Oh, Happy Day

Tuesday morning Lauren, Syd and I joined with the other geeks to be the first ones into the new library. Yes, there was a line. We (all ten of us) rushed the door like Walmart shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving.

OK, not really, but it was more exciting.

The library has been closed since February while they moved from the old location (across the street from my house) to the new location (still across the street, but around the corner now).

What a perfect way to start my "grand" summer vacation!

My other "grand" news is that Ryan and I got plane tickets to visit my sister in Alaska. We will leave on July 23 and come back on July 31. At least I think we will be come back. You never know, Ryan may just buy a house and send for the kids later....

PS: In other library news, as I was browsing the aisles on that first day, I turned around to see my nephew, Levi, there. He rode his bike down for the big morning. Way to go Levi-I love a readin' kid.

A Nice Trip to the Mail

I just got back from the post office. Normally I hate that chore. And I think the postal workers hate me because my mail does get backed up every once in a while...because...well..I hate that chore.

I have been doing better. I go at least once a week (OK, at least once every 10 days). For a while there it was like every other day, but that was just me being crazy.

So anyway, the reason I don't like the mail is because of the bills. I have that philosophy of "If I can't see you, you can't see me!"

Not really.

But kind of.

However, today was a grand day at the mail. In fact it was a grand day to the start of my grand summer. (More on that later). I pulled out my mail, scanned through the boring stuff, and found not one, but two cards from Suzanne. One with the cutest picture of her little boy. It made me smile. I had been thinking (even before my grand trip to the mail) how unfortunate it is that the art of letter writing has become obsolete. (With my handwriting, it may be a good thing). Seriously though, email is great, but there is that wonderful feeling of holding a letter, written just for you, in your hands. And it sure is a treat to find a little treasure in the mail. So thank you Suzanne.

But, this was a doubly good day, as my favorite FREE magazine came in the mail. It is from Kraft Foods and is pretty much 60 pages of advertisement for KRAFT, but I always get 3 or 4 really good (and easy) recipes from it. The recipes are available at kraftfoods.com and I believe you can sign up for the magazine at that site as well.

Oh, and finally, last week my dad bought me the book, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Marry Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It is written in letters (which is the reason for my letter writing obsession).

I thought it was just a grand book.

Growing Up and Moving On

Sydney graduated from 8th grade on Thursday. While I don't find the actual graduation to be a major educational milestone, it definitely is a time for celebration. In a small town, the kids in your class become an extension of your personal family. There are the ones you love and the ones you tolerate, but still...they belong to you...

Syd doesn't believe me, but with the move to high school, those connections aren't as close. In some ways that is good, but in others, it's a little sad. Luckily, she spent the last week of school "partying" (as only silly 8th graders can) with her friends.

On Wednesday, my mom hosted a little luncheon for the girls. The highlight was the chocolate fountain, and the sunglasses.

Thursday morning the kids showed up to school, ate juice and doughnuts, and were back home by 9:00. (I've got to get in better with the 8th grade teachers). That evening, they met at the high school for a few pictures before the big moment...

This is the boy, Chad, that Sydney marched with. She claims that they were the best marchers there. (I'm sure she drilled the poor kid until they were perfect). He brought her that pretty rose. What a cutie!

Later, Sydney was announced as the Co-Valedictorian with Savannah Brown. We sure are proud of her and all of her work.

Finally, they had an after-graduation party with lots of food, music and dancing. The evening ended with an hour long swim in the pool in raining 58 degree weather. Not that it bothered anyone but the lifeguards.

And now she is on to the High School! Heaven help us all!

Two More Days of School!

Remember that huge hot air balloon the 7th grade made? Well, today it became a HUGE slip and slide. It's even down hill. Add a little dish soap, and a lot of water and you've got a bunch of happy kids.

*No students were injured in the making of this activity...

Party Dresses

Sydney's friends came over last night for the finale of her birthday party season. They all dressed up in their 8th grade graduation dresses, loaded up in the Camaro, and drove out to take pictures. (I did the driving....they did the waving and giggling....)

Living on Borrowed Time

A few weeks ago, Ryan and I watched the movie, "Marley and Me". For those of you who haven't seen it, it is about a big 'ole yellow lab dog named Marley. The poor dog has a lot of psychotic issues. The movie chronicles the adventures of the dog and the family through the years. When the dog finally died of old age, I cried until I was sick. (Which shouldn't surprise me--I've read "Where the Red Fern Grows" at least 10 times, and I sob each time).

Well, meet my own psychotic lab, McFly. She joined our family 14 years ago, when Santa brought her as a puppy. Ryan and my sister, Cortney thought the name "McFly" was extremely funny because they liked to knock on her head and say, "Hello, McFly, anybody home?" ( Remember Back to the Future....) No wonder the poor thing has issues, she has been mocked her whole life.

Like Marley, she is afraid of thunder. Lately that has also included firecrackers and even loud noises coming from the park. The minute she gets a little scared, she takes her 100+ pound self, and crams it under the bench on my front porch. To top it off, she proceeds to chew up the wooden railing looking for some sort of comfort.

In her old age, she has become as stubborn as a mule. She is deaf, fairly blind, and her hips don't work very well. At one point, she was so fat she was known as our "4-H pig". But, having passed from middle aged to just dang old, she has thinned out again. She sheds like a wild pony and currently looks like she has the mange. (It takes HOURS to clean her fur out between winter and summer). A few times, I've had to seriously consider having her put down. But then she bounces back and seems spry and happy. A few times, I've considered putting her down because she lays in my flower beds and kills my flowers. They don't bounce back as well. But, we all love her, and that's more than a few flowers I guess.

Until now. Last night I planted some new flowers, and admired how big and pretty the old ones are. Today after school I made the rounds again only to find the flowers crushed and broken. I fixed things as best I could, but if that (*&%^ dog kills another flower, she is going to die.

...Or not.

...But I may swear at her.

I've Always Wanted to Take this Picture

Payson, Arizona

I don't know about you,
But this leaves me with
more questions
than answers.