 1993 to the love of my life. He's crazy about me...no, I make him crazy...no, well ask him. He is a Family Doctor and we live in a small town. That is an entire blog subject in and of itself. We have a son circa. 1996, and two daughters that came in 1998 and 2001. Again, more to blog about there! I am a daughter to great parents that live across the street and a Daughter-in-law to parents that live across the country. I'm thinking I'm going to be typing a lot. Hehe.

I am the second of four children. Boy, girl, boy, girl....all with the same first initial....lame. I am close to my sister and her son and soon to be new husband. We live in the same town/bubble. I love my life. I wouldn't change much...I don't have to. If I wait about 10 minutes, someone changes it for me.

To add just a little more intro, I am substitute teacher. This is a gift I have been given. I truly feel that this fulfills me. I stumbled into it this past school year and can't believe I have missed it for so long. I enjoy being with special needs kids of all degree/label/ability. I also oddly enjoy middle schoolers....yes, I am crazy.

I have a house FULL of pets. I am NOT an animal lover. I am simply a wife and mom that is vastly outnumbered by animal lovers. As of today, we have Winnie, Ernie, and Angel....the Norwegian Elkhounds. We have Cosmo, our Yorkie. We have Spooky, the black cat with extra toes. Buckeye is also a cat that has long gray and represents my husbands Alma mater OSU! We have a house rabbit named Thumper and as of TODAY we have a as-yet-unnamed orphan kitten that is cream with long hair. Again, plenty to write about later.

I have a multitude of friends. One of which really encouraged this writing after stating that I am great "birth control". Exactly how to charge her for this service is up for suggestion. After all, a little summer spending money would be nice, right?

How is that for starters? I think this could go on forever.....