May 26, 2009

A Graduation Ceremony, Memorial Day & Look! I’m Having a Baby!*

My weekend was full of cleaning, relaxing, freaking out, family stuff and other miscellaneous things I’ve forgotten.  Because words are escaping me right now, I’m going to show you some pictures.  I hope that’s okay with you.  (If not, too bad, because that’s all I’ve got right now.)

My youngest brother, Frankie (the baby of the family), pre-Graduation.

Arriving at the SPASH Fieldhouse two hours early, to get a good seat.  We still had to sit towards the back.

Ms. Colby, my high school journalism teacher.  She still looks as young as she did 12 years ago when I graduated.

Dawson hugs my father while we wait for the ceremony to start.

Kathy Kinney (Mimi Bobeck of the Drew Carey Show), Stevens Point native.  She was the keynote speaker for my graduation ceremony in 1997 also.  She gave a magnificent speech about being a good person and that if we all pay it forward, the world would be a better place.

Kathy, during her speech.  This was as close as I could get — and I was using the mega zoom lens on my Rebel.

My brother, accepting his diploma and customary handshake.

573 Graduating Seniors (of high school, seriously.  My class had 650 graduates out of 689 seniors), and nearly 3,000 family and friends pack the fieldhouse.

The Graduate.  (No, not that one.)

My parents, brother Frank and Dawson. (No, I have no idea what the boys are looking at.  Certainly isn’t the camera.)

“Mom, I’m 4 1/2, right?”

Ant Catching on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day Picnic in the Back Yard.

Post Picnic Bike Ride.

Lilacs from the Back Yard.

My Little Acrobat.  Today’s ultrasound reveals I will be giving birth to the next Shawn Johnson. The baby was standing on his or her little head, legs dangling in the air, facing in the opposite direction of the tech’s wand. I will have to go back for another U/S because the poor technician couldn’t get more than half of the required cross-section photos she needed. So there’s hope that I’ll find out in the next six weeks!

Profile.  Looks just like Dawson.  Seriously.  I thought I might be having a girl, but now I think it might be a boy.  Also, today’s heartbeat was 138.  Three prior heartbeats were 165, 156 and 148.  So, that old wive’s tale is no help at all.

For more photos, visit my Flickr sets!

* And not an alien, as my husband likes to joke…

May 24, 2009

Home Alone

One of my husband’s friends is getting married next month and the best man (along with the groomsmen) threw a 3-day bachelor bash that started Friday night.  The shindig was held at the groom’s father’s rental property in Boulder Junction. Yes, it really is the Musky Capital of the World. I kid you not.

Anyway, Doug left yesterday afternoon with another friend and won’t be home until later this evening.  I had the house all to myself because Dawson is at my parents’ house for the weekend.  Again.  He spent last weekend at Papa and Nana’s, too.  I’m starting to think he wants to move in with my parents.  It’s breaking my heart.  I kind of like that boy, you know?

Again, I’m drifting off topic.  Back to the story.

Saturday morning I spent 4 1/2 hours cleaning Dawson’s room.  Doug worked half a day so he really wasn’t much help, but when he got home he did help me take several boxes of toys down to the spare bedroom which is currently a playroom/exercise room.

Most of the kid’s toys are down there, along with my treadmill, stair machine and other equipment.  We’ve got two spare bedrooms in the lower floor of our bi-level house.  I want to convert one into Dawson’s new bedroom and the other into an office/exercise room.  This will require new carpet and lots of work on my husband’s part.  I’m hoping to get it done this summer, but something tells me this will require a lot of nagging on my part.

Yeah. I know.  Off topic again.

So after Doug helped me with a few things, he packed his stuff and his pal picked him up at two o’clock.  I finished organizing Dawson’s bedroom (which now holds his toddler bed, the crib, changing table, dresser and a few toys) and then headed to the shower.

Since the weather was so nice, I had the front door open with the screen door locked.  The house needed the fresh air because it was stuffy all winter.

After awhile I took a nap, made myself dinner, took another nap and played fetch with Murphy in the back yard.  When it started getting dark I headed inside to enjoy the peace and quiet. (Or so I thought.)

At 10:30 I heard a bang outside.  I still had the front door open and the sound drifted in.  I thought it was a firecracker.  A few minutes later I heard voices and they sounded too close for my comfort.

I went to my front window and peeked out.  The neighborhood wast pitch black.  None of my neighbors had their yard lights on.  At first I thought it was rather strange, but then I realized both of our next-door neighbors are out of town camping, and the house across the street goes to bed early (the husband is a pilot and works weird hours).

Then I heard the voices again and freaked out.  It sounded like teenagers screwing around.  I went down the steps to the front door, turned the yard light on and nearly crapped my pants.  There on the front lawn was a young man (or teenager?), standing by one of the pine trees that is closest to the road.  As soon as he saw me he ran.  I closed my door and locked it.

I went to my bedroom but didn’t turn on the light.  In the dark, I looked out the window to our side yard.  The guy was running towards my back yard.

Our property is sort of a trapezoid shape, and there is a busy road behind our house, along with a paved path that is part of the Green Circle Trail.  Many, many people walk, jog and bike that path.  It never really bothered me before because I grew up here, and when we bought the house from my parents, we fenced in a portion of our back yard.

This guy came from the corner of our property which has no fence.  He  was probably walking the path (with his friends?) in the dark and decided to be nosy.  It creeps me out just thinking about it.

The thing that really bothers me, is that I’ve witnessed other people cutting through our yard (and sometimes the neighbor’s yard) from that path.  Kids from the neighborhood do it all the time so that they don’t have to walk all the way around the cul-de-sac to get to their houses.  It makes me so mad.  I’ve told them many times not to do this but they just don’t listen.

I tried to calm down, and a few moments later Murphy was scratching at the back door wanting to go out.  As soon as I opened the door he darted outside toward the fence and began barking.  I couldn’t see what it was that upset him, but I knew he was in Ferocious Guard Dog Mode because I heard him growling.  Then I heard a male voice shout back, “Shut up, mutt!”

Whoever it was out there must have been lingering around our yard and Murphy wasn’t going to stand for that at all.  He finally came back in after I called for him a few times.  I’m so glad I have a good watch dog.

I’m still freaked out about the experience.  What did that person want?  Why was he in my yard, looking into my front door?  And what was that bang I heard?  Why did this happen on the one night I was by myself?

It’s stuff like this that causes me to have nightmares.  Thank goodness Doug and Dawson are coming home today.  I don’t think I like being home alone.

May 23, 2009

I’m a Bird Watcher…

Over the last few months I’ve had the pleasure of seeing several birds outside my dining room window. I wanted to post these photos ages ago, but I was too lazy to upload to flickr. I’m blaming pregnancy for that, too. Heck, I’m blaming pregnancy for a lot of things. Truth be told, bird watching sort of calms me. There’s just something about these delicate creatures that makes me happy. Here are a few of my favorite photos:

Every morning, since late March, this little bird comes to visit us. She flies into our dining room window several times (lightly so she doesn’t hurt herself) and then perches on the windowsill outside, peeking into our home. It’s so darn funny. Dawson and I get such a kick out of her when she plays peek-a-boo. She never lets me get close enough to get a good photo of her.

Cute little bird, isn’t she?  (Or he?  I think it’s a she…) When she’s not flying into my window, she’s playing peek-a-boo when she sits on the windowsill.

Playing Peek-a-Boo.  I see you, Little Bird. When she’s not playing peek-a-boo, she flies to the other side of the house and craps on my car.  I think she’s ticked that I won’t let her in the house.

Mr. Cardinal stays at a distance.  He’s quite handsome, yes?  I happened to get this shot while waiting for my Little Bird Friend to perch herself on the windowsill so I could get a close-up.  Dawson ran to the window and scared the bird poop out of her.

After taking these photos we headed to the store for bird seed and hummingbird nectar.  My in-laws told me the hummingbirds should be migrating soon, and I’ve been watching that feeder daily.  So far I haven’t seen any hummingbirds, but I know they must be around because the nectar is half full.  I’ll have to pay closer attention I think.

Any readers out there that are bird watchers, too?

May 21, 2009

Over at The Imperfect Parent…

I’m talking about my mojo.  I’ve lost mine.  Click here to read more.