Happy Birthday, Sparky!

This post is a day early so that tomorrow I can focus on the OTHER birthday around here!

Happy Birthday, Dear Sparky!

Hope that turning 100 is great for you!

Oh, I mean 7!

Have a wonderful day, and tell your mom that 

the thing you want most is

CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!

Poor Princess

On Wednesdays school doesn't start until 9:20 for the kids.  The princess just stumbled out of her room, asked if it was Wednesday, and stumbled back to bed when told it was!  She set her alarm too early.  The beauty is she's probably already back to sleep.  Kids are like that!

Pre-Halloween Fun!

Last weekend the cousins had a big Halloween party to attend.  Their mama bought a bag of costumes at a garage sale, and now it was time to figure out which one to wear!  That's a smart mama!

 Mariah

 Ariana

 Sparky!

What the heck?

That's not a very attractive Snow White!

Once the costumes were worked out, it was time to go to the party.

 Mariah got to be a costume contest judge.

Can you spot her?

And here they are with their chosen costumes.

That's a much happier Sparky!

They had a great time!  

Gilligan's Island

On Friday, I hosted a game room for the last 45 minutes of the day as a reward to students with no "F"s.  They didn't all come to my room, but it was one of the options they could choose from.  The school has a lot of games, and they hang out with friends and play. (I did have some 7th grade girls trying to drum up some drama, but I promptly put a stop to that.  There is no drama allowed in my room.  I have zero patience for it.)

Anyway, a group of kids were playing a trivia game.  I'm not sure what it was called, but they were having a good time.  There would be a question with multiple answers, and they got points for each answer.  They were doing pretty well until they got to this question...Name the people on Gilligan's Island.  They were stumped!  They are far too young to have watched it originally, and apparently it doesn't re-run on any of the channels they watch.

So Jeanette and I came to their rescue.  There are 7 of them.  Can you name them?  We got them all and got them quickly!  The answer is below...

Gilligan

The Skipper

The Professor

Mr. and Mrs. Howell

Ginger

Mary Ann

Good times!

Last night J took us to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.  We hadn't been there yet.  The kids didn't want to go, so we promised to bring them back something.  This is the burrito they each ordered.  I put the glass next to it so you could get an idea of how huge this thing is.  I'm pretty sure it was about 10-12 inches long and filled with chicken, lettuce, beans, and rice.  Wow!  They both managed to snarf it down too.  No worries there!  Thanks J!

Final JV Game

Saturday the princess cheered her final JV football game of the year.  It was a close one, but we lost 7-12.  And it was chilly!  I was doing the math as I sat there...assuming she cheers through high school, there will be about 30 more football games.  About half of those will be home games that we'll attend.  Half again will be in the warmer months of August and September, so hopefully we only have about 8 more cold games to sit through!!!  Hopefully!

 She won't be happy I posted this one, but I like it!

 The final set of pushups!

And look who came to watch the last game!

Senior Night!

Last night was Senior Night at our last game (and last home game) of the season.  We played one of the other schools in town.  They were ranked #1 going into this game.  We were ranked at about #7.  I must be honest and say that I didn't think we would win.  I was a Debbie Downer.  Our best receiver was benched for getting in a fight at school earlier in the week.  But it was Senior Night, and we do have a senior to be honored so we bundled up and headed out, dragging our Florida friend with us to take photos.  (It's okay.  It was good practice for her up-coming Antarctica trip!)

 Seniors posing for me before the game.

 Practicing a stunt before the game.  

It was only about 30* when the game started and got colder as the night went on.  During a stunt at the end of 1st quarter, one of the girls being lifted fell. I'm not sure what happened, but I saw her wobble and then fall in a direction where there was no one to catch her.  The prince said he "heard a thud" behind him.  She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.  I believe it was precautionary, but we certainly hope it's nothing serious.  Cheer can be very Scary!

 The princess found friends and blankets to help keep her warm!

 The proud family!

 Those cuties!

I held it together pretty well, but when they posed for this picture I almost had a tearful mom moment!

So back to the game.  We ended up staying to watch the whole thing, because--whodathunk?--we were winning at half time!!!  The other team scored first, but they never scored again, and the final, GLORIOUS score was 24-7!!!  It was GREAT for our team.  This is their 4th win in a row.  I like to think they are hitting their stride now.  They will probably still be ranked 7th (there's one more high school game to be played today before final rankings come out), but they will definitely play in the playoffs, although it will most certainly be an away game.  That's okay.  Our boys won on the road last week and will probably be playing a team they beat earlier this season!  Go Falcons!!

Finally, here are a few of the boys with the City trophy.  Having beat both of the other teams from our town this year, they will hold the trophy this year.  I'm quite sure this has not been in their possession in YEARS!  Great job, boys!!

And I just have to give a shout-out to my Lockwood kids!  Over and over last night, many of the big plays were being made by kids from the Wood!  What a great night!

Pack The Place In Pink 2012

Last night was the annual Pack The Place in Pink event.  I don't think the turn-out was as big as in the past couple of years, but the place was definitely packed.  Even better, our JV team won their volleyball match in 3 straight games, and our Varsity girls won 3-1!  Wahoo!  Best of all, there was lots of money raised for a great cause.  The volleyball coach (who started this even when she got cancer several years ago) said last night that the first year they only sold about 800 t-shirts.  This year they ordered 10,000 shirts!!!  While we played West high last night, I saw on facebook that Senior also was sporting their own pink shirts yesterday. This is a true community event, and all funds raised stay in our region!  A special thanks to the king who worked the concession stand last night while I was taking pictures!  And thanks too to J for keeping me company and taking some of the photos you see here.  Until next year...

 The princess got to call the cheers last night!

 The prince didn't do much cheering last night,

but he did help with a stunt. 

 He had a great time though.

No photos of him stunting (crowd was in the way),

but here's a photo of him earlier in the day

with one of his cheer peeps.

Storming the court after the WIN!

A few updates:

1.  There is no coffee in our house. I'm pretty sure we have NEVER run out of coffee.  EVER.  This is not good.

2.  The prince took himself to the tux shop yesterday and rented his own tux for TWIRP.  I offered to go, but I believe his exact words were, "Mom, I've got this."  Sniff, sniff.  Can it be very long before he's ordering his own tux for his wedding.  (It better be a long time!!)  And yes, I still got to pay for the tux, just didn't get to go with him.  The good news is we can pick it up on Thursday and don't have to return it until Monday.  I mean HE gets to pick it up Thursday, and HE gets to return it Monday.

3.  You'll be glad to know that I was finally able to get my photos from Walmart.  I checked my "on line" status, which said they were done.  I went to Walmart, and sure enough, there they were.  :)  Thank goodness.  I didn't want to have to go all "western" on Walmart.  My guess is that there was a problem with the on-line part of the order but that the local Walmart didn't know that.  At least all is well now!  I know you were worried.

4.  And not to brag or anything, but so far this morning I have whitened my teeth, ironed a shirt, paid some bills, given the kids each $5 to feed themselves at the concession stand at Pack the Place in Pink tonight--it's a miracle I remember that one, boiled some pasta, cleaned out my email pile, and blogged.  And it's only 6:10 AM.  Gonna be a GREAT day people!!!  And by the way (cuz I'm not done bragging yet), I also made 9 batches of chicken pot pie filling last night.  I know.  I'm amazing.

5.  Speaking of amazing, did I tell you I changed my name?  At work I am now Annie Sullivan--the miracle worker.  Yes, it's true.  And I know about 5 teachers who will attest to it.  I got one kid to finish 9--NINE--English assignments the other day.  That might be a record for me!  I also got to holler at a kid for being a knucklehead (I hate it when kids work the system) and then right after that, as I was helping him with he vocabulary, I got to define "bellow" for him.  Trust me, the irony was not lost on me, but it totally went over his head!!

About "Family Honor"

I am giving "Family Honor" by Robert B. Parker 2 stars.  This is the story of Sunny Randall, a female detective, who is trying to figure out who is trying to kill a wealthy teen run-away.  It's a fast read, but it was pretty predictable.  Still, it's a mystery, and I like mysteries.  So it gets 2 stars!

Sometimes they are nice to each other!

Sometimes I really, really love them.  Sometimes they are nice to each other.  Sometimes...like last night. First they posed all nice before their concert.  THEN the prince even offered (without her asking or me giving him "the look") to hold her phone for her when she was on stage so she didn't have to take her bag.  What a guy!  

Fall Choir Concert

Check it out!  Both kids are in choir AND their concert was ON THE SAME NIGHT.  That never happened before because they were always in different buildings.  Wahoo!  It was a great concert.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the choir department/director at their school!!

J's Pictures

Jeanette and Grandma both came to the concert with us.  J took some great shots.  Thanks for sharing!

Dude, you're amazing.

No Dude, you're amazing.

No, you totally nailed that note.

Dude, I know you just tooted!

Or something like that...

Sneak Preview

That cute little red headed girl.  She's the prince's TWIRP date.  :)

The boy 3rd in on the left, bangs in his eyes.  Nice boy.  Has got to school with the prince these 13 years.  He can't dance.  This is a swing choir.  They have choreography with their music.  I've been watching Luke be one step behind for over two years now.  Who will entertain me next year, after he's graduated????

I asked for it.

Today in Crazy Town:

6th grader:  May I use the restroom.

Me:  Will it be quick?

6th grader:  I don't know.

Me:  Wrong answer.  If it's not quick, you may not go.

6th grader:  Well it's #2.  I just don't know.


Okay, I totally set myself up for that.  And yes, I let him go.  And yes, he was reasonably quick.

Becky's Analogy

My niece, Becky, has an awesome blog.  This is perhaps one of her most clever posts, and I begged her to let me re-post it here.  Becky's in her early 20's and single.  She's looking for love!  I love her analogy!

Over the years, I've had to create slightly humorous analogical situations to express the current standpoint of my dating life.

In 2009-2010 ish, I created a story about my "island". On this island, I was the ruler (of course), but I had several advisers. These advisers consisted of my most trusted guy friends. The only guys I trusted at the time. The rest of the guys in the world were just partying on the island. But once one of them did something to harm me in any way, they got voted off the island. Sometimes they would only be banished to swim in the sea...but most of the times they got fed to sharks or something.

Anyways. Since that time I have not had a new analogy until a few months ago. I'll give Amy the credit of coming up with it to begin with. I just embellish it from time to time. So here is my explanation of my car analogy (per request of Lauren Budge).

So I'm driving a car, right? From time to time, there will be a guy in the passenger seat. The guy I'm currently interested in and who is doing most things right. Sometimes there will be another chilling in the backseat. That guy is a great guy, but I'm not as interested in him as I am with the guy in the passenger seat. And then you have the trunk. Guys get thrown in there if they've done something to get them in the dog house. They have potential to return into the main seating though. Meanwhile, there are hitchhikers. These guys are the ones who just really don't try. But I still hold onto them. They could get in the car anytime they'd like...if they'd make effort. And last, but not least, you have the guys who get hit by a semi. They're special...

So yes. Kind of fun.

TWIRP Instructions

The prince found this message in a bottle on the doorstep today with TWIRP details.  It was properly in the bottle at the time, not looking like this.  And the instructions are hilarious, so I'll type some of them there.  I don't quite get the fish theme, but it's funny!  And punny!

Ahoy There!

If you are reading me, I hope you don't think that island-ed on your doorstep by accident.  It means that you've been hooked by some lucky lady for TWIRP, and it will be a swell time!  But I'm shore you could probably use some more pacific details, so here they are:

Among my favorites:

3:30 Pick-up so have your hair fin-ished and shoes tide!

11:00 PM  Shenanigans:  After the dance, the reel fun starts.  I hope you don't have otter plans.  I anchor-age you to bring a change of clothes so you don't get crabby.

Anywave, can't wait to sea you November third!  If you have any questions or concerns, please just let minnow and I'll try to kelp you out.

"Don't take my picture!"

Bwahahaha!  The one with the camera has all the power!!

One more dance funny:

Aunt Lynelle and cousin Amanda came to watch a bit of the princess at the start of the Modern workshop.  Think of Modern as, "You're a tree.  Become the tree.  Feel the tree.  Shake your leaves."  It wasn't that extreme, but that's kind of the way modern is.  

Amanda was sitting next to me, and I told her, "You could do that."

She said, "No.  I would feel stupid."

I said, "They don't feel stupid."

And in true, teen honesty she said, "Well they should!"

Oh, Amanda!!

Dance Workshops!

We took off Thursday for the annual dance workshop.  This is the best money we spend on dance each year.  For $90 the princess had 18 hours of dance taught by national dance professionals.  It was GREAT! 

 There was ballet.

 Learning to clap in jazz.

 Modern.

There was also hip hop.  

No photos, but I have video I might try to upload at another time.

 There was "fancy" dinner.

 And there was a sword fight with her bff.

Good times!

Until next year...

About "The Night Journal"

I gave "The Night Journal" by Elizabeth Crook 3 stars.  This is the second time I have read this book, and I really liked it this time.  I think I liked it last time, but I liked it more this time.  

This is the story of 4 generations of women.  Hannah, the oldest, has long since died, and left her night journals (diaries) to her daughter, Claudia.  Claudia had them published and has spent her life championing them.  Meg, Hannah's great granddaughter, has never read them.  This is the story of Meg finally reading the journals, of family dynamics, and of closure.  Good book!

Walmart

Annoyed doesn't even begin to cover it.  I don't complain too much about Walmart because, well, they're Walmart.  I don't expect much.  But after the near-mouse experience the other day, I figured they owed me. Apparently they didn't.  I have decided this up-coming long weekend is the perfect time to update my photos.  Unfortunately I haven't printed photos since last year.  So the other night I was at Walmart to order January-May.  I was able to pick those up last night without a mouse experience.

Yesterday I ordered June-August online, planning to also pick those up last night.  I was fearful from the start because immediately after posting the order I got an email from them saying my order was "delayed" and to please contact the store.

I did contact the store...went in in person...last night.  The gal working had no record of my order but suggested maybe they were at the Walmart across town.  I think she thought I was just going to get in my car for that 1 hour round-trip excursion at 7:30 PM.  NOT!  I asked her to call them and see if they were there. No, they were not.

So I picked up the other photos I ordered and decided to check my bank account, having paid for the online order with my debit card.  Sure enough.  I've been billed for them.  Seriously?  Seriously!  I'd like to tell you I'm off to Walmart this morning to deal with this problem but alas, I am not.  I am off to the central part of the state with the bffs for a 4-day dance workshop.  Walmart will have to wait until next Monday.  Maybe they'll have solved my problem by then.

But probably not.

Meanwhile, don't expect anymore blogging from me for a few days.  I'm not taking  my broken computer with me.  And I'm not taking the king's Kindle with me either.  I'm so nice.

eek!

For those of you who didn't get my text last night:

I was in the Walmart parking lot in the dark last night.  I looked down and realized I was about to step on a mouse!  As it started to skitter away I screamed.  Turns out it was just a leaf!

My bad!

Maybe she's not ready...

Yesterday the princess asked me if I have scheduled her appointment with the DMV to get her driver's license.  I have not and told her I'm not sure she has all her hours in.  I'd have to check.  (I don't think she's close and will be driving a few more months before I make the appointment.  By the way, the earliest she can take it is about December 7 anyway, but appointments should be made a month or so in advance.  They are sooooooooooooooooooo busy down there...see post from summer!)

Last night she drove us home from dance.  About 30 minutes later I went to throw something away in the garage and heard a weird noise.  I wondered why the dryer was echoing in the garage.  Upon further inspection it turned out she'd parked the car and turned the lights off but HADN'T TURNED THE CAR OFF!!!  Oops!

The king recommended opening the garage door for a few minutes to get rid of the carbonmonoxide.  I relayed the situation to the princess who promptly posted it on facebook (which give me implied permission to post on the blog!)  And so maybe, just maybe, she's not ready to get that license yet!  Let's hope I have enough gas to get to work today!

Happy Birthday, Marty!

Happy Birthday, Marty!

Is this life a wonderful ride or what????

Enjoy!

The Birthday Bash!

We got to help Kathi celebrate her 50th birthday last night!  It was a great time.  Lots of her closest friends/family, adult beverages (you can tell by her squinty eyes that she might have had a few before we arrived), pizza, cake, and lots of laughs.  The crown and scepter are compliments of us.  She wore them all night, as any good birthday princess should do.  Happy Birthday, Kathi...and many, many more!

 Her bff ordered this cake for her.

How cool is it?

And it was delicious!

These guys were good sports to hang out for a bit with the goofy adults.  

They did make a polite exit after pizza!

They are lucky to have some really great family!

10-13 Cheer

Another win for the JV team...again it must be all that great cheering.  This was a COLD, windy, spitting rain game.  But check out the pink poms!  And this is how they get to dress when it's cold.  Under Armour tops under cheer top, topped with a cheer jacket, and yoga pants under cheer skirt.  There were gloves and head bands too.  They weren't going to do any builds because it was too cold, but the sun came out the last quarter so they got to show us their stuff.  Great job, girls.  You'll have to look hard for the princess in those builds.  She's hiding in the back in both of them!

 That's a "Full" lift!

Princess on the far right, getting ready to catch her if she falls!

10-12 Cheer

Friday was a cross-town rivalry game.  We had the same win-loss record as that school, but they were ranked #8 and we were #9.  Not anymore!  We won easily...must have been all that great cheering!  Grandma and Kathi came to cheer too, which can't have hurt.  The prince thought it was Senior night and that we'd be escorting him while he was introduced.  Turns out that's next week, at the other cross-town match, at the game we will have to work really, really hard to win and will have to have a little extra luck for good measure.  We can do it!!!

 This is called a half--because their arms aren't extended.  

This is EASY for him!

 He's on the far left.  Doing another half.  

Huh?  Why isn't he doing a full with one of those middle groups.

Those girls are AWESOME!

Clearly I need better camera position.

Catching Ally.

She never worries that he'll miss!

Check out her pink bloomers and pink bow.  It was "Pack the Park in Pink", a precursor to "Pack the Place in Pink" which will be in a couple of weeks.   There was a lot of pink in the stands on both sides, which was GREAT!  There are also pink pom poms, and last year the football players wore pink socks, but they didn't this year.  :(  The players do sell pink bracelets though to help raise funds.  Grandma and I got ours!

The Pumpkin Patch

Check it out.  Ana and Sparky went to the Pumpkin Patch yesterday.  Their mom said it was very cold, and they left early!  I hope they got a pumpkin!

Happy Birthday, Kathi!

Happy Birthday, Kathi!

You look great, barely a day over 29!

We're looking forward to 

helping you celebrate this one on Saturday!

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Robin!

Happy Birthday, Robin!

Have a wonderful day and year!

We love you!

(And yes, I know you're celebrating your birthday in sunny Mexico.  Hope you're having a great time!  Can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.)