Friday, July 11, 2014

7 Quick Takes (Volume 284)







We had a fabulous time last weekend on our little getaway to northeast Nebraska. The kids put us in a festive mood from the start by getting all decked out for the holiday.




We ended up borrowing a 12 passenger van since we had a our whole family plus my mom and The Girlfriend and The Boyfriend. You should have seen the looks we got as we piled out of that thing. We stopped at a gas station and as the kids filed out people just stared as if they were thinking, "They just keep coming!"

We spent the day and night at my sister's and had a fabulous time hanging out with our extended family. (Thanks to The Girlfriend for the great pics!) Let's call these Fun with the Cousins.






Can you believe my mother is a GREAT grandmother, twice over?! (Please let me age like my mother, please let me age like my mother, PLEASE LET ME AGE LIKE MY MOTHER! . . . ) Here she is with her youngest great granddaughter and my lovely sister-in-law.


And more Fun with the Cousins . . .




On the way home we added my nephews to the mix bringing us to 11 people. We decided to swing back the long way home and went to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Here's a great pic The Girlfriend got of our whole clan (minus her, of course--boo!).







While at my sister's we also celebrated my nephew's birthday. Remember me telling you about a special surprise Ladies Man was making? Now you can see the finished product (and the happy little recipient).


That puppy is made out of cardboard and a crap ton of duct tape. It even flies!







You will be happy to know Kevin's sensitivity improved after his bad answers last week. I'm not sure if the pressure of looking bad on the Quick Takes got to him or what, but I'll take it.

Ladies Man was talking about chafing (Just don't ask. I promise, it's better this way.) and for some reason I was transported to my childhood self.

Me: I used to chafe between my thighs when I was a kid . . . cuz I was . . .

Kevin stopped me mid sentence.

Kevin: Don't go there. That's not who you are anymore. That doesn't define you.

Me (pleasantly surprised): THAT was a really good answer. You have just redeemed all your bad answers.

Kevin: Make sure you put it on the Quick Takes!

Later we were standing somewhere waiting and he slipped his arm around my waist.

Kevin: You're kind of a little person.

Me (never using the word little in any way shape or form to describe myself or expecting to hear it from anyone else, ever, ever, NEVER): Wow. You are just FULL of good answers today!

Kevin: Just telling the truth, babe.

See how this guy gets under my skin?






One of my dear readers emailed this week, wanting to know if she could see a picture of Elmo. She said, "it would be delightful to see who I am saying prayers for!!" Here ya go, friend. And thanks for the prayers.


Drama Queen took these pics for me and when she emailed them she titled this one "Your 5th child." I think that's an overstatement. For sure. Right?


Now tell me, who couldn't love this little guy?






I was driving behind a plumber's or excavating truck the other day that was barely running. It puffed blue smoke and sputtered and was pretty beaten up. That in itself didn't instill much confidence in me to think of hiring their services, but the slogan written on the tail gate confirmed it. It said, "Call us or screw it up yourself."

This gave me two thoughts. First of all, is it wise to insult your potential customers by assuming they will screw it up? And secondly, one could interpret their slogan (especially if you take into consideration the awful condition of the truck) as "Call us and we'll screw it up or screw it up yourself." Either way, it's not good, right?

Nor is it good or perhaps even normal to think so hard about stupid stuff like dumb trucks in front of you on the road. Sheesh.






And here's another thought I had this week. Why is going to Walmart such an excruciating experience? Nearly everyone I know can't say Walmart without a sigh or grunt. Everyone hates going there! What is it about Walmart that makes us all dread it and cringe at the thought? We get good deals, although I hate how they are constantly moving stuff around in the store, and the way they carry something until you can't live without it and suddenly discontinue it, or how there's never enough check-out lanes open or how it's nearly impossible to get in and out quickly, not to mention the enormous amount of money I drop there.

Wait. I just answered my own question, didn't I? How about you? Why do you hate going to Walmart?






It would be completely depressing to end today's Quick Takes on a Walmart note. Bleck! So I'll tell you that Ladies Man and Princess Dawdle have been gone this week, traveling with a Christian singing group. They will be doing two performances in our area this weekend if you have a yen to see them. Saturday night they'll be at our church at 7:00 and Sunday night they'll be at Lincoln Berean at 7:00. It's always an inspirational concert. Hope you can make it.




And that's a rap, folks. Have a terrific weekend. For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary.



1 comment:

Kathleen Basi said...

I loathe Wal Mart. Un-cordially.

Your trip looks like a ton of fun, and I'm super-impressed with the Captain America shield! We went to my parents' farm and built a treehouse...blogged that earlier this week. One of the most relaxing and enjoyable 4th of July's ever.