Summer is coming to an end....

I live in the desert so we don't see much wet here, the end of summer we see a bit more wet but not much.  Well this last few weeks have been AMAZING and ....WET!   The night before last we experienced a micro burst which landed our neighbors tree down and against our garage door.  Alex's  truck was trapped until the guys were able to hack the thing into pieces and get it off the door. (So was my car, but since it's not going any place any time soon... Grrr)  Seeing my son with all the men hacking the tree up was a huge eye opener... He is all grown up!!!  I had a moment where I walked out and didn't realize he was one of the guys hacking because he looked like all the men.  My heart did a little squeeze and my eyes filled up a little and then I had to take a deep breath and tell myself it's time to start letting him go.... Very sad moment.  Alex was at this point last year but it has taken me longer to come to terms with him being grown.  He is a senior and will be leaving us for college next summer, so I really need to start preparing (if that is even possible for a mother) for him leaving the nest.  Like me, he will be graduating at 17 and going off to college and away from home before hitting 18.  By looking at him you would never know since he is 6'4 and his voice is deeper than Alex now. He did apply to some in state schools, but none close enough to stay at home and attend.  Kyle also approached Alex about working in the company and aligning on his education to either partner or eventually take over Alex's company.  That was HUGE!!!  Kyle has never worked with Alex and has constantly said no to part time jobs over the years that Alex had offered him.  So to say Alex has been walking around on cloud nine for a few days is an understatement for sure!!

Kaylee on the other hand will be staying an extra year at this point, as she is going to redo her 9th grade here at home with me.  I told you a few weeks ago she wanted to try online schooling, but what I didn't mention is that she was given very little choice but that things had to change this year.  Kaylee has multiple learning disabilities and we have had a horrific few years with the school systems working with her and her IEF.  So this year we told her that we would look into a charter or private school, as we were done with public.  (Her grades were horrible and her AIM scores confirmed she didn't retain or learn enough to "meet" what was expected at her age.) So we went to a few interviews and she decided to try online for now and if that doesn't work we will go back to private.  This is her second week and so far she LOVES online school and honestly so do I!  We are working together and it feels great to have this time with her alone every day.  She still is heavy into the youth group at church and she has her cousins down the street too.. But she has learned a bit about friendship, as some of her friends have shown their true colors with her not attending school with them now.  Plus her older cousin Alissa is leaving this week for college which is a good two hour drive from here and she is not liking it at all.  These two girls have become very close over the last several months living so close and it's taking a toll on both of them saying good bye.  Alissa will come down as often as she can, but it will be different and Kaylee has expressed her fear that Alissa will change and not have time for her younger cousin.  So we are talking about all this and getting her focused on school right now.

(Alissa and Kaylee decided to high light their hair together last weekend... So I thought this picture was good.  Alex hates her hair (she didn't ask either so that is a point he is stuck on too) and I am getting use to it now, but would say maybe less is more next time.)  The bummer about this is that I was working up the nerve to start getting him ready for me cutting my hair short... I did that right after our honeymoon and he has NEVER let me since.  So I have had long hair for 18 years and I want to try short in the worst way.  Now I have to wait, he can't take too many hair changes close together.. Poor guy.  


I got a phone call last week asking if I would throw one of the two baby showers that need to happen in the next three months.... I SAID NO!!!   :0)   The two new brides will be welcoming new little ones in late September and December (Maybe January).  But I am laying low and told them I would be there with bells on, but I am not up to hosting anything else this year.  All the holidays have been decided and I am not hosting anything!  I have heard some grumblings around the family that now that I am retired why shouldn't I help....  Really??  Lori went to bat for me and gave those young ladies a good talking, but knowing them it won't change anything.  They need communicated from the bottom end for anything to sink in, but that is just my humble opinion.  I am trying to remember they are young and have no idea what being a parent, running a home and working full time is all about.  Only then will they understand what a nightmare they put in my lap back in February this year with their weddings. Plus we had just MOVED... Twice really since we helped Lori and Jay move too!  Ugh.. Ok, sorry venting over.  Guess maybe they got to me more than I wanted to admit to myself.  Grrrrrr.

So every year Alex's assistant takes a 3 week vacation and usually he gets a temp to help while she is gone.  Well I have been taking her place this time and working with Alex has been.... KINKY.  HA!  We have had lots of fun in his office, the copy/service room (lots of servicing that day) and we even had a few moments in the parking garage.  (So hoping the security cameras didn't pick any of that up) Probably a good thing we don't work together all the time or the man would never get anything done. He is now two weeks behind schedule, which is the exact amount of time I have been "helping".  I only went in for a few hours but still, I was told maybe this week he would just wing it.   Sigh... FINE!  No, all joking aside I totally enjoyed it but can see that I was not being helpful in the right way.  (He did bring his ruler home, he said after all the use it got the last few weeks it just doesn't seem to belong in his office anymore.) :0)

I do have some bad news to share... Ugh.  I did in fact get pulled over last Friday for speeding and got a ticket that actually said "Speeding" this time.  So I didn't have a wonderful weekend to say the least and I am not to drive until further notice.  Do you have any idea how much I drive around???  Neither did I until I couldn't!!!  Oh my goodness, I am soooooo ready to follow the speed signs and anything else just to get back on the roads again and it hasn't even been a week... Ugh.   For all of you following this blog, no it wasn't on the same street as earlier this year.  I was actually on a freeway and it was truly scary and I prayed the entire time no one would run into us while stopped on the side.  Alex also wants to get me a different vehicle, says bigger is better where I am concerned.  Not sure I agree, as all I ever seem to do is hit things with my tires... I don't know one curb that I haven't at some point taken out around here.. Sigh.  My tires are rogue, not me...  :0)