Random bullets...

So it's been a few weeks since I've updated the blog, which means that I have been living my life and thinking about posting on the blog, but not actually doing it. Then I get overwhelmed because of "everything" I would need to do to update it, then I procrastinate blogging until "next week."  But my house is clean (for once) and Ruby is sleeping and Ira is in school, so what have I left to do but blog...or sleep... I suppose I'll blog.  I'll fore-warn you that it may be random and incomplete, but it's a start and then hopefully next week I'll return to the "regularly scheduled" What I Loved posts.

• Ira went to Totus Tuus for the first time this summer.  He totally loved it!  We hosted the girls from the team again this year.  It is always fun to get to know young Catholics on-fire for their faith.  They give me hope!
• My best friend from high school, Laura, came down for a visit during Totus Tuus week.  We talked and talked and talked.  It was so nice to spend some time with her before life gets busy again with school (she's a teacher.)
• That same week, (what is it about Totus Tuus week and bad things happening in Andy's family?) Andy's mom ended up in the hospital because of stomach pain.  We spent many hours up at the hospital and the kids were troopers about it.  She ended up having to have a laproscopic surgery done to straighten out a "knuckle" in her small intestine that was causing an obstruction.  The whole thing was a pretty miserable experience for her, but luckily, she's recovered well and quickly!
• Successfully used my new pressure canner to put up some tomatoes for fall/winter/spring.  My first try, I didn't know what I was supposed to be listening for with the "jiggler", plus I used the raw-pack method, which left me with not enough product in the jar to create a hermetic seal and not enough certainty about the canning process that I just decided to freeze that batch. (the Mirro canners don't jiggle constantly, only 2-3 times per minute they let out a big puff of steam - of course, it couldn't say that in the directions... I had to dig that up on the internet)  I wasn't going to give up though, so the next week, I successfully canned 9 pints of tomatoes.  We have enough for about 4 months now, but I think I'm going to have to supplement with store-bought tomatoes (that I'll can myself) that I saw on sale the other day.  Our tomato plants are looking pretty dried up at this point.  
• Went to the Catholic Family Conference as a family for the first time.  Ira really enjoyed the Kids Program and Andy and I enjoyed many of the talks.  It was kind of a crazy weekend because we also had an out-of-town wedding to go to on Saturday afternoon/evening, but we made the most of it and made it through the weekend and hope to go back next year.
• Went to my cousin's wedding (whom I haven't seen for 6 years!)  It was so good to see family and celebrate!
• Sent the kiddos to Grandma and Grandpa's for the weekend!  Andy's parents had all 4 of their grandkids (6,6,3,&2) over for a fun-filled time (Fri afternoon 'till Saturday night.)  Andy and I went out to dinner and then had movie certificates to use.  So we decided to go see a movie for the first time in probably 5 years.  I regret (and hesitate) to inform you that we saw "The Campaign" because we'd seen previews and thought it looked funny.  Although there were some funny parts, it was filthy and raunchy and just downright uncomfortable oftentimes.  I'm honestly embarrassed that we saw it.  What was even worse was that the theater was packed and everyone else seemed to think that the whole thing was just a riot.  I guess that's what I get for going off previews alone and not looking up reviews in advance.  Epic. fail.  Lesson learned (for 5 years from now when we go see a movie in the theater again.)  We did enjoy sleeping in the next day and then went to lunch and worked in the yard.  It was a nice break, but we were both ready to see the kids by Saturday night!
• "Dreaded" the end of summer.  Unlike last year, where Ira and I were BOTH ready for school start, I was really sad to see him go back to school this year.  He's growing up and maturing into such a neat little boy that I truly miss having him around during the day.  I didn't spend as much one-on-one time with him as I would've liked to this summer, but we really did have a great summer with him at home.
• Rubyism: "I need a dan-daid.  My tummy's on wrong."
• Prepped the garden for fall, leaving only the tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, and okra still standing.  The squash bugs had obliterated the zucchini and were moving on to the cukes and melons, so we just pulled it all up and sprayed with malathion to try to curb the problem.  Seems to have worked so far.
• Need to get all the fricking bermuda grass out of my front flower bed before it completely swallows up my flowers.  I was on top of it until mid-June, then it laughed and said "you think you can stop me, watch this!" and proceeded to fill in most of the flower garden.  We've worked on it a little bit, but it's such an obnoxious task that part of me just really wants to mow it all down and say "to heck with it."  Real mature, I know.
• Andy and Ira had "boy time" on the weekend before school started.  They camped out (in the backyard) and then went fishing.  Ira positively loves "boy time" and I think Andy enjoys it a lot too!  (Ruby and I cleaned and played and painted our fingernails & toenails while they were gone.)

Well, I think that catches you up for the most part.  Now I can go back to just being "whelmed" about posting.  Hopefully you'll hear from me again next week with a normal "What I Loved" post.