Child's Play

 Do you ever get in a mood when you want to throw out all responsibilities and just have fun? I've been in one of those moods lately. I get a little restless with my Monday through Friday routine. I would love to devote Saturday and Sunday to doing whatever I please. But we all know it doesn't go that way when you are an adult and especially a parent. 

Last Sunday we did drop everything and head to the local skating rink. Yes, I said local skating rink. There aren't many of those around. When I was growing up, skating was Friday night entertainment. Everyone in town skated. These days skating isn't so popular. I love that our area is bringing skating back. 

Our local Murrieta roller rink is quite the experience compared to our 1970s dive rink in small town Iowa. I will let the pics speak for themselves. It's a beach theme. 

Food and games for those needing break. It's so Californian!

Nothing like our skating rinks growing up.
I can't leave out our family pics. 

Someone was struggling to stay on his feet. Although blurry it's one of my new favorites. I love the genuine looks of joy on their faces.

So proud I can stay upright all these years later. Ok... Really I fell down... On my child. But in this picture I'm upright! It's all that matters because my child is fine... now.

Pumpkin Patch {Fall Bucket List}

I can barely believe I am writing our pumpkin patch post. Life gets so busy and before you know it, you're ringing in a new year. Right now, we are thinking pumpkins and before long it will be all about turkeys. Eek! How does this happen every. single. year? We wait so patiently for summer to turn to fall. And once the temperature drops...BOOM!...we are unwrapping Christmas presents. 

For our family, the past 4 weeks seem to have flown by. We are two weeks out from Halloween and a new month, November. I'm losing my footing, friends. I need to dig my heels in and start making the most of my favorite season. Thankfully a free weekend day presented itself and we headed to the pumpkin patch. Not the one in the mall parking lot but the farm type. Believe it or not, California does have real, true-to-the-name pumpkin patches. Bates Nut Farm is our local favorite. In fact, we have only ever ventured to Bates' pumpkin patch for our pumpkin hunting adventure. I love we are on an actual farm and we can scour the fields for the perfect pumpkins. The kids are especially into it.

The pumpkin patch keeps true to its farm feel with tractor hay rides, a petting zoo, and "corn" maze. By corn, they mean hay bales but you have to cut them some slack. It's Southern California, they probably don't know the difference!

The field of orange always makes a great picture. My kids love to walk through and try to pick up the heaviest pumpkins. Or stand on them... *ehm* Derrick. 

Seriously, it's like his thing.

Zac is all about pushing the wheelbarrow. Derrick too. However, Derrick is a bit lot clumsy. He managed to topple the pumpkin filled wheelbarrow one or twelve times on its side.  I had to put him on restriction. Ky is smarter than to believe in the novelty of a wheelbarrow. She was more into photographing Charlie. On the pumpkin, beside the pumpkin, looking at the pumpkin, sniffing the pumpkin. She is all about her dog.

Now, the torch is passed to the husband. He is the official pumpkin carver of our home. I do triangles. He does characters. Creative. Power tools. The kids love it. I get a break. Everyone is happy.

We've got two more weeks left of this wonderful month. Have you made a trip to the pumpkin patch? Are you finding other ways to enjoy the season?

Back to the Grind

I finally, and I mean FINALLY, have a job. I have been looking forward to getting back into the workforce, using my education, and contributing to our household income. Although, being back to work means I now have two jobs.  Household manager (mom/wife/housekeeper) and employee. 

I have never really perfected the ratio of the two. I bet you can guess which one suffers. I walk in the door at 6pm and dinner has yet to be started. However, there are four people standing in my kitchen. How does the math work out on this one?  I need to dig out the crockpot.  I suppose cleaning out the spaghetti sauce would help too!

My kids are another story. This week we are re-learning what it means for mom to have a job. Everybody is expected to be a little more self-sufficient. Next week we are going to learn about helping out.  I am not great at delegating. I am even worse at being overwhelmed and stressed out.  My husband, the Gunnery Sergeant has promised to help me spearhead chore lists. I've learned a lot in my two months as a Gunny's wife. First and foremost, Gunnery Sergeant's embrace their supervisor role... all the time. In fact, that is about the only contribution they make...supervising. And fix dishwashers.

I have a few things to learn myself. I lost a few hours of "mommy & me" time. I do not want to give up all time with the kids. I am trading in my TV and computer hours for junior high gossip, card games, and story time. Happily.

Things will be quieter but I'm not going to stop writing. Promise.

Summer Bucket List 2013: The epic fail

Summer is over. School is back in session. Schedules have taken the place of lazy summer days. While basking in the absolute quiet and stillness of my house, I started thinking about the Summer Bucket List. The list of adventures our Semper Fi Family planned for Summer 2013. It took me about 2.3 seconds to realize the list was an epic fail, like a total waste of memory on this blog. I believe we crossed off three adventures in the entire two months the kids were off. So sad.

What did we do with our time? Besides watch countless hours of Disney reruns. We managed to Ride Our Bikes To The Store. The kids loved that one! And we managed to Pick Strawberries which was supposed to be blueberries but we missed the season. We managed a Back To School shopping trip. My daughter wouldn't let me overlook that bucket list "adventure".

We fit in a Summer BBQ for my husband's Gunny Sergeant Wet Down. This is all I have to show for it. Even though I promised a whole blog post. Sorry.

The boys and I had a backyard picnic when Ky was in DC. Not extravagant but there was Shasta. And what is a summer picnic without Shasta? Technically, a picnic would make four completed summer bucket list items.

Then there were things not on the original bucket list but we did them anyways.

Like Hiking a trail we've already hiked before...in lieu of Hiking a New Trail.

And checking out the local splash pad.

We even did a little fishing...

And hit up California's Largest Water Park. 

Someone in our house turned 13...and we had this crazy Instagram Scavenger Hunt party.

And Someone Else Got Promoted.

Maybe the summer wasn't a total loss. We just got a little sidetracked.

We are officially retiring the 2013 Summer Bucket List.

Better luck next year!

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What TV Mom Are You?

Have you ever considered your TV mom twin? Once upon a time, Carol Brady and Maggie Seaver may have been contending choices. But these days the choices aren't quite so domesticated or wholesome. TV moms these days have pizzazz! I don't know about you but I like to think I'm a cool mom. I like to emulate Pinterest best recipes and utilize Martha Stewart's domestic tricks. But I'm not going to lie... I've got some personality that can't be hidden behind an apron.

The only moms I really know are from the Disney Channel.  If you have school age kids, then it is only a matter of time before you find yourself watching some sing song Disney show.  As a parent, you will likely entertain yourself by judging young teeny boppers who have hit the jackpot called Disney.

Shamelessly, I do.  There are shows I actually like.  Good Luck Charlie and The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.  Which I understand is no longer airing but I still liked it.  I loved Demi Lovato's show. Unfortunately, some mistakes were made and the show was short lived.  Can't even remember the name.

There are shows I don't like.  Shake It Up!  Can I get an amen? Anyone want to place bets on how long it takes the red head to be admitted for "exhaustion"?  Austin and Ally is another too painful to watch.  Not the best acting from kids. The list continues.

This morning we knocked out Season 4 of Good Luck Charlie which equates to about 5 hours of laugh tracks and corny humor. Lucky me!  During one mom and daughter conversation, my son Zac says "Mom, she acts like you.  You would say that to Kyli."  My daughter smiles and nods in agreement.  It's like they were ganging up on me. Unfortunately, they are right. I've always thought of myself of a Rachel from Friends kind of gal. But really, who am I kidding?!?

I am Amy Duncan. Quirky. Animated. Sarcastic. Overly Involved.


Have I ever done something like this? Um...yes.. yes I have.

Not to drag this out but I'm pretty sure this is when my kids called me out.



Just keeping it real.
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Quiet week on Adventures of a Semper Fi Family.

The boys and I have been hanging out at home. 

No new adventures this week.

I've taken on the roll of observer on Instagram this week.

I've been watching an amazing journey across America unfold daily.

My heart is moved.

If you are not following @TheWoundedWalk yet, then you are 

un-American.

Which isn't actually true. You still are. Just kind of lame.

There are two Marines documenting their walk across America 

to bring attention to our wounded warriors. 

You know... the men and women who have returned from war for the last 10 plus years 

with life changing injuries.

Yeah.

By the way, how many miles did you walk today?

Yea me too.

@TheWoundedWalk 

While those two Marines are being super cool.

My sons and I were having lunch in the backyard. 

On a popsicle print blanket. 

PB &J, Doritos, and Shasta.

I so desperately want to freeze time.

Next summer they will probably be too old 

for backyard picnics. 

However, they probably won't outgrow the need to

make any random object a weapon.

Perform mock battles with said items.

Or embarrass me in public.

I'm confident we have several years left before that stops.

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A Glimpse of Things To Come

Just a couple of days ago, I put my lovely 13 year old daughter on a plane to Washington DC.  Ky was headed to a youth leadership conference in our nation's capital. A conference she was nominated to attend based on her hard work and character. This opportunity was a valuable experience we had to make happen.  Meaning, I would have to come to terms with her being on the opposite side of the country for one week.

She boarded the plane. And the plane landed safely in DC. She met the conference staff at the airport. She met her new roommates who she likes. Her days are filled with lots of learning and sightseeing. Lucky for me, she manages to fit in a phone call each night.

I hear lots of girly chatter in the background. She is having a blast. I'll be lucky if she comes home! She talks about the food in the cafeteria (not so great!). Her roommates (great!). She revealed a couple of secrets. The group stays up past curfew and pretend to sleep when the staff checks on them. The girls have started opening the adjoining door to enlarge their group and room size. Through all her excited chatter, it dawned on me... this is what our conversations will be like in five short years... when she is at college. 

At 13, I don't want to rush anything but I won't fool myself into believing it is far off.  I think this little trip is good for us. And it makes me think we need more of this kind of separation. She is a smart girl. She just doesn't quite know what she is capable of. She is always looking back for reassurance. Maybe that is my fault? Maybe I shelter her too much? My husband suggests I let her fall a couple times and she will get the hang of picking herself back up. But we aren't birds... I mean is the whole falling thing really necessary?!? 


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Strawberry Picking {Summer Bucket List}

Things have been so busy over here. Our life is all about moving these days. I'm teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown. It's not pretty. I just want to throw in the towel and sometimes... I do.

 Sometimes when my husband goes to the new house... I stop being productive and play Candy Crush.

Mostly, because Candy Crush makes everything better. And because I can't pass level 147.

This weekend our priority was family time. 

We haven't touched the bucket list in weeks and our poor children are having one of the worst summers ever. Seriously feeling like a horrible parent. My saving grace is #1 they are spoiled and #2 extremely loved. This summer shouldn't cause any permanent damage. 

I hope. 

We decided to take the kids to a local strawberry field. I've mentioned before how important it is for us to give these city kids a little bit of country life. 

Originally, the plan was to visit a nearby blueberry farm but we unfortunately missed the season. 

We just couldn't fit it in.

We settled for the U-pick strawberry field on the side of the freeway...

across from the car dealership...down the street from Legoland.

So much for country life, eh?

Sometimes I will post pictures of things in nature 

that look like hearts. It's what I do. 

They fascinate me.

I think this strawberry looks like a heart.

And this is where you should comment and say,

"Yay! I totally think that strawberry looks like a heart!"

Cause some people in my family do not always see the hearts I find.

And they think I am easily entertained and strange.

Strawberry picking was a hit. The kids had a fun time. 

They could totally be Midwestern kids.

Oh, and this guy. 

He doesn't do anything without a smile on his face and a skip in his step.

His personality just gets me.

He has a lot of positive energy.

He's a good kid.

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