Hollywood Ending

Once upon a time, we got burned by the mean girls and their mommas. I won't go into detail. 

Fine. 

The details: In Anna's fifth grade year, we found out after the fact that almost the entire grade got together and went to "Day at the K" together, even though the school had stopped organizing it as an official fieldtrip. It was put together by the queen bees and their offspring.  All but a few kids were made aware. So Anna went to school that day only to find out that she not only wasn't invited, she had to sit through a useless day of classes. 

It was a jerk move. 

I may have made my feelings of frustration known on the school facebook page. I was mad and hurt for Anna. 

Fast forward to Everly's fifth grade year! We were tipped off by one of the nice moms that the same thing was taking place. Did we want to get in on it and buy tickets with the group? I had mixed feelings. I suggested that everyone in the grade be invited. A novel idea! I asked Everly if she'd like to go and Mark offered up an alternative plan. 

Would we like company seats in the Diamond Club?

Why yes, that would be PERFECT. And even better? We had four seats. So Anna got a redo and Laney got to take a day off of school. 

Diamond Club seats are FANCY.

They include an all you can eat buffet as well as candy bar, ice cream bar and free ballpark food brought to your seat by a darling waitress that asks you every 10 minutes what else you would like?

It's a kid's dream come true. 

It isn't often that those childhood wrongs are made right. 

And it didn't even require therapy!

Peace out, Day at the K! 

Swing kids

 It's nice to know that it's still fun to go to the park with my pups.

The Renaissance Frostival

 It amazes me that we simply CANNOT find a free weekend to go to the Renaissance Festival until the very last possible day. Why are we this busy?? Why??

This is our second year, so we have lost that wide eyed wonderment. We are prepared with sandwiches and large water bottles. We have a $10 per person for rides/souvenirs. And no, that is nowhere near enough. It will, in fact, buy very little. But there we are. We on a budget, yo. 

A few photos of the day! It was chilly...it was more money that I wanted to spend...and it was still fun! Because I just really love these kids.

Everly chose a  glow the dark dragon figurine, AJ chose a henna design, Laney found a skeleton ring...

And I found this sweet number. 

If Ethan had been in town, I fully believe he would have paid THIRTY TWO DOLLARS to have his hair braided.

Sadly, we had to leave these gems behind:

Till next year, Renaissance/Pirate/Fairy/Halloween/Videogame Festival! You don't know what you are, but you have a great time anyway. 

First day of school!!

 These girls are feeling it!

Everly, 4th grade

Anna, 6th grade

Laney, Freshman

Megan, Senior!

I'd say it went pretty well!

Free of Charge

We are putting on an outdoor backyard concert series, as of late.

You don't even have to come outside....you can hear it all the way in your very own house whether you like it or not!

I'm pretty sure the neighbors love us. 

Superhuman

 The girls got some cute wall hangings for Christmas....which I wanted to hang up, but almost died of stuffed animal exposure when I attempted to enter the room. 

You think I exaggerate? 

You know nothing. 

Two days, spackle, paint and 4 trash bags of donations later and I give you....

It's true....

I'm a miracle worker. 

I work the miracles. 

Restored

 The kitchen table has seen a lot of action through the years. 

Countless paint projects, nail polish drips, permanent marker streaks, water rings and mindless butterknife notches. 

I always put a table cloth on it...because its a mess. 

Time to strip it down and stain it!

Old:

Thank you, DIY videos!

Taking that layer off is muy delicioso.

All stripped down and pitting on the first coat of stain.

Check it out!! It so shiny!

I just want to lay on it!!

Dad lists

He just brings that "little extra something" to everything he does.

Quarantine Theater

Laney and Anna have spent the entire day shooting a gripping romance called Daveo and Romiette featuring their hand puppets. 

There are no words to describe....

The very second they are done in post-production, I will post it. I am telling you, the walking while holding hands alone is worth a ticket price.

Big Bull Creek Park

I don't use this word in connection with hikes.

Ever.

But this was ADORABLE.

So many archways and canopies. Hidey holes and picnic spots.

The kids did NOT, absolutely DID NOT want to go on a hike.

I do believe when it came right down to it, I said something like, "You think I can't make you go on this hike? Just watch me."  I may have threatened to cut off all access to wifi for the adolescent years.

Whatever.

I'm the boss.

I get stuff done.

And about 3 minutes into the hike, Laney was saying these actual words....and I quote..."Mom! Thank you so much for forcing me to come! I love it so much! I want to live out here!!"

ahem.

I told you so.

Mom KNOWS.

It was the perfect break from online school and piano practice and 20 minute walks around the block.

Just....no.

I won't name names.

But someone has taken a perfectly innocent bag of chocolate chips and turned them into this.....

monstrosity.

Anybody want a bite of the oozing pooman?

No? No takers?

But he's so appetizing!!

No-Tech Summer

I did it. 

I banned the screens. They turn my kids into the meanest versions versions of themselves. And I can't take another minute.

And now I pay the price. 

Longest Day

I think an itinerary would have been useful from the moment we stepped out the door today.

First things first! The girls both had auditions for the school talent show. Right before we left to go drop them at school, Anna got something in her eye. Now, of course, we all get things in our eye and we do our best to cry it out our wipe it out or even rinse it out. None of those things were working and it was clear she was not going to be able to go right to school. So we dropped off Laney and Everly and we headed to the walk in clinic across the street. The doctor there gave her some numbing eye drops and naturally she immediately felt relief. What she didn't do was get the stinking thing out of her eye!

So while we were thinking all is well, we jammed over to Sunnyside to watch Laney's audition. She ROCKED it, I tell you!

I was thinking I'd be able to leave Anna there and come back to watch her audition, but the medicine was wearing off and the pain was back full force. We talked to nurse Amy and she recommended I take her to Eye Associates and have someone look at her. Duh!! Eye doctor...makes sense!

So we managed to get in and this amazing woman gave her the numbing drops for the second time today (apparently, if you overuse them, you will do permanent damage) and she located the sharp piece of plastic that had embedded itself in Anna's eye. (ouch!!). She could also see that Anna had scratched her cornea. (OUCH OUCH!)

So we left with the sharp object removed, a happy girl and these super stylin shades. She missed her audition, but she'll be okay. She'll live to uke another day.

Fast forward through all the rest of the regular after-school rigmarole and we have the endless end-of-year band banquet. Ethan is a senior, so he gets to share his future plans with everyone.

He said he plans to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and join the marine corps. We did some hootin and hollerin for him!

We sat and ate the customary friend chicken and sparse side dishes and then it was time for the concert! I'm always happy to listen to my kids play. LOVE that part.

But then there is another hour and a half of announcements and awards to get through. I sent Mark home with the kids and I waited for the boys. 3 hours in one venue isn't even something we do at church anymore! But Mathew got to stand up...he was made uniform manager....so that was exciting for a couple minutes!

And now....we sleep!