Favorite Pic of the Summer

Can it really be September already? Just last week, it was so HOT here . . . in the upper 90s and it felt sweltering. Today was the first day in a while that I could feel fall coming. It was about 72 but it felt freezing, comparatively speaking.

I love fall but I'll really miss the summer and all the wonderful things that go along with it - teaching Megan to ride a tricycle, watching her stuff her face with ripe (and not so ripe) tomatoes from the garden, taking walks around the neighborhood with frequent stops to examine the ants and anything else crawling around, finding grasshoppers in the backyard, learning to swim with floaties on her arms at GG's pool, yelling "Look Dadda! I'm doing it!" Sweet memories.

My sister took this picture of Megan, fresh from a swim in GG's pool.

I just love it!

This Day Brought to You by the Letter B

This past weekend, my friend Kasey turned 30. The girls got together to throw her a party. At the party, I ran into a lot of the girls I used to teach at Reynoldsburg High School. Many of them questioned me curiously,

"Aren't you BORED?"

They obviously aren't frequent readers of "My Stay-at-Home-Momma-Drama," or they would see my life is anything but BORING.

I decided to dedicate today to the letter B.

Megan and I looked through magazines for things that began with the letter B.

We glued them down on scrapbook paper to put them in a book.

We found pictures of a burger, button, balloon, boots, bears, bed, and a boy. Not bored yet!

Then we went on a B scavenger hunt to find things around the house than began with B. Look, a bookbag!

A book!

A ball!

A sweet baby!

Then we took out the play dough.

Wow, the letter B. Still not bored!

Then we made some lunch together. We had noodles in a BOWL while wearing a BIB.

We even had some cucumber and green pepper from our garden! Brilliant.

At naptime, we discovered a few things we missed on our scavenger hunt - BINKY, BUTTERFLY pillow, and of course, BINKYDOG!

I guess to some, this may be boring.

To me, it is absolute BLISS.

A Day at the Fair

It all started with a little trip out to the Richwood Independent Fair.

Location: 10 miles past the middle of nowhere, Ohio

Megan got a little bored in the car and messed around with her headband to make us laugh. It worked!

Finally there!

We checked out the animals and talked to a lot of nice people. Of course, I had a million questions about the cows. They are fascinating.

" Ginormous" - a combination of gigantic and enormous

Then Megan found the rides.

She really liked this bounce thing. So much, in fact, that we had to crawl inside ourselves to pull her out when a bunch of big kids went in there to jump. We are so lame.

She begged us to ride a kiddie roller coaster. Unsure, we started her off with the bug ride. I asked the man, "If she is scared, do you promise you'll stop it so I can get her off?"

Wow, it went really fast but she seemed to like it.

She was just tall enough for the coaster - 36 inches exactly. I asked the attendant, "Does it have a seatbelt?" He rolled his eyes and said, "duh." Wow, I feel so much better about this now.

This is the only photo I got because Megan was absolutely TERRIFIED. I had to RUN, no sprint, back to the attendant while screaming, "Stop the ride. She's scared. Stop the ride." I actually climbed the gate to get inside so I could get Megan off. Take a step back psycho mom. As we were walking away from the ride, Megan pointed and said, "I wanna do it again!" Uh, maybe next year.

After the coaster we did the next logical, wholesome family activity - bet on some horse races! Megan and I chose our horse because we liked his name "Cruise on By." It reminded us of my driving.

When we got home, we were disgustingly dirty and sweaty. Megan and I took a bath together until it was abruptly ended by a floater.
Gross. I don't think I'll be taking baths with her anymore.

We finally got all cleaned up and put Megan to sleep.

Then I got some snuggle time on the couch with St. John.

What a fun day!

P.S. John just brought it to my attention that he thinks we look naked in this picture. Only G-rated, not naked, snuggling pictures allowed on this blog! (Just in case you may have thought the same thing. Ewwww.)

Did I Do It?

That happens to be the most terrifying roller coaster in the world . . . the TOP THRILL DRAGSTER !

The night before we went to Cedar Point, I was up worrying about it until 3 am. (seriously) I just was too afraid to even think about riding it.

Not to be taken lightly, my friends, this coaster is 42 stories high (that's 420 feet.)

It launches riders 120 mph in 4 seconds.

Think about that for a moment . . .

Then you shoot 420 ft. straight up the hill, rotate 90 degrees, crest the coaster's apex and then free fall back to earth, twisting 270 degrees on the way!

Did I do it ???????

Well, we waited in line for about an hour. I watched the ride over and over, becoming more terrifed with each passing moment. I asked my companions a list of questions, not meant to drive them crazy, but to collect the information I needed to make a decision about whether or not to ride.

A few of my 1089473892389745 questions:

1. Do you think it is possible to die from fear alone? Seriously guys, is it possible? Can get so afraid your heart just stops beating? SERIOUSLY answer me.

2. How does this compare to the Powder Keg at Silver Dollar City? Is this more or less scary than the Magnum? The Millenium Force? The Raptor?

3. Will you lose respect for the tough girl you know I am if I don't do it?

Our turn to get on . . . the dreaded moment

I stepped on the coaster, looked up, then stepped right back off.

Walking toward the exit, a ride attendant (who looked about 12 yrs old) looked at me with a disgusted look on his face . . . "You're not gonna ride it ? ? ?

{feeling ashamed of myself}

You bet your sweet {blankety-blank} I will!

My pride got the best of me. I stepped back on the ride, sat down and quickly buckled my seat belt.

All the people in line went wild. They clapped for me . . . the chicken who changed her mind! (Shoot, guess I can't get back off now.)

John held my hand (until I told him to take his hand back out of fear the force of the launch would break his wrist.) I tightly closed my eyes (so tightly, in fact, that I now need Botox to erase the fine lines created.)

The wait for the launch dragged on and on . . . prolonging the terror and building even more mental hype . . .

Oh my . . . unbelievable, amazing ride. I want to do it again!

The rest of the day . . .

The crew . . . John, me, Erin, Nathan, Justin, and Katie

I love Cedar Point! One of the best things about living in Ohio!

I'm Afraid!!

We're going to Cedar Point tomorrow! The big kids (Katie, Justin, John and I plus a few stragglers) are leaving the little kids (Megan and Colin) with the grandparents at Club Firestone (the name we have given to my parents' backyard oasis.) We are going to have so much fun.

I thought I would share with you a shot from the last time I was on a roller coaster. It was our annual "Girls' Weekend - Cooters in the Ozarks '08" (Please don't ask about the name - you just don't want to know, trust me.) We became season pass holders at Silver Dollar City in Missouri and rode roller coasters until we turned green. (ok, they didn't turn green . . . I did.) This picture makes me crack up every time I look at it. Katie looks like she just saw a ghost. My hood is a trip! I felt more secure with it up, as if it could protect me from plunging to my death. That reminds me . . . I never posted pics from our crazy weekend in the mountains several months ago. I'll have to get to that!

I love roller coasters and am a true adrenaline junkie but I'm really terrified of the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. Tonight John and I had a conversation about it:

L: I don't think I'm going on the Top Thrill Dragster tomorrow.

J: Really?

L: Seriously, I don't think I meet the height requirement.

J: Whatever, you goof!

L: Well, there are size and weight requirements too. It says you can't ride if you're a size 18.

J: Yeah, with two of you AND the cat in your pants! What is your deal?

L: There is a certain point where my quest for adrenaline meets my fear of early death. The Top Thrill Dragster is that point. I'm not riding it! Besides, it says you shouldn't ride it if you are pregnant or have recently been pregnant.

J: What, you're pregnant??

L: (totally not pregnant) John, I just gave birth two years ago . . . practically yesterday! That ride could damage my cesarean section recovery. I'm just trying to be practical here.

Can anyone think of any other possible reasons I shouldn't ride the Top Thrill Dragster??? Justin isn't convinced by my compelling arguments either and has already started harassing me. The Top Thrill Dragster is too scary, even for this wild woman!

Will I ride??? (no way) Tune in later for (no) photographic evidence.

Totally Inappropriate

but I can't help it. This picture is too funny.

Dear God

Hello. It is me, Lisa. I know you probably have a lot on your plate with real problems and all but could you please steer Hurricane Gustav away from Mexico? You see, we've booked a vacation and are really concerned about our resort blowing away in the wind.

Love,

Lisa

P.S. Oh yeah, please bless all those whose lives are truly in peril because of this storm. Can you believe how selfish some people can be?