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10 Random Topics in One Post (or Something for Everyone)

Our weekend was a smattering of activity.  I did everything from going to an open house at my friend Sara’s to sleeping for 2.5 hours in the middle of the day.  That’s a long nap, even for me, the nap princess.

Saturday we did our usual cleaning jobs in the morning.  While the girls did the bathrooms, the boys straightened the game cabinet and I worked on a new verse for the chalkboard in the living room.  I like to change it every month or so, but it takes me about an hour so I try to have the boys doing something in the same room.  That way I can keep them moving.  They would otherwise tend to forget they are supposed to be organizing and start actually playing the games.

Here’s a look at my chalkboard now.  I’m not great at it, but I do like doing it.  It will probably stay this way until the end of the summer since I have a few other projects up my sleeve that I want to get started.

After that was done we worked on the pool, which has been getting increasingly green and we can’t figure out why.  I had no idea when we got this pool that maintaining it would require a master’s degree in chemistry.  We test the water and take notes and study the calculations.  We spend hundreds of dollars on chemicals to try to keep it all pretty and clear, but to no avail.  We may have to call in an expert. I’m not sure what that would involve, but I am tired of feeling like I’m in the swamp.

But don’t worry about us, my boys couldn’t care less how green the water is as long as they can have epic water battles and splash each other like their life depends on it.  The girls and I don’t care to swim with them because it is impossible not to end up, at some point, in the middle of their water war.  I’m more of a casual floater, minding my own business on my side of the pool.  But once I get squirted in the ear with a water pistol it’s hard to relax.

Saturday afternoon I worked on my book edits and ate Sonic ice, which I have now been keeping in my freezer for my crunching pleasure.  It’s been my snack substitute and a surprisingly good one.  It’s soft and cold and lasts a good long time.  I’m not saying it’s better than ice cream, but at zero calories I am happy with it.

On Sunday I decided to do the unthinkable and not turn on my computer for the whole day.  I may do it every week.  It could be my Gilligan’s Island day…no phones, no lights, no Facebook.  If that happened now, do you think the Professor would be able to email someone on a submarine using 2 coconuts and a bicycle powered battery?  I wonder things.

Yesterday, after church (where my son Jacob sang a beee-utiful song that made me cry) and before my extreme nap, we went out for Mexican food with my parents.  It’s a adventure, going out to eat with us.  First we have to get a table for 12 or more, which no restaurant hostess is ever thrilled about.  Then you have look at the poor waiter’s face as he goes around getting orders and we ask things like, “Is there gluten in that?” and, “Can we get that without tomatoes?”  I am pretty sure at least half of us made a special request.  I will be sending him a letter of apology.

And let’s not even start on how many times the bus boy had to refill our chips.  My boys alone ate about 4 baskets full.  I’m surprised they didn’t just haul the chip truck up to our table and dump them in the middle.

And forget talking.  It was so loud and we were so far apart that we had to yell across the table to one another.  My dad finally suggested we all just text each other instead.  Great idea.  Next time we could just stay home with 5 bags of Tostitos and have pretty much the same experience.

Now, looking back I count at least 10 topics in this one post.  If you’re still here, hanging onto the hope that I will find a way to sum it all up, this isn’t your lucky day.  I will add you to my list of people to send letters of apology to.  After the waiter, my parents and the guy at the pool chemical store.

Have a great week!

10 Comments

  1. If you take a water sample in to your local pool supply store they will analyze it for you and tell you exactly what you need to do. Worked great for us and easier than trying to figure it out ourselves.

  2. Thank you for reminding me why we don’t have a pool! I’m terrible at chemistry and don’t like to swim in a swamp! That and the fact that there is no room in the budget for chemicals – we’d just have to live with the green!
    I do love your chalkboard and long naps – I may take one myself today! Random post are fun any time!

  3. Oh my LOL. I can so relate to eating out, and we only have 5, so I can just imagine. I like the texting idea. A long nap sounds heavenly. I don’t think I’ve had a nap in months. I know what’s going on my to-do list this weekend 😉

  4. oh!! all that made me think about was Pappasitos!! When we lived in San Antonio, that was our FAVORITE Tex-Mex restaurant…..actually Taco Cabana was right up there as well. Since we have left, NO decent Tex-Mex. Try not to feel bad about rubbing salt in to my “there’s no good Tex-Mex in SC and VA” wound.

    Secondly, have you considered using salt in your pool rather than chemicals? Our friends switched and have been QUITE pleased 🙂

  5. We just got an above ground pool this summer and we have a sand pump and salt water filter. My husband researched all the different filters and felt this was the best for us. He had to do a little adjusting at the beginning but it’s been great since then. No chemicals to deal with or chlorine. It’s supposed to be cheaper as well (and better for your skin – from what we researched). We were at our local pool supply store a good bit in the begining as we figured all this pool stuff out. But while there, we talked with a gentleman who said he had the same type of filters and he was pleased with how they were working. We ordered our two filters online (either at Amazon or Walmart). Our water looks good and other than the bugs/leaves that make there way in the pool – we are happy!

  6. Love this! Your trip to the Mexican restaurant sounds like some of ours. I’m ashamed (not really) to admit that we frequent our local one so often they know what drinks we prefer and often what we are going to order. We like to change it up every once in a while just to keep them on their toes. Sounds like life is fun, albeit busy!

  7. My Dad uses something called No Phos or PhosFree – keeps it nice and clean and he had a real swamp a few years ago.

    I love your random chats…

    Deanna

  8. Lisa, I must say that some of my favorite posts of yours are the random ones. Let’s face it, when you have kids, especially lots of them, life is quite random most of the time. 🙂

  9. What a busy weekend you had, Lisa, so glad I got to see you again at Sara’s! I decided a while back to take an electronics Sabbath every week, and although I do use my cell phone for basic call functions that day, this has truly helped me with the whole concept of “rest” and spiritual renewal for me.

    Hope you get your pool back to blue again!

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