We raised our glasses against evil forces...

Friday night we got to cut loose and go to Pete's dueling piano bar with a group of people from my work. (Check out the slideshow from their website here) All eight of us piled into our white "party van" as they called it; and we even got valet parking!!! (Mema and Papa could have never foreseen this :-) We had a great time singing, dancing, and being thoroughly entertained by the musicians and people we went with. We even had to go up on stage and do the Chicken Dance with random bachelorettes. The music was great and varied, from Toby Keith (as the title hints), to Elton John, and the Black Eyed Peas. We kept thinking how much the OK Penses would have loved this place. The good thing is that I stayed sober and got us all home safely.

Man! I feel like a woman!

Well, I went to the chiropractor today, and I feel as good as new! The man has magic hands - truly a gift. He can do what painkillers never could. After moving all the textbooks, furniture, boxes, and just miscellaneous junk, I really needed an adjustment because my shoulder was starting to draw up again. Then, tonight I went shopping and got a cute outfit complete with jewelry for tomorrow night when Rich and I are going to a dueling piano bar. I didn't have time to shop for shoes, but I think I have some that will work. I never seem to get around to buying new shoes - I need to work on that, I guess. The kids were okay, but they couldn't keep their hands off the manequins. I'm not sure what fascinates them so much about them, but they always have to touch them repeatedly. Alyssa locked herself in the fitting room and wouldn't open the door. She just stood there crying. We got the lady to open the door for us. It was sad and funny all at the same time. Poor thing!

Alyssa is feeling somewhat better. That's a blessing. Jonathan has his awards ceremony in the morning. The principal has agreed to do the ceremony, so that's good. I don't have to prep for it. I've been feeling bad the last two days - I think I have Alyssa's bug, but I'm fighting it as much as possible. We'll see what happens.

I made a photo book for Jonathan's teacher for the year. It finally came in TODAY! Thank God! Tomorrow is his last day before the summer, and I wanted for Jonathan to be able to give it to him. It turned out really well. I may spend the summer using up my current Creative Memories supplies, and then I may switch over to digital. You can really create an entire album in about an hour, and they turn out well. I will probably still do traditional albums for the kids, but I may switch over for all the ones that don't have memorabilia in them.

If only summer would come!

O Summer, Where Art Thou?

The thermometer said 97 degrees today, but somehow summer just isn't here yet! Today has been crazy - again. I guess I should say normal, since crazy seems to be the standard. I spent most of the day in special education meetings, doing paperwork, or solving a Kindergarten graduation vs. awards program issue. I'm tired and ready for summer when all I have to think about is which t-shirt to wear or which day to take the kids to the library!

Memorial Day weekend was nice. We had a great picnic, enjoyed seeing family we hadn't seen in 6 months, and decorated several graves. I went by my dad's grave on the way home, and barely beat sunset. I'm glad I went because the flowers we had put out previously were a little faded. We put out a flag, updated the flowers, and then put some purple flowers out on my grandparents' grave as well. Next time I want to buy enough to do all the other relatives' sites in the cemetery. Almost all my ancestors are there, and it doesn't get much traffic way out in the country like that--but it's a peaceful place under the wide Texas sky.

Alyssa is sick today - stomach issues and a fever. She hasn't eaten very much, either. Jonathan is enjoying his last few days as a Kindergartener. He's done really well this year, and I can't believe he'll be in first grade! He brought home his journal from this year, and it's really cute. He's got all sorts of things he's written about - mostly monsters, class events, or super heroes. I also ordered his school supplies today - they will be delivered to his new class in the fall! How fabulous is that? I don't have to fight crowds, and he gets everything he's supposed to have exactly the way the teachers want it. I will probably still get him a few special things, but the basics are covered.

Two more days.........God help us all!

Oh My Gosh!

Today has been totally exhausting! I spent the better part of four hours this morning doing a lot of heavy lifting of textbooks (most of it had to go on shelves above my head), curriculum boxes, etc., and counting all of it for the end of the year inventory. I have aching muscles all over. I also had to deal with an emotionally disturbed child, punish two kids who were messing around in class and throwing objects, make an alternative school placement, deal with "adult" teachers who were bickering over rooms, squelch a gripe fest about duty assignments for next year, retrain some students in the hall who apparently thought summer had already arrived, and crunch data on two kids which would determine whether they were retained or not---and this was all BEFORE lunch! I'm exhausted. I spent this entire afternoon in a meeting that really was a waste of my time, except for the last 30 minutes.

Tomorrow is field day, so I'll be OUTSIDE in the 90 degree weather all day, and I am not looking forward to it because I'm so tired from collecting textbooks all week. And, we have to pack sometime tonight. I may just throw stuff in a bag and see what I end up with! :-)

Summer.......I hear you calling! Or maybe it's the mint in the backyard screaming to be made into a mojito! ;-)

The picture above is from the Kindergarten field trip to the Children's Museum. Jonathan and I had a great time! This photo is from the variety show that Jonathan performed in last week. Kindergarten did a little song called "The Jack in the Box." Jonathan faked a reaction each time, and it made everyone laugh. He spent the time between "pops" staring into the box and talking to "Jack." He's such a clown!

Next week is Jonathan's Kindergarten Graduation Program. Our principal calls it Kindergarten Awards, but the faculty took pictures of the kids in caps and gowns. I got one of Jonathan - it pays to work where your kid goes to school! It's really cute, and he was excited to pose in the outfit.

I also took the kids to a water park on Tuesday night for Jonathan's T-Ball awards night--all by myself. They played in the water, Jonathan went down the scarey twisty slides (after I bribed him), and then he spent the next hour doing it over and over again! He had a blast. He kept stopping to give me a thumbs up, though. Alyssa enjoyed the splash park area. She "crawled" through the water and called it swimming. We also went to the wave pool so the kids could see what the ocean would be like in June. They really enjoyed it. Richard couldn't go that evening, but the kids and I really had a wonderful time - even though I was nervous before we left that I would lose one of them or that someone would get hurt.

Well, that's about it for us this week. Lots of busy, lots of fun. About normal! :-)

FRIDAY!!!!

Well, it is FINALLY Friday. It seems like this week has been twice as long as normal, and very chaotic. Richard has had a busy and hard week, and so have I. There is a lot going on at work, and it's all exhausting mentally. It's that time of year! All the crazy is oozing out of people, and we all just need summer (and margaritas)!

Today was a great day, though very exhausting. I got to go with Jonathan on the kindergarten field trip. We went to the children's museum and to a park for lunch. We had a good time playing, and to my surprise he even wanted to sit with me on the bus over his friends (at least on the way there). That was special. He also came into my office after school today with a sunflower plant in a decorated pot that he made for me for Mother's Day. It is really cute. He drew pictures of the two of us on his pot, and he wrote that I was the best mom ever on the side of it. It's really cute, and SO Jonathan! He says it will grow as big as him, so now we have a science project for the first part of the summer. If it gets that big, I promise to post pictures!

This next week we have our employee banquet, a variety show that Jonathan will be in, T-ball practice, and his last game for the season......along with several other engagements/activities. I will also be going to Sonora on Friday with our fifth grade to see some caverns. Sonora is past San Antonio, so it is quite a drive for one day! I am not looking forward to going - I hate long trips because I don't get to see my own kiddos for the entire day.

High for today - I got the opportunity to help a friend, and she was really appreciative AND my field trip with Jonathan.
Low for today - Richard had to work a game tonight and isn't home yet.

After the Rain...To the Park We Go

Tuesday evening Cynthia had to stay late at school for Kindergarten roundup. It was just me and the kids; so I pulled them in the wagon to the neighborhood park.

Checkout our rose bushes and other pics.

Rainy Monday

Today is has been dark, cloudy, and rainy - a perfect day to curl up and rest. We didn't have a faculty meeting, which was nice, and T-ball was cancelled. It has been nice to have the time at home.

The kids have been very noisy tonight, and they are still sitting at the table (After being there for an hour already) trying to finish their meals. I am going to be sure they are put to bed on time, if not a bit early. But first, Jonathan needs to practice his reading. I really enjoy hearing him read, but sometimes he fusses about it and cries. I have to prepare him ahead of time so he knows it is coming.......otherwise he gets mad because it cuts into his play time.

I really need a break from work to do some things around the house. I may have to plan a day off soon.