All things Family

This has been one of the busiest 2 days of our lives. As everyone knows, we haven't been to visit my family since the end of July. We had 2 1/2 months worth of fun to pack into two days. So buckle your seat belts and hold on. It will be a bumpy ride.

It all started about mid day Friday. Sara Kate wanted to get her ears pierced. Since, apparently, I am all things fru fru, I was elected the one to take her (that and her Mom is chicken). We got to the mall and went straight to the ear piercing place. As my luck would have it, the other lady wouldn't be in for about an hour. Never fear, I thought, we'll just go eat lunch and come back. So that is exactly what we did. As divine intervention would have it, the ear piercing place was right beside "The Great American Cookie Co." There is a God and He is good. (and so are the double doozies) After what seemed like 2 hours, both of the ear piercing personnel where present and accounted for. Let's get this show on the road. Sara Kate had been so patient and I was afraid she was going to change her mind. I have video of this monumental occasion, so I am going to let it speak for itself.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The abrupt end to the video was do to the waterworks that I detected were eminent. She had absolutely no desire to gaze upon herself right after they were done. She wanted to, and I quote, "go home right now". After a few minutes, I talked her into picking out another pair of ear rings and I finally got her to look in the mirror. She was very pleased with what she saw. However, she still has NO desire to watch this video herself.

I would also be amiss if I didn't mention how patient and compassionate Bryce was during this whole excursion. He was the picture of a great Big Brother. He didn't even complain that every store he went in was dripping with pink and sparkly things. We did however, manage to find some kind of Poke Mon thing that didn't have pink on it and we snatched it up and bought it before they realized it was in the wrong store.

After all of that drama, we came to Granda's. Their first activity was getting fit on the WII fit, while I recharged my battery. Not long after that the kids talked G-Daddy into a "Golf Cart Ride" Let's just go ahead and get this out in the open. G-Daddy is getting to be a big softy in his retirement years. I came out to see what they were doing, and G-Daddy was sitting on the steps of the Deck and the children were driving the Golf Cart. To this they replied. We are getting our Golf Cart License. Well, I don't know how thorough the instructor could have been sitting on the side lines, but I will say Thank Goodness the DMV is a little more hands on with giving out drivers license to the public. Anyway, they are all officially "Golf Cart Licensed" ( a piece of card board with their official given name and birth date, and they are filed away in the "glove compartment" of the golf cart in case they are pulled over by a deer on duty some day.

After the golf cart ride, came the great pumpkin painting extravaganza. Not much to say that you can't predict about painting a pumpkin other than, enjoy the pictures.
By this time we (the adults) are give out. So its off to be with everyone.

The morning started with the sound of a rocket launching (which we also did the night before ((not kidding)) Seriously, we really launched a rocket. Not kidding, Where does the whole rocket launching thing come into play this morning you ask. Let me tell you. When we are all here, G-Daddy HAS to make his famous waffles. He bought a high dollar waffle maker because this one literally sounds like a rocket breaking the sound barrier as it lands from Mars. Not only is it a wonderful waffle maker it is also handy in the alarm clock department for those who need a little extra help waking up in the morning. However, he has been known to make waffles out on the deck as to not wake any the children before Granda has her coffee. This is strictly for the safety of the children. But I digress...... G-Daddy made his waffles and Uncle Brad his perfect fried eggs on toast with sausage and gravy. Yummy!

Now, the photo shoot. We always try to have Aunt Shana take pictures while we are here. I may be fru fru in the appearance dept. but Shana is all about the picture taking. Seriously, we walked all over these 28 acres to find the perfect spot for Maci and Bayley's photo op.

Upon returning from the photo shoot, we ate lunch and started straight away on decorating cupcakes. Each child was suppose to have 6 cup cakes to decorate with various types of candy. Aunt Shana stole a couple of somebodies and decorated them herself. They all turned out beautiful. After cleaning up the kitchen from that we enjoyed sitting a spell on the front porch. Although that could have happened before, I'm not exactly sure.

After supper, we cleaned up the kitchen again and went outside to the bon fire. There we sang old camp songs and roasted marsh mellows for smores. YUM YUM. Aunt Shana stressed the whole time that someone would fall in the fire. But no one did. We all enjoyed our sweet treat and laughed at each others shenanigans.

Then on to the hay ride. You will see in the video the masks that Sara Kate and Shana had to wear. If I'm not mistaken, Shana referred to the whole thing as an allergy infested bed of Hell. Enough said.

We ended the night by sitting around the bon fire again and playing a silly little game that made us laugh. I have to say, I am so thankful for a family that enjoys being together. And goes out of their way to make the time that we do spend together soooo special. Thank you Granda, G-Daddy, Uncle Brad, Uncle Scott, and Aunt Shana. I love you!!!



P.S. Granda has passed out beside me and is muttering something about, "this was the big one Elizabeth"


P.S.S. Oh and Maci rode a motorcycle. That was nerve racking.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!!

That is MY battle cry. I finally got it. Please enjoy the video montage (how cool am I) of the game tonight. We won 48 to 16!!! GO RAMS!!!! There is no stopping me now.
I'm still working on manning the camera to the best of its ability. I just might have it under control by Basketball season.

There is a girl on the squad that reminds me soooo much of Sara Kate. This has GOT to be what she is going to look like when she gets older. When you see a close up of a blonde doing the "get fired up" crowd cheer, tell me what you think. Bayley & I are in complete agreement.

ENJOY!!!!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hip Hip Hooray!!!!

Three cheers for Bayley. The voting has been done. The ballots have been counted and Bayley has been announced the winner. She has now officially started her reign as the Student Council Secretary at Skyview Elementary. She has promised in her campaign that Bayley is a name you can trust. She has also promised to be all that she should be for her fellow students.

When asked.... "what does this mean you will be doing" she replied without trepidation and I quote..... "I don't know, but I am the 3rd most important person at Skyview, other than the Principal and all the Teachers." All us "little people" should feel proud to have such a go getter representing us.

Not only is she the 3rd most important person in the whole school (except for the Principal and Teachers that is) she is also the camera girl for WSKY. (the schools TV station) She will begin that monumental task on Monday. This task, she is a little more sure of her responsabilities.... She has to step over a cord several times during the broadcast. If she doesn't, she will trip over it and as she said "there goes WSKY"

I thought you might would like to read a copy of her campaign speech:

Good morning my fellow Countrymen,

My name is Bayley Whitton. We are young, we are free. The sky is the limit for our possibilites. As I think of each students roaming the halls, the thought comes to mind, "They need direction." Direction calls for Leadership. I am fully prepared to do all that is whithin my power to make your time at Skyview Elementary the best that it can be. So remember.... Vote for me "Bayley Whitton" for Secretary.

God Bless America!

We are keeping her campaign posters, she may need them in the year 2025.

Plant Cells?

Even though this week is National Stay at Home Week, or so I'm told. We have been anything but staying at home. Neither Skyview Elementary nor Covenant Academy got the memo. Well, I take that back. Apparently Maci's cheer coach did, because she wasn't there today or yesterday causing me to have to make a trip to Covenant to pick Maci up.

If my children would let us know that they need things before the eleventh hour, all would be right in the world. This whole middle school thing takes a lot to get used to. When they are in Elementary school, they get all kinds of papers keeping us informed as to what is coming up and what we need to do. Well, that is so not the case in Middle School. I haven't seen an informative piece of paper much less a graded paper. They don't know Maci all that well, or they would revert to safety pinning notes to her shirt. She must be doing o.k. They mailed her progress report and she did quite well.

Now for the reason for this blog..... She has a report due at the end of this week. Can you believe it? She is going to turn it in tomorrow. We are so far ahead of schedule it is scary. I can't get ahead of myself. She told us Sunday afternoon, she had to have a board for her science project and that she had to have it by Monday. I got in the car Monday afternoon, and guess what was in the back seat. HER BOARD!!!!! Anyway, her project is finished, and if she actually turns it in tomorrow she will get extra credit.

She did this all by herself. She made the brownies (from scratch). Her daddy broke a fire ball so that it would take its place as the cell's nucleus (or something like that). The rest she did all by herself. I think the most challenging part of the whole thing was keeping Bayley and her Daddy out of the candy and brownies until she got what she needed. Way to go Maci!!!! Here are a few pictures. She is very proud of herself.

I am to understanad that this will be graded and then consumed during lunch. Talk about weird science.

TGTF

This is a post that I wrote last week at about this time. The facts are not exactly the same, but the circumstances are similar.

Thank God Tomorrow's Friday. At this time, that is my only consolation. It is in fact the reason I will drag myself out of bed in the morning. We just got home for the day about 20 minutes ago. It is 9:43 at this time. Today, was quite a day, It started like most mornings.... around 6:00. I spent most of the day in the dish room, which I am certain is exactly what hell is going to be like. At the end of the day, I made arrangements for Bayley to be picked up (thank you Michelle). I rushed to Covenant to pick Maci and Brandon up so that I could get home, take a shower and get the Lunch Lady funk off of me, gather Bayley and have Brandon and Maci at Windsor by 4:30. I was on Ayers Rd. and my cell phone rang. It was Maci, I was all prepared to tell her I am almost there, but NO!!! I answered and the child said to me, and I quote. "Mom, you don't have to come and pick me up, I have practice and I forgot to tell you." She then proceeded to act as if it would be absolutely no problem for me to take Brandon to wherever and come back at 3:45 and pick her up. Now for a little math lesson. At that time it was 3:20 I wouldn't have even made it home by the time I would have had to be back to pick her up. I'm sure your thinking, "Shelley, what is the big deal? You could have just stayed the extra 25 minutes and waited on her." Well, you have forgotten that my life is not that easy. Did I mention that I wanted to come home and take a shower? If you will refer to the first paragraph of this nail biting blog, I worked at the gates of hell today. I was not exhibiting the most pleasant odor that has ever emanated from my person. You see, in order for us to be at Windsor by 4:30, we were going to have to leave no later that 4:10. Now here is where the math comes in..... In no way was I going to be able to get her and take a shower and have Brandon at Windsor by the time he was suppose to be there. Not to mention Maci had to come home and change into her uniform. I have never been much of a fan of cloning, but today, I would have tried anything.

Praise the Lord for my neighbor across the street... her daughter is on the squad with Maci. I don't like to ask people for help but, when I saw her walking across the school parking lot with a soft glow of light beaming behind her. While the Hallelujah Chorus was ringing in my ears, I knew this had to be Divine Intervention. I asked her and she said she would bring Maci home.

I flew home took a quick shower and was ready by the time Maci got home. Brandon changed, Maci changed and we ran out the door. I drove like a bat out of the bad place to make it on time. I pull in and mowed over a few innocent bystanders and notice that there is hardly anyone there. I voiced my concern, and Brandon said, "I didn't have to be here until 4:45."

I am sorry to say that neither Brandon or Maci are with us anymore, for I have pulverized them. At least in prison, I won't have to play taxi for anybody. OMG. I know they have jobs for inmates, you watch.... it will be my luck I'll have to either work in the kitchen or I'll be assigned some kind of taxi service.Oh well, Thank God Tomorrow is Friday!!!!!!

And She Sings Too

Listen, I have been up since 6:00 and I have just finished working for today. No fancy words or clever whatevers just simply a picture of Bayley's Choral Debut. She did great. I can't believe she is old enough to be in chorus. I also tried to video the song and I'll try to post it.

O.K. I've tried 3 times and can't get the video on here. Shana I will need your guidance, since you have put videos on yours on several different occasions.

Vote For Bayley....

....A Name you can Trust. At some point this month (not sure yet when) all of Skyview Elementary will be faced with a decision. And we're not talking about what their favorite ice cream flavor is. No way, this is a topic that far surpasses the childish whims of ice cream. For they will be voting on their Student Council Representatives. Only 4th and 5th graders are allowed to run for such important offices. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, 4th graders run for Secretary and Treasurer and 5th graders run for President and Vice President. But that doesn't diminish the importance of this event. For here at campaign headquarters, production has begun on the very important Campaign posters. Tomorrow they will be strategically hung in the halls as to attract the most electoral votes as possible.

So, if you are keeping close tabs on the other small election that is going on at this time, I would like to remind you that good leaders have to start somewhere. Who knows, she may be the next President of the United States of America in the year 2058.

I'm just saying......

Here are a few pictures of the posters she made.