July 18th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Greetings and salutations! Giggle. I always thought that was a rather redundant greeting. I’m tired, can you tell? My son didn’t leave until almost midnight last night. When he left, I straightened up the little that was left to do and then I made a mistake. I sat down in the living room instead of just giving my husband a kiss and going to bed. Yup, you guessed it. I got interested in the show he was watching. I think it was called American Ninja. People compete in an obstacle course, and if they can get to the end of the course, they advance to the next round. I’m sure the next round is a harder course. Considering the show is at an ungodly hour, I doubt I will ever watch it again, but it was fun cheering on some of the contestants.

Spoke to the girls last night and my youngest one is having a horrible time. For the second night in a row, she asked if we could come and get her. Since she is merely miserable and not in danger, the answer has been “No”, but I tell you it’s been difficult to stay firm. The food they have been serving the kids has been some pretty strange choices. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have eaten a majority of the things, and I’m not a fussy eater. So, my daughter has eaten very little since Sunday. There is no air conditioning in the convent, so she hasn’t been sleeping well. She was stung by a bee on Tuesday and hit in the face with a volleyball during rec time yesterday. She was in tears last night because she was hungry and overtired. I asked my other daughter to take her down to the kitchen and forage for some food so her little sister could eat. After she told me she should be able to find some cereal for her, I felt a little better.

 

My older daughter has been on this trip three times and has always had a wonderful experience. She’s even complaining this time about the food and the heat, but here’s where the maturity level kicks in (because if they were both having a horrible time and wanted to come home, I would probably have buckled and driven the six hours to go get them). She says, “I can suck it up for a week if it means being able to give these nice people a working toilet; make it so they don’t need to bathe in a plastic kiddie pool like the one we use to give Colby a bath, and keep their ceiling from literally falling on their heads. These are grandparents; they shouldn’t have to live this way.”

 

Today is there last day to “work”. Tomorrow they are going to some amusement park and then they are coming home on Saturday. Hopefully, there will be better food today. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

  

Your Last Challenge was:

 

You are doing the “right before the holidays thorough cleaning”, so you are actually dusting off all the movies in your collection, when something very strange happens…

 

You are not going to believe this. I still don’t believe this. I’m doing my semi-annual scrub the house from floor to ceiling cleaning, and I get to the entertainment center. This is my least favorite thing to clean because it requires moving all the electronics so they can be thoroughly cleaned, which makes me nervous I’m going to damage an expensive piece of equipment. It also means removing all the movies, wiping them down, making sure everything is in its proper case, and trying to put them in some logical semblance of order.  

This time I started with two piles, kid’s movies and adult movies. I laugh at the disparity of the fifteen to one ratio. I believe my children own every Disney movie ever made. So, either because I am a glutton for punishment or perhaps I was just procrastinating from moving on to the next cleaning chore, I decided to alphabetize the movies before cleaning them and putting them away. When I was done, I cleaned the shelf thoroughly and grabbed the first movie off of my pile. I wipe and POOF, a cloud of dust comes. I cough, wave my hands in front of my face and even sneeze. When the dust clears, I take a good look at the movie to see if it was going explode on me again, but all I see is Aladdin and Jasmine smiling back at me.

I wipe one last time, place the movie into its slot and reach for the next one on my pile, that’s when I hear a voice behind me.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 14th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Up bright and early this foggy Sunday morning because the girls need to be at the church by 6:30. Today they are leaving for their Summer Mission Project. For one week, they will be in a tiny town in southwest Pennsylvania helping the residents work on their houses or the community center or some other need this extremely poor town has. They will be sleeping and eating at a convent. There is no TV, no internet and even phone service is a little iffy at times. This will be my oldest daughter’s third trip and my youngest daughter’s first. One whole week of my 18 year old being responsible for my 14 year old – should prove interesting.

 

I’m kinda bummed. I never made it to the party yesterday because I got one of my lovely headaches again. I think it was brought on this time because my allergies have been so bad and I may have a sinus infection. A bunch of years ago my brother-in-law’s brother and his wife and daughter moved out to Kentucky, and other than on Skype during the holidays, I haven’t seen them. I was really looking forward to catching up. I’m not sure when they are headed back. Maybe I’ll get to see them today.

 

Oh well, I need to get my rugrats up and out, so let’s get to the challenges. Have a great day!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

For me, THIS is the happiest place on Earth

 

Some say the beach, some say the mountains, and some do actually say Disney, but for me, this right here, sitting in front of my computer writing, is my happiest place on Earth. Now that’s not to say I don’t mind having my computer with me in any of those places, well maybe not Disney, I think I’d be a little too distracted and busy.

Through my writing I’ve been transported to the seediest or the most historic parts of London, galloped over the English countryside, stood on Ireland’s breathtaking rocky coast, and strolled the spice market in exotic Istanbul. I’ve sailed into the battle of Trafalgar alongside Lord Nelson and I’ve danced the waltz at glamorous balls.

When writing I can be anywhere during any time, past, present or future. I can possess skills, talents and abilities only a handful of people can boast. My only limitation is my imagination, and so far, mine knows no bounds. How could this not be my happiest place on Earth?

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.