MY BABY!!!

He's seventeen today.

OK, Luke is my OLDEST. Not my "baby" (I just wanted to clarify). And he LOVES his birthday present. It's not something we wanted to get for him, but he wouldn't give us any other ideas... so BJ amd I caved.

He built this box for his inital purchase--its a 1000 watt subwoofer... FOR HIS CAR!!! It's totally ridiculous, I agree. He wants his car to "BUMP". I call it "The BOOM BOOM!"

After that first purchase, he needed an amp and battery cell to power his setup. That's what we helped him get for his b-day. It's an amplifier--1000W x 1 @ 2 ohms. Don't worry if you don't know what that means. All it means is that its SICK!!! and incredibly LOUD. and makes the entire house rattle! I am positive that his car is going to fall apart as soon as he gets it all set up.
In this picture he's just rigging the system to the van see what it sounds like. The van battery works whereas the battery in the volvo is shot. He's waiting for his new battery to come.

All of this excess "stuff" may seem pointless... but I have to interject, that Luke is quite brilliant when it comes to electronics, and building things, and researching the internet to figure out all the information he needs for a project i.e. the skateboard ramp a few months ago. He's doing this all on his own. It inspires him.

Also, we were sitting at the dinner table the other night listening to him and my pops talk about steam engines, and discussing ways to power an engine using hydrogen. I was dumbfounded to hear my son. I asked Luke, "How do you KNOW all of this stuff?" He chuckled, saying it runs in the family (which is true), but then he quipped that he reads! All the time [me--completely dumbfounded again--haha]. I am proud of him.

Happy Birthday to Luke!

All Kinds of Krazy

The pictures you are about to see have been selected at random... (the editing never ends).





Here's Nicki receiving a very special award from the teachers for her amazing work as PTO president. WOOHOO!! Doesn't she look proud?! ;-)

Here's Luke--now a BIG TIME SENIOR--eating a hero sandwich after a rousing game of softball. (He scored very nicely on his U.S. History regents exam. GO LUKE!)

Nate is being all cool after suffering a bit of a loss in the softball game!

He's heading off to 3 weeks of really cool camp on July 13th. First it's an intensive rock climbing expedition in Colorado for 7 daze and then onto Missouri for a 2-week sports camp. Check Kanakuk out. And pray for this son of mine.

Kenny gets a KOOL DAZE shout out! He's an awesome teacher who is very dedicated to our amazing school. He has done so much this year to serve the school--so far above and far beyond the call of duty. So, I offer my award to him--a prestigious spot on this blog page--haha! I'm fairly certain he knows nothing about the blog world or Kool Daze. Someone should let him know.

Oh. Here's a better picture.

And then the one below... Nina is at it again... being weird! She and Anika are two peas in a pod!! They totally crack me up. (It looks look a goiter on her neck in this photo--haha).

The 6th grade graduation was a great event. I don't know what they were doing with this little train... or march... or whatever it was, but now they are offically 7th graders!! A fine, fine group of kids. (A few others are in the train, in case you were wondering).

Awww... India and Caleigh at the peace pole.

Nina doing Lemonade shots... or something...

THE PTO!!! YAAAAAAAY!!!

Anika in weird form normal form. She had just received her "certificate of achievement" and is now officially a NINTH GRADER!!!!

Beautiful Jennah, just after her 6th grade graduation. She was very well awarded for her accomplishments this year (almost to the point of embarassment). She is an AMAZING young lady!!!

The new 7th grade class, having their last group photo with their beloved 6th grade (and 5th grade) teacher.

Elizabeth is showing the braclets she and her friends made. Laura's says "best" - Harriet's says "friends" - and Lizzy says "forever" - Cute!

Ok. Caleigh and Alana are being hugged by Najon, who has been vying for Caleigh's attention all year.

On a sidenote: Caleigh reported to her sisters only yesterday that "so and so" wanted to have S - E - X - Y with "so and so". Both "so and sos" just happen to be kindergarteners. SHEESH!!! How do they all know about sexy already?

Here is the final word!

We're going to miss you, Nicki, as PTO pres !!! Now I HAVE to pull something off??? Oh the pressure! I sure hope "my peeps" will be right there to help!

I know they will.

Second Guessing Everything... Mostly Myself

An Open Letter,

OK. Yesterday, I was thinking that maybe I'm slightly depressed. Not the kind that needs medication. Not the kind that happens on a monthly basis. And not really the kind that will plague me for too terribly long. I'm just upset about some specific things. I don't know. I can't get into details about the BIG issues plaguing me (being that this is an open letter), I just know that this feeling sucks and it's not something I can just snap out of. It upsets those who are close to me when I am in this funk. They don't know what to do with me when I'm moody. Some take it personally, but it's not about them! I want to talk it out and verbalize my pain, but its easier to just go away until it passes--because I'm not looking to be fixed or talked into being happy, just to make someone else feel better. There are real things that are upsetting me, valid things that would upset any parent! but then, why must there be so many other things latching on for the ride and compounding my sense of depression--things like:

• being informed that a friend is battling cancer and then being pressured to help make meals for this friend, but being too overwhelmed with my own schedule to do it this week--GUILT! and ANGER... for feeling guilt!!

• as I am speaking in an upbeat way to an aquaintance at church, realizing that he is the man who lost his sickly 37 year old wife only a few days ago--SADNESS for him and FRUSTRATION! because it seems impossible to get to know people even after 3 years of attending the very small congregation.

• rising gas prices and owning a Suburban--FEAR! and DOUBT that we made a good financial decision back in December.

• being confused and having mixed emotions about my involvement with the music ministry at church--FRUSTRATION! for having to go through old feelings because they continue to unveil themselves in layers. IMPATIENCE wondering how much longer I will have to work on these particular issues regarding church life.

• second guessing the decision of putting two kids in braces at the same time--FEAR and DOUBT! finances.

• having an injury in my interior rotary cuff of my right arm--SADNESS because I can't be active the way I'd like and it's showing around my waist line--LACK OF MOTIVATION! because I'm depressed about the pain and weight gain.

• realizing that I am abslutely NOT ambidextrious and it may be the last time I can mop in a long time--JOY!

• needing a serious organizational clean-up in my bedroom and not having the motivation to tackle it EVER--knowing that it will only go right back to it's present state in a matter of weeks--HOPELESSNESS! and it's not all MY mess! but some of it is.

I thought that I'd be happy now that the dryer was removed from the middle of my kitchen. Well, I AM happy about that... but, the sadness is still present. I thought that finally mopping the floors would bring a sense of satisfaction, but that didn't really change anything for me. Actually, it exasturbated my shoulder pain, and the floors are dirty again only a few days later. So what's the use?? Dirt floors would probably be better for us!!

A missionary spoke in our church on Sunday. And I, the one who was going to BE a missionary to India together with my husband, now owns a 5 bedroom house on Long Island with an inground pool, has three cars (one is for sale the other is for Luke), six kids, and feels like a complete materialistic American (if you are going to comment anonymously on that last statement and be all judgemental and nasty... don't bother. I don't need any help beating myself up right now, so you'd just look like the ass that you are--don't mess with me!).

Anyway, I'm a little better today. We're fixing up my bike, so I can use that for some getaways and exercise--HA! whatever. Jennah has a little 6th grade graduation tonight. That should be fun.

I just need to find my faith and trust that God is going to take care of these things that concern me. Why does everything have to be so hard?

This blog thing works!!

WOW! The dryer was GONE when I came home last night. So no one wins the bet. No one gets the dryer. Sorry to cut this contest short.

Amazing! He did't even read my blog... it just happened. POWERFUL!

Umm Yah!

It's still there! DEAD SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF MY KITCHEN!!!! So, I decided to make some fun out of my annoyance.

Let the betting begin!

Anyone wants to place bets on how many days/weeks/months (<--yea... NO!) it will remain right where it is; go ahead. Make your guesses and state your wagers in the comment box. (Don't worry, I won't hold you to it).

Make me laugh--because the clutter factor is starting to get me down. That and all the "wonderful treats" my kids are bringing home from their desks and lockers! AYI!!! Isn't there a garbage can at school???

A Commercial

It may be inappropriate... but it's MY BLOG! hahahah

WATCH IT!!

Driven to Tears

I'm a little Pee-Oed right now... but I'm taking the time to post anyway. At the moment there's a really big storm going on and I could get electrocuted... but I'll risk it and keep on task. My pictures don't want to post, which is seriously annoying! I'm NOT giving up!!!


There!

BJs new toaster. Whoop dee doo!

My new dryer. YESSSSSSSSSS!!! (A bright momentary moment)

It's huge! Worth two dryers at least!!!

And really really cool! Isn't it cool???

Guess where the old dryer is right now... (back to the annoying thoughts).

Yea! MIDDLE OF THE KITCHEN!!!!

Can a dog go in the washer and dryer?? Maybe you can guess which "straw broke the camel's back tonight!"

I hear ya knockin' but cha can't come in!

You think YOU'RE upset???

Yea... whatever NOAH!

How 'bout we listen to the Police? Concert's in two months. WOOHOO!

Yay! New Dryer!!

I've done loads and loads of laundry in record time and without that annoying, extremely LOUD metal-scraping sound. Oh, how happy I am! Anyway...

Happy Father's Day to all you Papas! Especially to My Pops and to my Main Squeeze, BJ. They are both remarkable men! I'm all out of really great stuff to write... you know, like poems and song lyrics and creative stuff. Holidays stifle me. I'd love to give a Father's Day tribute to them, but it'll have to be on another day... when everyone else has moved onto other post ideas ;-). No video-blog here... although that was really cute of Heidi Jo. Her kids are sooo adorable.

Ok. Pool update... I've added another 150 lbs of salt to the 150 lbs of salt I added last week. I'm still waiting for it to register, so I can begin chlorinating again. That's how the pool remains sanitized. Chlorination! Another 12 hours and we should be good to go. At least I have an excuse to say "NO" to the neighborhood moochers. Well, the other reason would be that it's a mere 63 degrees today. Nevermind that the pool is 82 degrees, I'm wearing a sweatshirt. No one thinks of swimming in these temperatures. Sheesh!

My sibs and their wives and my parents went out to dinner last night at Gosman's Dock in Montauk. It's on the water and is an open air restaurant. I haven't been there in FOREVER, but it was great. We were celebrating my parents 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY (which is today). YAY FOR THEM!!! My parents are amazing people! The food was great, too--lobster bisque, blackened black fish cajun style, trout stuffed with shrimp, crab, and lobster, crab cakes and more. The funniest part to me is the bill. We were all going dutch, except we wanted to pay for my folks. The bill came to $530 (which included gratuity) and there were 10 of us, but somehow there was like $700 being put into the pot, but no one wanted to take any money back. I'm like--YOU GUYS!!! EVERYONE JUST TAKE SOMETHING BACK!!! But no one would take any money back... Talk about "passing the buck" (but in a different kind of way). So, finally Bj accepted money back. Haha. I'm not in THAT kind of competition right now. No. I just couldn't bare seeing that extra money go to the waitress, when she already was already getting $100 tip. My brothers! Such big spenders. (Not us, so much--not after having to buy a new dryer, coping for the pool and braces for two more children all in one month. I'm not complaining, just a little nervous).

Please send donations to HOCHSTEDLER'S, P.O. Box 1183, Sag Harbor, NY 11963. Hahahah.

Anyway, gas is $4.35 for regular (today). What's yours? My parents say that FL is up to $4.99. YIKES! It's a good thing they are here for the summer. Poor florida.

Laundry Woes!

The dryer has been suspect for over three weeks now, of causing black marks on the clothing. It was especially disasterous for white pillow cases and other white cotton items--UNDERWEAR! There was this scraping sound that developed that sound as though some dog tags had gotten stuck behind the drum and the chain dragged and banged along as the clothes were going around and around. I've been annoyed!

So, we finally called the appliance repairman and they were scheduled to come tomorrow. Last night I threw wet towels and bathing suits from the pool area into the dryer because supposedly it was going to rain last night (which it didn't). Anyway, this morning, as I went to get those things out of the dryer, I noticed that towels were still damp. So I closed the door and started it up again... but it wouldn't go. Something was DEFINITELY wrong now!

After removing everything and hanging all back on the line I could see that a bathing suit had somehow gotten totally wedged in between the drum. And then there was this...

How in the world does something like THIS happen??? What, did the boys leave a gun in their pants pocket one time or something??!! SHEESH!! (Just kidding about the gun... but that's what it made me think of).

I've Been SLUGGISH!

It IS FREAKING HOT!!!!
This was the first swim last week... before the temperatures and humidity shot way up! Elizabeth was even wearing a wet suit.

Caleigh was taking her first dive and shivering while standing on the board.

But then Saturday came... you know, the Saturday that Terry went to Six flags in the high 90 degree weather and I stayed home to be the "Little League mom." The girls had a double header and it was HOT! We were there from 9:30-3:15!!! TORTURE. The kids would have to sit under the shade of the tree every time they weren't out in the field. I watched the two games from under the tree all day (except for the 15 minutes I sat in the sun and got a terrible farmers' sunburn. PATHETIC)!

We came home and swam in the pool. Then I had practice with the girls (Jennah and India) for Sunday worship. They both sang a solo on Sunday morning. It was AWESOME. I literally got choked up as I accompianied on the piano--and that's not like me. I also chose a special song--one I sang at my Nephew's memorial service of the same week, 7 years early. I needed to remember Zach, along with my sister and her family, and my parents and my kids. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get through it (it's hard to sing when you're crying) but I did. I thought of mentioning the whole background of the song and what it meant to me... but chose not to.

Sunday afternoon brought tons more spontaneous visits from friends, because it was so hot. And then a freakish storm came up suddenly and blew many things around the yard, including the canopy right into the pool.

The following day, Monday, was field day at school and the it was hotter than ever. THIS is a true heat wave for the Hamptons, people, and humidity is like HELL! But regardless, Caleigh won first place for the standing broad jump, the 50 yard dash and the 100 yard dash for Kindergarten. She majorly helped the white team win first place overall! I was there to take pictures. (Torturous as it was).
She's a cutie!
By the time school was out everyone--EVERYONE!! needed to come swim in the pool. SEVENTEEN LITTLE PEOPLE!! That's how many there were at one time, with only myself as the lifeguard. I couldn't even run inside to get my camera or go to the bathroom or answer the phone or fold the laundry or make a snack for the girls before they needed to get to their next little league game. It was a fiasco... and I did fairly well actually, until... Elizabeth couldn't find her baseball pants. That's when I lost it. She had a meltdown while I marched around the house in a tirade. (There were some other things on my mind causing stress, but the missing baseball pants definitely was the straw that broke the camels back). After that episode, I decided that I should no longer watch everyone's kids all at the same time.

Today, I said no one can come over. I took two of my girls to the orthodonist. As I was out doing that and picking up chemicals for the pool (salt actually) my mom called and said she was lifeguarding at my pool with my two nieces and that there were a bunch of older kids there with the boyz. When I got home, there were TWELVE! OH NOOOOO!!! At least it was my mom's turn to lifeguard. haha. I couldn't help out, because I had music practice with the youth group team. I was not prepared for that either and sooooo wanted to cancel... but once we sang through the chorus of the first, I remembered exactly why I do this. I adore these kids and they are so talented!!!

Oh... and I STILL LOVE MY POOL!!! Even though it's a lot of work.

I'm just overwhelmed about the adjustment and can't handle much more of this year-end schedule. Summer is almost here. ALMOST!

Check out this little ditty

Trades and Swap-outs

Last Sunday someone swapped weeks with me for leading worship over the next two Sundays...
Instead of having a chance to practice with my team during the week, we ran out of options (crazy schedules), so I'm going to have Jennah (my 12 year old) and India (also 12), sing with me. We'll need to have a practice today because they've never done it before. I'm brave like that.

The pool looks good and is around 73 degrees--the air is colder. The kids have all been swimming (Caleigh was THE first). They were using bath towels, because I hadn't gotten the beach towels down from the attic yet. Suddenly, we were running out of bath towels, and to top things off, my dryer seems to have something stuck behind the drum that leaves black marks on everything.
The trade off? I finally allowed Elizabeth to try and find the towels in the attic... I always had an excuse why I couldn't "do it right now!" Result? She found them! as well as a bag of summer clothes, and everything ended up strewn throughout the bedroom below, and the container remained in the attic, because she couldn't get it down. I knew that was going to happen.

I need to vacuum some leaves out from the deep end of the pool. That will make me feel much better.
My trade-out is that I won't be vacuuming inside! Someone else had BETTER get on the ball--cause I can sense that my hormone levels are pumping tension throughout my body. It's fair warning.

Yesterday, (partly the reason we needed towels) two of my daughters were going on a field trip with their class--KAYAKING! I was going too. It is an amazing trip, and great exercise too. But when we woke up in the morning is was pouring rain and suddenly the weathermen all changed their reports to rain and thundershowers all day. DANG! So, the trip was swapped to next week on a day that I probably can't go. BOOOO!
Instead of kayaking, I stayed at the school and helped the 7th and 8th grade class host a luncheon for senior citizens. It was a packed house with about 60+ in attendance for a full meal and entertainment. We even played... BINGO. [insert trumpet line: wah wah wah waaaaaaaah]

Jennah was selected to be one of the two students to attend a week-long Kiwanis camp in PA. This was scheduled for August and I was supposed to fill out the pages and pages and pages of applications and medical releaase forms and doctors forms "yesterday please"...
But it just didn't feel right, and we are hosting a drama camp for two weeks which happens to be during the camp week. Yesterday, at that luncheon, we passed on the offer, albeit late (which I feel badly about) but the whole process started after the deadline and that's not my fault.

This morning Luke was supposed to take his SAT exam.
He decided he wasn't ready and wanted to work instead!

Also, this morning, Terry took the youth group to Great Adventure Six Flags in NJ. It's 65 degrees here this morning and the forecast calls for 85 degrees by mid-day. Nice.
I stayed behind because someone needed to take the girls to their final little league game--a double header. So, Terry and gang will be roasting at the theme park, standing on long lines while the temperatures reach 90 and feel like 100. Lucky them! We'll be having fun at the ballpark and then coming home for a nice swim in a clean pool. Hee.

A Science Lesson

The Study of Gypsy Moths

Ain't it purrrrrty?

This is not really... a lesson. I don't have time for that. And I grabbed photos from google without taking notes for photo credits. Am I going to get in trouble?

These littls guys have been hanging from the trees and dropping their black poppy seed-sized POOP EVERYWHERE. They've been catching rides on the vehicles and clothing and anything else they can grab onto. They climb my doorposts and my house even. Soon they will look more like this. Cute! They look kind of cuddly and soft!
But they devastate the woods and make oak trees look BARREN all summer. Where is my shade??? (This is not my yard btw).

Yup! They are hungry. And they make these pretty white tents in the trees.

I guess a bunch of new larvae are cookin in there.

I feel like it's a plague. These guys are common in other parts of the country from what I can see. They whig me out. Now I need to go take a shower!

That B******!!!

If I had a picture with a completely red face, I'd post it.

Wait...

Ok. There!

UN-BE-LIEVEABLE!!! I definitely wanted to yell. And scream. (And maybe punch a little, but thank God I have a little self-control).

The outgoing board member was out of control tonight!!! (I guess he figured he only has one more meeting after this, so he wants to make as much trouble as possible. What a total dirtbag!!!!) He tried to incite me publicly... ME! but in a very passive/aggressive way. He ventured to say some things at the PUBLIC board meeting that had to nothing to do with the topic being discussed and everything to do with a PRIVATE EMAIL that SOMEHOW got to an email box in which it was never sent. There was no real rhyme or reason to why he was bringing it up, except that he was obviously trying to intimidate me and to somehow discredit me in front of the board. He was hoping to shut me down, but it didn't work.

It was quite amazing! The vileness and foulplay residing within him just showed through. It wasn't only aimed at me either. All I can say is WOW! Some people live in such darkness without even realizing how far they are willing to go... and for what? Their own ego?? YUCK! I just chuckle to think about it. But I'm also pissed.

Besides that mumbo jumbo... this was another busy weekend. My nieces had their b'not mitzvah (which is what its called when two girls have their ceremony together). It was quite interesting and the party was AMAZING!!! It's too bad that my camera battery died before I got too far with the pictures. But I caught this...

We're dorks! hahah.

Good times.

Oh... and also, I finally mowed the lawn! I had THE worst coughing fit in the middle of it all. I thought I was going to die, but I was determined to mow the damn lawn or DIE TRYING! I was successful--and also very skeeved out by the gypsy moth worms! YUCK YUCK YUCK.

A N D... our pool was officially opened today. I thought the pool guy was gonna be so upset when he saw it, but he said it looked good. He shocked it, they vacuumed it and VOILA! It turned blue within about 10 minutes. I'm not even kidding you! I am amazed at what a little chlorine can do.

And now I'd like to see what a bit of chemicals could do to KILL THOSE DESTRUCTIVE GYPSY MOTHS. They are devouring ALL the leaves on ALL the trees.