Saturday, March 28, 2009

JRFH and PSIA

Friday was Jump Roper For Heart at ACA. They get to wear their field day/trip shirts for this event and whatever shorts they want. I also wore my "field day" shirt (I put it in quotations because the chances of me going to field day this year are about as good as me growing to 6 ft. tall tomorrow). But, I digress. Since I had the camera there, I asked Jackie to take a picture of all of us in our shirts. Here we are in my "habitat".
Now, you have all read about "Becky Hale" cookies on this blog, many times. Well, her cupcakes are on the border of being just as good. They are certainly just as pretty. She made these in honor of one of a teachers' birthday. Aren't they beautiful? Almost too pretty to eat...almost. Yes, that red thing on there is an m&m decorated like a ladybug. AMAZING!!!! Becky you outdid yourself on these.
Here's Sadie Jumping Rope for Heart.


And Madeline.



Today was PSIA. It stands for Private School something that starts with an "I" and something that starts with an "A". I think the "I" and "A" should stand for Intercranial Athletics.
Did you ever see the movie Searching for Bobby Fisher"? How the parents are all there during the chess matches and the kids are stressing, etc.? This was just as intense. The kids are all sitting around in their school groups getting that last minute studying in and all the parents are looking around, sizing up the competition (I am guessing that's what they were doing) and encouraging their children.
Sadie did Art Memory. That is where they memorize famous paintings (well, not so famous like Mona Lisa or anything, I had never heard of any of these paintings) and the artist. They are shown some of those paintings and they have to know the name and artist. Sadie placed 6th. I am very proud of her.


This was a surreal experience for me. I walked into a situation I knew NOTHING about which hasn't happened in probaby at least two years. Most of my activities in the past two years have been either ones I've done before or ones I've planned. I had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the planning, orgainizing, recruiting, teaching, signing in or anything else for PSIA. Frankly it was a little overwhelming.
I did judge two events. The first was storytelling for 1st graders. They are read a story and then they come to another room with judges (ME) and retell the story. They can make it their own or tell it like they heard it or a combination. As I sat there and listened to the various tellings of the same story, I thought "This is something Madeline should do". She would excel at that. I will encourage her next year to do it, but I won't force it.
The other event was Prose for 6th graders which is a little like the storytelling but they choose a book before today and put their spin on it. I'm not sure if they read it verbatim or if they can paraphrase but we heard some good stories. They are supposed to emote, etc. It was very interesting.
All in all, it's been a good week.



Saturday, March 21, 2009

Spring Break at Nonnie's house

Hang on folks, it's gonna be a long one...

As you know, this week was our spring break so we went to see Nonnie in Shreveport. We had several reasons for going, not the least of which was just to get to spend time at Nonnie's house soaking in her radiance of love. OK, now that you're finished with your insulin shot...

When we got there, it was a trifecta of goodness. Not only were there Oreos there, but DOUBLE STUFFED Oreos! And, then, she handed me my very own key to her house. And, then, I opened my Christmas present from Auntie B. who had forgotten it at her house at Christmas time and look at it, it's an M&M's watch! How cute is that?


You know, the belated Christmas thing is quite all right. I still have the presents I made for my family in my scrapbooking stuff. There's a little hint for y'all (the family) - not the general reading public, I didn't make enough for everyone. Yeah, yeah, I know, I should have but heavens - I only have so much time...ANYWHO...maybe they'll get them before next Christmas, maybe not. My choir buddies didn't get their gifts until Lent had started. But, they still liked them!

After getting out of the van, the girls decided it was hot enough to play in the hose. So, play in the hose they did.
Then, we put together this awesome High School Musical puzzle. OK, the puzzle was actually awesome, not necessarily the subject.

One of the reasons we went (besides the aforementioned love radiation) was so Nonnie and Mads could shop for her first Communion dress. Here are the intrepid shoppers about to go off on their adventure.
This is the only preview you get. I sent Mom with the camera and she says she took pics of the "discarded" dresses, but I didn't see any. That's OK, Mom, y'all picked the best one anyway.
According to Mumsey, When they went to the store, the first dress Mads saw she said "that's the dress I want" and although Mom made her try on several more, the first dress was indeed the dress and that's the one they got.
After they got back, we went down to the park and fed the ducks...

...and took pictures...

















...lots of pictures.
Another reason, well, we actually decided to do this after the trip was planned, was to take pictures of Mads in her Communion dress and the girls in their Easter dresses at the Norton Art Gallery.


Here is my sister, Pamela, in charge of the veil.


We were scouting out places to take pictures when we ran across...


Pamela had an unnatural fondness for him.


Aaron even came up to see his Mommy and his sisters!



You may be wondering why no pics of the girls in their finery. Well, it's been a long-standing tradition on this blog not to post Easter pics before Easter and certainly, I could not post a first Communion dress picture before the actual big day. You'll just have to tune in for those big reveals.
Today, on the way home, we stopped between Longview and Kilgore to see an old high-school friend that I'm now in touch with thanks to Facebook. We have other plans to get together but at least we saw each other a few minutes today. Thanks, Colleen, for taking time out of your day! I enjoyed it!


This is Colleen and I (her son Zack is only months older than Anna!). She runs (alot). I don't.
Hey, if you're not on Facebook, you should go on there and just check it out. I've gotten in contact with lots of people from my past. It's really a neat thing. http://www.facebook.com/













































































Monday, March 16, 2009

Spring Break day 1

First day of spring break and all is right with the world. The sun was out, the house was clean-ish and I slept in. Hmmmm, not a bad way to spend the Monday of spring break. One of the things I did do today was Sadie's hair. Yeah, the "Princess Leia" (or however you spell it) look is back . Yep, that's a bun on either side of her head. It's kinda cute but very hard to do.
A sure sign of spring about to be sprung is the popsicle guy having a swarm of kids around him. Proof positive...
And, for our evening meal, Madeline prepared a lovely dining experience for us in honor of our 12th anniversary which was yesterday. Here is the menu.

It reads "beautiful by Madely" and "Just desserts". Inside, you had the choice of several sandwiches, chips with dips, hugs, kisses, a variety of drinks and several desserts.



She took the orders, made the food and delivered it. She even had candles lit and music.
What a lovely way to end the first day of spring break '09. Thanks, Madeline, you really made the day special.
Looks like there's not many more posts before the 500th. Be looking for something especially something for that. No, I don't know what it will "especially" be...creative? moving? heartwarming? all of the above? who knows? I sure don't. I guess we'll just have to see.




Monday, March 09, 2009

Goodbye forever ol' Blue!

This Saturday, we took ol' Blue to her final resting place. A nice "car graveyard" where all good cars go and they are treated car-ly (car equivalent of humanely). This is ol' Blue's journey to the end...her last trip out of the 'hood.

Her last "head shot"...

Phillip saying "good-bye", not pushing her.
As it should be, she had a procession to her grave, Conrad drove her, Phillip behind him and I brought up the rear. We had our lights and flashers on, more as a warning than out of respect, since we were only going about 40 on the highway. I even got misty-eyed on the way over there. Once we reached her final resting spot, it appeared she may have thrown a rod, the equivalent of a heart attack for a human. It was just too much for her, I guess, being said "good-bye" to, leaving us all for the last time.
She served us well, these past 16 1/2 years. One "heart" (motor) transplant and that's about it for the major work done on her. Heaven knows she never had any cosmetic "surgery". May you come back as a solar powered car or something equally useful in your next life, ol' Blue. We'll miss you.


Monday, March 02, 2009

Canton

Yesterday, Conrad, the girls and I met a friend of mine that graduated from High School with me and her family in Canton for some catching up and shopping. I would have known her if I ran into her on the street. She hasn't really changed much. Well, her hair is shorter. San always had lllloooooonnnnngggg hair in HS. Although, I think before we graduated she got it cut for a pageant or something. Anyway, here is the whole gang, mine and hers. She's the one in the shades.

Her children are adorable, by the way. I'm kicking myself that I didn't take pictures of just them. Miss Josephine is beautiful and Tobin is all boy. Handsome but all boy. Hopefully we'll get together again and I'll take better pics.




San and I - quite obviously facing the sun - hence the squint.


San found herself.

This was my big purchase yesterday. $12, personalized just for me (with some bling, mind you). Pretty good deal, don't you think? Well, I really like it so there.