Heaven Just Got the Funniest Angel

...and earth lost the best potato salad maker!! 

 

Break a Leg

Well, not literally.  We covered that about two years ago, as recorded in this blog.  This time I mean it as a substitute phrase for, "Good Luck."

Rachel had a role in a production of It's a Wonderful Life.  About this time last year the kids were in a play at church.  They loved it.  Rachel had mentioned several times since that she would like to pursue drama.  There isn't a drama program at her school, so I looked for something in the community. 

I found a 13 week drama class.  During the class, the students brainstormed ideas for a play and the director wrote the script.  Toward the end of the class, the theatre where she was taking classes had an audition for It's a Wonderful Life.  Rachel decided to audition.  She had such a fabulous attitude.  She said, "I doubt that I will get a part, but every time I audition, I will improve and have a better chance at getting a role."

A couple days after auditions, callbacks were posted.  She didn't get a callback.  Just for kicks, when the final cast list was posted, I checked it out.  She got the part of Mr. Potter's secretary.  She only had a line or two, but she got a part the first time she tried out for community theatre.

The play ran the past couple weekends.  I didn't get one. single. picture. from the actual play.  Cameras weren't allowed during the performance and I didn't think of it later.

This picture is from her first night of rehearsals.  That is her script in her hand.  She did not want me to take the picture.  I had to stay for a few minutes for a parent meeting.  She was just ready for me to leave.  Seriously, she just got her first script.  I NEEEDED a picture.

 

This is a picture she sent me when they started costuming.  She looked so grown up.

 

The play was great and she did a fabulous job.  Her self-confidence blows me away.



Black Belt

Aaron started taking martial arts classes after school about two and a half years ago.  About six months into those classes, the instructor told me she thought Aaron really had "true black belt spirit" and she thought he would benefit from additional classes on Saturdays.  We signed him up and he has loved it.

 

His instructor, Jennie, started her own self defense company called Powerhouse Self Defense.  It started out as Power House Self Defense for Ladies, but it soon grew to include men and children as well.  As the business grew, Jennie could not continue with her school.  She took her black belts and her top two students (Aaron and a girl who was almost to black belt) and offered them positions as assistant instructors with her program.  She has been training Aaron privately since then.

 

He tested for his black belt on Christmas Eve.  That boy has some power!!

 

Ms. Jennie presenting Aaron with his black belt.

The fam (Probably wouldn't have worn the cheesy snowman shirt had I thought about a family photo...alas...not about me.).
 

Being silly...the boy is HEAVY!

 

Aaron and Mamaw Annie



"Rapping" up the Season

Hannah is in the chorus at school this year.  She performed in the Holiday Concert.  She actually had a small rapping solo.  Yes, I said, "Rap."

 



Holiday Concert

Traditionally the sixth grade and eighth grade bands play for the Holiday Concert.  It is designed to allow parents to hear how their sixth grade student should improve in two years and to allow eighth grade parents to hear how much their students have improved.

This year Rachel is in eighth and Aaron is in sixth so we had a student in each band.  They were both fabulous.  The sixth grade band this year has worked very hard and is playing music ahead of where they should be.  Rachel and Aaron are both becoming quite good on their instruments.  Rachel plays the trumpet and Aaron plays the French Horn.

 

Aaron and Rachel were in a hurry to get to the warm-up room, but with a lot of arm twisting  little gentle persuasion, they gave me a second to snap a shot or two.  The sixth graders do not yet have uniforms.  They purchase them in seventh grade.  So, they were allowed to dress nicely and wear a Santa hat.  Rachel is wearing her uniform. 

 

 

Hey!  Who is that sitting in the first chair in the trumpet section?  None other than Rachel Ray.



Mom, You Didn't!

I picked Hannah up in carpool this afternoon as I do every day.  It had been a cloudy day, but as I sat there, the sun came out.  I dug my sunglasses out of my purse and put them on.  I must have sat in carpool for about ten minutes after that point. 

The way carpool works is each family has a number to hang from the rearview mirror.  The teachers call this number and your child lines up at one of three cones.  You pull up to the cone and a teacher loads your child in the car.  This particular day the teacher who let Hannah in the car had a cast on her arm.  I said something to her about not being able to get out of carpool even with a cast.  She laughed and said it was actually her second day that week because she had covered for someone else.  We laughed and I drove off.  I smiled at Hannah and asked her how her day way.

Hannah:  Mom!!!  Why are you wearing your glasses like that?!?!

Me: (Touching my face...trying to figure out what she is talking about.  They seemed fine to me.

Hannah:  Look!

This is what I saw when I looked in the mirror.  Apparently, I had been sitting there the entire time and carrying on a conversation with a teacher with a missing lens.  Hannah and I both got a huge laugh out of it.  When we picked Rachel and Aaron up, we told them what had happened and Rachel said, "Mom!  You didn't!"  Yes, yes, I did.

Robotics

Aaron and Hannah both participated in Lego Robotics in an afterschool program last year.  They didn't go to competitions, but learned the basic building and programming skills.  This year in middle school, Aaron has the opportunity to participate in Robotics at his school.  They build the Lego robots and program them to do certain tasks.  Only ten members of the robotics club were selected to go to the competition and Aaron was one of the lucky ones.

It was interesting to see what is in involved in a competition.  The teams run their robot through several different heats and are scored by judges.  Aaron's team won a trophy for "Most Innovative" and they scored high enough to move on to the regional competion in January.

 

 

 

I'm very glad that Aaron enjoys Robotics.  He doesn't like school, so any positive experience he has there is a bonus!!

 

P.K. decided we should go out to dinner to celebrate.  Aaron chose his favorite, Marietta Fish Market.

The Night We Almost Got Arrested

I'm not sure how it started.  Is that how all criminals start their stories? 

Shannon, Cynthia and I were sitting in the living room enjoying our last night before they pack up and head back home.  We were laughing about something (who really remembers what after the following chain of events?) when one of the teenagers could take it no longer and went to hang out with the dads and Uncle Brian in the kitchen.  Being the mature women we are, we decided to text her over and over and over. 

At some point, we decided we should sneak into the kitchen.  We made it half way before we got the giggles and they heard us coming.  We did what any adult women would do and rushed into the bathroom...together...shut the door...and turned out the light.  While we were in there we were contemplating throwing a roll of toilet paper into the kitchen in the spirit of "teepeeing."  Then we heard the girls in the living room say, "Are their phones in here?"  We ran to the living room in time to tickle Rachel into releasing the phones.  Shannon would later call leaving our phones behind a rookie mistake.

We sat back down in the living room and laughed off our escapade.  Someone (again, does anyone really remember who?) said, "We should sneak around to the back door and scare them."  We all quickly agreed.  Having learned from our previous rookie mistake we took our phones annnndddd a key to the house.

We turned on the t.v. to help mask the sound of us leaving the front door.  We couldn't believe that first part even worked, but Lori, Noelle, Rachel, P.K., Doug and Brian were engrossed in something on the computer in the kitchen.

We snuck down the sidewalk and down the driveway to the backyard.  We quietly opened the back gate.  Holly must have heard us from inside because she started to bark.  We ducked down behind the trampoline.  We briefly discussed how we would talk ourselves out of being arrested if those inside just called the police.  This is the point where one of us realized using the potty while we were in the bathroom may have been a good idea (we will leave some dignity and not mentioned names).  The three of us are beyond squirrely at this point and the announcement of bathroom needs sends us into more hysterical laughing which we are trying to cover.

We tiptoed up the stairs to the little bitty landing outside the backdoor.  This is where we realized we didn't plan this well when someone asked, "What are we going to do now?"  More trying to hide the laughter.

It was decided we would just see how long we could stare in the windows before they saw us.  It didn't take long for Brian and Noelle to spot us.  Then we knocked on the door, heard the dog go crazy and saw poor Lori catch air jumping out of her seat.

We laughed ourselves silly all the way back to the front door.  Once inside, we proudly talked about the highlights of our shenanigans.

(Again, who said it is a mystery) "We should have stood in the back of the yard and thrown acorns at the windows."  To which someone else replied, "I think that would have gotten us arrested and I don't think I can leap fences anymore."

I know most people reading this won't find the humor, but I know that when Cynthia, Shannon and I read this, there WILL. BE. LAUGHTER!

 

Election Day

This year was the presidential election.  I think it is important to exercise the right to vote.  It is a blessing to live in a country where we can cast a ballot and express opinions without fearing for our lives.  Being overly involved in politics is not a requirement to vote.  I don't like to discuss politics with others, but I think at the very least every citizen who is eligible should vote.

During the last presidential election, I took the kids with me to vote and the line was forever.  This year a lot of people were able to vote early and they took advantage of it.  Due to this, P.K. and I were in and out in ten minutes.

 

 

P.K. and me with our stickers right after we voted.

Dorothy, Captain Kirk, A Trick-or-Treater, A Scarecrow and A Wizard



P.K. was off work on Halloween this year which made it extra fun.  We had pot roast for dinner which for some reason has become our traditional Halloween dinner.  Then we all went out to trick-or-treat.

 

Dorothy with Toto

 





A Trick-or-Treater

 

 

Captain Kirk

 



A wizard with his favorite Trick-or-Treater

 



Serendipity

That is the title of the Mother Daughter Girl Scout camping weekend at Camp Meriweather.  Both girls and I went for the weekend.  It was so nice to get away with them.  Rachel was the only Cadette from our troop to attend.  It worked out well because Hannah was really more into doing things with her Brownie friends, so I had some quality time with Rachel.

Here Rachel and I are playing Nertz!  Rachel was so relaxed.  I think it was because her friends weren't around and she could just be herself.  Even her mom making silly faces didn't embarrass her.

The girls also got to make their own clay beads, try basket weaving, make survival bracelets and of course make smores.  One of their troop specific activities is doing Who-hair.  The girls take all kinds of hair ties, flowers and pipe cleaners and try to make the best Who-hair...think Dr. Seuss.  Rachel was so sweet with the younger Scouts.  She helped them fix their hair and then graciously let them fix her hair. 

My Favorite Girl Scouts

Rachel and Hannah had their Girl Scout Investiture ceremony tonight.  Rachel is beginning her ninth year as a Girl Scout and Hannah is beginning her fourth year.  One of the leaders who has a daughter in kindergarten this year also has a daughter a year younger than Rachel.  She came up to me and told me she had to do a double take when she saw Hannah because for a second she thought it was Rachel.

I think this might be Rachel's last year in Scouts as she is interested in other things.  It has been wonderful for her.  Scouting builds self-confidence and gives the girls opportunities to try things they might not otherwise get a chance to try like canoeing and horseback riding.

 

 

Want to Do Something?

Hannah came to my room and asked if I wanted to do something with her.  I asked her what she wanted to do.  She suggested coloring.  I really do like to color so she brought a coloring book and colored pencils.  After we colored for a while, she looked at my page and said, "You are a good colorer." 

Hannah's 9th Birthday

The month of September is one long party in this house.  We closed out the month with a celebration for Hannah. 

All three of my kids have had many, many, many themed birthday parties.  I love getting friends together and putting a cute spin on it.  We have done everything from Elmo to Dinosaurs to Dora to Snakes.  I love putting them together and having fun with them.  Now that the kids are older, they have their own ideas of what they want.  Earlier this month when Rachel had friends sleepover, she was horrified (Or was it mortified?) when I asked her if she wanted me to plan a craft for her friends to do.  I told her last year they painted shirts to which she replied, "Mom, that was twwwooo years ago."  In my defense I was thinking something slightly more sophisticated than popsicle stick picture frames.  Wouldn't teen girls love to make earrings?  Apparently, not. 

When Hannah and I were planning her party, she wanted her friends to sleepover.  Her circle of friends tend to be a bit high maintenance at sleepovers.  There is a lot of drama that the four of them have shared since kindergarten.  I had suggested that she could invite one friend and we would go out to eat at a restaurant of her choice and that friend could sleepover.  As the time approached, she let me know she wanted a party where her friends would DO. A. CRAFT.  How could I say, "No" when I just learned from recent experience that my years of entertaining her and her friends with glue and sequence are numbered.  We decided she could invite her crew plus one new friend from church for a party.  It would last from 4-7 and one girl was invited to sleepover.  Due to busy schedules, two of the other girls needed to sleepover.  All but one girl was spending the night.  I called the last girl's mother and explained what had happened and asked if her daughter could stay over for the festivities.

Hannah wanted Nacho Bar for dinner.

 

There was cake.  I waited until the last minute to pick up her requested cookie cake and the ones the store had ready weren't the best, so I opted for this flowerpot made out of cupcakes.  It was cute, but messy and not very good.  The next time I will stick with our traditional cookie cake.

 



 

We moved on to opening gifts.  One of her gifts was a movie she had asked for which may have strategically been planned as a party activity for later in the night.  Then the girls asked if we could go to the playground. 

 

 

They all climbed a tree.  I sat quietly letting them have fun and praying this would not result in any broken bones. 

 

Then we went back home to do the craft!!  Sadly, there are no pictures of that.

 

The girls didn't stay up too late.

 

Breakfast the next morning was Omelet Bar.  I really like the "bar" meals.  It allows the kids to make their own food which doubles as a party activity and everyone can choose what they like.

 

I put everything needed in bowls on the island and wrote each girl's name on a Ziploc with a Sharpie.  They cracked their eggs and had more fun than expected just whisking the eggs.  Then they added what they wanted in their omelets.  Everything was poured in their bag.  I labeled paper plates with their names and cooked the omelets.  This was easy and fun.

 

 

Now we get a party break until June.  







Hat Day

Aaron and Rachel were heading to the car for school this morning, when I see Aaron wearing this hat and Rachel slipping him a dollar.

 

"Why are you wearing that hat and why are you giving him a dollar?"  Every week there is a Spirit Day at the middle school.  This particular day was Hat Day.  The kids can wear any hat they want and they pay a dollar.  The money raised goes to a charity.

I think Rachel thought it would be fun to wear this hat, but she was a bit too concerned about what others might think.  Aaron doesn't care what people think and is always looking for a way to make money.  So many life lessons in those two sentences.

What it Takes to Make a Boat

Hannah had to do a project for her Target class.  The assignment was to choose a picture of herself by a body of water and explain any historical significance and how the waterway is used today.  She chose a picture we had taken in Beaufort, NC.  The pirate Blackbeard had a home in Beaufort and one of his ships was found there.  It is also home to Carrot Island where descendants of Spanish ponies live.  Part of the assignment was to present the project in a creative way.  Hannah decided to make a pirate ship.  Her photo was one side of the pirate flag and her report was on the other side of the flag.

We hot glued two file folders around an empty cardboard box.  Then she poked a hole and put in a wooden dowel.  We hot glued her flag to this. 

The Morning He Turned 40

PK has a crazy work schedule.  His birthday happend to fall on a Monday this year which meant he wouldn't be home until late, so we had to celebrate early.  He got up and went to the gym about 5 a.m. and the kids and I got up to surprise him when he returned.  We turned out all the lights and sat on the windowseat in the kitchen.  When he finally (he must have been motivated to do an extra long workout since he hit the big 4...0....) returned he walked into the kitchen and we all yelled, "Surprise." 

 

Then we all had cookie cake for breakfast because that is how this family rolls.



 

The Orange Bike

Aaron was about three when one of my dear friends decided to practice tough love on her boys.  They had several bikes between them and would not put them away.  My friend told her sons that the next time they left a bike out, it would go in the garbage.  The next time a bike was left out, she was true to her word.

One of the boys left a rather nice bike out and she put it with the trash cans on garbage day.  The bike was designed for freestyle tricks.  It was expensive and she didn't really want it to be hauled away as garbage.  Our neighbors, my family included, were really good about passing around things our kids had outgrown or we no longer used.  She saw my husband and said he should take the bike to save for Aaron, so PK did.

Aaron eventually grew into the bike and got great use out of it.  Then he outgrew it.  Hannah had Rachel's old bike, so we no longer needed Aaron's old bike.  I had a yard sale one day and my friend who happens to be on staff at our church came to sit with me.  She said if we didn't sell the bike she would buy it for her son.  I insisted that she immediately load it up.  I would much rather pass things on to friends who need them than try to sell them at a yard sale.  After all, the bike was given to us.

My friend's son learned how to ride a bike without training wheels on that bike.  She mentioned several times what a blessing that bike had been to her son.  I really thought nothing of it as I was very glad he was having fun with it.  He also outgrew it.

This past Saturday our church preschool had a yard sale.  Families from the preschool and church members donated a variety of items.  When I came to work the yard sale Saturday morning, I saw that the bike was for sale.

My friend was at the yard sale all day.  Toward the end she sent a text asking if Aaron could sleepover with her son.  When she came to pick Aaron up, she said the bike sold.

A little boy rode the bike around and around the church yard.  He asked his dad if he could have the bike, but the dad did not have the money.  The little boy came to the table and asked how much the bike cost.  My friend asked how much money he had.  He pulled out his little wallet and counted out his coin.  "I have seventy cents."  The reply, "That is exactly how much that bike costs."

Who knew how many little boys would be blessed by one orange bike?

Touched By a Life

Growing up, I was never comfortable around elderly people.  Even as a grown up, I've never really been comfortable around elderly people.  Until a couple of years ago, my aunt worked at a nursing home.  I would stop by to see her there when I was in town, but she knew I was afraid of the little old people.

In the last couple of years, that has started to change.  Probably because I am getting older and none of them seem as old.  Perhaps I have realized what a wealth of information they are.  Hearing their life experiences first hand can't be replaced by reading it in a book. 

There are two ladies at my church.  They are 82 year old twins.  Their names are Elspeth and Beverly.  We know them as Beth and Bebe.  It is one of the cutest sights to see them come in dressed in matching outfits.  My church holds WOW (Weekly on Wednesday) every Wednesday night during the school year.  This year I am not working with the kids and decided to take a class on Wednesday nights.  The class I am attending didn't start until after Labor Day so I had several weeks to look elsewhere. 

Beth and Bebe started a knitting group.  I can't knit or crochet.  My grandmother tried to teach me and I can still see her looking at my chain which was backwards and asking, "How did you do that?"  All of the items they make are donated to hospitals or others in need.  They make little iv covers for babies and blankets for those babies who don't make it amongst other items.  They are very passionate about their ministry.  The first Wednesday night I sat with them, I left feeling so happy just having sat and listened to them talk.  One had a career in radio and the other a career in television.  They have met Perry Como and the Beatles.  They asked me where I grew up and they both looked so surprised when I said, "Indiana" because that is where they grew up.

As we progressed through Wednesday nights, I was able to assist them to the car or help them into the church.  The Wednesday night before last, Bebe was in line for her dinner.  One of the ladies uses a walker and the other a cane.  I told her I would carry her plate.  We stopped at the station for salad and she leaned over and whispered, "Get the firm lettuce because I can't chew well."  I smiled and obeyed.

The following Wednesday one of the ladies from church poked her head into the class I am taking and asked us to pray for Bebe and Beth because Bebe had been taken to the hospital.  The next morning our church family was very saddened to hear that Bebe had passed away that night. 

When I found out, my heart ached.  First, because I was afraid of what that would do to Beth.  Beth lost her husband and her only daughter.  Beth and Bebe told me they were the only family each other had left.  Second, I was a bit selfish in my thinking because I was just getting to know her and loved her. 

The funeral was yesterday.  I really wanted to go, but wasn't sure if I should since I had just met them.  Several of the ladies from the church were meeting at the church and riding together.  I joined them.  I was so glad I went. 

There was a short one hour visitation time followed by graveside services at the cemetery behind the funeral home.  Just before time to progress to the cemetery, visitors were asked to stand in a circle for prayer.  Beth had been sitting to receive guests.  When she stood her mouth literally dropped open in surprise at the number of people in the circle. 

I spoke to her when I arrived at the funeral home and told her how sorry I was.  She said she was glad Bebe didn't suffer and was now in a better place.

What the Lord spoke to my hearts was that we should all be living our lives and touching people in such a way that after just after meeting us we have managed to bless their lives in some way.

I will be taking lunch to Beth this Friday.  My selfish thought...I can't wait to sit and listen to her tell her stories and learn from her.

A Hole in My Heart

I've been running again lately.  I've done four miles, but generally do three.  The hills are killer.  I really do live where it is up hill both ways. 

At the top of the steepest hill, I often see this little old lady walking around her yard.  She wears a duster.  A duster is a light, loose fitting, long housecoat.  It seems that if my grandmother was at home, she was wearing a duster.  The lady I see while running looks like my grandmother.  Nah, she isn't a dead ringer.  However, the duster, her build, her hair, the way she walks and the slight grumpy expression she wears are strong reminders.

The other morning she was on the sidewalk.  As I passed, I took out my earbud and said good morning. 

She spoke, "I wish I could jog." 

I stopped and turned to look at her, "If I can do it, anyone can." 

She smiled and said, "I have two holes in my heart."   

"Walking is good for you."

"Yes."

Smiling, "Have a great day."

She smiled and waved.

I ran and tried not to cry.

When I see her I think of my grandmother and talking to her reminded me of the hole in my heart.  Today marks a year since Grandma met Jesus.  I know that sounds so cliche', but it really is what happened and what I try to think about when I find myself missing her.

Today is Grandparent's Day.  How fitting for the one year anniversary.

Why Skunks Stink

My preschoolers are in the middle of a camping theme.  I have a tent set up in the classroom and we have been talking about things we might see or do if we were camping.

I've covered one side of my easel with felt to make a felt board.  I trade out the things to stick to the felt depending on the theme or skills we are focusing on.  Velcro works well on felt boards just in case anyone needs to know.  Ha!

Since we are camping, I found a set of numbers that have a picture of a woodland animal on each number.  Today I was helping the kids put the numbers in order.  When we came to a number with a skunk on it, I held it up and asked the kids if they knew what the animal was.

***Warning...bad word in the following***

Kids:  It's a skunk!!
Me:  What do you know about skunks?
Preschooler:  They piss. (Seriously, the child was serious and didn't mean for there to be a shock factor which made it funnier)
Me:  (Trying not to fall out on the floor laughing) Wh..wh..huh...what did you say?
Preschooler:  No, I mean they fart.
Me: Hahahahahahahaha!

Wasn't it Just Last Week?

Wasn't it just last week that I was admitted to the hospital after being in California all of two days?  Wasn't it just last week the doctor handed me a little 4lb 14oz bundle?  Wasn't it just last week when I was walking through KMart in Yucca Vallery with a baby propped in her carseat in the shopping cart who looked at me and blew her first raspberries?  Wasn't it just last week she was taking her first steps trying to reach our neighbor who stopped by for a visit?  Wan't it just last week that she wouldn't go to sleep witout her "pasibabyblanket?"  Wasn't it just last week we were spending our days in the cul de sac with all the other neighborhood toddlers?  Wasn't it just last week when Barney, Dora and VeggieTales were the shows we watched over and over and over?  Wasn't it just last week when I snapped that picture of her standing on her tip toes trying to peak at her new baby brother in his bassinet?  Wasn't it just last week when we took her to Disneyland and she insisted on waiting in line to meet every. single. princess?  Wasn't it just last week when I was strapping three little kids into the triple jogging stroller every morning?  Wasn't it just last week when my friend Christine and I took her shopping "down the hill" for her new kindergarten wardrobe which happened to be entirely pink?  Wasn't it just last week she was trying to talk me into letting her ride the bus for her first day of kindergarten?  Wasn't it just last week when she caught the Tooth Fairy trying to slip the dollar under her pillow (so busted)?

Wasn't it just last week?

Someone.  Anyone.  Please tell me how we went from just last week to having a teenager in our house.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is the imitation of a sound in words.  Examples are buzz, splash, hiss, woof and meow.  It is my five cent teacher word.  Another example would be Screeeechh.  That was the sound of our summer abruptly coming to an end.

The kids started school this past Monday.  We were cruising along full speed enjoying our summer and BAM! (another example of onomatopoeia) we hit a brick wall.  It was time to go back to school.  I am always a bit sad, boo hoo, when the kids go back.  We had a fun and relaxing summer.  It was the first time since we have lived in Georgia that PK was home for the summer.  Since his days off are Tuesday and Wednesday, it is rare that we all have a day off together.  The kids being off during the summer gave us some family time.

This is what Aaron thought about going back to school and his first day of middle school.  Whaaa!

Nahhhh.  It wasn't really that bad.

Rachel was all smiles.  She has been ready to go back since we came back from Florida.

Here is the two of them together.

Then there was Hannah Banana.

She has Stacy Anderson this year.  Stacy is a friend of mine and was the supply teacher in Hannah's first grade class a couple years ago when her first grade teacher was on maternity leave.  We were so hoping Hannah would be in her class again this year.

I don't have a picture of all three of them together because I took Hannah and went straight to work.  The preschool teachers had to work setting up classrooms this week. 
Our students come back next Monday.  PK took Rachel and Aaron so they wouldn't have to get to school so early.  It was pretty emotional for me.  It is the first year I didn't see them off for their first day of school.  Of course, it didn't bother them.  After this week, I will drop them on my way to work.  Next year they will all be at different schools. 

The girls have had a great first week and I expected nothing less. The big surprise?  Aaron actually likes school.  It isn't the smiling from ear to ear excitement the girls have, but for him, it is great.  I am so thankful to see it.  He has a couple male teachers which I think is helpful.  He also said he likes moving from class to class. 

They Will Stink

Aaron is in the middle of two of his Scout buds.

Aaron left for his first full week of Boy Scout camp this morning.  He has gone on several weekend trips as a Boy Scout and countless as a Cub Scout.  This will be his first week long trip.

He was not nervous at all.  He loves it!!  The boys were limited to bringing just their footlocker.  They will be sleeping in platform tents and eating in a cafeteria type setting so that saves them from packing some of their gear.

Yesterday, I helped Aaron pack.  Oh...my...word!  He spent most of the time digging through his room hunting for items such as his compass, water shoes and personal first aid kit.  When he comes back from this trip, I am going to help him unpack and then we are going to put all of his gear in the footlocker.  Next time he is packing for a camping trip, he will know where everything is.  P.K. said the next time he has to pack, Aaron will do it himself and then we can check it afterwards.  Sounds like a plan to me.

Of course, he will leave out what I would consider essentials like clean underwear, soap and toothpaste.  I packed him lots of extra socks and underwear, but I know he won't change them as often as he should.  I told him to brush his teeth every day, but, again, I know he won't.  He also has soap, but I'm quite certain he won't use that.  When I go to pick him up on Saturday, I know I will want to tie him to the top of the van to air him out on the ride home and to keep the smell from permeating the inside of the van. 

I also know he will have a great adventure this week.  Each time he goes to a regular weekly meeting or goes on a weekend camping trip, he learns new skills and can explain them in detail.  I know this week will not be any different.  Plus, the camp has a Slurpee machine and the Scouts took along enough cash to buy two a day.  What could be any better?

600 Steps...'Bout Died

As a family, we like to explore the outdoors.  We decided to take a day to hike Amicalola Falls in the north Georgia mountains.

The hike is gorgeous the entire way.  We followed the stream that runs down from the falls.

Aaron and Hannah especially like climbing on the rocks.

Just ignore what this sign says.

When they saw fallen trees they wanted to climb out on them.  Aaron and Hannah were a bit timid, but were more brave with P.K.

To get to the bottom of the falls we had to climb 175 steps.

It took me a while to catch my breath once we got to the top.  P.K. waited for us to climb to the top to get a picture.  He kept telling me to get the kids for a picture, but I couldn't talk to do it.  Ha!

Once we enjoyed the view at the base of the falls, we had 425 more steps to make it to the top.  P.K., Aaron and Hannah went first.  Rachel and I stood and thought about it for a while, but we finally made it.

The view from the top was gorgeous.  I thought the walk back down would easier, but my legs were like jello.  We decided to try the restaurant at the lodge after our hike.  We were seated by the window that takes up the full wall.  It was also a beautiful view of the mountains.  The food?  Let's just say it wasn't nearly as good as the view.