This Is How I Do It

I have a confession to make. I don't even know where my real camera is. I might as well keep going... I am way behind on organizing photos, and let's not even talk about the kids' scrapbooks. There has been clean laundry stacked in my glider rocker in my bedroom for weeks. I've been digging through it and it's nearly to the point where it doesn't seem clean anymore. I have dirty dishes in the sink, clean dishes to put away, dirty clothes, clean clothes, bills to pay, toys and shoes to sort, an endless gaggle of stuff conglomerating on my dining room table. In short, this is how I do it.

I let things go. I do what I can, and every now and then, I do major work to catch up.

Yesterday I got pooped on. It happens. Today, a tire blew on my van as I traveled at a rate of about 65 mph on my way to work. I'm fine. I'm in a really good place right now. I have established an inner peace that fuels me through the craziness, the uncomfortable situations, the not-so-good moments.

And I'm having a whole hell of a lot of fun on the way. There are ballgames, campfires, swimming parties and picnics. I am tired, I am grateful, I am blessed.

And now, it can't wait any longer. I must get ready for morning and get myself some sleep in the peacefulness of a slow oscillating fan. Can't wait!!

If She Doesn't Scare You...

That Cruella De Vil. If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will!

I tell ya, she might be scary to see, but she sure is fun to be. I had a great Halloween weekend with this award-winning costume coming together just hours before Trick or Treat last night. Shaggy... er, Shrek.. and I decided to dress along with the kids for the town's Trick or Treat, which we don't normally do. But we were planning to go out afterwards, and it just made sense. So the whole lot of us: Shaggy, Cruella, a witch, a zebra and Scooby Doo hit the street around 6:30 p.m. It was a blast!


The kids had a great time and we finished the evening, as is tradition, with a visit with cousins at the Cooper house. There were cousin witches, smiling four-year-olds and the dynamic duo of Shaggy and Scooby...




We left the kids happy at home with their mammaw and a couple of Halloween specials on TV. (Thanks, NBC!) We headed off to the American Legion for some good-natured Halloween fun with friends. We got to see lots of friends, including my best girl, Spider Woman, and my brother, the Scottish athlete. I even won third place in the costume contest!



It was another fun notch in the belt of Roberts Halloweens. Check out the belly on this Cruella! She must not be as scary as she looks...


Hope your Halloween was festive. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to kick off November in the morning. Let's keep the good times rolling!

Dough+Ham+Salami+Pepperoni+Provolone+ItalianSeasoning+LOVE= Jamboree Stromboli!

My best girl, Roberta, and I, making memories we might have forgotten at Jamboree!

That's right, kids. It's stromboli time! I'm slaving away in the kitchen, beating incooperative, mooshy, slight-raised, slightly-frozen bread dough into stromboli. I do this every year at about this time, because hey! Pack your bags, there's a place we gotta go, back in the hill country of O-hi-o! It's Jamboree in the Hills!

I've been going to Jambo since 2001, save for 2006, when I was home alone with a 2-1/2-year-old Lily and a one-month old, Max. (Gee, thanks, Shrek!)

Anyway, let's not talk about how sad I was to miss it that year. I've been to Jambo single, married, knocked up and nursing. Let me tell you, it's best to be able to imbibe a bit. But, alas, I can't miss it! I can't not go hang out our campsite, full of family and friends, hillbilly bars, drinking games and pools; I can't not walk to and from the show in my cowboy boots and hat, sometimes not quite sure of my location, but always in good company; I can't not go into the show, where at least some of the scheduled 28 country acts will knock my socks off. It's an amazing experience, and those of you readers who have been there--even just once--will surely agree.


My siblings, my mother and I at Jamboree. See, I told you the whole family was there!

The stromboli? Well, it's the perfect cooler snack. Goes so nicely there in Ziploc bags beside the Kirky blasters, Gatorades and BEER. (None for me, I know, I know.)

Just to clarify, these wonderful festivities--which cause my brother-in-law to sing, at the top of his lungs, "It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!"--don't really start until a week from today. But on Saturday, campers are movin'! A lucky contingency gets to experience a weekend of debauchery as they pull the campers (about 30 of them in our group) into "Farmer's Field" for two nights of craziness before lining up on the Interstate to file into official Jamboree campgrounds for the best spots on Monday, July 12.


Debauchery, Exhibit A. Brother Jon and cousin Jared makin' it happen!

But really, what could be a bad spot, with a group like mine? Are you with me, all my sisters and brothers? Looks like we've got ourselves another... Jamboree in the Hills!!!