Happy Birthday Bee!!

The Bee officially turned 10 last week, and got her ten-year-old birthday party. Originally, she'd planned on having a "late over," but with the weather being so warm and summer-y she changed her mind to a "water party." So, the invitations went out to 8 little girls. The anticipation for the big day about did Bee in!

Saturday arrived... Party day! I was still frantically trying to get things organized and had to run to the store for some last minute items (it's difficult to have rootbeer floats with out the ice cream, or the rootbeer!). The party started at 2:00 and I got home from the store at 1:45, just as the first little girl was arriving.

By 2:30 most everyone had arrived and the party was in full-swing, set to the tunes of the Beach Boys, who really made the summer theme come to life. The girls jumped on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath, they had a water balloon fight, played games with soaking sponges, and -- their favorite -- water hose limbo. I didn't have a lot of structure, allowing them to really just have fun. I only stepped in when I noticed someone feeling left out.

I offered melon wedges as a treat, but nobody wanted any... so I pulled out the Creamies instead. Everyone clambered for those. Duly noted.

The water ran freely for the duration of the party. It was 97 degrees. Good thing I had my bottle of sunscreen also running freely because there were lots of pink cheeks shining towards the end.

About 4:00 I sent The Man in to make the rootbeer floats. He came right back outside and asked me where I put the ice cream. I replied, "I didn't put it anywhere... where did YOU put it??" We both just stared at each other... realizing that nobody brought it in from the car after returning from the store at 1:45. Uh oh.

The girls had rootbeer soup for a treat while Bee opened her presents.

The last activity was breaking the ugliest pinata on earth, and melting their frozen water balloons with a bracelet inside (they had to get through the ice to get the bracelet out).

Everyone was gone by 5:15.

It was a fun party and I think everyone had a good time. I won't have to host another birthday party now for two more years... when Squeak turns 10. I'll start resting up.

Lookie, Mommy!!

I went to Sam's Club today to drop off some film and make some prints from our digital camera. I had The Bee and Squeaker with me since Squeaks had a dentist appointment earlier and Sam's is right next to the dentist's office (gotta try to get as many errands done in one trip as possible to help conserve gasoline).

So, while I was browsing through the prints on the nifty new-fangled print maker, Squeak announced that she desperately needed to go to the bathroom. I inquired as to where the restrooms were then sent the girls off on their own, with the instruction to hurry on back.

A few minutes later they returned. Bee was happily displaying something in her hand, to which she announced: "Lookit what I have, Mommy! It was free! What is it??" I glanced up from the kiosk to see her waving a Kotex box. I replied, "Something you don't need yet." She shrugged and passed the box along to me, slightly disappointed at not receiving some fantastic treasure... for free.

Ah, the disappointments of youth.

I did it!

The book club selection for this month is "Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell." This is the first time I've ever read it - I've never even seen the movie before now. The only thing I knew about the story is that it's about the old South and the line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

I also knew the famous monologue featuring "With God as my witness, I'll never be hungry again." Finally, it makes sense to me!

I gave myself 2 weeks to read the novel. It is almost 750 pages in very teensy typeface. It started out sluggishly for me at first and I'd note the page number when I felt ready to stop reading and feel discouraged that I had read only 4 pages. As I got more into the story I forgot to notice the page numbers and I'd breeze through 30 pages in a session.

Margaret Mitchell spends a lot of time describing the surroundings, which I found tedious at times, but her descriptions were well-done and at times I could almost smell the damp red soil of Georgia. I also got bored with all the political talk, but since the story is about the Civil War and the politics behind it, it was necessary for the plot.

I finished the book in 16 days. I carried the book around with me everywhere I went so that I could sneak in a few minutes of reading here and there. Of all my children, The B was the most interested and often asked me, "What is Scarlett doing now, Mom?" She's anxious to read it "when she's a little bit older." The huge-ness of the book doesn't phase her at all. She's quite the reader for a 10 year old.

I got the movie from Netflix so I could compare it with the book. I was intrigued to see the film that beat out The Wizard of Oz for the Oscar that year. It's hard to believe it was almost 70 years ago!! It was primitive by todays movie-making standards, but I really enjoyed it. Even my husband watched the entire film with me, without falling asleep!!! Skins and Squeaker gave up after an hour, but Bee made it to the end as well. You gotta hand it to them... the movie is 4 hours long!

The movie was very well-done by book-to-film standards. Of course, no movie can ever be as good as the book, but it held true to the novel's main points and feelings. I felt that Vivien Leigh was EXACTLY how I envisioned Scarlett, and Clark Gable was a great Rhett. However, Ashley Wilkes was NOT how I pictured him... he was neither young, dashing, or handsome. Blech. I picuted him more like Josh Holloway... hubba hubba.

I don't know why I've never read this classic novel before. I'm glad I did.

Summer Vacation

The kids are officially out of school and on "Summer Vacation." It has been a total of 1.5 days and I'm alreadying hearing "I'm bored!"

It's going to be a LONG summer.