And Emily lingered around the house this morning in the hope that I'd be merciful and drive her to school. Instead I encouraged her to dress warmer and find her new gloves I just bought her last week so her little hands wouldn't freeze on the bike ride to school. She couldn't find her gloves and as per usual, blamed Sophie. Sophie, who has her own brand new pair of nifty gloves and thus would have no reason to mess with Em's, but hey, she's a convenient scapegoat for an older sister.

I sent Emily off to school... and then I ransacked the corner of her room where she claimed to have put her gloves. When I couldn't find those I decided that instead I would search for her cell phone yet again. This time I rummaged thoroughly through a weird collection of items on her desk and guess what? HA! I found her little green phone. I pretty much leaped through the house then, whooping with excitement. It's been lost since August! I have it charging now and figure I may have to reinstate her account -- no problem. What a relief though! We've really needed Emily to have her cell phone a number of times since she lost it. Her raincoat is still lost... as are the gloves, but hey, the cell phone is found. Finally.

Other stuff. I work today -- Cherrell had to work yesterday for end-of-month stuff. This is her and Paul's last week of work before they move to Boise to be closer to their grandchildren. I'll work Saturday for them and then my normal Monday for sure. Our district manager had interviewed a new couple and hopefully Paul and Cherrell agreed that they'll be a good match. That kiboshes extra earnings in November for me, but you know what? I am sooo relieved! We're supposed to be in Idaho for Thanksgiving... and Jeff will be down in San Leandro, California next week and I really needed to be around for the girls during that week. Plus I was leaving Willamalane up in the air for their staff meetings, not good. I was stressing a little and praying a lot. LOL.

I guess that's it... just wanted to check in here and the Notes section at fb is just too impersonal. This is my blogging home after all. Hope everyone is doing well!

I don't have all the results, but that's all right. This was Sophie's second meet, her first one having been this past June when she swam the 50-meter freestyle at the Olympic-sized Amazon Pool in Eugene. This time around she had the benefit of the bullpen (for 8 and under), and was able to do 25-yard races -- much easier and a big confidence booster.

The results as of 1:30 p.m. today:

Emily/Saturday

• 100 Free: Placed 34th and improved her time from 1:35:40 to 1:28:10
• 50 Butterfly: Placed 30th and improved her time from 50:59 to 47:23

She was also entered for the Open Girls 50 breast stroke, her best event, but we misunderstood a few things and she ended up being a no show, which was exasperating because when I looked at the times of the girls who competed yesterday and Emily's seed time, she'd have easily made first or second place in the event. Aagh! Ah well. Another girl, the same age as Emily, from our team had the same misunderstanding apparently, so now we're all on the same page about open events that occur in the afternoon during split meets. LOL. Yes, it all sounds like Greek to most folks, but it's all clear now, really. Emily also swam a relay with the B team, but wasn't sure what they placed.

Emily/Sunday

• 50 Back for girls ages 11-12: She placed 27th, but improved her time from 50:01 to 44:44
• 100 Breast Stroke: Don't have her time or place yet
• 50 Back (Open event in the afternoon): Don't have her time or place yet, but she was so scared about racing with the 13 and olders that she fairly skimmed down and back. ROFL!

Sophie/Saturday

• 25 Free for 8 and under: Placed 9th with a time of 27:34
• 25 Butterfly for 8 and under: Placed 9th with a time of 35:44

Sophie/Sunday

• 50 Free for 8 and under: Placed 11th with a time of 1:03:16
• 25 Back for 8 and under: Placed 6th with a time of 27:40
• 25 Breast for 8 and under: DQ (disqualified) -- probably didn't keep her stroke intact

Sophie also swam a relay with the B team -- very excellent experience and kind of exciting since Emily didn't get put into relays until her fourth or fifth meet.

No pictures... worked yesterday and then volunteered in concessions right during the girls' events today -- funny how that worked that way. LOL. Oh well. Volunteers were scarce at this meet so it was all right. We also got the girls sized for their new team suits. The team is going with Speedo this year, rather than Tyr. I'm pleased. We've bought a few Tyr suits and they just haven't been as comfortable or durable as the Speedo suits. The girls will also have the opportunity to order backpacks and warming coats -- I smell Christmas pressies... the backpacks and coats are usually $60 and $100 respectively, but we'll be getting a team discount. I'd already been eyeing the backpacks -- they're waterproof and compartmented for swimming... super nice. Anyway -- kind of nice to be going with a brand I prefer and to get the chance to have some nice things with the team logo and the girls' names on them.

Now my crazy girls are outside, raking leaves. You'd think they'd be napping or something!

I get to enjoy hiding in the warm house today while it rains outside. I don't have errands to run, places to go or people to see. Yea! Instead I have stew meat cooking in the crockpot -- doing crockpot stroganoff for tonight, hot water in the tea kettle and a list of things I've been wanting or needing to do right here in the house. I did run the girls to school today. I needed to pick up Emily's practice cello (she gets two for the school rental price of $20, whoo!) anyway, plus it's very wet outside.

We've stayed up late the last couple of nights as well -- enjoying Ken Burns' documentary on national parks on PBS. I am fascinated by the life of John Muir and the girls are loving the many images of Yellowstone, although now I'd really like to visit Yosemite. Last night's installment involved some tragedy for me -- the realization that there are very beautiful places I'll never get to see, not because I won't be able to travel to see them, but because they are quite simply, gone.

I also have been helping Emily with her math. Math! Of all things! Actually, I had Emily laughing like crazy last night because at the grand age of 40 I have FINALLY figured out how to work factorization trees! Whoo! I was factoring things just for the pure fun of it and driving Emily crazy. Em's hit the part of math where I started to plateau and get behind. I'm enjoying discovering things, even if I'm about 30 years behind it all. LOL. We huddled together over factor lists, Venn diagrams and factorization trees and did ultimately agree that we prefer listing out prime factors -- that method just fits our brains. I started reading up on Least Common Multiples -- they began that unit yesterday. I have her math teacher's website in our favorites links menu -- Em can click right on it and see her assignments for each month. If she were so inclined, she could actually do them ahead of time. But she's not me and she wrinkled her nose at me when I made that suggestion. LOL. But I did sit her down and explain that she really needed to start using her planner that the school has everyone use. It's the difference between being an A or B student or a C and D student. I think I used to use a to-do notepad list to keep track of my assignments, so I'm trying to get Em to organize herself.

It's been fun.

Jeff has been resting as he can. He did see his endochrinologist yesterday for a regular checkup and they discussed the Bell's palsy. It may not return, but then again, it may. She wrote up a note that basically requests of Jeff's boss that Jeff not be assigned to anything that requires the extreme hours he's been working and basically lets him go home at the end of an 8-hour day. One of the nice things is that Jeff will attending some certification classes in October and November. I know the first two classes will take him away from the "office". In fact, he'll be in Alpharetta, Georgia for one week and in the San Francisco area the other week. He always comes back from these refreshed and smiling again. Jeff's also stepping back from some other things for a bit -- in a way he's giving the girls and me a rest too in stepping back from one thing in particular. Whew!

So, we're all continuing to plod along -- entering fall with a surprised look on our faces, but here we go nevertheless.

The girls have begun independent transportation to school. That means that Sophie is taking her scooter and Emily is riding her bike. Yesterday I led the way in the car and showed Em the route we'd prefer she take to the middle school. She rode like a maniac and exhausted her. Apparently she did the same thing coming home and complained about being tired. I told her she really could take it easier. I think she stresses out about being late, but she doesn't have to worry about coming home. Of course she got mixed up yesterday afternoon and took a different route home that led her down a very busy road. I wrote out the directions this morning and told her to follow them in reverse this afternoon or wait for our neighbor boy who also bicycles to school.

Which leads me to thinking about something else. Our park and recreation department, yes, the very same one I work for, sponsors and regulates middle school dances. I remember being both fascinated and alarmed when I first started working for Willamalane because I don't recall any dances in middle school for me and then when I did finally go to dances in high school they were free, after games and I always went with a group of friends. Emily is very excited about the wide world of middle school and wants to try it all of course. I don't blame her. She wants to spread her wings a bit and show how mature she's becoming. At the same time she really lacks some basic street sense. I freaked a little when Em told me she got lost yesterday, but was relieved that she figured things out. But she's the same little person who stares at Jeff's truck when he goes to pick her up and asks him, "What are you doing here? Are you taking me home?" Gaagh! She's inherited my own terrible lack of self awareness. I still suffer from it and now I fear we've been a little too protective of her as well.

Anyway, we said no to her request to attend the first middle school dance on Friday. I am easier going than Jeff and feel it would be good to let her go at least once so she can decide for herself whether or not she likes the event. She has money in her savings account and she could pay the $5 fee herself. Yes, it costs -- but it's paying for excellent security -- I have no worries about the chaperones and staff who run the dances -- I work with them. LOL. What had me chuckling is that there's a Winter Ball in December for middle schoolers. It's a semi-formal event. Jeff said he'd prefer she went to that, which has me scratching my head. I, frankly, would prefer that Emily, if she has the chance, not attend a semi-formal or formal dance until high school -- there's something more emotionally heavy about these particular events and I know my 11-year old is not ready. She was very cute the other day when she asked me who I danced with at dances. "Everybody," I replied. "We just danced in a bunch." Her forehead furrowed a bit and then she shared that her friend already has a boyfriend and she figured they'd dance together on Friday. "I suppose they will," I replied and hugged her. "When you go, you can dance with whomever you want -- the point is to have fun and see friends," I offered. I hope that helps. Perhaps later this year she'll get to go. Both Jeff and I want to see her exhibit a little more awareness of what and who is around her. I think the best thing we could have done is have her start bicycling to school. That and she needs to find her cell phone again -- that's another sticky point for us. She needs to be responsible for gadgets like her phone -- it's a key element of showing she's responsible.

I have a feeling the next seven or eight years are going to be really challenging. It's amazing how many books there are on raising babies and toddlers, but there seems to be a big yawning emptiness when it comes to help on raising tweens. I feel very much like I'm flapping my arms frantically as we plunge to the earth. LOL. I was a very conservative tween and teen. I didn't do much with friends mostly because I felt that if I asked my folks for permission to go visit or do something with friends, they'd just say no. I know I frustrated my friend, Misty, quite a bit because she'd call each day after school and we'd talk, but I'd rarely go do stuff with her. I honestly felt I wouldn't be able to. Part of it was a transportation issue -- Mom and Dad both worked full time and until I was 17 I either had to walk or ride my bike (we lived in a semi-rural area with no nearby bus service). Another part of it was that I didn't have cash on hand to spend on pop and snacks and stuff -- I usually spent my allowance fairly quickly and felt guilty if I needed to ask for something extra. The final part was that I actually just wanted to stay home most of the time and read a book. LOL! I was somewhat anti-social I guess. I want Em and Sophie to be a little more social and to feel that they can ask us for anything whether it be money, permission, etc. They don't receive allowances so we're more likely to say yes to certain things, and I highly appreciate it when they come to us first before saying yes to something involving school, friends or even church.

I just hope Jeff and I don't act unfairly or precipitately over the next decade. I hope we're able to be good judges of what's appropriate and what's not. I hope the girls understand that we're their parents, not their best friends and we are trying to raise them to be thoughtful, caring young women who respect themselves and know how to make good decisions. As a Christian I hope too that our faith becomes their faith when they become adults. Yes, they've accepted Jesus into their hearts, but it's not until they're out on their own that they'll finally make that big, rational adult decision about their faith -- is it real to them or do they choose another path? That will be both exciting and scary for this mommy. LOL. I experienced a rough first year on my own and even now I admit to some questions and doubts -- just want to be there for them when they have their questions and doubts.

Emily was all right with our refusal of permission for Friday night. I know she's disappointed. But she was very sweet and gave me a hug. I had a feeling she lay awake listening to Jeff and I discuss her request, and she had. LOL. I can just see her kneeling close to our doorway and listening in. Ehehehehe.

Now I'm going to deal with a more immediate trouble that dumps me right back into simply being the mother of two daughters: trying to remove blue crayon from Sophie's dried laundry. Aaagh!

A friend from Jeff's work has given us a bag of lemon cucumbers. No, they don't taste like lemons. They're round and yellow and intriguing however. I think I'm going to save a few seeds and try to grow some myself next year as apparently they thrive in short growing seasons and that's certainly what we have in the part of Oregon I live in. I'm thinking of slicing them up and serving them in a light dressing of cider vinegar, fresh dill and chopped red onions. Or should I opt for lemon juice instead? I'm also making a tomato and mozzarella casserole tonight, using a variety of tomatoes I've picked from my garden -- the Caspian Pinks, some Valencias and a Mortgage Lifter I believe. Might toss in a few pear tomatoes... It'll be a pretty casserole at least. I'll bake up some chicken breasts as well because naturally Jeff dislikes tomatoes and cucumbers, although he's never tasted a lemon cuke, nor any of the varieties of tomatoes I'm growing this year. Whatever happens, it'll be an adventurous night at the dinner table.

EDIT: Actually, I had forgotten we have our church's final Wednesdays in the Park tonight. The main dish is hot dogs and folks are bringing sides. So... I'll take the casserole over, plus I just sliced up some of the lemon cucumbers, added fresh dill and sliced red onions, plus some cider vinegar -- going to let that all marinate together for the next several hours... the house smells very fresh and yummy right now as a result of the cukes. LOL. I saved some seeds and they're drying right now. Also have three cukes left. Not at all sure how the little cuke dish will go over at the church event, but hey, why not. I tried one slice, marinade free... very yummy, very mild. Also scrubbed them a bit to get the little brown nubbies off -- they're like itty-bitty burrs.