going back a bit, for a picture

I downloaded my MIL's camera memory stick to my computer, and found this picture, taken at C's wedding June 10th. I couldn't resist showing off my handsome Irish lad.

mudslides and rafting

So yesterday after dropping Drew at school, I took Tori and Katie to a playground near us that we've never been to. I wanted to check it out before taking Drew. It's labelled 6-11yrs. I see why, BUT, Drew would have a blast.

There's an 18inch deep pond  with wood planks and poles for the kids to raft on. A rope bridge. A mudslide, and a building area (this is what creates the 6yr lower limit). In this area kids can hammer, and over 7 can saw wood. They have forts built, and you can add on to them at will.  I could totally see Tori and Katie spending hours there, adding to the existing forts.  We spent about 2-1/2 hours and had a GRAND time.

Today we've vegged. :o)

Suirrels and shopping

That's the forest creature Katie's class was for ballet recital '07. The production was Peter Pan. It was ADORABLE!  My dad had the camera, as Beth has mine in DC. So pictures will come when he uploads them and gives me the cd.

So, we did dress rehearsal, then had roughly 3 hours to kill, which from 3-6 on a week night living where I do doesn't allow me to go home. So we did the only reasonable thing. We went to a mall.  This mall is cool, it has a limited too, Hannah Anderson, and JJill. All 3 were having sales. My poor piggy bank.  Katie and Tori are loved, and I got me another pair of "real" shorts. Sorry but 33, mom of 4 does not need to wear daisy duke style shorts, thankyouverymuch.  We walked slowly and just enjoyed, we also hit Barnes and Noble and Katie got two chapter books, I got Drew a Kinder workbook. I looked for Tori, but she owned all of the Fairy books they had in stock. The cool sunglasses for Katie needed a place to be kept so she now has a cool Hello Kitty purse, and I got my 3rd hole in my right ear. I've been lopsided for years and years and it's bugged me, so I fixed it. Dinner at Coco's and back to the theatre.

 

Today I mostly finished the girls' summer wardrobe with a visit to Narrtjie.com (thanks T, I'm officially in love).   All they really need now are jean shorts / capris for camp, which we'll pick up at Target, tomorrow, I think.

 

a graduate and a birthday girl

Thursday Beth graduated. Cool ceremony, but LONG. 

 

Friday night - Saturday mid-morning was Tori's 9th birthday party, sleepover. 

Saturday afternoon was Beth's grad. party / Tori's family party.

I'm pooped. Here's a picture of our graduate, and our birthday pixie.            

Bad Mommy.

Poor Katie. Yesterday Katie received her trophy for 2nd place in her grade spelling bee.  I suck, I missed the assembly.  If that's not bad enough, she then fell and twisted her ankle. She had ice put on it, but then went back to class, walked to the car, through a store with me, and finally at a friends' birthday party I observe a "naked" ankle and see how swollen it is. It's sprained.  I feel badly that I had her walking through the store with me. I could've stuck her in a cart. Grr, me.

So send quick to heal thoughts...

Her ballet recital is Monday. It's not about the dancing, or the costume.  I care that she is allowed to be on stage. She loves this, and has been talking about it for months. She likely won't dance, but she can go sit and "play" squirrel on the side of the stage when her class is dancing.  That's what I'm hoping for and since her teacher is the coolest it shouldn't be too hard for this to happen.

The birthday party was mostly fun for her. But the concert in the park (riding in the wagon with pillows for head and foot) was fun. She said she felt very princess-y being wheeled around in her "chariot" .. at least I got that part.

 

Beth "graduates" from 8th grade today.  I'm excited for her!  I'll take pictures.... and post them asap (figure a month with me).

One great wedding

Sunday evening my dear friend C. was married.  I think, now 4 days later, I'm nearly recovered from it all.  What a blur of frenzied activity.  I'll post pictures soon.

I feel another nap coming on. hehe

This week

Thankfully this week has been more fun, as I thought it would be.  The weekend was moderately low-key for us. Nothing on Saturday and Sunday after church the girls and I attended a birthday party.  Monday morning was the spelling bee competitions at our elementary school where Katie-bug  competed for 1st grade. She took 2nd place!!!!!!! I was impressed with her spelling ability!  But oh I am so not a competitive mom-observer. I was sooooo nervous for her.  I rooted for her, but anytime she had to spell a word I sat on my hands, so as not to wring them and make her nervous, which she never was.

The rest of the week has been normal, boring stuff. C's wedding is Sunday so I'm not in full sewing mode to get my mom's jacket finished.  We got Drew's kilt at the Scottish fest a couple weeks ago. I have to go today, I think, to get him and the girls shoes for the wedding. 

Friday is Drew's promotion night at preschool. His class will sing a couple songs after dinner, then receive a certificate, then dessert. Should be a blast.

The weekend is wedding. I'll tell ya all about it when we get back Monday afternoon.

A day of adventure?

First Happy Birthday (yesterday) to my dear friend T.  I hope you had a magical day!

Yesterday, for me, for parts, sucked. First it's my son's birthday. No not Drew. Alex, he would have been 11 years old yesterday.  It's been nearly 10 years since he got his angel wings, and it's still as sucky now as the first year.   Then to add to the "fun" I found out Beth did not get the transfer we wanted, so as of now she's going to WHS. ICK! in the last 3 weeks they've had 4 bomb threats. I'm so not pleased! I'm going to contact the other HS to see if their band director can help us at all as Beth is accomplished on the violin.  Then There's N. my darling next door neighbor "girl" she's a jr at WHS, and is taking child development. I allowed Drfew to go as a "guinea pig" for a class. Of course my plan to stay with him was foiled when Tori needed me to pick her up as her allergies were bothering her. So I get Tori, get her meds, go get Katie, go back to get Drew and yep, you guessed it. Lock down due to bomb threat. I finally did the only "rational" thing. I parked without permit in the student lot and walked through the receiving gates onto campus (no locked gates) and went and got Drew. I was stopped by one adult who wanted to know where I was going. I gave a classroom number.. that was it! NOT safe to my mind.  I called and spoke to the principal after I got home. She sounded very embarassed.

To compensate for the crummy afternoon I thought it would be fun to have dinner at the Pub. WRONG. Drew didn't get a nap, and was therefore WILDMAN.  We ended up coming home just after DH and Beth arrived (from Ballet) and having leftovers.  Then I went to choir and back to the pub to meet mom to hear a new band (to us) who are very good heavy metal/punk. The Vindakits. Mom was enjoying them, and truly surprised most of the other patrons.  It was the one main point of fun in the day.

 

Today promises to be much better. I'm now off to eat disgustingly bad for you food too early in the day, while watching a movie with my daughter before taking her to meet her youth group for a weekend at the lake.