5th grade escape

Tomorrow Savannah and all the other 5th graders from her school are going on the 5th grade graduation escape trip. They ride the bus to Portland, go to Oaks Park, then eat dinner then take the Amtrak train back home. We are to arrive back in Albany at 7:51pm. Huh....that means I will be with 50+ 5th graders for 11 hours, that is IF our train is on time. Which they never are.

Should be a fun day hopefully it is only in the high 80's like they are predicting, not 90's like they said earlier in the week.

I will post pictures when I get home.

Wish me luck!

Memorial Day Weekend

What a great weekend! Did all the things I love (almost).

Sat- Got a faboulous spa pedicure, with a new beautiful color called, Strawberry Fields by OPI, then went shopping with Savannah, Angie & Meghan until almost 8pm. Aaron went to Lowe's and bought the new organizers for the garage (thank heavens!) and got 3 of them put together and organized! WOO HOO

Sun- Took Savannah to Chelsea's house, went to Home Depot and picked up paint for her new bedroom, flowers for around the Magnolia tree, and painting supplies. Then picked Savannah up around 4pm headed to the Harter's for a BBQ. The kids all had a great time playing together, Scarlett and their dog Cooper got a long great (though Cooper like to lick her in unmentionable places, much to Angies dismay).

Mon- Had a few daycare kids, did housework & laundry around them, then I sat in the sun while Aaron worked more on the garage, the kids rode bikes, and played out front. Aaron made super BBQ ribs for dinner, then we took the kids to see Shrek the 3rd. Not near as good as the pervious ones in my opinion, but the kids enjoyed it.

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

Borrowed once again from Cowtown Stacy....

You’re supposed to think of a word for each category that begins with the first letter of your first name. But I’m adding a spin to it: keep it current & relevant to your life if possible :)

Famous singer/band: Panic! at the Disco
4 letter word: Ping
Color: Perwinkle
Street: Pacfic Blvd (where more things are in our town)
Gifts: Perfume (Beautiful from the kids for mother's day)
Vehicle: Perfect 2005 Tahoe (That I LOVE!!)
Things in a souvenier shop: Postcards
Boy’s name: Patrick (my brother in law)
Girls name: Phoebe (name I love)
Movie title: Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (though I didnt like #1, so I dont want to see 2 or 3)
Drink: Pepper............Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper to be exact
Occupation: Provider (childcare)
Flower: Pansy (picutres in my bedroom)
Celebrity: Patrick Dempsey
Magazine: People
US city: Portland (where I saw Rascal Flatts in concert!!)
Pro sports team: Portland Winterhawks (Ice Hockey)
Fruit: Pineapple
Reason for being late to work: Procratinated on getting up
Something you throw away: Poopy diapers
Things you shout: “Please quiet down in the house!” -told to the daycare daily.
Cartoon character: Patrick from Sponge Bob

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Love/Hate with the 5 senses

Blog challenge by Cowtown Stacy

Love/Hate with the 5 senses

LOVE:
the SIGHT of my kids being together (and not fighting).
the SMELL of freshly mown grass.
the TASTE of champagne and lobster with garlic butter.
the SOUND of thunderstorms.
the FEEL of Aaron's hand on my hip as we sleep.

HATE:
the SIGHT of homeless people on the coners asking for $, but drinking beer.
the SMELL of poopy diapers.
the TASTE of cooked veggies.
the SOUND of my children crying.
the FEEL of sand on my body.
__________________

Been gone a little while....

Mother and Daddy arrived on Thursday night, May 10th, Daddy spent Friday & Sat, then left VERY early on Sunday morning. Mother stayed until this past Sat after Dominick's soccer game. It was a GREAT visit! We shopped, ate, talked, watched 2 soccer games, 1 basketball game and parts of 3 gymnastics practices. Grandma got to see the kids at their best and their worst (all 3 kids). Evidently Aaron and the kids think Fred Meyers is a great place to act like fools in the sock/underwear isle. How embarrassing!

I don't think I unloaded the dishwasher once. Though technically that is the kids job, they did not have to do it either.

On Mothers day my parents, Aaron's parents, and Aaron's brother came over. I made lasagna, and we had a great layed back realaxing Sunday. It was wonderful. The kids got me a bottle of Beautiful perfume and the jewlery box that I had been wanting. Perfect day!

Parents Visiting

My parents are to be here either today or tomorrow for a week or maybe longer. Am I ready? NO, the floors need swept, and mopped. I need to change the sheets on Savannah's bed (she does not want them to sleep on her new monkey sheets) and get her a bed made up in Dominick's room, finish up laundry, go to the grocery store, and the list goes on and on.

I remember when they first sold their house and moved to Arizona, they said they would be home every Christmas, and in the summer. They have not made it for one Christmas, and sounds like this may be the last summer. They are selling their motorhome, and staying in Yuma full time now. It's strange, I always wanted my parents to be hands on grandparents, but they are young grandparents, who found their second life, and have been enjoying their retirement. Which I have to say they deserve, but I just wish their retirement place was closer to us. The kids miss them, I miss them.

Sigh................

Off to get things moving, before they get here.

Gymnastics season is finished........woo hoo

Sunday, Savannah competed in her last meet for the 2006-2007 season. That means that we do nto have another meet until September, that means 4 MONTHS of no meets!! WOO HOO! As much as I love to watch her and the other gymnasts, I am burned out. I am tired of hearing the same floor music over and over and over again. I think I know it by heart by now, even toyed with the idea of trying to come up with words to sign along with it since it is instrumental.

For Sectionals they divide the state in half. We are in the southern part. Out of all the gyms there the girls took 2nd place. They did great!! Lots of medals, and trophies went home. Savannah even got one for her floor routine. Her first 9 as a level 6. Acutally a 9.125 to be exact. Here she is doing her back tuck, and her straddle jump.

One of the mom's took this picture of the girls, just before there were ready to compete. And I love it!! It shows how close they can be, how supportive they are of each other, and what great gymnasts they are!!

6th grade Safari night......

Savannah will be going to North Albany Middle School, NAMS. They hold a safari night for the incoming 6th graders, to check out the school, play with the lockers, sign up for electives, etc.

I can't believe that I have a child old enough for middle school. She makes me feel old, but more than that I can't believe that she is 11, and ready for middle school. She can't wait!

She would not let me take my camera to NAMS but I did get a few pictures before we went. I think it took her close to an hour to get ready. Hair, make up, perfume, jewlery, clothes, shoes...etc.

Spring is here

Well officially here in Oregon, spring has sprung. The tuplips are blooming, the weather is CRAZY all over the place and allergies have kicked in.

Yesterday it was gray and cloudy, then it rained and hailed, then the sun poked its head out, then dashed back behind a cloud.

Soccer practice was actually cancelled, and that NEVER happens. Thank goodness basketball and gymnastics are indoor sports.

Savannah and Aaron's allergies have kicked into high gear with everything blooming, time to stock up on Claritin and their inhalers.

Oh Happy Spring!

Saturday Sports

Dominick had his first Spring basketball and soccer games on Saturday. What a long day of running from here to there and back again. Thank heavens soccer was in the afternoon, as it rained all morning, but the sun came out in time for his game!

He really does know how to dribble and run at the same time!

The child in black is the one that Dominick got to guard the whole game. He was a head taller and twice as wide as Dominick. But he did a great job!

It was a long game of running back and forth. I think they forgot about passing over the winter break!

Easter Festivities.....

1. Savannah made brownines for dessert.

2. The kids colored Easter eggs.

3. The kids wake up way to early to get their Easter baskets.

4. Ready..Set....Go...........Hunt Easter Eggs!

The joy of Spring

Today the temperature hit 76 degrees. It is now 7:48pm, and the kids are still outside playing. We have not ate dinner, that will wait until it is dark. Boy are they going to sleep good tonight!

Savannah did not want her picture taken, it still got taken! HA! She is sitting on Dominicks 1st bike without training wheels, that he will NOT get rid of! Just like his father, a horder!!

I LOVE SPRING!!

Spring Break Adventures Part II

On Thursday of Spring break (yes, I am a little slow in getting this posted) Aaron took the kids to Foster fishing. They caught NOTHING, but had a great time, and no one fell in the lake. A great day if you ask me. :)

Then on Saturday, Aaron, Savannah, Dominick and his friend Dexter, went to the rock show that Grandma & Grandpa Fish were working at in Sweet Home, they went to the park, had lunch at A&W (always a favorite since they still have the phones you call on to order your food from the kitchen) and got a great bag full of rocks.

Spring Break Adventures

Aaron took Spring Break off, and on Tuesday the kids and him went on an adventure. Though I have to say the kids were not too excited when they left, they had a great time.

They drove to Philomath to an old military fort, Fort Hoskins (only to find out it had been tore down), saw the Frantz-Dunn house that is built on the property, viewed a Memorial Forest (whatever the heck that is) went to Harris bridge (an old covered bridge), and to Hyak Park to see the river. All in all a great day outdoors!! Savannah is my daughter that is for sure, she came home having taken over 50 pictures so I could scrapbook them! Way to go girl!!

Fort Hoskins

The Frantz-Dunn house

Memorial Forest

Harris Bridge

400-500 year old tree at Harris Bridge

Hyak Park

Medal winner

Savannah had the strangest meet his past weekend. She has been struggling on bars with her flyaway, more or less a back tuck (flip) off the high bar. But for some reason when she was doing a move right before she jumps from the low to the high bar, her pushed her shoulders over the bar too far, did a front flip, and landed hard on the mat face first. She got up and finished her rountine, but then had to go to beam. Savannah HATES beam. She has alway hated beam. But for some unknown reason, she shined on beam that day. She stayed on, pointed her toes, and showed it off.

During awards she was writing in her journal, not really paying attention. As she has not been placing, so more or less does her own thing. Then it happened. They called her name, and it took a good 2-3 seconds for it to register that it was her, she placed on beam of all things. Not 1st but she was just as happy with 7th place. This is a big step since she moved to Level 6 in January, and had a short amount of time to learn the routines, and elements.

Way to go sis!!

Plus the kicker was that the team won 1st place! They beat all the Portland teams that usually come and take home all the bling. Great job girls!!

Savannah turns 11

I can't believe that Savannah turned 11 yesterday. Seems like just yesterday we were getting ready to go to the hospital to have her. She sure has grown up, and time has flown by very quickly!

She had her friends over for a sleepover and skating party this past weekend. They had a blast, lots of bruised knees, but thankfully no major injuries.




Then after gymnastics practice last night we let her open the presents from us. Late at night, but none the less a great time. She loved her "happy skull" bikini that we got her, and her iHome for her iPod.







Tonight we go to dinner with Grandma/Grandpa "fish", Uncles Shawn, and Kris an adpoted aunt to the Mongolian Grill.

1st lost molar

Savannah is really really slow at loosing teeth. She is almost 11 years old (next week) and has only lost 8 teeth. The same number as her 2 year younger brother.

She has already been to the orthodontist 4 times, and each time he keeps saying "Lose more teeth, then we can start work". But her teeth are not listening.

Until now.........she lost a molar last night. Her first one. She is so excited, she really wants her "fangs" as she callls them fixed. All it takes is thousands of dollars and loosing more teeth. I guess she is now doing her part, now I need to "find" the thousands of dollars. :)

Oh ya, and now she mentions that she also has a loose tooth on the other side.

Bouillon de Culture....per Karen

Again taken from someone else's blog....but its been a slow blog week.

These 10 questions originally came from a French series, "Bouillon de Culture" hosted by Bernard Pivot. It is probably more familiar to many as the question James Lipton asks at the end of "Inside the Actor's Studio."

I've found these questions interesting among friends. It's amazing what the simple answers to these questions reveal about a person's thoughts, feelings and beliefs.

01. What is your favorite word? Shopping

02. What is your least favorite word? Good-bye

03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Scrapbooking

04. What turns you off? Lies/backstabbing

05. What is your favorite curse word? Jackass

06. What sound or noise do you love? The ocean

07. What sound or noise do you hate? Screaming

08. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Private investigator

09. What profession would you not like to do? Grabage person

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Glad you could make it, your going to enjoy it here!

Please feel free to post on your blog and leave me a link or you can post your answers in the "Comments" section

First concert and first concussion.......what a combo!!

Aaron mentioned that Rascal Flatts was coming to Portland, so this is all his fault! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Rascal Flatts, I have all of their CD's and they are one of the few groups/bands that I like/love everyone of their songs. So he told me to join their fan club, because I could get VIP seats. You only need to tell me once, so off I went. Then the day/time comes where you fill out a form at the set time, and hope/pray you get VIP tickets. And I did. So then you send the necessary information via fax to the ticket office at a set day/time (and of course, Aaron just did not understand why it had to be at 10am, not 10:29am, as they issue as they receive the faxes. and I finally got that through his head). Now the wait......up to 7 days......but then we were gone for the weekend..........and so the wait turned into even more of a wait.

BUT then it happened. Confirmed 2 tickets in the 10th row! YAA HOO!!


So this past Thursday the family left for Portland, no they were not all going with me, Savannah has a meet at 8 flippin AM, on Friday morning, the morning of the concert, just 12 hours later.


Now the kicker is that Aaron said I could get tickets, spend the night in Portland, just as long as he did NOT have to go. So we get up Friday morning at 5:30am, get ready for the meet, go to the meet, then my friend Amanda drives up to Portland in Aaron's car, we switch kids around, Aaron, Dominick, and Scarlett go home. Savannah gets dropped of at her friends house in Portland to spend the weekend, and all is good.


Amanda and I shop, drink, eat, and drink some more, we drive to the Rose Arena early to pick up our tickets so we don't have to wait in the line at will call, and this is what we see......
Now we are really excited, so we go have dinner, drink some more (not the smartest idea, I figured out afterwards), hail a taxi and go to the concert. IT WAS GREAT!!! Opening was newcomer Jason Aldean




Then came RASCALL FLATTS.........


It was a great concert, they sang for almost 2 hours, non stop. Then we got to hail a cab in the rain back to the hotel. This is where the night begins to fall apart........I NEVER leave anywhere without my phone, but I left it in the hotel for some dumb reason. When we get back there are numerous missed calls, mostly from the mom of the friend that Savannah is staying with. And by now it is almost midnight, but I call anyways. Evidently Savannah was doing something and her arm gave away, and she fell back and hit her head quite hard on the ground. Now good thing that Deana is a nurse, or I might of lost it right then, but she said she did a neuro check on her (especially after she started to throw up) and she did have a concussion, but thought that she would be OK. But Savannah wanted to go home, so she finally got a hold of Aaron, met him 1/2 way and they should be back at home shortly. OK, tears flow,......here I left her, no phone to contact me, have had enough drinks there was no way I was driving to get her.......WOO HOO I win the trophy for 2007 mom of the year!

All in all she was OK, heck of a headache the next 2 days, and I am sure if she did not have long hair she would have a bruise to boot. But next time I will be taking my phone!!


oh ya, and an unmentional number of Rum and Dt. Cokes leads to a very bad headache and queasy tummy in the morning.....I dont recommend it! :)

Pass out or The Choking game WARNING!!

I thought Savannah was too young to even know about this, a deadly game called many things but most commonly "Pass out or The Choking Game", but tonight at her gym a group of "advanced" gymansts were in the locker room playing "PASS OUT", and one of them had trouble waking up, another gymnast walked in and went and informed a coach of what was happening.

These are girls, ages 10 - 15, most are 4.0 students, that work out 4-5 days a week, 4 hours a day. They are smart girls, but they made a bad decision, one that effected the whole gym, one that effected me. It scares me, it was too close to home. Our family had a long talk about the "game" and the concquences of it. Please do the same with your children, NOW, before its too late, then give them a big hug and make sure they know how much you love them!

Read below for more info about it..........


"For many of the nation's middle-school kids, it is an open secret: choking yourself or having a friend do it for you, passing out and reviving — waiting for that euphoric 10 second high as oxygen rushes back to the brain.

Boys and girls alike seem to be playing this asphyxiation game. The most common ages range for kids playing this is between 9 and 14, middle school age and early high school age kids. It is also called blackout, funky chicken, space monkey, flat liner, tingling and suffocation roulette.

Whatever they call it, kids are gambling on cheating death.

They choke themselves with belts, ropes, ties, their own bare hands, or even a bicycle chain lock, to deprive their brains of oxygen and get a drug-like high.

Apparently there are two parts to the experience. First, the high is when there’s light-headedness due to reduced blood flow and therefore a reduced flow of oxygen to the brain. The second part, the rush, comes with the removal of pressure on the chest or neck with releases a powerful surge of dammed up blood through the carotid arteries into the brain.

Kids do it to one another or to themselves. It is particularly deadly when they do it alone because there is no one there to be sure they come out of the pass out phase. Some develop brain damage and others die. This is something the kids do not seem to be talking about openly and often the deaths, when they occur, are misdiagnosed as suicides.

One expert in Atlanta says more and more kids seem to be doing this and good kids are doing it too. Some do it because of peer pressure, of course, and most do it for the quick, 5 to 10 second euphoria it creates. Apparently the quest for this high may be addictive."