SLUFY

Tonight we had a parent meeting for the SLUFY. SLUFY (Summer Laureate University for Youth) is a summer enrichment program for Gifted and Talented Students and Emily and Erin were excepted into it this year.

Erin will be taking a walk on the wild side for home base and then head over for mathematical adventures. She will be learning about animals and their habitats and explore special patterns.

Emily will uncovering mystries in Mystory 101 then she will take cooling off in Antarctic Blast. She will be a detective in solving, writing and developing mysteries. Then she will explorer th Antarctica to learn about global warming on the ice caps.

It is promising to be a grand two week adventures that they will start July 16. Were very excited for them.

Exercise

Well, I finally got back on the treadmill. I only did 10 mins but it's a start. I did 50 crunches and 10 regular sit-ups. I had to do the sit-ups because my girls had to tell me how they have to do them at school and that I was going them wrong. I have never really minded crunches but I hate full sit-ups. I did them though, just because my daughters wanted me to. Course, they also had to do them and we even managed to get Daddy in the act. He did jumping jacks and push-ups, but since his ribs are still so sore from his boogie board accident in Florida, he didn't do the sit-ups. He'll get his chance though. We may make this physical activity increase be fore all of us now that the girls seem to want to coach me. I'll keep you updated on that.

Bitchology

I received this from a friend this morning and it fits today so I'm posting it here. I don't know the author of this but I would like to thank her, whom ever she may be. I'm with you, sister.

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a bitch.

When I stand up for those I love, they call me a bitch.
When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts or do things my own way, they call me a bitch.
Being a bitch means I won't compromise what's in my heart.

It means I live my life MY way.
It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.
When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak against it, I am defined as a bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish.
It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I "should" be.
I am outspoken, opinionated and determined.
I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!

So try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me.
You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch, so be it.
I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

B - Babe
I - In
T - Total
C - Control of
H - Herself

B = Beautiful
I = Intelligent
T = Talented
C = Charming
H = Hell of a Woman

B = Beautiful
I = Individual
T = That
C = Can
H = Handle anything

Hiking and A Wedding

This morning we got up early and headed to Pinnacle Mountain. It was a lovely morning to go climb a mountain. We started up the mountain at 7:34 am and reached the top at 8:15 am. We relaxed on the rocks and enjoyed the view and breeze then we headed back down at 8:30 am. We reached the bottom at 9:06 am. 41 mins up and 36 mins down. We would have been up it quicker if we had let Erin set the pace. She was one mission this morning and had the most energy.

After we came down, we headed home for showers so I could run the girls to their hair appointment at 11:00 am. The girls were flowergirls in the Merritt/Thornton wedding at 4:00 pm and we had their hair done along with the bride and her bridesmaids. The girls were really loving being with the bride, Lindsey, and her bridesmaids, because it really made them feel like big girls. They couldn't stop talking to anyone that would listen and hugging anyone that would let them.
Their hair looked fabulous, thanks to Spring at the Taj salon. The only problem was when we went to leave a thunderstorm had blown in and so the girls had to put garbage bags over their heads to get to the car. Again, thanks to Spring for helping get the girls out to the car. No problem, the hair was not damaged. I've never seen my girls work so hard at keeping their hair fixed.

We headed home so I could dress for the wedding then off to Conway for the before wedding pictures. We got there and got the girls in their dresses and they were ready to go. See the photo below to see how my "babies" have grown. Daddy and Mommy were all choked up about how quickly it will be their wedding.
The girls did fabulous with their part and helped make this a fabulous wedding. Lindsey and John had a beautiful wedding and we were blessed to be a part of it. We wish them a long life together full of happiness and love. Though I don't feel right about asking newly weds to babysit anymore. I've lost my babysitter!!! Oh well. I will be adding a link to Crystal Goss's site when the wedding pictures are available to view. I know I will be buying some of those.
All in all it was a GREAT day.

Last Day Relaxing in Florida

Being the last day before we have to make the long drive home, we decided to go spend more time in the sun on the beach. We got up had breakfast (at 10:30 am) and headed to the sand. We got to the beach around 11:30 am and didn't leave until 3:30 pm.

We sprayed on the sunscreen, setup our staging area and hit the waves. We had 4 boogie boards, a pail and shovel, googles, snacks and drinks. We were good. Marty spent most of his time in the waves on a boogie board, I spend time on a board, on a towel, looking for shells and watching my kids. The girls spent time both on a boogie board and body surfing. Emily is really good at body surfing waves but Erin perfers the boogie board. Which they both happen to be rather good at it. Course it helps that they are both so light so it's easier for the wave to pick them up. Us larger people are so lucky. Marty happens to be sporting a very nice bruise on his ribs on the left side thanks to a wave and a miscalculation.

It was a GREAT day at the beach. I would have taken more pictures but I was too busy being in the water.

After the beach we head back to Dianna's house and cleaned up for dinner with both my sisters and my brother-in-laws. It was wonderfully relaxing time and I really don't want to leave. But tomorrow the vacation is over. Time to head back to reality.

Bummer.

Last two days at Disney World

We had a grand time visiting the Mouse at Magic Kingdom and then Animal Kingdom. It was Marty and the girls second time to the Magic Kingdom and all of ours first time to Animal Kingdom.


We had breakfast the first day with Mickey, Pluto and Lilo & Stitch at the Polynesians Resort's Ohana restaurant. It was very nice to start the trip out this way. Breakfast was delicious and and the service was fabulous. Then the characters came around to visit us. That was really nice too. So the girls got to see Mickey before we ever entered the park.

The Animal Kingdom was day 2. Animal Kingdom is right up our liking. The Safari ride is the coolest thing. Erin loves and collects giraffes and there were three almost in touching distant of the safari vehicle and 2 more that we could see. The lucky part was that they were on Erin's side so they were almost in her face.

Now this wasn't as exciting for Emily because she loves and collects panda bears. Although they have an Asian area, there were no live panda bears which kind of disappointed her and bummed her out some. She still had a good time though.

The weather is beautiful

I've got a moment and will do my best to get this updated. It has been a long last week. Because we were leaving on Thursday evening for vacation, we had lost of little things to get done at home and work.

Work is very busy with a special project and from the time I walk in the door until I walk out I'm at my desk on the computer. This isn't bad because I like being busy but my right wrist that I had surgery on in 1999 doesn't really like it. I has been hurting for the past two week since I spray painted for VBS. Something is not right with it and I will be making an appointment when we return to see the hand special that did my surgery.

Monday was take the girls after school to the library to sign up for the summer reading program and then shopping for clothes before a church meeting at the pastors' house. Have I ever mentioned that shopping with Emily is a true adventure that I'd just as soon avoid? She is rather particular about her clothes and her taste and mind don't agree. I thought this wouldn't happen until she was a teenager?

Tuesday was another fun filled day because my suburban, which we are driving on vacation, decided that it didn't want to start after I dropped Emily off at a birthday party sleep over. I was stranded at her friends grandparents house. Luckily the neighbor took pity on me and came over while I was waiting on John and Marty to come to my aide and he fixed it. Seems that one of the battery cables had come loose and just needed to be retightened. For the recorded, I had no tools in the truck because we were cleaning it out to get ready for the trip, so this scout wasn't prepared. Shame on me. John was nice enough though to ask us to bring the sub over because we had been needing to get the rear air fix. He worked on it all evening while Marty and Erin and I went and shopped again but this time for Marty and me. You can now hang meat in my sub. THANKS John.

Wednesday was a whirl wind of work, packing and cleaning the house.

Thursday was the final day of work for Marty while I did the last minute errands: rotate tires, drop off bears for sewing, pack the bags, load the sub, grab a nap. We did all of this just for this.

Tammy works at the Cape and she had received passes for this launch and was able to get us within 5 miles of the launch pad. It was a totally awesome site and well worth the drive down.

Yesterday we spend the day at the beach trying to ride boogie boards, though we didn't do very good. Erin rode one and Emily rode one but that was it. Matt said it was a bad wave day.

Well I will post more later.

The Weekend

The weekend started off Friday evening with a birthday party for one of my dearest friend's son. Cordell turns 7 later this month, but to have friends from school come they had it Friday night. It was a great evening of laughing and joking and talking with friends.


Saturday was a buzy day. My 3rd grade brownies bridged up into juniors. It is a truely awesome occasion. Emily, my oldest, is now a junior. This also marks a land mark for me because now I'm a junior scout leader and there are a lot more badges which require a lot more work.

We had it at the city park but had to use Plan B for the location because you can't reserve the pavilions and a lady had gotten there at 7:00 am to get the pavilion for her family reunion at 10:00 am. That's okay because we are Girl Scouts and we come prepared. I called parents and had them bring lawn chairs, sent Marty to borrow some from friends, I already had tables and Cheri called Mike for more tables and we just set up our own location next the bridge. I think it was actually better because the girls were closer to the parents this way and could be heard better. We had our Court of Awards first, which is where we give activity patches and badges earned to the girls, then we bridged the 3rd graders. I was very pleased with how it turned out.

Next we were off to the house to unload, change clothes, and water the Butterfly Memorial Garden before heading to Kristi's house for her girls' birthday party. That was lot of fun, about 10 girls, 2 boys and a Karaoke machine. How relaxing!! Hee Hee. It really was a lot of fun.

Then us adult girls took Tammie out for her birthday. Enough said. This we must do more often.

Sunday was the sad part of the weekend. Kristi's little sister, Sandi, lost her battle with cancer and has gone home now to be with our gracious Lord. Kristi was able to make it see her sister before she passed away but it is still hard to let go of someone so special. It makes me realize how much my own blood sisters mean to me, as do my christian sisters. I have been blessed with so much and this only makes me remember that more. Thank you God for the lesson you have given me through this experience.

(I will post pictures when I get a chance.)