"It's kinda Orange?"

The pool is up. Though not open for swimming...yet. We've done numerous filter changes trying to get the water clear and after 3 days, you can finally see the bottom - though you could see the bottom before we started!?! When you first set up the pool, you basically have to do a super dose of chemicals and wait until they run through the filter. I did a chlorine test Saturday and it's supposed to be a nice butter yellow - ours was as bright as an orange. It was more in the yellow range on Sunday. It's supposed to be really hot here the next few days and we should have our chemicals right...just in time.

My brother, Dave (#5), his wife, Jen, and their daughter Brooke stopped over yesterday afternoon. They also had Brooke's friend Vicki with them. They had been out to Dumont Lake to swim. Brooke and Vicki checked out the pool and played with Jacob while us grown-ups discussed our plans for the family reunion in August. I'm taking care of the fun/games/prizes for the event. I hadn't wanted to do the kids stuff in the beginning but, now, I think it might be fun.

I'm meeting my friend, Em for lunch today - she's loaning me a bag of books and I'm looking forward to seeing her and checking out what she has for me. Have I mentioned I have a new fetish for books? When I was in school - before high school - I LOVED to read. I read all the time. I don't think my family recognized me without a book in front of my face. As I got older and boyfriends, my interest in books went away. I've started to pick them up again with the help of my friend Ember (thanks Em!) and this site. I love this site - there is another link above to take you to what I am currently reading. Once I loaded all of the books that I have read, books I want to read, and looking at my friends lists for their picks, that I want to read - the hard part was over. No more little scraps of paper to keep track of a title I wanted to read.

We're also putting the finishing touches on Jacob's room that he won't sleep in. We're doing a vintage advertising spin on Route 66. I've been bidding on eBay for license plates from the 8 states that make up Route 66. I have 4 of them on the way. I'm still looking for an alternative method to hang these rather than nail holes in my plaster. I tried Poster Putty, it's not strong enough. I tried 3M Command Adhesives - they pulled the paint off of the wall (it's not supposed to!). I have a few more signs I want to order - like A&W Root Beer, Sinclair Gasoline, Texaco, and a few others. I don't know what my rush is to complete this - I have plenty of time. I guess I want to be able to cross something off of the never-ending 'to do' list.

I'm also trying to decide if I want to repaint my front entry/stairway/hallway. I helped my sister Karen (#2) pick out new colors (which when she's done, it'll be bea-U-tiful!) when we were up there and of course, I got the bug. I still want to keep the beachy vibe that I have going now but I want to make it a little richer/more grown up. I'm not sure if I want to go with a darker green or go tan (I'm into the tan/white thing) - which would go better with the new carpet. Makes sense, huh? Get new carpet and then paint!

Jacob still won't sleep in his bed. Jeremy got him to stay in there from about 9 to 11PM last night. Jay woke at 11PM and we spent until 2AM running him back to his room and putting him back in his bed. Before, I didn't think he was scared. I've changed my mind. So, I asked him yesterday if he was scared to sleep in his room, he said 'yeah'. I asked him if there was a mean daddy in his room, he said 'no-oh'. I asked if there was a mean momma in his room, he said 'no-oh'. I asked about mean kids, nice mommas, nice daddies and on and on. The answer always 'no-oh'. I tried closing his door - he freaks and he SCREAMS! He's scared of something and I can't figure it out for the life of me. He's started coming to our room usually after 3 AM and he's awake and he's scared. I have tried everything short of putting him back in his old room. I could - I'm afraid it might be a step in the wrong direction. For now - I guess the best thing we can do is let him sleep in the hall and put the sleeping boy back in his bed. Did I mention he won't nap in there either?

Whew! I got a lot out here. Hopefully, I can post some pool pics later this week and not talk so much!