Races and Vampires and Fireworks - the List Goes On

It's been well over a month since I've posted anything. I just can't seem to get my act together for some reason and post more often. Or it could be that most of the things I do is the usual everyday mundane stuff which doesn't make for very interesting reading.

We're about mid-way through the racing season. G1 is currently leading the points race for NCRA Sport Mod Rookie of the Year and he is 5th in points overall. G2 is currently the points leader for the Factory Stock class at Salina Highbanks Speedway near Salina, OK. Salina is a NASCAR Home Track and as of July 5, G2 is 9th in the Division IV standings. AD and I are very proud of both the boys and their accomplishments.

My 2012 movies-that-I-want-to-see list has gotten a bit shorter since I last posted. AD and I have now seen Snow White and the Huntsman and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. I don't read reviews regularly but it seems I heard neither of these films got very good ones. It doesn't matter. I enjoyed both of them, but then I'm fairly easy to entertain. AD was pretty surprised I wanted to see Abe Lincoln hunting vampires since I'm not a blood-and-guts-movie kind of girl. I only covered my eyes once. BUT, I don't think I could read the book. Nope. Not me. Books are usually way more detailed than movies and I don't think I could handle any more than what was in the movie.

Last Sunday AD's family, Son's family and Daughter's family joined us for an early Independence Day lunch. I think it turned out pretty well. AD grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. I made these yummy chicken salad and strawberry roll-ups along with potato salad, Eskimo Joe's baked beans and deviled eggs. Brownies and chocolate no-bake cookies were served for dessert. (Click on the links to get the recipes.)

Thankfully I'd done most of the prep work for the lunch on Friday and Saturday morning. We had extended the invitation for our get-together a couple of weeks before we found out that a rained-out/hailed-out race for G1 was rescheduled for Saturday in Wichita, KS. (Third time was charm.) We didn't get home until 2:30am on Sunday. That's ok. 6 hours sleep ought to be enough for a person, right?

G5 turns 5 this coming Wednesday. We won't be able to make it to his party so we gave him his gift a few days early. It was a fold-up wagon and we think he and his family will find it useful when they make their many trips to the zoo, to soccer games and most importantly, on their Disney World trip this coming December. (Note: I have a wagon too. It's used to haul my scrapbooking supplies to crops. It makes it so much easier than making several trips to the car to carry in all the things I just know I'll need.)

The kids had fun riding 4-wheelers, popping a few "fire crackers" (those little things you throw on the ground and they pop) and sliding on the slip-and-slide made slippery-er when this Oklahoma Granny splashed a bit of dish soap down it. Girlie thought that was great. She wasn't as concerned with the fact that it was more slippery. She liked that she had bubbles to slide through and said, "It's just like I'm taking a bath!"

On Wednesday evening, the 4th, G1, his girlie friend and G2 came over with a few fireworks to shoot off. That's one of the perks of living in the country - you can shoot off fireworks. Although you have to be careful, especially when it's as dry as it is here. I even managed to get a few good pictures. It was special that the kids wanted to share their time and fireworks with us.

Now before I close I've got to brag a bit on Son. Since January he's really been watching what he eats and he's been exercising BIG time all in anticipation of their Disney trip. He's lost close to 100 pounds! In 6 months! And yes, his doctor is aware of what he's doing. Both AD and I are very proud of his accomplishment.

Well, that's about it for now. Keep cool, keep hydrated and make sure your pets have plenty of water.