A Day Among Adults

Yesterday, I had the rare opportunity to get out on my own, and attend the Idaho Library Association Regional Conference. The conference was held on the campus of The College of Idaho, which was the first place I worked, when I moved to Idaho seven years ago. I hadn't been there for years, and had forgotten how much I use to enjoy the peaceful drive to Caldwell each morning. I attended a seminar on evolving library spaces, a couple on story telling, and a seminar about Web 2.0, and moving toward blogging as a way to get information out to library patrons. Recently, my boss asked me to take on the responsibility of updating the library web site. Mind you, I know nothing about doing something like that, but I am so excited about taking on the challenge and learning something new. Although I currently only get paid for two hours per week, I feel really lucky to have the opportunity to earn a bit of mad money, without having to put the boys in day care. Mostly, I enjoy having a little something that allows me to use the creative part of my brain in a different way. It is my hope that this tiny job will someday turn into something with more hours, when the boys are both in school full-time. A special thank you to Steve, who took the day off from work, so that I could go yesterday. Thanks, honey!

I am still painting the kitchen. I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever finish. Mind you, my kitchen has 20 cupboard doors, and 10 drawers. That means removing hinges and handles from all the doors, priming, then painting, putting them back together, and then hanging them back up. I've finished all of the upper cupboard doors, but still have a bunch of lower ones to do. These are challenging because I have to figure out how to keep nosey little boys out of the cupboards while they are door-less. If all goes as planned (and who am I kidding, things rarely go as planned around here!) then I will finish with the painting tonight, and will go and pick up my new table and chairs tomorrow.

The boys are doing just great. Camden has recently had an obsession with the Titanic, after his good buddy Hayden directed him toward a book about the Titanic at the library. I don't know if there has been anyone who has entered our house, that has managed to escape Camden spewing forth various facts about the iceberg, the manner in which it sank, what happened to the people, etc., etc. Camden and I even had to make an "iceberg" one day, so that he could play "Titanic" in the bathroom sink. Next week will be busy with kindergarten registration (insert sound of me, weeping softly), assorted doctor's appointments, and the arrival of Steve's sister Danielle, her husband Aaron, and our nephew, Max.

Griffin is as crazy as ever. His vocabulary really exploded while my folks were visiting, and continues to grow. Right now, his favorite thing to say is, "NO!" (no surprise there). He says it all day long. He's also very interested in books, and his favorites right now are Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, and Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? I'm pretty sure I can recite both of those books backward and forward, in my sleep.

Steve is busy with work and command (no surprise there, either!). Recently, he's been rearranging the garage/shop so that it is more to his liking. He hung up his canoe plans, and I'm guessing it won't be long before he starts building it. This is something that he has been dreaming about for years, so I am glad that he is finally going to do it.

To round out the family update, I'm happy to report that Roy finally had his *ahem* nether regions altered last week. You may recall we had a couple of failed attempts at getting that accomplished. I thought maybe it would mellow him out a little, but he came home from the vet and proceeded to chase his tail, turn cartwheels down the hallway, and act like a lunatic. Riley continues to think he is in charge of everyone, which is so not true, but given his old age, we let him think whatever he wants.

Lots to do this morning. Boys to dress. Faces to wash. Laundry piling up. And painting. Oh yes, more painting.