Dropped the ball

I have not given my blog the attention it deserves these past few months. Life seems so hectic. When I have a moment, usually at the very end of the day, I just want to watch Entourage or something I've recorded and lay on the sofa with Mr. D.

We've also either been away or had guests at the house every weekend this summer, this weekend excepted. Last weekend my brother, sister-in-law and their dog were here. It was great to visit with them and spend some quality time that didn't include my brother working on our house or simultaneously visiting with my parents. We went to the Phillies game on Sunday. It was the first game that Doodle stayed for the whole thing (they won 1-0).

The beginning of last week we were in Lancaster County for a mini vacation. We stayed at a great hotel, the Bird In Hand Family Inn, which had three pools (one outdoor, two indoor), mini golf, ping pong, pool (which Doodle kept calling water because he couldn't remember that it was called pool), tennis, basketball and a restaurant. We had a great time visiting the National Toy Train Museum, which both kids really enjoyed. We pet and fed lots of animals, visited the Wilbur Chocolate Factory, ate good food and shopped a bit. Doodle and Pancake loved seeing the farms and the horses and buggies everywhere. It was a relaxing mini vaca. We'll definitely stay there again.

Yesterday, we went to a lake that normally takes about an hour and ten minutes to get to, but yesterday it took two hours because there was an alleged accident, of which I saw no evidence other than the extreme traffic. The kids and I had a great time playing in the water and digging in the sand. Pancake has no fear of the water despite her general timidity. She put her face in because Doodle put his face in. She wanted me to let go of her when we were in water way over her head. She didn't want to sit in my lap or between my legs in the shallow water so I sat her in even more shallow water and she was perfectly happy finding milfoil and splashing around. She would eventually scoot herself into deeper water and I would have to keep moving her back toward shore. Doodle had a new pair of goggles. He loved being able to see the bottom of the lake. He has become quite the water bug this summer. He goes in by himself with swimmies on his arms and doesn't mind being over his head.

When it was time to leave the lake Doodle got into a mood, refused to listen and ignored my demands to take off his swimmies and bathing suit, stop playing ball, stop playing with sticks, stop telling our two-year old friend to play with the sticks, put on his shoes. I had to walk him up the hill holding tightly to his wrist and sometimes dragging his limp body to the changing room so that I could put on dry clothing. Once dressed I sternly escorted him to the car. Because he refused to put on his shoes even after I warned him that the pavement in the parking lot would be very hot, I had to carry him the last few yards to the car. There he took his suit off and I got him dressed. I left him in the car, with the windows open, but buckled in his seat while I went back to the lake to get Pancake and the rest of our stuff. My friend was watching her while I dealt with Doodle. He had to sit in time out when we got home and I had a long talk with him in the car and again this morning about listening. I really can not stand Doodle's defiant phases. He makes me so angry.

It has been super hot and my energy levels are lower than usual. I find it hard to care for the children all day, make a meal for dinner, clean or at least straighten up the house and still be in a good mood.