Washington Monument (& actually the San Jacinto Monument is taller thanks to the star!)
Times Square
Coney Island
And, if you are in need of some thrills, we have Sleepy Hollow
And Narnia
You can also take a 3 hour tour from a Tropic Island Port
aboard this tiny ship
Houston has it all!
Camera Critters, Misty Dawn's new Sunday meme, #7
Dorothy's (Wizard of Oz) Ruby Slippers located in the National Musuem of American History in Washington D.C.
"Mama, does it mean you are crazy if you talk out loud?
"No, remember Daddy told you that sometimes it helps to talk things out loud."
"Mama, what if you talk to yourself in your head?"
"What, like 'MMM, this chocolate ice cream sure is good'?"
"Yes, like that."
"No, that is called thinking & sometimes that is great to do before you actually speak."
"Mama, what if you lick your butt?"
I have an amazing work ethic. I don't just miss work. If I can plan a day off & get my favorite sub to work for me, I'm fine with that. But to just take a day willy nilly makes me uncomfortable. I called in sick today. The Friday before a three day weekend. A day when personal days aren't allowed (can't take off the Friday before or the Monday after a holiday). I did it mainly because I'm worn out and because I did have to take care of something this morning. I'm slightly okay with that because it's a school wide game/read day so the teachers can do some "cleaning" in their rooms.
By taking today off, I threw Bear's life in a tailspin. Because of his braces, he can't eat apples unless they are cut up. To prevent brown apples, a few minutes before lunch, I cut it up & bring it to him. Yeah, he's spoiled. And he had to get all knotted up about his apple today. "Why do you have to take the day off? My apple needs you at school. You are making things too complicated." Luckily, I found some lemon juice in the fridge (does that stuff go bad?). Whew. You'd think he'd never spent a day at that school without me. Granted, there haven't been that many, but still. Next year, we are going to have to work on some independence, I see.
Also today, is the district wide (minus 1 school) 8th grade field trip to the Schlitterbahn waterpark. We are talking about roughly 1,000 13/14 yr. old kids here. Plus, the general population who may or may not show up today. Yikes. Glad I'm not going to be there!
Altho, a little part of me wishes I were. Will Lamb remember to update her sunscreen? Will she stay out of the sun when she's not in the water? Will she do ok on the slides? Will the waves in the wave pool be too strong? Will she have fun? Will she socialize? Will the boys be nice? Will the GIRLS be nice? Did I give her all my wisdom about what she needs to know today? She's my first-born so she gets all the new worries that go with that honor.
Of course, she's going to have great fun. I know this. Bear's apples will be nice & fresh thanks to the lemon juice. And, of course, I'm going to greatly enjoy being at home, resting my sick mind. No worries. No guilt. Really.
Happy Friday!
*UPDATE
Bear enjoyed his lemon apples.
Lamb had a wonderful time and came home SUNBURNED! She did NOT freshen up her sunscreen. Now *she's* the naughty girl.
My day went by way too fast. Luckily, I have Monday to be a sloth as well.
I usually leave the t.v. show talk to Bubba's Sis. However, I must chime in on tonight's American Idol.
David Archuleta Bores.Me. There I said it. He has a beautiful voice & talent. But he is not unique. Yet. I've heard his voice 100x before. Yawn. The judges fawning over him tonight made me throw up in my mouth a little. Yick.
David Cook, on the other hand, may not have the voice of David A. He certainly has the talent & charisma! I would definitely listen to him outside of the show. I can't wait to see what kind of record he'll put out.
Remember his name, remember his face, remember his voice. He's going to make it big no matter the outcome of the votes.
Like Chris Daughtry, I can't wait to say I "knew him when!"
P.S. So long, Dancing With The Stars. It'll seem like forever waiting until September. I'll miss you! At least I'll have So You Think You Can Dance to keep me company while I wait.
Please read the following conversation:
Me: Anything you can do, I can do better.
Bear: No, you can't.
Me: Yes, I can.
Bear: You can't play baseball.
Me: Sure. I went to the softball World Series.*
Bear: I highly doubt that. After all, softball players are skinny.
Record scratch.
Me: Are you saying I'm fat?
Bear: Uh, no, no, I didn't say you were fat.
Me: You just said I couldn't be a softball player because I'm NOT skinny. And, I'll have you know, you don't have to be skinny to play softball!
Bear: Mama, you are smart enough to realize you aren't fat. But, you aren't skinny either. You are medium. You aren't skinny like Miss Bubba's Sis or Mrs. S. You are 2nd stage skinny. And there are LOTS of stages. (As he acts out the various stages leading up to fat).
Me: uh huh
Bear: Mama, Babycakes, I never called you fat. You aren't fat!
So, my dear readers, did he adequately talk himself out of that hole? Will he step into it again?
*Total lie
Join us at Camera Critters, Misty Dawn's new Sunday meme!
As we were walking through Central Park, we saw this little guy spread eagle on the tree root. As Bear was snapping pictures, we wondered if it were still alive. Then Big D decided to change lenses on his camera for a clearer shot. Right then, the squirrel popped up and ran off. Typical.
One of the great things about the school where I work is that it's a creative arts school. Besides having an emphasis on learning through art & music, we also have a drama program. In our large district, we are the only elementary school that can boast that. Our drama teacher puts 1000% into each production. Besides being the writer, director, producer, & set designer, she sews the costumes. Her husband builds the sets. And the rest is up to the kids. They run the lights, the sound board, make sure the props are in the right spots, and design the programs. They also record & edit the productions for dvds & vcrs.
The sets & costumes are always a sight to behold. This year is no different. In 4th grade, the students get a glimpse of Texas history so what better play for the 4th graders than how Texas became a state?
Call of the Land starts with the Spanish missionaries (Bear is one of them) convincing the Native Americans to stay in the Mission camp with them. It follows the rise of Santa Ana, to the battle of the Alamo, and ends with the victory at San Jacinto. Pretty exciting stuff!
Today was their dress rehearsal where they perform for the school. The kids did an amazing job with their parts. Tomorrow night is the big event with parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors, whoever wants to watch.
These plays always bring a tear to my eye.
Ever since Bear was in kindergarten, we've had the No Video Games on School Days rule. What on earth was I thinking? It's more a punishment on me than good parenting. Bear is not the type of child to entertain himself. He must be entertained by someone or be entertaining someone. He talks LOUDLY, he talks constantly. When he's not talking, he's dancing, singing, or just plain making noise. He's a nuisance. N.U.I.S.A.N.C.E.
After a particularly trying night, I asked him "Why? Why must you be like this?" He tells me, "It's my personality. You're my mom, you have to deal with it." Do I? Do I really? (And, btw, it was not said ugly. It was said sweetly and matter of factly.)
Yesterday, he asked me if he could play the Wii. He had all his homework finished and wanted to "relax" before baseball practice. After being reminded of the rule, he informs me that that was "so kindergarten. I'm a changed boy but how can I prove it if you don't let me play?" How indeed.
I was exhausted. I mentally did not feel well. I caved. I let him play until supper was ready. A whole whopping 15 minutes. It felt good.
But it can buy you a movie ticket! 
Woot!
This is our view every morning on the way to work/school.Sometimes, when I feel the need to be depressed, disturbed, or entertained, I'll read the postcards on Post Secret.
In the interest of "keeping it real", I'm going to let you inside my petty, bitter mind. Here is my postcard.
I'm not proud. I am trying. But, dang, it's hard.
Anything Goes
Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?
I sure do.
Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?
Mix: laminate wood, carpet, vinyl, and tile
Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.
Dang, do dingos diet delicately?
Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?
Yes
Dessert
Name 2 blue things.
Big D's eyes
This is Bear's vision of me. I'm not sure why. I'm not flaming orange, nor do I have stringy, blue hair. I don't go around posing like this (nekkid no less) and I have fully formed legs.Sometimes I think I have a voice that only armadillos can hear. Seriously.
They all fall on deaf ears.
I need to learn to speak with more authority. But then I get laughed at because it just doesn't jive with my voice.
Bet the armadillos have a spotless home with kids who are in bed with clean faces. Lucky things.
Last night was spent being proud of my daughter and her BFF. It was the National Junior Honor Society ceremony. Bear even made the sacrifice (cough, cough) of missing baseball practice so he could see his loving sister receive her 2 year pin.
Part of the ceremony is to have seniors who once attended the school & were in the NJHS to give an "encouraging" speech. That's all well & good, until the 2nd speaker came to the podium. She spoke of how these kids represented hope. Hope to find the cure of cancer & AIDS, hope to end racism & terrorism, hope to end the troubles of Africa, and the hope to solve all the world's problems. That's quite a heavy burden for 12-14 yr olds! Talk about pressure.
The third speaker, the best one of the 3, made a point that I hope Lamb really paid attention to. He said that they shouldn't let their successes define them, they should define their successes. How true those words are. Saturday marks the very last drama fest in her junior high career. There a much coveted trophy will be awarded. A trophy that Lamb will be ineligible to earn & her friends most probably will earn. A trophy that Lamb desperately would like to have in her hands. Does NOT getting that trophy mean she is a horrible actress? Should she just give up & change career paths? Of course not. It means that a judge, a judge who is random, marked her lower than a different judge might have. If she got the trophy, will she be an automatic success on Broadway or Hollywood? Of course not.
Not getting the trophy does not define her success. Her hard work, dedication, & talent define her success. She defines her success. The ribbons, medals, & trophy are just bling. Nice bling. Bling that would be incredibly fantastic to own. But bling just the same.
Think of her Saturday, please. It's going to be a hard day for her. We've talked & she's fine right now. But, it's still going to be tough when it all comes down.
But last night was a good night. A night filled with smiles and happiness. It was marred for a bit when the speaker mispronounced her name. Lamb was FOR SURE that our difficult last name would be pronounced correctly. It wasn't, but it was immediately fixed without Lamb's prompting. Bear says he could see on Lamb's face that she was miffed. Ah, girlie, get used to it. After that, it was all perfection. A proud night was had by all.
A great way to end Junior High and head into the wilds of High School.
I have loved flamingos ever since I portrayed a sassy one in a play when I was a junior in high school. I had a way cool mask. Sadly, there are no pictures to prove it. It was at a drama competition in Massachusetts (where I lived at the time). The Boston Globe awarded me with the Best Character Portrayal award or something to that effect (fuzzy memory). I was thrilled! It's hard work standing one leg, ya'll!
3 days until Lamb gets her National Junior Honor Society 2 year pin...
23 more school days left in the school year...
29 more actual days until I no longer have a 13 year old daughter...
Not only am I about to be the mother of a 14 year old, but also the mother of a high schooler. It's almost scary how fast the days, weeks, months, years are flying by. Where did the time go?
TAKS is over, at least for Bear & me (Lamb is still testing)!
And not a moment too soon! I'm not sure we could have taken another day of it.
*Pic courtesy of teacher. Bear was one of five students who completely zonked out after finishing the reading TAKS.
This week is TAKS week for our Texas schools (don't get me started on standardized testing). What that entails for me is a bunch of downtime. See, I'm qualified to help teach students. I am NOT qualified to give them a test, however. Let me rephrase that. I'm not qualified to administer a TAKS test, but I can administer benchmark (9 week) tests. So, so silly.
So here are 10 things I did at work today:
More of the same, minus lunch with Big D, tomorrow & Thursday. I can hardly bear the excitement!
I wish I could say that the baseball situation has improved. To be honest, it's gotten worse (click here for the background story). I thought today the tide had turned to Bear's favor. The coach actually had him at 2nd base. We were thrilled!
Then the tide turned again. Bear got hit with the ball his first at bat. It got him right on his right funny bone. He must have turned funny trying to get away from the ball.
Bear has NEVER cried on the field. But, he sure felt like it today. He couldn't concentrate on his base running. His arm was numb so he kept shaking it & focusing on the pain. When he got in the dugout, he just burst into tears.
So the coach sat him out the 2nd inning. Understandable. Bear was not ready to be back on the field. By the 3rd inning, Bear was ready. But he sat out. In the middle, coach pulled out a boy who was not paying attention and put in Bear. That was it. Those are the only times he played in the game. One and ½ innings. Out of 5 innings. I was told a piece of info today that had me seeing red. I'm sad to say that I'm firmly in Big D's camp of thinking it's a petty, get-back-at-Big D-sorta thing. My heart weeps.
Look at that face. How can you keep that kid from playing ball?
A panda bear at the Memphis Zoo. If you are ever in Memphis, I highly recommend visiting the zoo. When we lived there, it was Lamb's most favorite place. Since then, they have really revamped it and it's quite a cool place to visit..jpg)
One of the many perks of having a 13 year old is to help out with the supper making. Lamb enjoys it and it helps me out immensely. Mainly because I hate to do it myself, but also because time is thin most evenings.
The other night I baked the ham steaks and asked her to make the mashed potatoes. Just imagine that she was preparing homemade taters, k? The water was boiling when she called out that we were out of butter. Hmmm....a little bland but with lots of salt & pepper, it should be ok. She continued on with the preparations. She had the flakes potatoes all cut & ready to go when she called out that we were also out of milk. Well, shucks. That just sucks. Cancel mashed potatoes. She heated up a can of beans instead.
The next night, macaroni and cheese was on the agenda. Bear HATES boxed mac-n-cheese. To get him to eat it, we have to call it "Chicky Toladahs" and pretend it's restaurant quality. I'm sitting here, trying to work up the energy to fix it. Who am I kidding. I was sitting here waiting for Lamb to get home so she could fix it. Then it hit me. Um, we have neither butter nor milk. No Chicky Toladahs for us. Bear was thrilled!
So looking in Old Mother Hubbard's cupboards, I found expired rice, expired fried potatoes in a box (never even tried those, wonder if they are any good?), and nothing else. Nothing in the pantry for dinner. Now, I could have gone to the store. I was seriously debating it out in my mind.
Then I looked in the freezer. Big D had a big ole box of pizza rolls. Something Bear can fix us for supper!
Woot!
I wasn't going to do a 10 on Tuesday again this week. I feel like I might give ya'll the wrong impression about my life as it is. Perfect children, perfect husband, perfect pets.... ;) However, I changed my mind. Here are 10 specific things I love about my life:
Stacey, at JameeForever tagged me for not one, but two memes! Without further ado, here they are....
Meme #1
Here are The Rules...
1) Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.
2) Open the book to page 123.
3) Find the 5th sentence.
4) Post it and the next 3 sentences.Don't tell anybody. When you choose Crop and Straighten Photos,
Photoshop will crop and straighten this one photo, but it still duplicates
the image into a separate document. Hey, it's not perfect. Speaking of
not perfect, it seems to work best when the photos you scan as a group have
similar tonal qualities.
Riveting stuff, eh? Taken from Big D's The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby. Sorry, that was the nearest book by me.
Meme #2
Seven facts about me, D...
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