San Fran Here We Come!

I think I have everything in order for vacation. Bags are packed, clothes are set out, flight checked in, car set for pick-up. I think thats most of it.

Steve is at home right now putting down weed-n-feed. You know the yard will just go to hell if he doesn't do that TODAY! Four more days and it will be a jungle out there. Sometimes he is so much like my Dad that it frightens me.

I went to the book fair this morning. I did good and only bought 3 books. One for Drake, Jilly, & I for the airplane. Ooops, I bought 4! I forgot that Drake kept one at school to read. It was some Anime/Skateboard book. I knew that it would only take him like and hour to read so I made him pick out another one for the plane. Steve didn't get one. He'll read the tour books I have.

Tonight we have parent/teacher conferences. Steve will do Drakes teachers and I'll do Jilly's. I always like to go to these. Maybe I wouldn't if my kids weren't pretty good students. Its always easier to hear your kids are great than if you heard they were nothing but trouble.

Drake thought he was going to get a 'B' in reading. He had several papers he turned in late so he lost points. I have never seen a child so upset over a 'B'. Heck, when I was in school I was happy with them. Not him though. I thought he was going to have a breakdown over it. I finally convinced him to talk to his teacher and see if there was anything he could do about it. It sounds like he said the right things. You know, how it was all his fault, he knows it was his responsibility, etc... Well, it turns out that one of the ones he turned in he forgot his name on it so it wasn't recorded at all. So his 'B' grade was including a zero for one of his papers. I think the world is back on axis now that he found that out.

Jilly just finished her first "4th grade" book. She feels so smart about it. I'm just tickled pink that she does so well. I always worry about her vision but it seems that she is able to do any and everything she puts her mind to. Thankfully she hasn't put her mind to anything dangerous. Well, yet anyway!

I guess that's enough for now. I'm sure I'll make a big long report filled with pictures when I get back from San Francisco!

Got to post!

I've got to post something! Nothing really interesting has been going on. I keep waiting to see if something steller happens so I can post an amazing story. But alas, nothing.

We were able to buy a Wii. It is a ton of fun! I don't like video games and I've been playing it every single day. My stupid arms are sore from playing. Isn't that the saddest thing you've heard. Getting a workout from a video game. My only redemption is that Steve has got a little tiny bit sore from playing the baseball. I KNOW he is in good shape.

I had to wait in line at Wal-Mart to get one. Thank goodness the UPS man called me and told me that he had dropped some off. It is awesome to have connections.

Drake has started on his science fair project. He is doing a wind energy study. His hypothisis is that a 6 bladed windmill will generate more power than a 3 bladed one. If he is correct we will have to figure out why they use a 3 blade design on the "real" ones out here. I've had to pull Steve back from taking over the project. He is just eating it up! Poor Drake doesn't stand a chance.

Jilly is doing good. She has been complaining about karate a little bit. I was worried until she told me that her partner for ground fighting is just too "prissy". I guess that means that the girl isn't getting after it. Jilly is used to Drake sitting, punching, and otherwise abusing her. She doesn't get the whole girly thing.

Anna and I have a LCMW planned for July! I can't wait. In case you don't know what LCMW is, it stands for Linda Chapdelaine Memorial Weekend. We wanted to get together every year, just the two of us, but it hasn't worked out that way. The first year we went to MN for a Taste of Home convention. Then the other times the family has always been with us. So, I'm really pumped that we are just going together. We are meeting in PA for a DISMeets. It should be fun.

Ok, I think that's enough for now.

Sharing!

Well, my darling daughter has decided to share her illness with me! I started feeling yucky on Wednesday and still feel yucky today (Saturday). Thank goodness no one else has felt very bad. Drake has a little bit of a cough but nothing to bad. Steve seems to be feeling fine.

I got a cool new gadget in the mail this week. As you may or may not know, I'm a Bzz Agent on BzzAgent.com It is a company that sends out products to try and you are to spread the buzz about the product. Well, I got a Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner. I was feeling yucky when it came in so Drake put it together for us. Needless to say it is pretty easy to install. I could tell when I got up the next morning that it had run. I could smell the cleaner. It wasn't overpowering, just there. I thought the shower looked brighter but don't know if that was b/c they cleaned out some of the extra stuff in the shower.
After everyone was done with their morning shower, Drake wanted to be the one to push the clean button. It made me laugh that it had a warning alarm before it started spraying, like "Hey, get out quick! I'm gonna blow!" Well, after Drake closed the shower door he climbed onto the side of the tub so he could watch it spray. It looked just like it does in the commercials. I'll keep you posted on how well it cleans.

Tuesday

I've actually been busy since the last post.

Last Thursday was Valentines Day. It was a nice day. I woke up to 3 wrapped presents all for me on the kitchen table. WOW!! It was a shock. I mean, I suspected I would get a little something but not 3 big presents. Thats more than I got for my birthday. Well, I got two pairs of jeans (needed), a fleur de leis necklace (wanted), and a lovebug in a box (loved). It was great! The kids each got a goodie bag sent to them at school and Steve had a goodie basket at home.

I sent cups and plates for Drakes Vday party. Being in 6th grade there was no way that I was invited to attened. That would be so uncool! Lucky for me, Jilly still wants me around. So I went to her party and didn't even have to bring anything.




Jilly ended up sick during the party. I tooke her home after the party and she went down hill from there! I'm pretty sure she had viral bronchitis. Poor thing was coughing up a storm. She stayed sick all weekend. But she is finally about done coughing. Thank Goodness!! For those of you who know me well, you know I don't do well without a full nights sleep, and a coughing kid doesn't lend itself to sweet dreams. Thank God for my dear sweet hubbie!

Saturday Drake had to go to karate to help another kid earn his blackbelt. One of the instructors was earning his 3rd degree black belt. Man oh man was that a site to behold!! They brought in some fighters from another town. Not just regular fighters but professional and semi-professional fighters. They did not hold back! My eyes were popping out of my head. I hate to say this but it was AWESOME to watch. Poor Garic (the 3rd degree) ended up dislocating his shoulder.
Here is a video of one round that Drake fought. He is in the red shirt & Jilly is the kid yelling in the background.
Well, dang!! I can't get the video to attach. Sorry!!

Well, thats enough for now. This week is full of basketball games. Woo Hoo!

02/13/2008

It's been nearly a week since I last posted. One would think that something interesting would have happened in that time span, but alas, no such luck in my home.

We met Steve's folks in Canadian TX on Sunday. We were taking them our "ole Bestsy" pick-up and Don's tools that we borrowed for some project or another. So we picked the half-way spot that had good food. Nothing like planning around where to eat. Does everyone do this or just me? I'm glad we did because my lunch was GREAT! I had BBQ ribs and cleaned every scrap from my plate. So, if any of you are going through Canadian TX you should stop at the Cattle Exchange resturant.

What else have we done this past week....hmmmm??

I'm on the hunt for a WII game system. We told Drake that if he paid his $100 or so we would make up the difference. He was thrilled with that idea until we discovered they are still impossible to find. I thought that since Christmas is over they would be available. Well, they aren't. Now I have to call different stores everyday to see if they got any in that day. I'm even friendly with the UPS man in Weatherford and he said he'd call me if he delivered any to Wal-Mart. How great is that!! So, if anyone out there has a WII they want to get rid of call me!

I hope to have more to write about next time.

Thursday

Yesterday Jillian won her first karate sparring tournament. She beat all the other 7 and 8 year olds in her class. I had to laugh at this becasue just the other day she had complained that she didn't like to spar. When I asked her why she didn't like it she said that it was boring. That she didn't get to hit anyone, only touch them. It seems her older brother has toughened her up quite a bit. None of that sissy shadow boxing for her! She wants a full on UFC style battle!! Ahhh Daddy's little girl!!
I'm really proud how well she does at karate.
She also lost a tooth yesterday. We tried to convince Drake that it was punched out during karate and that she didn't even cry. After a wide eyed "Really?", we laughed and told him the truth. But for a second there I think he feared for his future bullying.

Wednesday

Nothing very exciting has happened so far this week. We are waiting to hear about the CMO contest. They said "on or about" Feb 7th. So I've been checking the e-mail like a mad women all week long.

I was able to teach my very into name brands son a lesson in savy shopping. He needed new jean this past weekend. Well, of course he wanted to go to the mall and buy $50 jeans. He needed to look cool ya know. So, I told him we had to go to the thrift stores first. He pitched a big fit over this idea. I understand that thrift stores aren't something kids brag about but if I'm paying that is where we start. Mainly because the is NO WAY I'm going to buy big dollar jeans for a 12 year old.
He went with me and looked. He was pouting the whole time until....... I hit the mother load! Apparently I found a pair of Hurley jeans. This is a top brand for "skater" kids. Also a brand that I would never ever buy. I've also found a pair of Etinnes shoes and some cool concert t-shirts.
After this shopping trip I made him say those dreaded words that every kids hates! "You were right Mom." It was a whole lot easier to say with a cool pair of jeans in his bag!

So now I've won another convert over to the treasure hunt of thrift store shopping! YEA!!