Ding Dong Ditching

Okay, Taryn here.

Well, I was over at my friend Cathy's house, and we decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Well, at church there is a prank war going on between two families and I helped roll one of the family's house. Anyways, Cathy decided to put food that is not supposed to be inside cookies in the cookies and bake them. So we did. We put noodles, hazelnut chocolate, marshmallows, pretzels, butterscotch, and apples in the cookies. We then proceeded to make plates out of tape and spoons, then wrapping them up with toilet paper. Once finished we ding dong ditched them on both family's porches. (please note that there were some normal cookies on the plates, too. We aren't that mean.)

We think one family might have saw us because they were taking a walk and Cathy and I had no idea. We were driving away from their house and they saw Cathy.

Also we dressed up like guys using Cathy's dad's pants and Cathy's jackets. We also sprayed out hair green.

Aren't we just the perfect little angels?

Gib's 20 Miler

Gib is going backpacking on a 20 miler this weekend. As you can see, he's not quite awake yet as the 5:15 am departure only required getting dressed and eating breakfast and we all know that for a guy that's a minimal 10% brain power at best.

I had to reach UP to put the sunscreen on his face. He just had to point out that in his hiking boots, he was taller than I this morning. I think the smirk was from remembering that statement just before this photo was taken. Getting photographed didn't wipe it off his face either.

This is the last big hike before Philmont and I think with this one, and a smaller hike next weekend, he completes the Hiking Merit badge. Way to go Gibbie!!

The ABCs of the Day

I keep changing the title of this. Usually I love my titles. This one took me awhile to be happy with it.

I got my first Hepatitis B shot today. Turns out that I have the titers for Hep A, but not B, so I am getting the 3 shot series for Hep B. I figured why not?! My doc advised that anyone who works with children should be vaccinated against it and I am always all for being protected against germs and infectious diseases. My arm doesn't even hurt at all. Everything else in my bloodwork was "Fine" and I asked them to send me a copy of the report so I can keep eating as much salt as I want to and not worry about my cholestrol or anything.

Mike and I ran a little DMV errand today and then got rolled tacos for lunch. Whoooweee, don't go to the DMV at the end of the month - what a line! It was all the way into the hall, so I popped my head inside, and the line still looked really long, and so I walked inside just in case there was perhaps a shorter line we could get into? A guy offered to sell his spot in line - haha! I liked him. I said hello to a lady from church, and was assured the line was moving quickly. I came back to Mike and reported loudly that there was a guy inside selling his spot in line. Mike asked how much. (I didn't actually ask, sorry.) I was watching the Sheriff in front of us when I said that and he chuckled which made me smile. I like to make my own fun wherever I go.

After a few minutes we made it inside the room (yay) where there was a sign that said you had to turn off your cell phone due to the "important nature of Title Work" - what a joke, right?. I said I would respect the sign more if it said "listening to your annoying conversations all day irritates us and will make your wait longer - turn off your phone!" The Sheriff then told me about a conversation (you gotta read this with a twang) he couldn't help but overhear at Kroger's where a woman was "jibber-jabbering" on her cell phone and a friend of hers came up to say hello and she said she couldn't talk to her because she was on the phone! He couldn't believe a person would be so rude to turn away a face to face conversation for a meaningless jibber-jabber on the cell in the grocery. I said maybe she really disliked that lady and I loved his response..."Well, if that's the case, she done revealed herself to be one of the first letters of the alphabet!"

Have you ever heard that one before?! I haven't! I think that's one of the best Southern expressions I've heard yet. As we got a little closer, I asked my friend from church how much longer the wait time would be. Everyone nearby agreed about 5 minutes, which I really didn't believe. So I requested to the room at large that everyone have all their forms ready, their checks made out, no chit-chat when you get to the window, etc., etc., to keep things moving because I was hungry. Everyone smiled or gave me a good natured look. Gotta love the South.

Later this afternoon, the 5th grade had a bit of a reunion...already! Their teacher sent an email to meet together to see Night at the Museum: The Smithsonian. Mariah and I ended up being the row saver to a sold out show in one of the smaller theater's and it wasn't easy holding off all those people wanting our row of 11 seats! We were tapping our toes and glancing at each other across the aisle as we perched at either end of it wondering what was taking everybody so long! People were getting a little huffy when the seats were filling up and our premium row was looking real nice. Luckily, a couple girls arrived, and had we had a little more help and a better head count and eventually people started filling the row. A few people arrived late but what can you do. We really enjoyed the show and I thought it was fun to see it at the theatre.

It was such a success everyone agreed to do it again for the new Harry Potter movie when it is released. Mariah can't wait!

Who Loves a Freebie?

We just gave away our trampoline. We sent out an email to 125 people on the HOA email list and got a response in a couple hours. A nice dad with a little boy about 6 yrs old and girl who looked about 9 yrs old came and helped Mike and Gib dismantle it. The guys put it all in the truck and delivered it to their house. My kids are a little bummed but they can jump on Lara's tramp next door alot safer than they could here. Of course I allowed them to put dish soap on ours and a sprinkler underneath it, but that is why our was more dangerous. With a ditch on one side and the side nets ripped out, it became a broken body waiting to happen and just had to go since buying a new net was just more money than we wanted to spend on something the kids use a handful of times a year.

I feel great about doing a good turn to a neighbor and the smiles their faces were wonderful!

Now we can plant Mariah's Tulip Poplar, the state tree of Tennessee and a bunch of other things over there. Maybe some roses and a Saucer Magnolia and a bunch of burning bushes. The possibilities will keep us busy scheming until this Fall when planting season arrives.

Walmart's Got Everything

But the Mall's more fun. I am not a big Walmart shopper. It does have everything I admit. Some of it may be ugly as all get out and cheap to boot, haha pun intended, but they do have pretty much everything. There's just something about the hugeness of the store and the people I am surrounded by when I go that I just don't care for. (Oh, except, we think we passed some Elders. We were debating whether or not they were because they had the look, except one guy had flip flops....that kinda threw me. And we were on our own mission, haha another pun, I am cracking myself up today, so we didn't stop to find out.)

Walmart had the items on the list for Taryn's explosive camp:

Steel Toed Boots
Protective Eyewear
Hearing Protection

We had to hit the hunting section to find the eyewear and hearing headphone thingy's. We couldn't find steel toed boots but we did get steel toed sneakers. Taryn will need to email the camp people and find out if that will work. There's probably more on the list, but we didn't think to check it before we left, but at least we got the big stuff today. If we have to go to a sporting goods store we will have to spend at least $75 bucks more on the boots and that will be a bummer, so I hope they say the sneakers are OK.

Also on our shopping list was khaki pants for T's internship this summer at Adventure Science Center. She will be giving tours. We had a good shopping trip in 2 hours, got it all done and had lunch too!

If Cats Could Talk

Lately I have found that my husband and I have become synchronized....annoyingly so, when it comes to night time & early morning trips to the commode. I can't tell you how many times I've raised my head from the pillow, looked at the clock, debated whether or not I can put it off, decide I can't and start to roll over to get up, when Mike darts out of bed and dashes past me in mid-struggle out of the waterbed. Mike has been flirting with danger because sometimes seriously it is quite obvious I was ahead of him, or I am already IN the bathroom and he tries to barge in. Tonight the stakes just went up. Mike beat me out of the gate as I was halfway out of bed, so resigned, I just went to the other bathroom. The kids had left lights on and as I was turning them off, I saw Diego on the railing of the back porch by the door. His tail was fluffed out and he had a wild look in his eye, so I opened the door and he couldn't get inside fast enough. That's our brave Diego! I looked around but didn't see anything. Diego meanwhile is doing the happy dance all around my feet. I pointed out his food dish but he stopped eating to follow me around as I went and checked the front yard for Pixie and then back to see if I could see anything out back from the other window. I thought I saw Pixie's tail by window sill I let the cats in from by the porch.

It was 1:20 a.m., but I managed a thought of caution and only opened the window 2" - enough to call her name through but not enough for anything to actually come in that I don't want to. Good thinking considering....It wasn't Pixie!! Diego tries telling me this. He was all about getting in front of me. I thought he wanted back out. Then he stretched up and extended his claws down the glass.....screeeeeeetch!!!!! Like "close this window! That's not Pixie!" Getting a clue, I decided to close the window. I went to the other window to see if she went there instead. Nope. I went back to the first window. And there was the raccoon - a very young one eating the sunflower seeds out of a little tin that my mom put out for the birds. As far as coloring goes, it looks remarkably like Pixie...especially his tail. But, up close & personal, raccoons aren't as cute as they look in pictures. Diego and I sat on our side of the window and watched him finish off the seeds and then go get a drink of water from one of our fountains. I can't imagine what would have happened if that raccoon would have taken me up on the offer to come inside!

See Mike, yet another reason why maybe you should be a gentleman and let me have the bathroom first!

What A Find

I had a 8:30 am dr appt today with my Internist. She bumped my Topamax up to 100mg (doubled) so I am stoked! I also have an appt to see a Neurologist about my migraines on 6/11. It was the year for blood work so I decided to find out if I ever had the Hep A & Hep B vaccines. I think maybe I did, but I can't remember. The doc found that hard to believe, but I was like, believe it babe...it's scary what I can't remember! You'll be treating me for major memory loss before too long. So I can't wait to find out if I need to get my Hep B shots or not! I hope my cholestrol and stuff is still just as great as it was last time about 4 yrs ago when we took it. I know my blood pressure is good - the nurse had to call another nurse in to get a reading because she didn't trust what she was hearing. She was getting 85/60. Haha, I faked her out a little and went into a major deep breath and lowered it a bit all by myself just before she took it. I can only do that for a few minutes though, so by the time she tried three times, changed arms, and made me change chairs, and brought another nurse in who about popped my arm off she did the blood pressure cuff so tight, she got 100/70. Drats. They got me!

When I haven't eaten or had anything to drink, my decision making ability really goes down the tubes. So, after fasting for blood work, as I was driving home and passed Kohls I remembered that I was going to go there anyways for yardwork shorts and Gib is in desperate need of church pants that aren't floodwaters and a new tie that isn't too short either. How do you outgrow a tie?! So I decided I could last long enough for a quick trip inside.....you see where this is going, dontcha?!

I had a water bottle in the car so luckily, I drained that before going in, because otherwise, I think I might have perished inside of Kohls before I got out of there. Did I ever hit pay dirt! There was a big sale and I had a 20% card for everything on top of that. Hours and hours later after trying on easily 30 things (yes I did find my yard shorts), I was trying really hard to narrow things down but I kept finding cute tops that looked so good with the capri's and shorts I had found that actually fit me. The question "do I really need that" just doesn't work when it looks good on you! I was starting to suffer around 1:00 p.m., my mind just wouldn't work to do the math and I couldn't remember what anything cost anymore anyway. I think I tried everything on at least twice trying to make a good decision. At the final, final, go through, I took out 5 or 6 things and ended up with 3 pr of capris (orange, teal, and a thin khaki stripe), 3 pr of bermudas (jean, black and light blue) and 5 shirts to make outfits out of everything plus 1 white layering tank top. It was a rough day of shopping, let me tell you. I barely made it home.

Gib ended up with a new pair of jean shorts and black Arrow pants and a new white button down shirt and a spiffy black tie with a very cool magenta zig-zaggy thing down the middle. I wasn't sure he would go for it, but it was sooo awesome I had to buy it.....yay! he likes it!! He'll be looking real sharp next Sunday!

When 3 Isn't Good

3 isn't good when it's the number of hours it took to get Taryn's braces off! I mean the results are great, don't get me wrong, but the Ortho's office is kept at 63 freaking degrees and I was dressed for a humid 80ish! (I'm guessing at the actual temp of the office - it could be less, I don't know for sure...I had to use the restroom and was actually shivering in there! I abandoned my kids and went out to sit in the hot car to thaw for 15 minutes!) I forgot to bring my jacket, can you believe it?! I usually remember if I'm going to the Ortho, it's that cold in there. Taryn remembered her Arctic fuzzy hoodie...I was so jealous. I was efficient and scheduled Mariah and Gib for the same day. Grammy brought Gib by while running her errands since his appt was an hour later than the girls.

3 isn't good when you're Mariah and you get 3 new brackets added to your braces! Her teeth hurt now, but the lime green bands look great!

3 isn't good when it's your iron count! Seriously. Poor Indy is severely anemic. The dr said her red blood cells are abnormally formed, that it's probably not a diet deficiency. They called it microcytic anemia and put her on 325 mg of iron, once a day for a few days leading up to twice a day. Now she is sick, sick, sick. After a call to the on-call physician, she's been told to go off the iron for 2 days and try again with a once a day dose and see what happens. Poor Indy! The only good news is that the past two days she has not had to appear for Jury Duty. Let's hope the whole week is a wash!

* * * *

Conversely....3 IS good when Mike, Taryn & Gib went to see The Terminator and had to switch theatres a half hour into the movie because of a sound problem and they got 3 free tickets to see a future show for the hassle. Indy got one of the freebies and I think she used it to see Angels & Demons and I am going to take Mariah to see Night at the Museum, probably tomorrow.

3 is GREAT when you're Gib and you get Personal Management, Nuclear Science and Citizenship in the Community merit badges at tonight's Court of Honor. Next month, he'll do his Board of Review for his Life Rank!

Let the Celebrating Begin

After graduation we all went to the Cheesecake Factory. I led the advance crew in one car. Indy said her good-byes and after she had been hugged one time too many finally called it a night and headed to the restaurant. In the meantime, we had snagged the big booth and ordered everyone's drinks. Now that we know about how the timing works for servers, I knew it would be alot better to get those drinks going right away instead of getting seated and then sitting there for another 20 minutes and then placing the order probably at the same time another new table got seated, messing up the flow of things for the server.

The four of us sat around discussing the gifts I had brought (more on that) and heard back from the stragglers that they were on the freeway. After consulting with our server about how much time the kitchen needed to get our appetizers out, we decided the timing would be just about right and put in the double order of spinach & cheese dip. Amazingly enough, the very second the chips & dip arrived, so did Mike, Indy and Gib! Perfect timing! Indy was soooo happy because she was getting "cranky hungry" (it was after 8:30 pm) and didn't have to wait and I ordered her favorite appetizer!

Indy opened her congratulatory cards - 3 funny ones, 2 mushy ones, and a couple of surprises....Indy received a college savings bonus from Grammy and a piece of paper listing the specs of a new college laptop from Dad & Mom. It didn't take her long to figure out what that was all about! She was very surprised. It's amazing how much technology has changed since she got her first laptop 4 years ago. It's too much of a dinosaur and the original plans to take it in and have it swiped, fix the keyboard, etc., cost half as much as a brand new one, so we decided after all that hard work and a full scholarship, she deserved it! Indy & Mike placed her order today.

Then all the kids got to choose one of four gifts I had brought. There was alot of speculation about what they might be for the past few days. Obviously they were books. I had Mariah going there for a second when I said "Richest Man in Babylon" had a sequel. While we were waiting for the other half of the family to arrive, Mariah & Taryn were pumping me for information. They wanted hints, and to know how I knew which one was for which kid and did it matter. I made a big show out of pointing out the differences in the wrapping since Mariah had practically weighed and measured them and concluded they were all the exact same book. I said the one with the pointy tabs might be for the smartest child, or the one with the pointiest head, who knew?! The messiest went to...you guessed it, and so on. After much exasperation from Mariah and Taryn, I confessed that they were nearly all the same and it didn't matter which one went to which kid....but I let them in on a little secret. One was Hot Pink and I hoped that Gib ended up with it. That was my excitement factor. The books, by the way, are just these mega Sudoku books for the summer. I think they're the best ones I've seen yet and the kids like to work the puzzles when they are bored or during car rides, jury duty, etc (poor Indy!). There were 9 different choices of them, so I picked 4, and making sure one was pink.

Indy got first choice, then Taryn, then Mariah and then Gib. I was going to go in birth order, but Mariah was next to Taryn and she made a quick grab and so Gib ended up with.....the pink one!!! Hahaha, he thought it was red in the lighting, but no, it's quite Fuchsia! Taryn is probably his best bet for a trade involving free time on Need For Speed or something, Mariah would exact a stiffer trade for sure! She's a bit of tyrant in the trade department I am finding out! But, after hearing their glee last night, I am betting none of his sisters will do it unless Gib comes up with something really good. They have a cruel streak a mile wide and I have no idea who they get it from.

I almost forgot I had the camera!

We'd been goofing around with taking photos of ourselves

You won't be seeing any of them except this one!

Taryn was the only one good at it. Another camera that defeats me.

Graduation Videos

I didn't do a great job of videographer, however, I couldn't help but capture the ambiance of the Ag Center on video....enjoy and congratulations Indy!!!

Indy's Graduation

It's done! Indy is sooo relieved and happy! She has a few celebrations and get togethers planned, and as we move into summer she will be working alot and preparing for the next chapter of her life...College!

The high school decided to use the Ag Center for the Graduation Ceremony. Oh joy. It's not a great venue for this kind of thing. The grads were on the "carpet" covered dirt grounds, which looked to be almost as dirty as what was underneath. I think a rodeo was held there the night before. It sure smelled like it. I just wish the photos could convey the stink. Maybe the pinched expressions on the faces in the crowd will. Wait, no probably not, the girls go to a redneck high school, most of 'em probably like that smell. I kid you not, there were cowbells in the audience for noisemakers. The other bad thing about having it at the Ag Center was the lighting. It made for horrible photography. Bummer. Well, here's the best of what we could get. I haven't looked at what I tried to video. I hope that turned out.

Pomp & Circumstance

Taking their seats

After your name was called, your college was announced and

the Senior placed a Lei around the Principal's neck

Getting the wonderful Williamson County Honors Graduate Diploma that Indy worked very diligently for! FYI: It is awarded to students who have completed the core curriculum and minimum of 14 credits at the honors or Advanced Placement level, 4 credits in science, 4 credits in math, and a 3.5 or higher. I think Indy ended up with over 16 credits at the honors/AP level.

Rejoining her fellow graduates

(Indy said she didn't care about paying extra for the sash that signifies the Honor Graduates but in hindsight I think we should have since she worked so hard for it!)

The Cheering Squad

(guess who made the most noise?!)

Happy Grad &

Proud Parents

The outside of the Ag Center

Deceptively nice looking, isn't it?

I sure hope Taryn's graduation isn't held here next year!

5th Grade Graduation

Here we are at the 5th grade graduation ceremony

Gotta love sitting in alphabetical order by classroom

Mariah earned the President's Award for Educational Excellence!

To achieve it, Mariah had over a 90 gpa in 4th & 5th grade and

scored advanced in state testing (above the 90th percentile)

in math and/or reading (of which she did both).

The Presidential moment up close...

and the group shot of the kids in her class

that also earned one of the President's Awards

And the crowning glory of the day...

5th Grade Diploma!!!

Mariah is in the choir and all the 5th grade choir members sang

Here she is at the end of the performance

The rest of the day was spent getting out of the school parking lot, down to the park, picnic lunch and then checking out early and loafing around the house. Aaaaahhhh, let the summer begin!

Not Too Excited

I have to say, with this school year rapidly coming to a close just a day and a half away, I am just not excited at all. I know my kids are gasping in horror as they read this. I'm even sad that I'm only making 2 lunches this week instead of 4! Taryn just has her final exam of the day and then she leaves so she doesn't need a lunch this week. Indy's out. And last night we forgot to make Gib & Mariah's, so Gib had to throw one together this morning, I gave Mariah $3 and she shook my mom down for another $1 on the way to Choir! Mariah doesn't need a lunch tomorrow because there's a 5th grade graduation picnic, so that means Gib will have the last brown bag special tomorrow! Waaaaah! Usually, I'd be yelling, Yaaaaay! What's wrong?! I'll tell you!! Too many changes, that's what!!!

#1) Indy is done. A graduated Senior. Wow. She had her last class last Thursday because she qualified to be exempt from final exams this week. This Friday is the official cap & gown graduation ceremony.

I would imagine this big milestone is the rain on my personal "yahoo no more school" parade that usually starts this week every year. While we are incredibly proud and happy for her to be finished with high school, excited about Mercer, in the back of my mind I know that the days are numbered when I will see and hear her in the house everyday. I can't imagine what that void will feel like I just know I won't like it.

#2) To make matters worse, we won't have even begun to adjust when the college applications will be going out for Taryn! I am going into shock just thinking about both girls being gone. (Gib and Mariah are just like little vultures waiting to move into their bedrooms!).

#3) Gib will start high school. I will admit to some anxiety with the new school being so much bigger and less small-town friendly than the H.S. the girl's went to.

#4) And it's the end of an era for our family - no more elementary school! Mariah moves up to middle school.

Too many changes! Bring back the sidewalk chalk & the bouncy balls! I'll even take Barney & Friends if I have to!!!

From Russia To Spain

Well, sorta.....

Today started with me getting all sorts of things crossed off my list. I almost called the post Medical Monday because I took care of a lot of appointments and medical related stuff for the family. I zipped through my to do list in a way that still brings a smile to my face many hours later. Gotta love a productive morning.

It was also great knowing I am out for the summer! Well, sorta..... see, there is a little problem with the paint job in the Pre-K classroom that will need to be resolved. We thought we were told the cement wall had to be painted with cement wall paint (makes sense) but apparently our director thought she told us to paint with a cement paint roller...well, yeah. So now we have created what feels like a sidewalk onto the wall and the paint doesn't look good at all. And we were sorta painting without permission from the church and planning on asking forgiveness later....Yikes. So another teacher and I are going to fix it. We're calling this little snafu the primer and that's our story and we're sticking with it. They'll love it when we're done. (I hope!)

So Mike and I celebrated his return to Home Base by going out to lunch today at a new restaurant down the street called Taste of Russia. A guy from Russia opened it. It was pretty good. The Russian accent of our waitress really added to the ambiance. I have always wondered why I tend to say "nyet, nyet, nyet!" when I want to say no, no, no! really fast. I have no explanation for this. I wonder if it's possible to have some kind of genetic language memory. I've There was an article in the newspaper all about the guy & his wife coming to America and how he got his chef degree in Russia before coming here. So, anyway, I had his signature dish - Chicken Kiev (stuffed with cheese and tomato), Mike had Zrazi...sounds yummmmeeeeee huh?! It was some kind of beef thingy with tomato sauce. Looked pretty good and he ate it all. My garlicky potatoes were delicious. Then we had cheese blintzes for dessert - it had farmers cheese inside and came with mixed berry preserves. Next luncheon I organize, I'm planning on going back and start working my way through the menu. Almost everything sounded like comfort food to me - except the Borscht. I tried that in 6th grade and NO WAY is there a genetic taste bud memory of liking that stuff.

Then this evening, Mike, Gib and I went to the high school to attend a Course Override meeting. We had to do this in order to get Gib into the Spanish II Honors class because his teacher did not recommend him for Honors, but we feel he can handle it (and he WILL). This is about the 3rd freaking hoop we've had to jump thru just to get the override. Seriously. So the teacher explained all about what he needs to know very well from Spanish I he took in middle school (which counts for high school) and what they will cover in Spanish II. She was concerned about what kind of support he would have should he struggle. She asked if anyone had familiarity with Spanish. Well, I had 7 yrs of Spanish in school (which is quite rusty and I'm pretty darn sure is not the same Spanish they are teaching these days!), and Taryn in Spanish III Honors, and there are several fluent friends & family members, so I think he will be O.K. Si? On the way home, we had a flash of parenting genious...Gib will be updating his Facebook status in Spanish at least once daily with 2 sentences using something on the sheet that the teacher gave us of the course expectations to keep him in practice - such as comparisons (mas o menos), telling time, proper use of pronouns, common vocabulary, verb tense, using tener, ir, venir, etc. And, he can only say "I'm tired" for his Facebook status in Spanish if he has done two others inbetween!

Hasta La Vista Baby!!

Mom & Mariah

The remainder of Mom & Mariah shots from her camera, with a couple of her at a volleyball match. The photos continue to illustrate my point that this camera and I do not get along. I will accept that half is user error since I never read any directions to these kind of things, but the camera is definitely responsible for the other half! Mariah must assume responsibility for the poor aim of the Mom & Mariah shots which resulted in alot of giggling!! But you can tell, the camera still hates me.

By the way, Taryn is sick with a cold and has final exams coming up this week. She wants everyone to know. And Gib is torturing her and she doesn't appreciate it.

I got a kick out of the shock from the flash going off in other people 3D glasses

I think that is why my smile is so big - the boys behind us were yelping

At the Fashion Show which was alot of fun
Blindingly so apparently

Another attempt - the camera refuses to cooperate!


Mariah sure tried to make the save!

Warm Ups

NASA Field Trip

Here is a photo blog of the field trip to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center aka the NASA field trip. Mariah's camera and I do not get along and it did some really funky things.

This was one of the cool unanticipated special effects of the photo of the Saturn V

Stay Puff Marshmallow Man?

That's what would happen to you if you

went sunbathing on the moon without

an air-pressure suit

My group of girls

We named them Little One, Two & Three

(my trick for field trips is to yell out their #'s in times of

crowded conditions so I can find them fast)

Mariah's 5th Grade Class

Under the Shuttle


Three, Two, Little One & Action!

Chrissie & Riah in 3D

Wow - what a flash!

The Space Shot

(mariah's legs are to the last ones on the left)

Inside Scoop (Star Wars Fans....)

Heads up!!! Our tour guide at the NASA/U.S. Space & Rocket Center accidentally let it slip that around June 2010 they will have emptied this one huge building and it will be dedicated solely to the largest ever assembled Star Wars display, museum, interactive stuff, who knows?! Right now there's a little teaser of a Darth Vader costume stuck in a corner somewhere and a kid asked about it right in the middle of something else and I guess she wasn't thinking and the press announcement hasn't gone out yet...but now we all know!!! Star Wars fans - we are only about 1 hr 45 minutes away from it!

If the thought of Star Wars, or giant rocket ships and their engines, or 3D imax of the outer space or the mars rover exploration doesn't grab you, you can always go on the sling shot ride with Mariah!

I'll check out the photos and blog about our long field trip tomorrow, but suffice it to say we had a GREAT day of FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Could It Be?

I remember a day, about 6 or 7 years ago, when I just about lost it at the realization that I had been reduced to nothing more than a janitor. I think I was having a hard week, month, possibly an entire year that led to this conclusion. It was nearly an anxiety attack I tell you.

So it strikes me as more than amusing that I have been petitioning, sometimes without an ounce of subtlety, to become the janitor of the preschool. And, guess what? I may be one step closer to acquiring more hours at a job I am eminently skilled for! Spills on the floor?! No problem! I know what product and how many wipes it will take to remove the stick of Kool Aid. Who knows how far beans scatter when they are dropped from a height of 3 feet? I do!!! And nobody can hunt down and scrub off peanut butter, nose boogies, and pudding smeared under the lunch table like a mom of 18 years. Cleaning countertops, vacuuming and sweeping?! Puhleeze! I can do that in my sleep.

Wish me luck and let's hope the Board votes me in as the new Janitor!! My life will be so complete.

Time For Some Z's

I am so tired. Tired of this sore throat. Tired of this splitting headache I've had for over 24 hrs that isn't a migraine but sure hurts as bad as one. And I am so tired I can barely stay awake. I'm heading back to bed for an hour or two until the Kitchen Destroyers arrive home. Then we have to make chocolate croissants for Mariah's French presentation tomorrow. I cheated and had the grocery bakery actually make the mini-croissants. I tried to talk them into filling them with the chocolate too, but no go. So I got a tip thingy and I hope a baggie filled with frosting will pipe in the chocolate ok. If not we are in big trouble because I am not dessert savvy like some of ya'll. Worst comes to worst, they're getting croissants with chocolate on the side in cute little condiment cups. I've got plenty of those - with lids even!

So I went in to the dr again. Not the clinic this time. They agreed with me that it is the virus with all the symptoms but none of the signs...making one look like a total hypochondriac. I feel like I have strep but I don't. My lymph nodes are sticking out like a hitch hikers thumb but I have no fever. I feel like I my blood pressure is going to explode via my left temple, but apparently it's back down to normal. My ears feel like they might be getting fluid build up...but you guessed it, they don't. She said I'm probably not even contagious, which is good news for those who live with me. Gib can stop wiping down the keyboard and mouse! But, since this is Day 7 of the joy, I have to be at preschool graduation tomorrow and Wednesday, NASA field trip on Thursday, A Preschool Work Day and Painting a Pre-K Classroom on Friday, Doc gave me an Rx for a Z-Pack that I could start on Wednesday if I wasn't better by then (which would be Day 10 provided I lived that long).

On the way home....who can predict how this one ends???

Yesssirrreeee.....I got me some Z-Pack going in me before an hour had passed!

I don't have the time nor the energy for Days 8, 9 & 10! I'm too old for this. I figure if I don't need them, they won't do me any good, and if I do need the antibiotics, better today than three days from now. I need to get on top of my game by 9:00 am tomorrow people! Time for my Zzzzzzzz.

Indy's Prom: Set 2

Indy & Chantel

decided to ditch the guys & the quote of their Prom season

is "my date is hotter than yours!"

The 3 soccer team mates

Chantel, Alyssa & Indy

Indy's Prom: Set 1

This is the set of "serious yet romantic" photos: