2008 May | LindaSherwood.com

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While I haven’t been blogging, I have been…

May 2008

not moving fast enough to put out the fire in my kitchen — luckily hubby Steve was there… Yes, this outlet used to be installed in my kitchen. It caught on fire when Steve and I were less than two feet away (thankfully!). I’m not sure why.

And I have been spending a lot of time at Little League games… Four kids, three teams…. I spend a LOT of time at games. I even have to miss some games because they are happening at the same time as other games. For instance, Saturday, Autumn has a game in Grayling and Justin has a game in Houghton Lake. Both happen around 10 a.m. Steve will go to one, and I will go to the other.

Plus, I have been chaperoning various end-of-year field trips. Last week I went to the Houghton Lake Historical Village with Justin. Tomorrow I’m going to bike around Mackinac Island with Maxine, and next Tuesday I will be going to Raven Hill Discovery Center with Justin. Autumn goes to Michigan’s Adventure June 5, but I won’t be going because it is also Maxine’s birthday. Here’s a picture of Justin and a friend standing on a Willow tree stump.

And I was able to watch Steve race last Friday night at Mt. Pleasant Speedway. Here are a few shots of him in the racecar — a late model.

I have also been pulling up the disgusting old carpet out of Justin’s room and organizing various in the house.

Oh, and I have been working too.

And now you know why I haven’t been blogging.

Thanks for playing.

Category: Life with Linda Tags: Justin, Steve Comments off

Because the boyfriend wondered…

May 2008

Linda

I wrote about something from several years ago because I can. It’s my blog, and I can write about what I want.

Yes, Autumn did get her attitude from me. (You might not have asked this one yet, but in case you ever wonder…)

Amanda is the girl on the right with the brown hair. For the record, this is a picture of Autumn and her siblings. They are (L to R): Maxine, Autumn (I hope you realized that one), Justin and Amanda.

And did you happen to catch this photo of Autumn?

Or this one?

And one more question for you — why won’t you tell your mother and aunt that you have a girlfriend?

Category: Parenting Tags: boyfriends, teenagers Comments off

Who knew her lips would be useful? Plus why boyfriends are fun….

May 2008

Linda

Actual conversation with Maxine today:

Me: Did anyone tease you about your lips?

Maxine: Yes. Taylor, but she was just kidding.

Me: Oh.

Maxine: My lips were useful though.

Me: Useful? how?

Maxine: Me and my friend were sitting in this spot, and we did something. When we came back (insert boy name) was there. I asked him nicely if he would move. He said no. I told him if he didn’t move, I was going to kiss him. He said, “Not with those lips.”

Maxine and her friend got her seat back.

***

Shortly after Autumn arrived home today, the phone rang. I answered it. It was the boyfriend.

Me: Hello.

Boyfriend: Hey.

Me: Hey. What’s up?

Autumn: MMMMOOOOOMMMMM!!!!

She totally blew my cover.

And the thing is, he had been WARNED that she sounds like me. And still, he didn’t realize it wasn’t her.

He reportedly told her it was “creepy.” I completely agree. It is very creepy to have boys call your teenage daughter. Shiver.

Thanks for playing.

Category: Life with Linda, Parenting Tags: boyfriends, Maxine, teenagers Comments off

Righteous Indignation

May 2008

Linda

Several years ago, I went to a bar with a group of people. This may have even been before I had children. The waitress asked me for my ID, and I pulled it out and gave it to her. Later, I realized I didn’t have my ID, and I asked her to return it to me. She said she already did. I didn’t believe her.

I was indignant. How could she take my license? I was sure it had been thrown out.

I went to the Secretary of State and applied for a new license. I told everyone about the stupid waitress. When my new license arrived, I went to put it away and found my old license. The window spot where I normally keep it had a cloth, and instead of sliding in front of the cloth like it should have, it had slid behind the cloth. I never knew there was a cloth.

I had been wrong. The waitress wasn’t stupid. It turns out I was. I never did call and apologize. By the time I realized it, several weeks had gone by.

I had been so sure she had taken my license and did something with it. I could see no other explanation. I remember looking around the edges of the booth and questioning her and not really believing her answers. I probably was a pain in the butt as I complained. (At least I wasn’t a drunk pain in the butt. We were there for dinner, and I had to show ID in order to get a drink with my dinner.)

And I had been wrong.

I should have apologized.

Isn’t it amazing the things that keep you up at night?
Argh.

Category: Life with Linda Tags: dreams Comments off

Parenting Milestones

May 2008

Linda

My baby girl — the oldest one — is turning 14 tomorrow. We celebrated her birthday over the weekend with some of her closest friends. The girl received a digital camera for her birthday, and it takes videos. I didn’t realize that, but it didn’t take her very long to put the new camera to good use. They filmed some skits and posted them on YouTube.com. They had fun.

Here she is with her birthday cake:

And for my actual baby girl (the youngest one), she went to softball practice tonight (Sunday) and had barely begun warming up when she decided to catch a ball her sister (the middle one) threw. Unfortunately, the little one caught the ball with her mouth. She ended up with a bloody nose and not one but TWO fat lips.

And the oldest one had a special awards dinner last Tuesday. The cool thing — I had received this exact same award back when I was in eighth grade. She missed the last track meet of the season to attend the dinner. Here she is with one of her friends who also received the award.

Realizing that her sister was going to have a bunch of her friends over, the middle child begged and pleaded for permission to leave. She sought refuge at a friend’s house for most of the weekend. Here is a picture of her and said friend taken earlier this year:

And last but not least, a shot of Justin hamming it up for the camera: