the one with a Giant Spider (September Summary)

I could say that September 2011 was the month of the kitchen floor redo. I'm glad to have it done—but it wasn't my most favoritest-ever experience. It has led to a chain reaction of other things we need to do: repaint the kitchen, which means repainting the hall, which means repainting the front room. As I would almost rather go to the dentist than paint any room—let alone our kitchen with its vaulted ceilings—I am dreading all this painting that will happen in October. In happier remodeling news, Kendell installed an extra shelf in my kitchen closet. While this did mean more painting, it was worth the free space on my kitchen counters created by the new shelf. And, now that I have finished with the painting of the closet, I am happy to report that it looks much, much better. I had given up even trying to wipe down the walls in there, the paint had gotten so grungy.

 So that should give me some impetus to get the painting started.

 Anyway. Some other, less-stressful-and-annoying September experiences:

      A Month of Idylls. I wrote about this a little bit elsewhere, but I have to expound upon it. This has been the most perfect September I can remember. We had a few rainstorms, but none during the day. The days were just long, lovely, autumnal idylls. The mountains are all lit up with red trees, more red than I've ever seen. The red on Maple Mountain (which, for you locals, is the peak just south of Y mountain) is particularly stunning: wide swaths of red curving around narrow bands of pine. I must photograph it! We were so busy with the floor thing that I haven't done any fall hikes or photo shoots, but I am desperately hoping to do both next week. Every time we go somewhere, I can't help commenting on the mountain colors. This is starting to annoy Kendell.

      A Month of Homecomings. Due to our location, about half the kids in our neighborhood go to one high school, and the other half goes to a different high school. This means that Haley got to go to two Homecoming dances, the first at the high school she doesn't go to, the second at the one she does. Two times wearing the same dress (the same perfect, beloved, exactly right dress) = happiness.

 
(Homecoming no1)

 
(Homecoming no2—Haley totally got that corsage pinned on all by herself! they left later for this dance so the pictures weren't as good.) (Also, I just now went and Windexed those fingerprints off the little window in my front door. How embarrassing.)

      A Month of Fast Food. Again because of the floor, we ate a lot of fast food this month. It took two and a half days to finish the floor, but we couldn't put our appliances back in for another four days. After a week of fast food, (and Eggo waffles for breakfast because—no fridge for the milk) everyone was excited for me to cook again. (This excitement lasted exactly two days, until, on the third day, I made something that didn't please everyone. Which reminds me of a story. Last week at work, I was talking to a friend at work who doesn't have kids. She asked me about dinners at my house. How is it, feeding four kids? What do I make for dinner? My answer: I make at least half of my family annoyed and disappointed for dinner.)

      A Month of Longing. I thought that once Nathan got his butterfly knife, he would cease and desist with the little notes, gentle reminders, and left-open Amazon pages pointing to his heart's desire. Now that he is back in school, his friends have reminded him of how much he really, really, really wants an Airsoft gun. I am even more conflicted about this than I was the knife. I mean, I don't think anyone has ever died from playing with Airsoft guns. But I bet someone has had his eye shot out. ;) On the other hand, probably it is just normal boy stuff, wanting to run around a field trying to shoot your friends. Someone with more experience with Airsoft guns: please, please clue me in!

      A Month with a Day Off. When we had the floor redone, we also had them install wood in our hall. This meant that for an entire 24 hour period, we could only get into our front room. As it was crammed with kitchen stuff, this was not helpful. So we spent a night in a hotel. Haley slept at her friend Nikki's house, but the boys and I had fun hanging out at the pool. Actually—they hung out at the pool while I revived my legs after my last 20 miler in the hot tub. We ate dinner at Red Robin and had candy and chips in the hotel room for snacks.

      A Month of Dreaming Teeth. Kendell had to take the boys to their dentist appointments as I messed up and scheduled them when I was working. No one had any cavities. There were also my two trips to the dentist (check up and filling repair) and Nathan and Kaleb both have wiggly teeth. This overwhelming amount of tooth-related activities meant I also had multiple my-teeth-are-falling-out dreams. I hate that. 

      A Month with Scouting. Jake and Nathan both went to a scouting jamboree where they started working on multiple merit badges. The highlight of that day: I had to work, and we didn't have the fridge back in the kitchen yet (see how the floor thing affected everything?), so Kendell brought them a bunch of McDonald's chicken nuggets. Like...I think he got them the 50 pack. Squee! (I, personally, think the only chicken nugget worth eating comes from Wendy's, but all my children love the McDonald's ones.) Jake also went on an yet another overnight camp out. He is getting to be an expert at camping!

      A Month of Naked Fingers. One of the prongs on my wedding ring broke. Just the very tip, so the diamond was in no danger of getting lost, but all of my sweaters were in danger of being snagged. I finally took it in to get it fixed. It cost less than I expected (bonus!) and came back shiny. I hadn’t realized just how scratched and dinged up it had gotten! The jeweler scolded me for sleeping in my ring—he could tell by how the prongs are worn. I’m not going to stop that practice anytime soon, however. I hate that naked-fingers feeling of not having my rings on. Plus, I’m afraid I’d lose them if I didn’t wear them all the time. Do you sleep in your ring(s)?

      A Month of Brotherly Assistance. In sixth grade on Fridays in Nathan's school, you get what is called STS. This stands for "Sharpen the Sword" which means, I believe, getting out of the classroom to do other stuff than math and grammar, stuff that will help you help other people. Nathan's first month of STS found him helping out in the first grade classrooms—in Kaleb's first grade classroom. I love that he and Kaleb got to be together in such a fun way; it makes me feel like Kaleb got a better start than he could have any other way.

      A Month of Spiders. Actually, just one spider worth mentioning. On Thursday, Nathan came rushing into the computer room where I was wrestling with the American Express bill. "Mom! Quick! We need some spider spray or something! There's a huge spider by the door." I totally thought he was exaggerating. Not so. This was an enormous spider. And while I don't like spiders at all (in fact, they freak me out), I also don't mind squishing them. But this one was so big I was afraid to squish it. I got my big Dr. Marten to do the deed and its sole was covered with goo and venom after i finished. I felt like I had slayed a lion. I can't imagine how a spider could grow this big:

 
(I included the porch railing and a bit of the rug that's hanging out there because I need to wash it, just to give a sense of perspective at just how enormous that spider was. I wanted to hold up something like, I don't know, a pencil or a ruler or someone's finger to help show the scale, but I didn't want to get too close to the giant.)

How was your September?

Comments

[Kate Ware]

I love reading your review posts!! And the hubbs and I just went on our annual autumn photography search yesterday, and you are SO right. The colors are amazing this year. We took the Heber Creeper, then drove down Emigration Canyon -- both had really vibrant reds. I've not seen red like that here in years! Kinda fun!

On the air-soft subject. First, I have to say, I don't have children of my own. But, I have plenty of "adopted" ones, and one in particular who happens to be an air-soft freak. And he had exactly what you fear, happen. He and some friends were playing, and his shot went wild and hit one of the boys near his eye. Trip to the ER, eye Dr, the whole bit -- but the kid is OK, still has his eyesight. Personally, I think basic common sense and maybe a sort of "gun safety" run through is in order. Like, wear eye protection when you play (this would be my #one rule, if I had boys). Don't aim at faces. I think there has to be rules, and consequences if they're broken. Guns, of any sort, can be dangerous, if the user isn't knowledgeable or careful. Just MHO.

Also -- on sleeping with your wedding ring. I don't, as a rule. I was breaking out from metal for awhile, and when I slept with my rings (I usually have my hands folded under my pillow) it would make the breakouts worse. So, I had to go ringless. Now, it's habit, but what I don't like is that some mornings, when I'm in a rush, I forget to put it on! *blush* If I could, I would go back to sleeping with it one and just make sure I had it checked a little more often! LOL!

Wishing you a wonderful October and time soon to go take in the beautiful colors!

[Kate Ware]

Oh, and that spider, bleck!! We get those up here, too. Hate 'em, but they're harmless. (Other than causing anxiety attacks when I find them!)

[michele in la]

As a whole, my September was a stressful blur...here's hoping October is a wee bit better :).

Homecoming Dances here are in October. This is the first year my son has a girlfriend (as opposed to going to the dance w/ a friend who is female). She goes to a different high school so we will experience our first double Homecoming - oh my!!

And is there anything worse than spending hours in the kitchen, making a healthy tasty meal, just for someone in the family to find fault in it? I voiced my displeasure over this enough times that the "critiques" have mostly ceased.

My wedding band and my engagement ring were completely separate - bought at different stores and times. My engagement ring was always a little loose - enough so that it is easy to remove. I left it that way so that I *will* remove it and not damage the diamond. Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I wear it only when I go out some place "nice" (not the grocery or carpool line). However my wedding ring is quite tight - nearly impossible to remove in the heat of the summer. It stays on my finger ALL time. I had c-sections when my children were born and since the ring no longer would come off my finger, I even had major surgery with it (they simply covered it w/ layers of tape). My opinion is that the wedding band is the one that counts (even if it a simple gold band) - it represents 22+ years of commitment.

[chris jenkins]

Love your daughter's dress! So pretty as is she!

Glad the floor is done - it is no fun living without the most essential room of the house!

[Elizabeth]

That spider scares me to death. We had black widow spiders that lived in garage in California, and I put yours in the same category as those.

I sleep in my rings... but, ahem, I currently also have a bent prong and am waiting until next month when there are less meets for the girls (read = less meet fees means I will have the discretionary income to get my poor engagement ring fixed). I am pretty sure I di the damage in daylight, though.

Took 5 days off from running after my big 50, and pretty much sucked it up tonight when I went : ) I'm going to work on trying to get a smidgen faster this month, though.

[Elizabeth]

in OUR garage. You figured that out, I'm sure.

[Jamie]

we've had alot of big spiders that I've never seen before this fall as well. I don't know where they're coming from! yuck. They're brown and they move fast.

[Wendy]

Airsoft experience - Bryce just HAD TO HAVE ONE. I think it lasted about six months and then he had it taken away (I even forget what the infraction was). He hasn't asked about them and that was almost two years ago. Crazy, no?

About rings - I never take mine off. John takes his off the minute he gets home from work and sets it on his dresser. For some reason, that drives me nuts.

I don't think I get why sleeping in rings would be hard on the ring - unless I suppose you're punching out your husband in your sleep (ha-ha).

About spiders. Oh, Trevor brought a gigantic wolf spider in a few months back and propped the lid so he could "get some air." What he got was escape. John recently killed a super huge one downstairs, so we're hoping that was the same one. Spiders - yikes!