Today's my birthday.

It's beautiful outside. I'm happy. I have good friends. My kids are all healthy. I have many blessings.

I have learned that your attitude can really change the situation for either the good or the bad. It really is how you look at it.

My friend B got me a card today and it said.

Good news: People are living longer. Inside it said: The Bad News: We don't get to pick which ones.

There's a lot of truth in that and it makes for a good chuckle.

Our B&B is open again as we are having an unplanned visit from our friends from Ohio--a wonderful birthday surprise. Plus we pick oldest up from church camp tonight.

A houseful for my birthday. What more could I ask for?

I'll post pictures of all of our crazy adventures on Monday but for now I'm off to see the last of the Shrek movies. It's at the $2 theatre and who can pass up a movie on their birthday.

~Kisa

I took Middle G to the doctors last night at 7:30 p.m. for her 9 year well check.

The whirlwind visit from my mom and grandma is over and I should probably be cleaning up my house, but instead I'm updating my blog.

I think my priorities are skewed.

It was a nice visit. My mom and grandmother bickered a little, but I suppose that is to be expected.

It was challenging to find activities to please the wide age range - 6 to 85, but we managed. On Monday we went to bible study and to the pool.

That was a lot of fun and the kids had a blast. My grandma actually got in to the pool twice and enjoyed sitting in the sun and getting some vitamin D.

On Tuesday, we went shopping which wasn't as smooth as the pool, but it was something. The kids were a little bit bored when the guests were looking at clothing, but to be honest with you so was I.

(*gasp*) I'm not a big shopper.

Little G had a dentist appointment in the middle of the day and then my mom took me and the family out for dinner for my birthday, which is on Friday.

It was a very nice evening.

They left about 20 minutes ago. I think my grandma is quite tired. The kids have a way of doing that to you, especially when you aren't used to it. My mom is going to stay on at her house for another night and then head home.

We are company free until Sunday when my dad and step mom arrive for the day to go to a ballgame with us.

I'm glad it's just for the day.

I was trying to think of how to sum up my weekend, but it's really was neither here nor there so I thought I would post it as some random thoughts.

• I didn't let the car breaking down ruin my evening. My MIL and FIL returned my children home safely. We dropped FIL off with the hubby and the car and MIL and I took all the kids to the pool for the moonlight swim.
• The moon was full and the evening was wonderful.
• The kids fell right to sleep once we got home.
• It was 104 degrees here on Saturday.
• Air conditioning is awesome.
• We went to dinner with hubby's sister and her family and the in-laws for my father-in-law's birthday.
• He turned 65 and he retired earlier this month.
• He seems very happy.
• We came home and had a bowling tournament on the Wii.
• I never laughed so hard.
• My MIL was cracking me up. She kept moving to the side she was throwing the ball on like she was really in an bowling alley.
• Sunday was filled with church activities and a little cookout.
• The in-laws left and I took oldest to camp.
• The van did not break down which is quite note worthy since it was a 3 hour round trip. And as you know I haven't been having much luck with cars or vans lately.
• My mom and my grandma arrived for a visit before I returned home from camp.
• We should open a bed and breakfast.
• and charge extra for the Wii.

Surviving my onslaught of company and actually enjoying myself,

~KISA~

As you may recall in my post lamenting the evils of Chuck E. Cheeses my van broke down less than two weeks ago.

Although my handy husband has since replaced the battery and the alternator it is still running a little off.

We drove it to western PA this weekend and my husband actually agreed with me. It's running a little off.

On Monday, that little seemed like a lot and I no longer wanted to drive it. Hubby said it might be the transmission but all I heard was it might cost a fortune. What I know about vans is limited but I do know that you don't want to dump a fortune into a van that is nearly 10 years old.

So being the smart, savvy wife that I am I decided that hubby should drive the van while oldest and I remained safe and secure in the car.

Guess what? The car broke down today.

Yeah I know I thought that was a little bit of a kick in the face. It was running fine until the battery light kicked on and the steering wheel became impossible to turn.

I was picking oldest up from the playground program she attends and I didn't even have my purse or my cell phone. To say I was pissed, would be an understatement. At least it ceased working on the way home and not the way to the playground.

I called hubby who I think thought I was joking.

He seemed certain it was the battery while I remained certain that it wasn't. The steering wheel doesn't work....blah blah blah.

We waited for him to rescue us and found out that it wasn't the battery. Here's what I know some big long belt named after a snake kept moving even though some other part wasn't moving and it melted that part. Hubby seems to think he can get that part and put it on and magically slide the snaky belt thingy back into place and presto a working car.

I hope he is right but between you and me it sounds really complicated and not easily accomplished.

In the mood for some Alanis Morrissette,

~Kisa~

I rented this disc of sorrow from Netflix.

I never read the book.


If I had read the book I would never have let my then 9, 7 and 5 year olds watch this movie.

It couldn't possibly be sadder.

Bridge to Terabithia is the story of fifth grader Jess Aarons, who becomes friends with his new neighbor Leslie Burke after he loses a race to her at school. She is cute and smart and Jess is quite smitten with her.


Jess is a little quiet and unsure of himself and very artistic. In the beginning of the movie he is fearful, angry, and depressed. After hanging out with Leslie, Jess is more sure of himself.

With his love of drawing and with Leslie's love of stories they create Terabithia. A magical place with great special effects and marvelous characters. The story was compelling. The characters endearing.


This all was great. My kids were engaged in the film. But things headed downhill when Jess when to an art show with his teacher and Leslie decided to go to Terabithia alone........AND DROWNED!!

WTF? This is a kids movie? I don't like movies with kids dying in them.

Everyone cried, even daddy, like were were Leslie's friends and we would forever miss her.

What I learned....if it's live action and not a cartoon, it's best to watch it first.