Doodle

Not really a doodle but

from his last year's art book

Cub Scout Wednesday

There won't be any cub scouts tonight.

This month's theme is "Leave no Footprints" , during this month we'll work on pickup litter, taking hikes, and going fishing.... All outside things.

Right now it's like a swamp EVERYWHERE around here with more rain to come this afternoon, so it seemed to me that we'd be leaving alot of muddy footprints INSIDE if I tried to have cub scouts! Keeping my finger's crossed for good dry weather next week!

Doodles

I was in the grocery store and the checker was a boy that W goes to school with (not necessarily a friend of W's but someone that knows W).

When the kid realized who I was .... He asked me if I'd ever seen any of W's art work? Then went on to say that he'd seen some of W's doodles and he'd told W that "if that sport thing didn't work out he should really considering drawing for a living"

W is becoming famous or at least at the checkout at the grocery store!

I will tell you that W does work for his friends... He doodles their name and what they like around it. There are some left in his doodle book.

Sunday thought

Pray Always was the lesson this week, these are my brief notes from that lesson.

Why do we pray? because of our faith
Faith is something we (should) work on everyday.
Humble and earnest prayer ~ aligns us with Heavenly Father
Morning prayer ~ creates our spiritual day
through out the day ~ keep a prayer in our heart
Alma says ~ "let all thy thoughts be directed to the Lord"

*Pray for opportunities to serve and comfort
*When prompted to ACT ..go serve and comfort

It's 18!

Happy 18th Birthday W!

*He's respectful
*He's artistic
*He loves to work out
*He's good to his friends
*He's handsome
*He has beautiful blue eyes with a gold ring around the iris
*He loves Star Wars
*He's a natural keeper
*He's growing up too fast (he may already be grown up)
*He's tall
*He's a horrible worker
*He's busy
*He's not good at Math
*He has good personal Hygiene
*He's spoiled
*He loves rice crispy treats
*He's my baby
*He's an adult today

PR2X

We've seen this before! It just so happens to be the very same weekend last year, as this year. The Track meet before his birthday.

It was very windy and he gets his personal best with two jumps. Out of 4, the other were still further than he'd jumped before today, but he'd already jump his furthest jump today.... does that make sense?

Today he got 4th in the Long Jump with a 19'11 3/4" He was sitting in third (and quite excited to be sitting there) until some 'late jumper' came in and nudged him out!

Then he started triple jumping,
Jump #1 42' 4" Personal best #1
Jump #2 42' 7" Personal best #2 and still standing (jump in the above video)
Jump #3 42' 3"
Jump #4 42' 2"
He was sitting right behind his buddy Joe (who also PRed with a 44' something) in second place, until those late jumpers came , both of them jumped 43'. Which put him in 4th place again.

W shouldn't meet any of these kids in Regionals so things are still good for W's plan to make it to state. There will be a 44' jumper that he won't see until League and then another one that he won't see until Regionals. He's really counting not having any surprises! I really think he just needs to count on doing his best! and the right kind of wind!

Flashback Friday

on the back ...

"Ron and Joyce 7/13/1957"

Cub scout Wednesday

This week was the pack meeting. The boys displayed the things that they'd been working on, their Dino hats, their fossils, and then they made their volcanoes erupt.

I had worried that the boys wouldn't think it was fun to make their volcanoes erupt but it doesn't take much for the boys to be entertained. As I walked in 2 of the boys came running up asking if I'd brought the stuff for the volcanoes. We even added food coloring to the mixture so they had their own individual touch on the eruption!

Doodles by W

I love Pink ....

Pink Depression Glass that is ......
this time last year I had a bit more than a half a shelf of Pink Depression Glass, that I'd gotten from my mom. Then when my friend Susan died I purchased her Pink Depression glass and filled the rest of the shelf.

I was content, I was good with what I had, it filled a shelf, I was done!

That is UNTIL last Saturday evening.... my friend Iris called, she had 3 pieces
and would I want them?
My contentment flew out the window, as I found myself saying,
"of course I'd take them."
The 'hand off' happened at church , when my yet another friend, Stephanie asked me what was in the bag.....when I told her, she exclaimed,
"I thought you were done collecting Pink glass!"
When I shrugged my shoulders and said
"it's only 3 pieces and Iris needed to get rid of them"
you know it was a favor for Iris.....
That's when it happened....
Stephanie said, "I have 2 boxes of pink depression glass for you if you're collecting again!"
.... Long story somewhat less long......

I now have 2 shelves of Pink Depression glass,
and I'm in love with it!

W's Senior Prom....

If you want the details of the traditions you can learn about them
here, but for those of you that have them down, I'm moving on to this year's pictures.......

First let just say these pictures don't do the color of W's girlfriend, M's dress justice. The actual color of her dress is Purple, like a royalty purple.

I only include this picture so you can (sort of) see the actual color of his vest/tie and her dress. It's THAT color purple. But this is the last time you'll see the true color!

Enjoy the Show......

Thursday's Track meet.....

I was in Wal-mart (at 3:05) getting a couple of snacks for G and I when I got a text from W. It said he was in the "3rd heat".... the next text..... "the 3rd heat was stacked with his team so they'd do well today." WHAT .... the track meet had already started......Just how can this be? (in track meets the field events usually start 3:30)

I was at least 30 minutes away and I still had 20 minutes until I could pick up G... and the track meet had started......

I rushed out of Wal-mart only to wait in the car line to get G... then rushed to the track meet.

You know I'd really wanted to not go to this track meet.... really just lazy.... but I was thinking of all things I could be doing, and does it really matter to W if I'm there or not? Well, I kept getting text about "Where are you, mom?" I knew he wanted me there.... I love that! I was getting updates on how much time I had until he was jumping.... but then just as I'm sitting at the last stop light in town I get the text.... "Never mind I'm jumping" WHAT did that mean?

Well, he scratched on that jump! That's what he gets for jumping without his mom there! .....actually the official was a bit whacked....alot of people were scratching and as I watched....alot of got good jumps even if their toe was over....?????

W and A with their GQ looks!

W ended up with a Long jump of 19 feet 8 inches and 41' 7 1/2"

which put him in 4th (1/4 " behind #3)

Doodles

Cub Scout Wednesday .....

Tonight we are finishing up our Jurassic theme... putting the finishing touches on our Dino hats, looking at how our fossils (from last week) turned out and then putting the finishing touches on our volcanoes.

I made the volcanoes ... or maybe I should call them Mount Solo ... out of solo cups, with a film canister in the bottom filled with plaster paris. I needed to make them early so they'd be dry by tonight. When I cut the cups off of the plaster paris there was the 'solo' logo going right up the side of Mount Solo (hence the name) tonight the boys will paint the lava streams on them and we'll cause them to erupt! Baking soda and vinegar with a touch of red food coloring for effect!

The weather is good so this will be a perfect night to be outside again.... I'd better go and make sure I find and get the paint brushes in the van! I don't think painting with felt again will be good!

Monday Monday

In an attempt to save my time and hubby's money I've been letting G ride the bus more and more. Saving me about an hour a day, gas, $ all the while G loves it.

This morning the bus is coming (we can see it), we're sitting at the end of the drive way.....
G "Mom, I don't have my glasses!"
Me ~ groan
G ~ just bring them to me..... before 10 'cuz that's when we have Math."

As I'm trying to get out of the door at 9:30 I spend 5 minutes looking for my glasses, only find them on my face ... I've been looking through them!

Then at 11:55 I get a text from W

"anyway I can get lunch money today?"
me ~ "today"
W ~ "yep"

Just How Can this Be?

So much for my saving $, time and gas.......

Monday, Monday......

Picture/Truth

THE Picture ......

THE truth

Sunday thoughts

my notes from today......

* We has humans ... forget. This is why the scriptures repeatedly tell us to REMEMBER

We celebrate Easter each week when we partake of the Sacrament

*sometimes we only see that right in front of us. Usually that is the difficult or the discouraging.

Movie ..African Queen. They were stuck in the mud and couldn't see that they were just feet away from the River.

*We need to make sure we're looking at the bigger (eternal)picture.
*What is our bigger plan?
*How can we know and keep our eye on Eternal picture?
** Holy ghost
**Keep the commandments so the Holy ghost can stay with us
**repent, the Holy ghost can't dwell in unclean things

teach/stick with true doctrine and principles

in times of trouble (spiritual, emotional and economically) the church is a safety net, not the cure all. We must know how to handle our situations
*yesterday's luxuries are NOT today's necessities
*young people want to start out with what their parent's worked years and years to get.

*Live together in Love
*leopard's can't change their spots, but men can change daily.

Easter Morning....

Our Traditional Easter Egg Hunt.....

G and I have the Easter Egg Hunt

with the eggs that we dyed last night!

This hunt goes on over and over and over and over....

Easter

Jeffery R Holland's words on Easter

Yay, a Spring Saturday!!

today was wonderfully busy and full of Spring time activities!

G had a friend over. They played for a few hours before heading off to the traditional Easter Egg hunt at our friends' home. I think I heard Melanie say they hid about 4000 plastic eggs. Our boys (G and his friend) found about 250 eggs between them.

Then I took the friend home and rushed into Wal-mart to 'finish up some shopping'.

Came home.....then had to make a decision.... update computer check book OR mow the first mow of the season! Both were needing to be done, but since little G thinks he's ready to mow he was encouraging for me to mow. He was just convinced that his legs were long enough to mow this year. Side note, remember last year we got a new mower? Well, this new mower's seat is SOOOO far back that I have to scoot around to press on the brake. It will be awhile before little G's legs are long enough for this mower! He was disappointed but then got the ATV out and he was fine!

I then came in fixed supper, Spaghetti.

We colored eggs, only 18 this year so it was fairly quick.

And went to bed!

Peeps!

I Love Peeps!

only Yellow Peeps and I prefer the peeps over the bunnies

but will take a yellow bunny if I have to.

As you can tell, this isn't a casual thing for me it's a Peep thing.

and NO, I don't 'do' other holiday Peeps, Just yellow Easter Peeps!

have you seen what is happening with all the Peeps?

First there is a Peep show over at Bakerella

Then there is a traveling Peeps contest

then there is the ART Peep show

but then there are just good 'ol PEEPS

Flashback Friday

Finally I'm caught up and can do the Fun Flashback Friday!

The caption on the back says

"Dorothy Smith Sleeping on trip from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam. 1971"

Guess we'll never know what she did in Vegas that worn her out so!

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!"

Track Meet #3 in my plastic coat

I thought I'd give the boring Track meet statics intermingled my personal issues!

Last year the afternoon before we headed for Chicago I decided I might need a rain coat! A coat, what a novel idea when heading to Chicago where the weather is just as unpredictable as it is here)! I went to Wal-mart (the closest and quickest) and purchased a rain/wind/all weather coat. Only after getting to Chicago did I realize that it was a "Plastic Coat", translation, it was HOT, it causes me to sweat. Even when I when it was tied around my waist it would do it's job and cause me to sweat around my waist! I was just a plastic coat! There are some positives.... it was good when you needed a wind coat, as the Plastic coat does break the wind and the plastic coat does prevent you from getting wet from rain. 2 positives when you need them, but once you're in from the elements, the negatives start to show! The plastic coat is uncomfortable with out RAIN and WIND!

Well, when I left to sub early yesterday morning the weather looked like a nice spring morning. The weather was suppose to get to 50ish and a chance of a storm sometime in the day. I felt like the Plastic coat would be the best choice for yesterday's track meet. ...... it didn't prove to be the best choice but I finally got it working for me.

Me in the Plastic Coat Did I mention that it has a hood, that's a plus!

I showed up with only the Plastic coat on and was freezing.... OH, did I mention that the Plastic Coat doesn't have ANY lining, no warmth AT ALL! I was quickly turning into a Popsicle! It looked like W wouldn't be jumping for a while... so G and I grabbed a bag of popcorn (can I just say that popcorn and this don't really go together)and headed for the warmth of the car. Can you see what's coming? Once you remove the elements the plastic Coat turns me into a sweat box! After several minutes I realized that this would never due.... I searched the car for something, anything... to help me out ..... I finally found a fleece jacket (left over from the last track meet), put that on under the plastic coat and I'm saved! I'll cut this short by saying that before the night was over I also drug out a blanket for extra warmth.

G under the blanket playing his DS
It was 50 degrees with an unbelievably strong wind, at times I had to brace myself to be blown over.

this Track Meet had schools from south of us and from the neighboring state. They're were some good jumpers.

W ended up 6th in the long jump with a 19' 10".

They'd just announced the final jumpers (he just barely made the finals in the 7th place with a jump of 39' 10 3/4") for the triple jump when the called for the track meet due to weather.

We had stood outside from 3:45 until 7:10.... we were wind whipped!

At that time there was just wind, but the storms moved in about an hour later.

Once again it was several hours before I was warm.... even with a simple supper of hot soup and grilled cheese!

Mashed or Smashed?

As I've been sitting here getting you up to date on our week, Good Morning America has been on in the background. Diane Sawyer keeps saying something about Smashed Potatoes! Smashed, really? I've always called them Mashed Potatoes.
It was a several years ago that first heard them called Smashed Potatoes, from some friends transplanted from AZ. More recently my ears perked up when I heard Rachel Raye say Smashed Potatoes ... but really I'd expect it from her ..really... she says Sammie for Sandwiches, why would expect Mashed?

I grew up with most of you and know that you're a MASHED person, or do I just think that? Is there a SMASHED person in the group?

Cub Scout Wednesday

I know this is a late Wednesday BUT it's still here.

Remember last week we put paper mache on a balloon.

This week we took the harden paper mache off of the balloon and painted them green.

I forgot the paint brushes at home, so we had to use our good ol' cub scout spirit and paint with little felt circles. It was an experience for them to get their fingers dirty AGAIN but they were better at it this time (I'm making head way with them). We'll paint the details on these next week also.

When they finished painting we made plaster paris fossil beds. I poured the plaster paris into trays and they put shells in it and made dinosaur tracks in it (with toy dinosaurs) and other things.

The weather was good so we did all this outside!

By the way, my van is now a cub scout van (or at least until I get it cleaned out). We put all the stuff in it after we were done.

Are you Braced?

Well, little G is!

He got 6 braces, 2 on the back teeth and 4 on the front.

He requested and got EMERALD bands.

He has one tooth that is painful so he's on Tylenol constantly at this point

but that will all go away in the next couple of days.

quote of the day.....

"If you don’t believe in yourself,no one else will.

Unless you’re a unicorn,

because there’s always someone who believes in unicorns.” -

Dan at Shoe Box

Say WHAT?

#1

G has a friend Logan! Logan has horses and every thing that goes along with horses. Including a big barn, an indoor area and Logan goes to and ropes sheep in rodeos. As a matter of fact while I was experiencing the university ambassador walking backwards G was experiencing his first horse ride. So we have heard alot of horse stories from Logan via G. BUT last week's story was sort of a shock.......

When G gets in the car after school......

G ~ "Hey, Mom Logan's horse had a .... a... calf"
Mom ~ "had a what?"
G ~ (with more confidence than before) "Logan's horse had a calf."
Mom ~ " you mean Logan's horse had a cow?"
G ~ "NO, it had a calf..... (losing confidence in his statement), what is a baby horse called?"
Mom ~ " Do you think the Horse had a colt?"
G ~ (his face lights up) "Yea, that's what it had!"

#2
We have watched Basketball non stop for the past few weekends. At times 3 boys, 3 TVs in 3 different rooms all watching the same game! .... 1 Mom sitting mindlessly at the computer!

So G had watched practically every game the other two had, and especially the elite 8 games. He knew the teams.

Last week, mid week, G found a replay of the Villanova/NC game on TV. Only G didn't realize it was a replay..... as you'll see in the following conversation.

G is watching the replay of the game when W walks in the house.
G rushes over to reveal that W was missing the Villanova/NC game....
W ~ "wow, who's winning?"
G ~ giving him the score
W ~ "oh, I think NC will win" (being the big Tarheel Fan that he is)
G ~ "oh, I don't think so I'll bet they lose"
W ~ "oh, you wanna bet?"
G ~ "I'll bet you"
W ~ wanna bet $5"
Mom ~ rolling her eyes "W!"
G ~ "I can't bet $5 I don't have it, but I'll bet $3. I have that."
W ~ "Ok, you're on"
Mom ~ "W you can't do that."
G ~ "no, Mom I'll take the bet they won't win...."

Then came the lengthly conversation about the game being a replay. If you know G you know it's not easy to convince him of something he doesn't believes in.

Doodles

Well, W has finally released a doodle!

Actually he took his Doodle book to school and it didn't come home until today!

As you can tell, I believe W is now 'playing (doodling) for his audience'

hence the "doodle of the week" title

Sunday thoughts

This weekend was General Conference. This is a time (every 6 mos) where we are given counsel and inspiration from our prophet and apostles. I look at it as a time to over fill my cup! Actually and honestly I think it's difficult to take it all in in two days, so I record each day and watch them and ponder them over the next couple of weeks. I was able to listen to both sessions today but didn't have my note pad with me. I can think of a couple of talks that I'll watching tomorrow!

Our Prophet, Thomas Monson talked about the times, and how people are in a panic. His encouragement to us was to remain positive and grateful. It's all in our attitude.

Some of you may thing this is too Pollyanna-ish, but we have been instructed for years to prepare for times of economic difficulty (for example food storage, 3 mos of cash, no debt). To learn more about how to be prepared, you can go here.


the notes that I took from President Monson's ending remarks ....
We should .....
...Strive for gospel perfection
...pray always
...pray for our children to grow in faith
...pray for our children to grow into a live of goodness
Caution...
Satan seeks to tear us down
internet is filled with good and bad (evil and degrading)
avoid bad (evil and degrading) at all cost

Be strong
Be clean

Fun Stuff Saturday!

This was the first day of the soccer season (since the big 'snow out' last weekend)

It was almost a no go ... just as they were starting a big clap of thunder, this meant that we had a 15 minutes lighting delay but after the 15 minutes we were good to go!

He's scrappy and really coming along with his skills!

I then rushed and rushed to be at the regional choir contest this afternoon. Only to get there and learn they didn't sing for another 3 hours! I spent the time just listening to all the other group perform. I've never know the level of talent that W's group has because I've only heard them. After today I can now say, W's group is mighty talented!

Here just listen for yourself!

(W is in the center)

When they were all done I brought W and a friend back early. They were busy criticising their performance, but going by their memory. They were being very negative and just how could they have gotten to go to state with that performance and "did you hear so and so when they did that?" When I asked if they wanted to see their performance, they eagerly took the camera and started to replay ~ they were both very quite until W's friend said, "Wow that's how we're getting to state" Then they talked about how they have never heard themselves as a group, they only hear what they're singing and maybe those right next to them.

Then they listened to the Boy's Choir........

and you can too.......

(W is in the center)

When this was finished ~ W stated "Wow that will get us to state also!"

an interesting side note.... I saw W, looking quite ordinary when I first got there but then didn't see him again until the group walked into perform, where he now has a spiked mohawk!

Track Meet #2

Not as many layers but still layers

Not as windy but still windy

Not as chilly, but still chilly

Track Meet #2

The Triple Jump he got 4th with a jump of 40' 5"

in the Long Jump he got 7th place with a jump of 19' 5"

Flashback Friday

My Mom! pre 1964

story from Mom ~

THE STORY IS SHORT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 1962-63. I WAS WORKINGAS A "UNION" MEATWRAPPER, FOR SAFEWAY....IT WAS A GREAT PAYING JOB.I LEFT THAT POSITION WHEN I LEARNED THAT I WAS EXPECTING A BABY AND THAT WAS YOU! WE HAD JUST MOVED TO ASHLAND INTO OUR NEW HOME...LIFE WAS GOOD

YOU MAY FIND IT INTERESTING TO KNOW, BACK IN THE 1960'S, WHEN A WOMEN WAS WORKING AND BECOME PG, SHE COULD ONLY WORK UNTIL HER 5TH MONTH AND THEN MUST QUIT HER JOB. IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE FOR THE SAFEWAY JOB, AS THERE WAS ALOT OF HEAVY LIFTING, BUT THE SAME WAS TRUE AT MFA (LATER SHELTER) OFFICE, THE LADIES WOULD QUIT AT THEIR 5TH MO. AND OFTEN TAKE A PARTIME POSITION WITH THE UNIV AND WORK ANOTHER 2 MO'S, WHILE WAITING FOR THEIR BABY. TIMES HAVE CHANGED...

During the week in Nov 1963, when JFK was killed and the world was glued to their TV sets observing the "News", I laid on the sofa and watched, but I was sick..very nauseated and thought I had a case of the flu, later, I learned that I was PG, with YOU.. I WAS VERY HAPPY!

Nine for Nine!

#1 ~ he's chatty

#2 ~ he's bright
#3 ~ he's busy

#4 ~ he's always thinking
#5 ~ he's a planner
#6~ he's a jokester

#7~ he's a sneak
#8 ~ he's a game nut

#9 ~he's a nine year old today!

Cub Scout Wednesday

Tonight we started a month long project of making Dinosaurs Hats.

Our project started with paper mache balloons. You would have thought I'd asked them to walk over hot coals. They (4 boys) didn't want to get their hands uey and gluey! It wasn't until I got my hands all gluey that they willing dug in! We only have an hour so it was tight working, and they aren't tight workers, they are mind wondering, mouth working, hands paralyzed workers!

This night is done .... Next week we get to paint!

I told my dry handed assistant (another mom) that she was going to be getting her hands yucky on the paint night while I stood and supervised!