Junior/Senior Prom 2010

Last night was the PROM! We spent the whole day getting ready-literally! There were hair appointments at 8:30 am, nails at 11:00 am, light lunch with friends, pictures at 5:00 pm at one location (unfortunately rained out), pictures at a second location at 6 pm, dinner for 15 couples with appetizers beforehand at one child's home, dance at 9 pm (started at 8 but no one wants to be on time), breakfast at midnight and then bedtime at 2:30 am. I am tired just from the recounting of the day! Whew! Okay, I was not really there for a lot of these events. I participated from 6-8 only then got up at 2:30 am just to get the scoop from my oldest K. She had a great time and looked absolutely gorgeous!!!! The most beautiful girl I saw and I am not bias. I can actually remember both my junior and senior proms like they were yesterday. I went to both with H. who is now my husband, so that is kind of fun! I also feel old, where did the time go?

Last field trip . . . in first grade

The first grade classes went to a local university's farm on Friday. I went because M. LOVES for me to go and that only lasts for a few years! So I took my camera not having any idea what we would be seeing. Well, it is a research farm for both plants and animals. The kids saw the chickens first and immediately decided that they REEKED!!! Next we went to the swine research section where they are experimenting with different types of food for pigs, especially trying to find something sustainable, cheap and not corn! The piglets were super cute and the big guys were so muddy. There was another noxious odor here too, but not quite as bad. M and I talked about her grandmother's pet pig, Chubby. My mom tells the best stories about Chubby and we got a laugh thinking about her with that pig! Next the kids got to pick organic strawberries at their peak! M. loves to pick but not to eat. So she picked 3 cartons for me. They looked so good she decided to taste one this year to see if she liked them now. YEAH! She likes them! We ate one carton that was so juicy and warm from the sun. Delicious! Lunch at a park then I scooped her up and we went home early. Picked L. up on the way back so the 3 of us enjoyed a couple of hours of extra day together! Fun Friday!

My new toy!!

I bought myself a NOOK! It was for Mother's Day (another story entirely)! I have had it only a little over 1 week and I already LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! I have downloaded one book and finished it. Read samples of several books, read several articles from the New Yorker, downloaded the second book in the Percy Jackson series to read with M. and downloaded my book club's newest selection. I take it everywhere! I ordered a lovely lime green faux leather cover with the Martin Tupper quote "A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever." If I go in a Barnes and Noble I can read anything on it for free and they have Free Fridays where you can download the chosen book for free. It is the best gadget I have ever had!! I am a big reader and in 3 book clubs so I think it is the perfect gift for me (from me!). Okay I realize this sounds like a commercial. Sorry, just happy with my new toy!

A run to remember

We live in a great neighborhood that has lots of parks and greenways. I walk our dogs usually twice a day and through the greenway (sometimes letting them off the leash). It is really nice with lots of flowering plants, a path that twists and turns beside a creek. Well H. and I decided to go for a run, for exercise, and take the dogs. This might work if you had one dog or two extremely well trained dogs but with ours, it became "a run to remember"! We each held one and headed out. There were multiple stops to pee, poop and smell and then the tangling of the leashes and the prickly ball obstacle course on the path. We are lucky none of us (dogs included) ended up with a twisted ankle or worse. If anyone had been watching this spectacle from behind, they would have died laughing!!! One dog would stop, the other, go full speed, then change direction as the stopped dog started catching up. If anyone had been watching this spectacle from behind, they would have gotten a good laugh! It was HILARIOUS! I don't think we will be repeating this for a long time.

wouldn't you like a glass of lemonade?

How cute is this? M. and her friends/neighbors held a lemonade stand to raise money for Haiti. Great idea, cute little girls, and a hot day made for a profit and loads of fun!!

Pass the Torch Camporee

This was my weekend! It was L's Girl Scout Silver Award project to have a camporee. Well, it was a HUGE camporee for 300 people! The weather was unseasonably hot! but NO RAIN!!!

The girls, mine in particular, did an outstanding job! I was so very proud of L. She showed real leadership skills and a wonderful ability to communicate with adults and children of all ages. L. was able to think on her feet and modify any activity to suit her audience and she really impressed me speaking to such a large group of people. The planning of the camporee and working with the troop has been overwhelming to me at times and I am so relieved to have it over! Great experience but won't need to repeat it- at least for 7 more years!! This was the last camporee for my oldest and the first for my youngest. I had all 3 of my troops there. It was definitely a memorable weekend for us all!

My Peonies

Peonies are my most favorite flower- and only in bloom in early May (which happens to be the month of my anniversary, birthday and Mother's Day). I planted a peony plant about 2 years ago. The first year, no blooms. Last year, I had 2 buds, but they got ripped off by a leaf blower cord before they could bloom. So this year I was guarding the plant with my life! I had 2 big buds with 2 smaller ones, shooting off one of the larger ones. I have been told that the number of blooms will double each year and that I should cut off the smaller buds to allow more energy to get to the larger one. All I know is that these blooms were one of the best parts of my Mother's Day! Can you smell them? They are beautiful and make me so very happy!

A wonderful birthday so far. . .

Today is my birthday and so far it has been really great! The weather was sunny, blue skies and a slight breeze. My 7 year old brought me breakfast in bed-after I had to wake my husband so he could wake her so she could "surprise" me. And it was a yummy breakfast of toasted pound cake, hot tea and a cold navel orange. M. also had me wear a birthday crown of many candles. And she told me "Mom, you do not have to do any laundry today!". Yea! Yea! After breakfast I got up to make her breakfast and lunch and get her dressed and down to the bus stop. (While my husband got back in the bed and read his book for 20 minutes- whose birthday is it anyway?). Both my other girls said "Happy Birthday" as soon as I woke them up for school. Then I had lunch with 6 great friends and we sat outside in the shade! It was a FABULOUS lunch, followed by 3 FABULOUS desserts! We enjoyed a long, 2 hour lunch, which is a real treat in itself. I had a great time and treasure each of these of women in my life!!! Tonight, we are going to one of my favorite pizza places (that also serves my favorite wine) for a family dinner. So I am looking forward to enjoying my entire birthDAY!

P.S. I am expecting a gift in addition to the beautiful peonies, if you are reading this, honey.