It's Christmas today.

I've been waiting for September, not only does the paycheck come on the first, but it's Jeff's and Mom's birthday this month. That's not the only reasons, Laurel goes to preschool, and I'm trying to get excited about the fact that summer is over. Summer is my favorite time of year, although fall is nice too.

It's means it's time to start thinking about the holidays (yuck) and that doesn't thrill me too much. I rather be random when it comes to holidays. Like it is Christmas today. That would be fun, so unexpected and unpredicted. Totally random.

That would make it much more fun for everyone I think. Random Christmas. I mean why not? No one knows when the birth of Christ was anyways.

It probably won't go over too big with those traditionalists I guess. But I'm pretty sure you could post it on the news and radio that it's officially Christmas today, so it gets to almost everyone.

Then we could give the 25th of December back to the pagans to celebrate. It was theirs to begin with anyways.

Random Christmas. That's hilarious. It cracks me up.

Almost more than the beheaded chicken I see every day when I run. I've got to get a picture of that.

Mel the hermit

Quite honestly I haven't had much to write. I either feel like complaining or getting on a soapbox, and quite frankly, I refuse to let myself do it. For the simple reason that I don't want to complain, though I feel like it. I doesn't accomplish anything, and I could (and am) be doing a lot more constructive things with my time.

So there I stand.

Hey wait, didn't I just step up on a soapbox about not complaining and being on a soapbox??? It's one of those Mel-isms of my life I guess.

I made it around the 2 1/2 mile "block" today. I thought I would start jumping and shouting when I got to my road, but I figured the neighbors wouldn't want someone whoopin' and waking them up now that they are retired and allowed to sleep in later. It just wouldn't be right.

I've been questioning God. Mostly His existence. I never seem to know when I'm doing the right thing, or God's will or anything. I spend more time wondering if I am doing the right thing, and quite honestly I don't have anyone to talk to about it. I usually just hash these things out on my own. I'd rather hide that I just don't know, than admit my stupidity in questioning the existence of God and His will. It's a pride issue. I know it. And I'm just too afraid to seek counsel. I'll be honest here.

It seems like I am suppose to be waiting, learning and developing my character right now, I just don't know where to turn besides reading myself to death, I think it's deeper than that. Anyone I would want to go to, has died or moved on, and I'm sure there is a reason for it. Maybe to make me have to work to find someone else to help me out. To break out of my shell and ask someone I don't trust for help.

It all comes down to people. My total weakness. I'd rather just write everyone off and become a hermit. It's easier to deal with me, and just me, than anyone else. And yet I know it's better for me to struggle with people than to be without them. That whole fellowship thing God talks about in the bible. We were meant to interact. No matter how much I hate it.

It's a wonder that I got married at all.

I went to a baby shower last week and my family went with me. My family was invited, that wasn't the deal; we were just planning on that I would go by myself, and Josh would stay home and watch the kids. Well it ended up being a really great thing for Josh and the girls, but every time I sat down, I would have to get back up again, mostly for Cassie. I got to talk a whole 2 minutes I think, and after several tries of getting involved I gave up. I'm not ready to have my girls running free especially Cassie who would go into the kitchen and have it destroyed in minutes. I'm not willing to deal with that. It doesn't matter to me if other parents let them run free, and give it a few years and the girls will be just fine running around. Which turned out to be a good thing that I gave up and left early, because I walked in the front door to Jeff on the phone and walked back out to go to the emergency room with him.

Which by the way, big thanks to Walters. You guys are great.

And Jen, wow, what a trooper. I figured she could handle it, but she really surprised me when she called to let Josh know what was going on. It shouldn't have surprised me but it did.

So God has a funny way of doing things. If I would have gotten involved, I wouldn't have been home for my brother. And really what is more important?

And then again, maybe He just caused it to happen to Jeff so I wouldn't get involved and lose track of the important stuff.

Either way, it doesn't even matter.

I'm just disappointed with myself, that's all. I keep asking for more chances and keep screwing up those chances. I'm just not ready to give in to this yet. Call me stubborn. So what have I learned???

God exists.

Be patient.

Keep the massive problems coming. I can take it.

Oh and I'm stubborn. Did I mention that?

My today.

Yet another interesting day.

We went to church and I was in the walker room, which had a non-stop crier during the second half of church. I thought I was going to die after looking up at the clock and seeing it said 10:10, everytime. And no, the clock hadn't stopped, it was just going that slow.

So the clock finally rolled around to 11, and we got home, and I actually got a nap! Yes, a full-fledge, (though kid screaming) nap.

The family and I went to a baby shower today, and Laurel had a blast running around with Haley, another 4 year old (to the day, actually, they have the same birthday.) and it was so cute watching them hold hands and have fun. Laurel is so big.

Then we got home, and I turned right back around out the door to go to the hospital. Jeff twisted his ankle at a softball game and passed out. I teased him as much as possible, we rated the nurses and I got to tell my funny story of the day.

Which really is only funny to me and Jeff, so it must be a Kingsbury thing.

M&M's

Not much today. I cleaned out some of the garage, and started to get Josh's tools out and in the pole barn, which when he got home, we put it back together out there. He was pretty excited about this project.

I have been somewhat unsuccessfully trying to clean out the garage. Well it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have enough crap to fill a house that is already filled with my mom's stuff. So it sits in the garage in hope that something will break and brought in for use. (Yes this has happened pretty often. We have our coffee pot in, our microwave was for a while anyways, deep fryer, that is before it got fried, and so on.)

I cleaned out boxes and boxes of kids stuff, and rearranged things so we have one "too big for the girls" box. I got out Laurels school clothes. They weren't school clothes until this week, but hey...whatever.

That's it for me, been too busy thinking about boxes than what's for dinner. That is a lot easier for women to forget food than men, I've noticed. I guess that could be a good thing, instead of me sitting here eating Twinkies all day.

I really don't like Twinkies, so moot point. But M&M's always strike my fancy.

I just might be your friend forever if you get me a bag of M&M's.

The lost shoe

Last night we went on a walk. Not only was it a walk, but we went for 3 to 4 miles, which just about killed Josh, I'm sure. But I wanted to try the route out, to make sure there were no dogs, that the traffic on the road wasn't too heavy, and so on. It's a really pretty route, I love living in the country.

Anyways, after we got home, we realized somewhere along the way we lost a shoe. I walked up the driveway and no shoe. So we got the girls all settled down and in bed and decided to take a shopping trip. On the way, we drove slowly down the road, looking for the shoe and found it a mile down the road. Still intact.

Good thing, that was Cassie's only pair of sandals.

Preschool

I thought I was going to freeze my rear off this morning. I decided to not take a jacket out to run, since I get all warm anyways, and the jacket just ends up hanging at my waist like a dead weight. Well that's what it feels like when you're running anyways. And I was glad I didn't have it when I got to my halfway point.

We signed up Laurel for preschool, and actually I wasn't even going to sign her up until I talked to (who used to be) our neighbor, and she signed up her 4 year old to this preschool. Quite frankly, I left it up to God, because I wasn't sure how I wanted to handle it. Certainly preschool isn't divine intervention, but I knew if something came up we could figure it out from there. So I got the numbers to call and I knew the person who was the contact, so we talked for a little while, one of the bonuses of living in a small town. I went to school with her daughter, and she actually remembered me. Which I think is a good thing, since in elementary school I wasn't a bad kid hardly at all. Minus the whole kicking another kid thing, oh and punching a kid because he tried to punch my brother and...well okay, so I could have been the bad kid....I was just very protective, that's all. Call it my aggressive nature.

So anyways, I signed her up and I know she isn't ready to go to school for 2 days all day yet, but I think it will do her a lot of good. She's been having trouble going on Sundays to the kids class and has been sitting out with me in church. And yes, I make her sit through all of church, we don't sneak out before the music. She knows it was her choice to be there, and that she is suppose to be quiet. Anyways, she's a good kid, but by going to church with me, she isn't interacting with kids her age, and learning how to make friends.

And really I want her to have a better chance than I do to make friends. I was a pretty fun kid, but after my dad passed away I became a recluse. I didn't want anyone near me, just for the simple fact that I didn't want to lose them too. I started to get into fights. I was angry, all the time.

And Laurel doesn't need to be that kid. I want her to make mistakes, and figure them out. That's how she will grow. But unless she goes out into the world to face kids, she doesn't have a fighting chance. I think of how much she is going to hate the fact that I leave her there all day, and she will cry when she gets dropped off for school. I want to just say that she'll be fine here at home, but I know that her going to school will do her a world of good as well as bad. But that's life, you got to take it all in, and it's not about how good or bad the situation is, it's all about how you handle it.

So that's my 2 cents on hashing out why Laurel should go to school.

The Clothesline

I just walked outside to hang up our bedspread and broke not one but two clothes lines.

Is that theoretically possible?

Obviously I just made it possible.

Post-it notes

If I were single I would put up post-it notes everywhere. I've never encountered this kind of person until this week. I walk into the kitchen and see this sticky note on our stove hood with a recipe on it for No-Bakes (mmmm, my favorite) and so I added it to the other sticky note Jen left with her cookie recipe in the cupboard (just so the other post it note doesn't get lonely, which the first note is pretty cute, it has Alltel all over the front, and let me tell you, sticky note turn on).

So anyways, I would have these ridiculous sticky notes everywhere, and most of mine would be pretty dumb, because I'm just not creative enough, or something about it makes me laugh, and no one else gets it. Whichever. Someone would always be making fun of me. Whether it was about the collage of sticky notes or what was written on them. No one can help but read a sticky note.

Tomorrow's blog is on push pins, and the rest of this week, I will be exploring other useful office items, so stay tuned.

Guilty as charged

I've been neglecting my blogging duties.

Oh well.

I warned everyone anyways, since I've been busier, I haven't blogged... So it's not totally a bad thing.

We've been fixing up the house around here. Painting, repairing, trimming, you name it. Since Dar got a new bed, I've been painting it and today get to touch it up, so we will see where my painting skills lie.

It's sad that I am not much of a tomboy anymore, I'm not a heels 24/7 kind of girl, but I'm just not that tomboyish anymore. I'm different every day. Sometimes (though rarely) I dress to impress, but most days, I'm comfortable, which isn't always that fashionable (and consists of pjs).

Yesterday, after I played softball, I went over to Josh's parents. Josh was over there with the girls, and it ended up that the next door neighbor kids asked Laurel to come over and play. Well, I guess they have been asking Laurel for weeks to come over, but Laurel didn't translate to us that she was asked over. That girl needs to learn some communication skills. What can I say, she lives in her own little world. Hmm, wonder who that's like....

Anyways, we went over to play and Laurel is afraid of dogs, and have this huge dog that's only a year old, so of course, he likes to jump and lick and gets excited and it freaks Laurel out. We finally convinced Laurel that she could co-habitate in the same space as the dog, and Josh walks over because Dar is literally trying to jump the 6 foot fence to play with the kids (she doesn't like being left behind). Story: Dog starts getting wild again, and Dar takes it, in fact, loves it. Laurel freaks out again, climbing the nearest human (me) to get away from it. The dog went inside.

So this three-ring circus starts, I'm sure the neighbor wasn't expecting the whole Pung family to come into their yard because here comes Cassie with my sister-in-law. Well Cassie can't be constrained, and thinks she is still in the country and starts crossing into other people's yards thinking it's a great chasing game.

Yeah fun. I have wild girls, and quite frankly I like their streaks of independence.

Oh yeah the point was that I went over in my softball clothes, which are sweats and a baggy T. And I must have been a mess, since I had dog hair and sand everywhere. I felt bad until the neighbor came out in pretty much the same attire, and we had some decent conversation.

Oh that was lengthy and really pointless, why didn't somebody stop me?

Mel: 0 Pavement: 1 Pool out because of injury

I haven't been sleeping good lately. Not sure what I've been worried about, well that's not exactly true. I keep preparing for something bad to happen to Josh's job. Which Josh loves. He has a really good job.

So really I've been going to bed worried and that translates to insomnia.

That and I know I'm not being a good mom lately. I know I haven't been paying enough attention to my kids, and today I plan on just sitting on the floor and playing until they get sick of me. And with 3 of them, that's hard to do, especially with a 1 year old who loves attention. Let's get down to what's really important here.

I am getting new contacts/glasses today. Not exactly by choice, but I won't be able to see if I wait any longer. I'm surprised that my contacts haven't disintegrated.

I've started running this week in the morning. Today I was running down my road and this semi stopped on the side of the road ahead of me. I decided that wasn't exactly the safest situation, with houses set back from the road 1/4 of a mile or so, and if something happened, no one would hear me scream. So I turned around. After the semi started up again, he ended up driving past me, and I was so busy watching him, to make sure he didn't stop again, I took a dive and the pavement decieved me and won. Luckily, after hitting the pavement I rolled right into the grass on the side to stop momentum, otherwise, my face would have met and kissed the pavement. I wasn't about to let it do that. I'm sure that the guy who was driving toward me, was busting a gut, (I could think of several funny things they could say in that instant: now you see me, now you don't....or shouting: Runner down!!!) he didn't stop to help however, and I think that I was more grateful that he didn't, I probably would have bit his head off.

Oh yeah, and that kid pool in our backyard bit the dust. My mom ran it over with the lawnmower. Thank goodness I don't let my kids out while she mows(minus sitting on her lap, she can't mow over them that way). I really don't want a mulched kid.

I get into more trouble fighting with inanimate objects than people.

Newsy blah blah

Today was really good. Although Mint Fest was somewhat middle of the road, we went out with Bj and Melissa, and had some really good conversations. I love that.

And come on, the irish pub at eastwood towncenter had pepsi products. What a rip off. If I'm going to get a rum in coke, I want it with coke. Geez, get it straight. Although they had my favorite rum, so one point for them.

Yee-ha.

I decided today that it was a good thing that my parents named me Melanie. Simply because I look and act like a Melanie. I just don't look like a Francis or Juanita, you know. I'm definately a Mel. And that's all good.

I never thought that I was a Mel until I turned 16 or so. I was never worthy of my name until then or something. Before 16 I think (deep down inside) you just want to be someone else, and don't quite understand that you can be someone totally unique, although not always likable, but different. Different is good.

Oh yeah, I'm in an easy going mood. It was a good night.

Well that was random

Laurel was sick tonight, we'll check it out in the morning to see if she can go to the parade tomorrow. Bummer if she can't! You can tell when Laurel is sick, because she starts crying when her stomach is off, and instantly wants to cuddle. Which is a sure sign of get to the bathroom, quick.

Life is so weird. It seems like everything is going great, and I am waiting for a huge screw up to happen so I can act. Maybe that is just my instincts after living most of my life, jumping from situation to situation, barely making it through. But I get through. I know that God will get me through. That I have no doubt in.

And maybe that is why I make it through. Barely, but probably because God gives me just what I can handle and once I digest that concept, he moves me onto something new. Barely getting me through that as well, just because of my stubborn will, most likely. Usually is.

Can you imagine what responsibility a saint has. Not only do you have to be good 24/7 but you have to prove it to other people. And be humble about it as well. I know...cynical thinking, I just can't fathom what an awesome person you would have to be in order to be deemed a saint. In reality, it's just a human title; what men (really, clergy) decide who is to be saintly. I'm curious if God has rejected earthly saints before. Just a random thought, I suppose. It's mostly a Catholic concept anyways, sainthood.

I've been listening to songs and thinking about lyrics, how people decide to form an idea, and mold it so it will make some sense. Unless they are totally high on drugs, (Yellow Submarine, hello) it just makes me wonder what was going through the lyricist head to make them write it down. Were they just trying to get some words out, to finish their last song for an album, or did they really believe their words? Do they hate their own songs, or are they obsessive about the song they've created? I guess that could go for any art form, poems, stories, art... I kinda hope they believe what they write down, and are explaining the person they are by their songs. I know I have songs I've created and hate, although I know they are decent songs, they just don't fit anymore, like they may have described a part of me in the past, but I was wrong, or I've learned something better, and I don't want to associate my name with it anymore.

Probably one of the wisest sayings I ever heard about musicians and their music is this: To a musician, there is always a way to make the piece better, it's whether the musician decides to let it go, or make it a work in progress. Thus like life, the song is never finished. There will always be a part of a song you hate. And that's alright. Why do you think that Schubert's Symphony is Unfinished? Why Tchaikovsky hated his Nutcracker Theme? Thought it was a waste of time. The whole ballet. Why did Mozart make an almost impossible Aria for a soprano to sing?

Although I don't expect to be one of the greats, I can understand the frustrations of life, through my music, no matter how much I love a piece, and think at one point it is the best, and hate it with a passion later. It shows that I grow. And without that growth, I am nothing.

Wow, that was heavy.

Un-Mel like

I'm excited because it's Mint Fest this weekend in St. Johns. Everyone (alright all the geeks) in St. Johns and their kids get together to watch a parade, look through the crafts, animals, listen to music (good and bad alike) and you name it all in the city park (minus the parade, that's downtown). Anyways, last year the Pung family all walked down from Josh's parents house to the park, and we split up to look around and sometimes caught up with other Pungs, and walked around with them for a while. It was fun, so Melissa and I planned on doing it again, but neglected to tell the Pung boys. So Barney was on the phone with Josh, and he's like so what are you doing for Mint Fest.

Ha, we booked you already.

So Melissa and I told them what we had planned already, and really started ripping on them, so this weekend should be fun. Good stuff.

Josh is getting out at 1 today for Mint Fest. And his boss gave him a totally awesome raise. We were satisfied with what we were making, but he likes Josh and his hard work a lot. We are so shocked that God is that good to us. I am certainly not that good to Him. Especially lately.

Josh and I have been having long talks lately, which is really great. Quite frankly I don't get enough of those, and am left to my own devices of destruction. Such as thinking I am doing everything all by my lonely self, pity party here, and telling myself that the pity party isn't accomplishing anything, so I move on. It gets pretty pathetic, and actually having decent conversations, (that don't involve what Dar made out of noodles today) keeps me somewhat balanced.

Yes, I said somewhat balanced. Come on. You think I could be totally and completely balanced? That is very un-Mel like. I wouldn't be me without the unbalaced but interesting lifestyle I have so created. It's just not possible.

I'm a saint, what can I say...

Saint Mel.

Sounds good.

Liar

I know I haven't blogged lately, but I just don't have a lot to say. Okay that's a lie. I've got to have something to say but I don't know what. Alright, that's a lie too.

Josh just got home, and complained that I sat down at the computer to write after having it all day long. Actually, I haven't even thought about the computer today, so really it's an object of not thinking. So goes my life.

Yeah, I'm not the smartest one in the bunch (bunch of what?!) but there is some obvious reason I am here. Besides the fact that I take care of my kids, and really I don't even feel like I do that. They take care of themselves more or less. Tell me when they need things and so on.

Okay I lied a little, this week I have been so tired (and lazy) that it seems like I am crapping up my unpaid day job. Maybe I will get some motivation tomorrow, and get something done.

I'm just one big fat liar today. And I don't mean big and fat as in the reality sense, I know I'm not the skinniest one of the bunch (of whoevers) and quite frankly I really don't care about the fake lies I've been telling. So really I lied again. Bring out the soap.

So I'm one medium average liar today. Is that better???

Take me out to the ballgame...

We went to the lugnuts game last night. It was good and the lugnuts won. Even Gov. Granholm was there, although I would prefer not to associate I was within 20 yards of her, but I guess if I went close to the capital building I would be closer so there you have it. Someone famous that is a politician was at the ballgame. And I saw 2 people I graduated with, one who lived down the street from me, and the other was like a valedictorian or something, something extremely important if you are that person, but pointless if you are anyone else. How cynical I am tonight.

Anyways I was flattered that Josh's boss asked if I was for hire for cello playing. His wife's job is to arrange appointments and activities for the state, (including that Granholm thing) I decided rather quickly that my music is a hobby right now, though after telling Josh and mom I had said that, they said I was selling myself short. Although I wish I were single and could pursue my music actively, it's just not possible with 3 kids. I can practice, surely, but what about events? Josh can't watch the kids all the time I would be away. He has a hard enough time watching them for my games. No, I should wait until the girls are older, more capable of taking care of themselves, and hopefully I will have the time to become more than a hobbyist of music.

Who knows, maybe it's just not meant to be.

The girls were so cute though, the girls started to cheer when the lugnuts (okay anyone) hit the ball. But soon Laurel figured out who was the good team, and started to yell out, Hit it! or Catch it! Way ta go! Run batter run! Even knew when to clap when the music came on. It was fun. The girls were super. I was so proud of them. We even got to meet the guy above Josh's boss. Which I didn't know at the time and still managed to be okay. Even though I was watching the kids like a hawk (which is usual). I'm horrible in social settings with kids anyways. I can't make conversation when I have them with me. I'm always up and down and running around with my head cut off. Which by the way, I've actually seen a chicken with it's head cut off, several thousand times, very interesting. My dad used to raise chickens and butcher them. We had a mean rooster that would attack, so one day my dad was collecting eggs and it attacked him, and must have gotten Dad good, because he went after it with a wooden pole and threw it like a spear. And for the one and only time in his life I'm sure, his aim was true and he ended up killing the rooster. Boy did he swear about cleaning that rooster that night. Nothing worse than cleaning a chicken, than cleaning a chicken after you killed it and didn't expect to be cleaning it. Chickens smell when you're cleaning them, I think they are almost worse than fish. Okay, that was just a little useless fact about me.

Yeah that was a little more than enough that you wanted learn today, huh?

Well that's all for now, folks, tune in next time for "How to clean a chicken in half an hour."

Rain

Somedays I hate contacts. I went to put them in and one fell out, so I spent the next 10 minutes looking for it. After I found it, I tried to put the other one in, and couldn't. I need to get contacts anyways, just makes it more evident. So I am sitting around in my glasses with this dark storm cloud over my head. Luckily it's disapating quickly.

Oh yeah and it's raining, so really, I have 2 dark clouds over my head....

But I love the rain. It's so relaxing and it usually makes the house cooler. Which makes everyone happy.

The girls are really quiet this morning, (it's all about the rain) and I haven't gotten around breakfast yet, so I better start the day right.

Happy birthday Laurel.

I'm an official girl. I mean I always had all the parts, just never let myself be a girl. I want to be the strong guy. I push my feelings and emotions to the side, so I can realistically look at things. Which isn't a bad thing exactly. Except I don't allow myself to feel, anything.

I noticed this started to change when I had my first daughter, which it's her birthday today, how coincidental, I looked down at her little face and it was like I detached from her, (besides the real sense of detachment) I wasn't sure if I could love her more than myself. If I could provide a sane and balanced mother who understands and is always there to love her 24/7. Even when I am angry could I still love her. And I realized that this little baby deserved to be loved and that I was capable of that. More than capable and qualified. I could love someone more than myself that wasn't of my choosing, that literally was dropped in my lap, a person I could help shape, but couldn't change. I could give her my opinions, but she could decide whether to take my advise or try it on her own. This was my chance to be a fair parent and give my baby a chance to live a life that she deserved. One that glorifies God more than my life ever could.

Moral of the story: I turned into a girl the day my daughter was born. And quite frankly it wasn't such a bad change after all. I'm still learning how to be me and I'm fortunate that my girls and Josh are patient with me about it. If I were totally balanced then I would be no fun and dull, but for now I'm going to enjoy the quirks that makes me, me. Girly and all.

Even if that makes me need to feel again.

Dishes are vicious.

Hard to believe Laurel will be 4 tomorrow. It seems like she's been 2 forever for me, minus the terrible twos, she had that at 18 months. Maybe I don't want her to grow up after all.

Cassie is turning more into a toddler every day. It's funny to see her grow out of her baby look and into her kid face. Lately she has been giving these toothy grins when she is really excited and happy about something, and it just lights my world. She is such a sweet kid. I don't know where she comes from.

My mom bought dish soap so it means I have to do dishes again. I was hoping it was one of those things that just stayed on the grocery list for weeks, and I would have an excuse to why I wasn't doing dishes. Now it's just all my fault. I'll admit it. I hate dishes. And though I try to just get through them, some days it just doesn't work out. I really have to talk myself into it in order to get them done. It's just one of those things. That and it makes me irritated that they are never done. Like laundry, you can be done for a week, and it gives you a nice rest in between. Dishes are vicious. Yup, that's my new motto.

I wish I could say something else besides describing the aggravation of getting my dishes done, but I just plain don't have anything else interesting going on. Except falling into pools. Highlight of the week, you know?

Mel vs. Pool

I decided to be super mom today. The kid's pool was getting pretty gross, since a frog jumped in and I couldn't even see it at the bottom. So after I fished out the frog, (and showed it to the kids of course, Laurel wasn't too thrilled) I decided to clean out the pool. Well I got as much water out by a 5 gallon bucket as I could, by bailing it out like on a fisherman's boat that sprung a leak. Then I tried to tip it over. Well evidentially I wasn't strong enough just to "tip" it , as simple as it sounds, and managed to get into a fight with it. I'd get it half over and not be able to lift it, and so on. So I finally get it to stay half over and have this great idea to ride the pool so my weight would make it tip over. First try, and I figure I just didn't do it right, the second time I give it a good rush, and the pool flings me backwards, tossing my butt into the rest of the water (fully clothed, although already muddy) and my legs above my head wrapped somewhere in the middle of the rest of the pool. Laurel starts busting a gut seeing me fall into the water, since physical humor is so rich when you're 4 years old. I manage to get out of the pool, though I am not sure how, and notice that since the pool is in half, I can bail the rest of the water out, and actually tip over the pool. Success. Muddy but successful.

You were rooting for the pool to win, weren't you!!!