Even the best laid plans…

I had big plans for today. I took the day off in anticipation of a day on my own - the last full Friday before the end of the school year. I was going to shop and meet a friend for lunch and start cleaning out closets for the garage sale we are going to have on a yet to be determined date in June. I had a lot to get done. And then, around midnight, I heard the coughing and crying begin. The coughing was not from a cold but from impending throw-up! And so it began. Syd came down with the flu. I should have suspected she wasn’t feeling the greatest when she asked me to snuggle with her after supper last night and she actually fell asleep. So the plan for the day was slightly altered with me taking care of a sick Syd. If it weren’t for the flu symptoms that hit her intermittently throughout the day you would never know the girl was sick. Seriously, there is not much that slows her down – ever. We had a WebKinz party, watched the dance recital DVD, talked about having our nails done, headbands that won’t slip off her head and why red is her favorite color (let’s just say it has something to do with a certain sixth grader whose name begins with a “W”). I accomplished absolutely nothing but I did enjoy time with my daughter – well when she wasn’t in the bathroom anyway.

TTFN...

If it's Spring...

Then it must be field trip season. That time of year when countless students, cold lunches in hand, converge upon museums, baseball stadiums, amusement parks, zoos, swimming pools, and playgrounds. And you know what – I HATE field trip season. I KNOW. What kind of non-chaperoning mother am I that I secretly despise the entire notion of field trips?

I don’t mind the change in schedule, I don’t mind the extra money, I don’t even mind getting a cold lunch ready. BUT what I do mind is putting my children on a bus, a bus which will be driven by an unknown bus driver over whom I have no control, a bus which will be traveling on a highway, a highway full of other drivers whom I cannot control, a bus which may have to travel many miles before reaching its destination. THAT is why I hate field trips – they cause me to worry.

I worry about the safety of my children while traveling on the bus. I worry about the safety of my children once they reach their destination. What if they wander away from the group? What if they go on a ride which is unsafe? What if a zebra or a giraffe or a gazelle escapes from the zoo and tries to eat them? What if their cold lunch hasn’t stayed cold at all and they end up with food poisoning? It could happen. So field trip days – I hate them and I’m always thankful when my babies are all back in the nest. I won’t let my kids know I hate the field trip because I wouldn’t want to take their fun away - but between you and I – well you know how I feel.

TTFN… Oh and about that cold lunch – can you say Hostess Ding Dongs are in the house – it’s the only time they’re allowed!

And then there were two...

more members in our family. Six years ago today Lauren & Sydney entered the world - 8 weeks before schedule but healthy, beautiful babies.

The sixth birthday celebration has been going on for nearly as many days as there have been years.

Saturday we had the friend birthday which included 20 out of the 21 friends from their Kindergarten class (really it SOUNDED like a great idea). Fun was had by all - there was bouncing and cake and ice cream and balloons and presents. Today there were birthday treats to bring to school, presents from Alex and the HotY and I and dinner at the restarant of their choice. Tomorrow is the birthday celebration with the grandparents complete with MORE cake and ice cream and burgers on the grill - oh and presents of course.



I'm so dang tired (I think I'm still trying to recover from Saturday) so I'll leave you with the pictures for now. There are some great pictures from the bouncing party but I don't feel like I can post pictures of other kids without parental permission - so for now you are stuck with looking at my kids - AGAIN!

Oh and look at thise babies at the top of the page - is it any wonder I still get the baby itch every now and then - and no it ISN'T an option I'd seriously consider - I'm just sayin'

And it all comes back to this…

Music. Seriously, don’t you think music is the great common denominator of the world? No matter your location, status, gender, age or race there is always music to be found and celebrated. Well, maybe in a broader sense, it is art as a whole which connects us all. Tastes and interests may differ but I think at the end of the day there is something beautiful that moves us at least once in our lives.

Sooooo, all this dramatic lead up is really just to say that at the end of the day, for me, it all comes down to music (although if pushed I would say I’m more visual than audio – but maybe I’m wrong about myself) and how it ingrains itself in my memory. Which brings me to this; although Amy knows a lot about who sings what, dead or alive (which 80’s disco diva is it that is dead – Gloria Gaynor? Kim Carnes? Donna Summer? – Amy will know) she DID NOT know about this song. We had a discussion about it at Heather’s with neither of them having a clue what I was talking about even after proving its existence via You Tube. So what about you? Do you remember this song? Am I the only one who remembers when this video frequently played on MTV (the early days)? Because I’ve never forgotten about Goin’ Shoppin’. I KNOW. And the sad fact of the matter is - it gets a fair amount of play time in my brain as I can’t make a trip to the grocery store without the lyrics playing through my head a time or two. At least until APPLES anyway. So come on someone else must remember this little ditty. Anyone, Anyone???

Oh and since we are on the topic of music; my radio presets provide me with an array of music from 80’s oldies (ha – has 80’s music ever died? I once read an analogy from someone who stated that 80’s music is like the boxes that don’t quit make it to the attic – they are stashed away but still very accessible and not really in storage), to top 40 to classical to alternative rock to almost anything BUT country. This is what I heard on my way to work this morning.
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Cherry Cherry - Neil Diamond
Poker Face - Lady GaGa
China Grove - Doobie Brothers
Monday Morning - Fleetwood Mac
Aren’t you glad I’m good about that sharing thing ;-)

TTFN… have a great weekend. We have a birthday party on the books – there will be bouncing and cake – it’s a win win all the way around :-)

Oh, and Amy, this is for you

They could have danced all night...

Well the 2008-2009 dance season is drawing to a close. The dance recital was Saturday. AND a bonus this year - there were no trips to the emergency room - although they did change the venue - it did make me go hmmmmmmm :-)

The girls were in two dances this year. Ballet and Tap. I don't know if they will do tap again next year. It sounds good in concept but... Did I mention the coordination issues that seem to run in some members of this family??? We'll see. And really, right now all they care about is starting gymnastics (which is our summer activity) and Lauren thinks she may be interested in Soccer (she's my athletic girl).

Anyway, I need to get myself to bed so without further ado here are the pictures. Enjoy.

Boy does this bug me…

Let’s talk about pet peeves shall we :-) I know it’s all been about the whining and the crying lately – so why should today be any different? BESIDES, I’ve just been dang crabby. I’m trying to get over it, really I am, but at least now you know why I haven’t been writing.

So anyway about that pet peeve. Let me tell you about it since I know you are just dying to know. We have a closet and we have a foyer and the closet is in the foyer and there is a door on the closet. A fully functional door. No defects. No closure problems. Just a regular ordinary door. I must close that door, in the foyer, fifty times a day – seriously. Every time I turn around the closet door in the foyer is OPEN. The entire neighborhood knows the contents of my coat closet since the door is always open. Seriously I can close the door and five minutes later when I look in the foyer – DOOR OPEN. I don’t think there is anyone in this family who knows how to close a closet door except myself. I also don’t think there is anyone who knows how to hang up a coat because the coats are always hanging on the newel post – which is two feet from the closet. Time is such a commodity that the people in this house can’t walk two feet to hang up a coat? I mean come on – the door is already open how much time can it take?

TTFN… Oh and hang up your coat and CLOSE THE CLOSET DOOR!