Ah, The Last Days Of Summer...

We went on a company picnic and the kids had a blast swimming for the last time.







My Piano player...

Here she is in all her glory. The song is called "Gobbly-gook".

I Swear I Would Laugh If It Wasn't So Sad...

Have you heard about Bill O'Reilly's praise of a restaurant owned by African-Americans? If you haven't just click HERE and read all about it. If you are up to reading the whole transcript of the show and his comments then just click HERE. Either way it just shows that there are still dinosaurs still walking this Earth. Sigh.

P. S. It seems he didn't say anything wrong and it is the media's fault.

P. S. S. Yes, I have heard worse comments from others. I do not think Bill is "the worst" but he voices sentiments that are still floating around out there. He went into a place with the impression that it would somehow be "bad" because of who ran it. That makes me sad. I would lump Bill in the same category as my doctor I had when Andrew was born that told me to "Not worry your little head about stuff like that, let me take care of it" when expressing my wants for a birth with no interventions. He, the same as Bill, seems to think some of us can not "think" without help. It still makes me sad.

On A Lighter Note...

My freckle face turned 10 over the weekend. How does the time go by so fast? I remember when she was born and Andrew was singing "We are going to have a baby" song. I remember when she was sad she would go lay down in the hall and bury her face in the carpet. I remember her dressing up as a princess and twirling around. I remember her not talking to anyone at school for the longest time but then made a fast friend in Madison. I remember her writing letters to our Pastor over a problem with them scheduling some things while she was in dance and wanted it changed. I remember her laughter and giggles with her first ever make-over sleep over. I remember all these things and still wonder where the time went.

Here are a few shots of her memorable 10th birthday weekend:


Skating rink with friends...



We had a small cake on her actual birthday with family:



Our present to her were horse riding lessons. She has been asking for over a year. I asked her what was going through her head while on the horse:

Catherine: I was thinking "I'm on a horse, how to hold the reigns, where to put my feet, I"M on a Horse, how to pull on the reigns, where to look, I'M ON A HORSE!"

Yes, The Charges Have Been Dropped for One But....

I am still angry that we have not heard more. Some one has said that it was just a noose that started it all. Just a prank. That the anger that has occurred because of that is not appropriate. HELLO?? Do you know our history? Why is it ok to get angry when someone cuts us off on the road but not when someone insults a race, threatens a race with a very cruel past? It wasn't a cute display of Us versus Them. It was hatred. It was "putting someone in their place". It was uncalled for. If my child had done this I would have marched him all over town apologizing to every person that it affected.

We can't have it be "fine" for one group and not another. We can't say "Boys will be Boys" when a noose is hung from a tree but have the DA threaten all blacks students so the won't step out of line. We can't say "Boys will be Boys" when they hit another black student with a glass bottle with the intent to harm and charge Black students with attempted murder. We should not have one set of rules for one group but then change them for another. I know it has been the American way for years even decades. We can do better. We better do better... for our boys that will be men.

Don't stop BEING better. Don't stop DOING better. They need us better.

The Thrill of Family Outings....

We have been on a couple of family trips recently. We went to a state park that have cave 2 weeks ago and the kids had so much fun. We took a picnic and went on the tour. We thought we would tempt fate one more time and went on a trip last weekend. We only go about an hour away from home (just about right with 5 kids and only 1 Nintendo DS to share).

Since we went below the earth last time we went up into the mountains this time. The kids had so much fun. They discovered the thrill of water....

And the thrill of climbing rocks....


The thrill of running through the woods searching to rescue imaginary princesses from horrible dragons....


The thrill of relaxing and enjoying one another....




Jeff's and My biggest thrill? We loved watching the kids have fun. We loved spending time together as a family. We loved the cool air in the mountains. But the biggest love.... watching the car that was tailgating us, that we had to pull over and let them pass us, get pulled over right around the next bend. I'll admit it. We laughed and I would have snapped a shot if the cop wasn't just walking up to her car and watching us. Our thrills are cheap. Which is a good thing with 5 kids to raise and launch.

How was my day yesterday....

You ask? Don't get stressed but this is an actual day in my life. It was a little more hectic in that I had a teacher visit scheduled for Tuesday. Georgia and Catherine's school has their teachers visit the kids in their home. Kind of a bonding moment there. I like the idea but it didn't play out well yesterday. So here goes, enjoy.....

6:00 am -- Wake up and get a little alone time.

6:15 am -- first wake up call to Andrew

6:30 am -- all kids are awake now

6:35 am -- the next hour is spent getting lunches made, breakfast made, mad dash to find all things that were not found the night before.

7:18 am -- Out the door to drop of Catherine and Georgia at Cat's friends Laurens house because they wanted to go to school together.

7:30 am -- get Andrew to school but he doesn't like to get there this early but I don't care. Say I Love You and drive off.

7:35 am -- get home and start planning my cleaning. I clean and clean until I think Silvia needs to go down for a nap. She won't nap. I'm sad she won't nap. It is now

10:30 am -- time to get Charlotte ready for her school with her backpack, make her lunch, get her cleaned up and get her hair done.

11:25 am -- Drop Charlotte off at school.

11:30 am -- Meet Jeff for Lunch at the local Thai place. Enjoy a nice visit and food but Silvia isn't happy since SHE DIDN'T TAKE A NAP.

12:30 pm -- Head to the grocery store because I need diapers, toothpaste, soap, and other items to make it through the week.

1:00 pm -- Pull into the garage to discover that Silvia had fallen asleep. Lay her down on the couch so I can clean upstairs. I then remember I have a meeting with Georgia's speech teacher at 2:30 when I pick up the kids... remind myself for the next hour and a half.

2:25 pm -- late getting out the door cause Silvia was sleeping so well but had to wake her up. sigh. Rush out to get Charlotte (they charge extra if you are a minute late!).

2:30 pm -- pick up Charlotte but miss Georgia. Her teacher said Catherine has her. Find Catherine. Catherine is needing to go to a meeting (reading and writing club) but doesn't want to go by self. I have to walk her there.

2:35 pm -- make it to Speech meeting. It was good.

3:01 pm -- Done with speech but late to pick up Andrew. What is the use of cell phones if mine doesn't work in certain areas and he never turns his on.

3:05 pm -- make it to Andrew's school. Marshall wants to come over. I'm good with that.

3:10 pm -- Settle kids in with a snack, Get last minute things picked up.

3:40 pm -- Tell Andrew I'm leaving to pick up Catherine at her school. Georgia and Charlotte want to stay home. That is fine but WATCH THEM. Andrew informs me that Mason needs to be picked up so he can come over. Fine. I'll pick up Catherine first, then Mason, then go to drop Catherine off at Girl Scout meeting. (all the while trying to make it back for the Teacher visit at 4:30).

4:05 pm -- Catherine and Mason picked up. Drop Mason off at house. Take Catherine to her Girl scout meeting at the local High school. Miss the troop that was supposed to be at the flag pole. Have to get Silvia out of the car with NO SHIRT on cause I wasn't going to get out. Had to find Catherine's room she is meeting in.

4:15 pm -- After much hand ringing and griping at other drivers I pull around the corner and see my garage. With a strange car parked in front. whisper to my self (Please don't let it be the teacher).

4:16 pm -- Go inside my house and spot Georgia's teacher at the head of my stair case. Seems Andrew didn't hear the door bell but Georgia did and invited her teacher in to help CLEAN HER ROOM!!!

4:17 pm -- Know I'm getting the neglectful mom award since Georgia opened the door when she wasn't supposed too. Show pictures of my oldest son who is no where to be seen so the Teacher doesn't think I just left kids at home with no one.

4:18 pm -- notice smell in living room, seems Charlotte found some chest rub that Andrew is using and proceeded to decorate a side table with it. They also found a box of plastic ware I didn't know we had and played in the living room with it.

4:20 pm -- Marshall's mom picks up Marshall. She is the nurse at the same school that my girls go to. I wonder if she will hear about Georgia just opening the door.

4:45 pm -- Teacher leaves and I think I covered well and look ok to be a mom of 5 kids.

5:30 pm -- Have to take Mason home. I make all the kids go with me this time. I'm 1 minute late dropping him off and his cell is ringing with his parents asking where he is.

5:40 pm -- Get home. Fall on the chair to rest and Jeff walks in.

5:49 pm -- Tell Jeff I should really leave so I can pick up Catherine on time from Girl Scouts.

5:57 pm -- I leave but am running late as always.

6:04 pm -- pick up Catherine. She was the last to get there but NOT THE LAST TO LEAVE. I feel proud.

6:18 pm -- Get home. Kids ask what is for supper. My response "I don't care. It is fend for yourself night."

That was my day. I have 5 kids. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.........