Thought for Thursday...

That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest - Henry David Thoreau

Desperately Seeking ADVICE...

It seems that our BELOVED ABBIE'S world has fallen silent... according to the vets (yes... we DID seek a "second opinion") our sweet sweet lab has gone totally deaf... although there IS some dispute as to whether it is age related (she will be 12 this September) or diabetes related (she has been a diabetic going on 4 years now)... the diagnosis was the same from both vets... she now has to be monitored "eyes on" outside (she's wandered off a couple of times recently)... we have been careful not to "spook" her (we realized pretty quickly that we need to be in FRONT of her so she can SEE US) to get her moving... the 2nd vet DID give us a couple of simple hand signals we can teach her (as a form of communication) and she's a quick learner... but our LOVEABLE LAB has turned into a NERVOUS NELLIE... especially at night (outside)... SWEET SWEET ABBIE... getting old STINKS huh?


If anyone has any TIPS/HINTS/ADVICE that we can use to help us and ABBIE make things easier for her I sure would APPRECIATE it... I know she's "just a dog"... but... she's OUR DOG... and whatever we can do (within reason) to help her we will.


Thanks everyone!!!

Ready for a CHANGE...

A change of SCENERY that is... Lilley-Kate and I will be heading off tomorrow to visit DEAR FRIENDS (has it REALLY been 5 years since our last visit???)!!!

The guys will be staying behind... Michael will be working... and he and Nick have a "Project List" to work through too... and I'm SURE they'll fit PLENTY of golf in between projects!!!

I hope everyone is having a great Summer so far!!!

Thought...

One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats... Iris Murdoch

Let's DANCE!!!

Well... another recital under our belts... Lilley-Kate did a GREAT JOB! She stayed on her "mark" and kept a constant smile... ALL the kids did a wonderful job!




Her BALLET rountine "Someday My Prince Will Come" (Ashley Tisdale from HSM) was first... Lilley-Kate is second from the left in the front row)... right at the end of the routine she spotted my Mother in the front row... as soon as she came off stage she said to me "Mommy, I saw Grandma and she waved at me!"

Her TAP routine came second... "Ladies Choice" (Zac Efron in the movie HAIRSPRAY)... it was SUPER CUTE... It was a bit harder for Lilley-Kate to keep her eyes in the audience since she had spotted my Mother earlier... LOL

In between routines we kept the girls busy downstairs with costume changes, coloring, and snack... Lilley-Kate LOVED walking around and seein the other costumes and they had a monitor set up so we could watch the recital (and the chaperones could keep track of the routine line up) LIVE! (We ordered the DVD too... so we'll be able to watch it OVER and OVER!)

Our Dance Studio "splits the recital... the Younger Dancers "first"... then a 30 minute intermission and then the "older dancers"... the YDs are able to leave after the frist half (which is nice!) so we were out of the auditorium by 4:30pm

No dancing through the Summer (at least not in a studio setting)... although I DO wish they would offer "CAMPS" for the kids... but we'll be ready for registration in August!!!

GREAT JOB Lilley-Kate!!! YOU are our DANCING PRINCESS!!!

Molly... Monty... and Puffy

It seems we have been "overtaken" with little visitors... they have burrowed under our neighbors patio... there are several "holes" in the mulch... and it's been fun watching them scurry in and out... back and forth...

I have been waiting with camera at the ready to see if I could get a quick shot of ANY of them... Lilley-Kate has sat still (for 20 minutes yesterday evening) waiting... and waiting for them to peek out... as soon as she sees one they are IMMEDIATELY given a name...

This is MOLLY...


This is MONTY... (at first he was DELMONTY... LOL... but she shortened it to just MONTY)


And THIS is PUFFY... we caught "him" (I definitely think it's a "HE"... what GIRL would be caught with her cheeks crammed full of food like that in "public"???) spending quite a bit of time at our neighbors birdfeeder the other evening... making the evening birds that visit quite angry since "PUFFY" ate all the birdseed!!!

The neighbor mentioned filling the holes... I'm guessing they don't think Molly, Monty, and Puffy are quite as cute as WE think they are!!!

Lilley-Kate said to the neighbor "Well... tell the chipmunks my Dad said they can come live in our woodpile if you don't like them living at your house"... LOL...

Onward and Upward...

Yesterday was the LAST DAY of school... Our FIRST-GRADER is now a SECOND-GRADER (WHERE did the time go???)... The kids had a fun last day... a movie and popcorn... autographing yearbooks... visiting their second grade classes...

Lilley-Kate LOVED her teacher Mrs. Pfeiffer... next year will be her last year teaching (she will retire in 2010 with 35 years of teaching!!!)... We felt VERY FORTUNATE to have been in her class! (Funny little something... Mrs. Pfeiffer's DAUGHTER was Lilley-Kate's Pre-School teacher!)


Lilley-Kate is VERY EXCITED about SECOND-GRADE... her classroom will be UPSTAIRS next year (that's a "biggie" among the kids)... we'll work during the Summer on Reading Comprehension, Telling Time (on an ANALOG CLOCK) and MONEY...

Each class had a little "Award" Program before being dismissed... Lilley-Kate got the EXCELLENT WORK, ATTENDANCE and BEAUTIFUL HANDWRITING Awards...

Congrats Lilley-Kate for a GREAT year in FIRST GRADE!!! We are SO PROUD of you!!!

HOW Do I Learn???...

How do I learn to ACCEPT the fact that "The RULES" really DON'T apply to everyone???

How do I learn to be "ALRIGHT" with "Rule BREAKERS"???

How do I become "OK" with the idea that MOST PEOPLE subscribe to the attage "Rules ARE Made to be BROKEN"???

How... HOW... do you teach your child to FOLLOW THE RULES (which SHOULD be the RIGHT thing to do) when it seems that EVERYONE ELSE doesn't???

Carnival Fun...

The PTA in Lilley-Kate's school has an End of Year CARNIVAL for all the students... games... bouncy thingies (WHAT exactly are they called??? Not sure but the kids LOVED them!)... there were 16 "stations" to visit... Lilley-Kate and her classmates had a great day! Not sure if they were more excited about the carnival... or the DRESS DOWN (no uniform) day!


Lilley-Kate tried the "Strong Man Test"... she DID ring the bell once... LOL... that mallet was HEAVY (of course all the parents gave it a go when we were setting up the carnival)...

This had to be the kids FAVORITE station... one of 5 "bouncy thingies"... but the only one that had a GIANT SLIDE at the end...

A game of beanbag toss...

And more bouncy fun... (the teachers were SUPER SMART and only let 5 kids at a time into the bouncys)

What's a CARNIVAL without a temporary tattoo? Lilley-Kate picked a "Rock n Roll" Rose...

The weather was iffy all day... peeks of sun and periods of clouds... it DID sprinkle a bit but thankfully the kids were inside having PIZZA for lunch!!!

It was a fun day for the kids and a nice way to celebrate the end of a great school year!

Daddy's Girl...

Do What Works...

I have ALWAYS been a "List Maker"... in a way I find it oddly "soothing" to have a list... follow it... and be able to mark off "Things to Do" as "Done"...


We are geared up for full "RECITAL MODE" which starts FRIDAY... goes through the weekend... and every evening next week leading up to Recital Day on June 14th... soooooooo...

To calm my "manic mind" (I am frantic that I will forget a practice, prescribed dress for said practice, TIME... or God forbid LOCATION) I am currently using my kitchen cabinets as constant reminders... planning to remove the reminders as they are accomplished... (nothing "new"... I did this last year too and it kept us ON TIME and ON TASK for recital prep)

Hey... it may not be "pretty"... but it works... for me anyway!

Party Hats and Portraits...

WOW... what a GREAT WEEKEND... the weather was PERFECT... ABSOLUTELY PERFECT... we enjoyed being outside and even had our first dinner on the new patio!!!


In honor of the Holiday Weekend... Lilley-Kate decided to make "party hats" for some of her little "softie" animals... Each animal had a different "theme" to their hat... and she tucked them all over the house Saturday evening... I asked her who THIS "softie" was suppose to be... She said "Mom... he's the GENERAL because he has a STAR on his hat!"... LOL... I should've KNOWN that... right?

I was VERY HAPPY with Lilley-Kate's RECITAL PORTRAITS/PROOFS this year... NOW the trick is to pick a "winner" and get the order placed... if I don't dilly too much and place the order in the next couple of days the portraits could POSSIBLY be back BY RECITAL... I just have to pick my favorites!!! CHOICES CHOICES!!!

REMEMBERING....

Those who HAVE served... and made the ultimate sacrifice... those who ARE SERVING and spend every second of every minute of every hour of every day keeping us ALL safe...

THANK YOU!!!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!! Please take the time today to remember those who have served... and are serving in our military forces!

SORRY...

DANG... I had Lilley-Kate's Spring Concert outfit all ready... the concert is TOMORROW EVENING... got the 411 home from school yesterday about the event... "required dress"... SCHOOL UNIFORM!!! WHAT??? *sigh*... well... we'll go with that...

Nick is home from school for the Summer... he and Lilley-Kate have been having a daily evening game of SORRY... it was a FAV of Nick's when he was little... and Lilley-Kate LOVES playing it!

TAP PORTRAITS this evening...

Our weather is forecasted to be SUPERB the rest of the week... THAT makes me VERY HAPPY!

Getting Things Done...

WHEW... just a minute to catch my breath!!! These end of year "to dos" are coming FAST!!!

BALLET PORTRAITS done today... Lilley-Kate did FABULOUSLY!!!... and her hair turned out SUPER CUTE and only took me about 20 minutes to do!!! I'm developing a keen love affair with "clip on hair"... LOL

Teachers Gifts... Ready... well... the LIST of WHO and WHAT is ready

RECITAL SCHEDULES are posted and organized (I THINK)... :o)

TAP PORTRAITS SCHEDULED... Tuesday the 19th at 5:00 PM

SPRING CONCERT Outfit... Picked out and READY!

Tonight is PROM in our area... so a LOT of the "big kids" are spiffed up and we've seen quite a few limos... THANKFULLY it is a BEAUTIFUL day here today!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

I hope EVERYONE has a really FABULOUS DAY!!!

RECITAL PREP- BALLET

BALLET 7- RECITAL ROUTINE... "Someday My Prince Will Come"...

Walk to spots
Tendu quick 4R, 1 Side, Passe, 1st
Tendu quick 4L, 1 Side Passe, 1st

Glissade R, Passe R
Glissade L, Passe L
Arabesque R, Sutenu turns R, Plie
Arabesque L, Sutenu turns L, Plie

Balance R, L, R, L
Plie, Releve
Blow Kiss R, L
Echappe- 2 Slow
Reach R, L- Hand on Heart

Princess walk to spot
Chasse around the world (1 way)
Chasse around the world (other way)
Chenne Out
Chenne In
Heart sway, R, L, R, L
Dip and Reach R
Dip and Reach L
Borre turn (high V arms)

Princess walk to spot

Balance R, L, R, L
Plie, Releve
Reach up R, L Reach Down R, L
Echappe 2
REach R, L
Dip R, L
Borre turn

Ballet walk off stage


We are "Full Steam Ahead" in Recital Prep... Lilley-Kate won "Best Routine" ribbon this past week in class (other ribbons include Best Smile, Best Posture, Best Stylin', Best Ballerina)... she was VERY excited as BEST ROUTINE INCLUDED verbally reciting the routine to the teacher... She's already told me NEXT WEEK she wants to get the "BEST SMILE" Ribbon... LOL...

I have "surrendered" and started letting Lilley-Kate TAPE things to her bedroom door... it is QUICKLY becoming her FAVORITE thing to do now!!!

Scattered Thoughts and a CELEBRITY VISIT...

WHEW... lots of thoughts running "willie nillie" through my mind...

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY... we haven't seen the SUN in 7 DAYS!!!

Get hairnet to cover BUN for recital...

Get CARAMEL tights for recital...

SEW SEW SEW (Keep your EYE on the PRIZE)...

Will Nick get lucky and snag a SUMMER JOB???...

Call the tree guy and get an estimate...

Wish I was more of an adventurer...

One of the MOMS at "pick up" had some SUPER CUTE SHOES... gotta find out WHERE she got 'em...

LOVE the SINGLE SERVES of BEN & JERRY'S...

Death is just part of the CIRCLE OF LIFE...

Gotta get end of Year Teacher's Gifts...

Not falling for the "pot stirrers" tactics... I'm done playing the game

I'm glad Lilley-Kate's sunflowers sprouted...

I LOVE walking around LOWES...

Dinner wasn't very good tonight (tried to "pimp up" the pancakes too much)

WOOHOO... .58 cents a GALLON in FUEL PERKS!!!

WOOHOO... 10% off in FOOD PERKS

Laminant floors NEXT (or a WALL OVEN)...



Lilley-Kate has developed a recent "obsession" with HANNAH MONTANA ... I'm HOPING it doesn't last long... That is "Hannah playing a guitar" up top there... just in case you DIDN'T know... LOL

Semi-Conscious with Regis and Kelly...

OK... I'm not much of a DAYTIME TV watcher... Judge Judy and Soaps just don't float my boat (and I would rather spend time reading some FABULOUS BLOGS... LOL)... but today while I was putting away laundry I decided to catch a little bit of LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY... now... I HAVE seen the show before... to me it ranks right up there with THE VIEW and OPRAH (meaning... I can stomach about 5 minutes MAX of it before I seriously want to THROW UP)... today was just EMBARRASSING...

REGIS... REGIS REGIS REGIS... it's time to "punch your ticket" "BIG DADDY"... when you can't remember a guests name (OR call them by the WRONG NAME)... the movie they are there to promote... the character they play (or the one YOU thought they played)... the name of their CD... it's time to go... honestly... I mean KELLY can't continue to play "cutesie" and "cover" for your blunders... I mean ZACHARY QUINTO said it best "What would you do WITHOUT HER?"

He Said... SHE SAID...

He said to her . . . I don't know why you wear a bra; you've got nothing to put in it. SHE said to him . . . You wear pants don't you?
He said to her..... Shall we try swapping positions tonight? SHE said... That's a good idea - you stand by the ironing board while I sit on the sofa and fart.
He said to her... What have you been doing with all the grocery money I gave you? SHE said to him . ......Turn sideways and look in the mirror!
He said to her...... Why don't women blink during foreplay? SHE said to him ... . They don't have time
He said to her... How many men does it take to change a roll of toilet paper? SHE said to him ... I don't know; it has never happened.
He said to her... Why is it difficult to find men who are sensitive, caring and Good- looking? SHE said to him . . . They already have boyfriends.
He said to her....What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night? SHE said. . . A widow.
He said to her. .. . Why are married women heavier than single women? SHE said to him . . . Single women come home, see what's in the fridge and go to bed. Married women come home, see what's in bed and go to the fridge.