Track Season Begins

Ben had his first track meet yesterday.  He ran the mile, the 800, and the 4x4 ... and so his goal for Personal Bests' begins!

{For my records}
He ran a 5:55 mile, I think that was 3rd place.
His 4x4 time was 66 seconds.
He was really happy with this, that group ran a 4:20 mile and took 1st place!  It is a new event for him and he had fun with it.

Conference Snack

Last year Conference Trail Mix was a hit!  So I made it again and also made some for my Activity Day Girls (along with emailing them links to fun 'Conference Packets' here and here).  I got the idea and poem here.

Can't wait for this weekend.

Going Private

I'll admit to having been on the fence about this - but I guess there are people crazier than ex-sister-in-laws (oops did I type that!) ... so, we are going make our blog private.

I LoVe blogging because it is a journal of our family's day to day moments, conversations, big events, etc.   I have printed out each year and treasure that record of our life!

&

I LoVe that it has allowed us to stay connected with friends and family near and far (especially grandma and grandpa)! 

I also really LoVe following the blogs of family and friends!

With that said, If you'd like to still follow our blog e-mail or leave us a comment and we will send you an invite!

The Big Event

A few weekends ago Susie's Junior Girl Scout Troop hosted a big event - Brownie Bash 2011.  This has been a goal and dream of theirs since they were Brownies and is part of earning their Girl Scout Bronze Award this year. 

Brownie Bash is an overnight event for Brownie Scouts complete with food, campfire, crafts, songs, swaps and bunk beds (and then repeated the next night for a new group of girls)  - usually hosted by cool 'older' Girl Scouts. 

This event has been a year in the making - the girls have been helping us (the leaders) the whole way, from ... picking a theme - Spa-Tacular Brownie Bash

to planning food, craft rotations, songs, skits, and much more!

We were super busy the whole weekend and exhausted by the time we arrived home but the girls were 'brillant with the brownies' (totally in their element!) and we got so many great compliments from the girls and leaders attending the event!

Here are a few pictures ...

The girls of Troop 2061

 Our 'Cruise Ship' Towel Origami Decor

 Mod Podge Picture Clip Station

 Loving her turn as 'The Boss of Applesauce'! (Giving the Announcements)

 Leading Campfire with Silly Songs like 'Tooty-Ta" followed by S'Mores, or course!

 Serving the Food

Nama Janet always comes with us and cooks up a smorgasbord of yummy food - this was spaghetti with a choice of marinara sauce, meat sauce, chicken alfredo sauce or salmon afredo, garlic bread and choice of salads ...  She spoils all of us.  No other Girl Scout event has food like hers :)

Striking a pose at the Beauty Station

Giving Mud Mask Facials at the Beauty Station

 Susie's Station made Bath Salts - The girls loved it and they smelled so good!

Some of the other stations were Beauty (hair-dos and nail polish), Sleeping Mask Craft, Smoothies, Murals.

This year is the 100th Year of Girl Scouting and so we incorporated some murals into the event -

One each girl drew a small picture of their favorite Girl Scout memory - I later Mod Podged them onto canvas.  This will be presented for display at our Council Girl Scout Offices.

The other is a mural that one of our troop mom's painted and the girls attending the event signed - This was left hanging in Camp Flemming Lodge!  Such great tributes to all the things we love about Girl Scouts!

Ahhhh ...

I know you want to see this little guy again!

WHS

Do we have a child this old?  It's CRaZY!

Yesterday Ben registered for High School -

 

Call Me Crazy

It began with a certain teenage boy sending me text messages of cute puppies and it turned into a weekend of begging, pleading, moping, bargaining {No X-box, Piano Lessons - I mean "the level of desire was high"}, and sulking ...

and Sunday evening I 'caved' in!

We are now the happy owners of a brand new puppy {a cocker-poo} named

BERNARD.

8 weeks old - 5 pounds

For the record:  Steve reminds me that I always wanted to have 2 dogs - I had just forgotten this and was quite happy with 1 - but who can resist these cute kids loving a this little bundle of fluff?

I'll keep you posted on Gus's acceptance of his little brother and how Ben does being in charge of the puppy at night :)

Happy Birthday!

Our little girl is 11 today!

We love her so much! 

She is ...

happy

helpful

sassy

dramatic

friendly

and loving. 

We started her birthday celebration this morning with a 'Donut Cake' and presents. 

Happy Birthday Susie Q!

Gift Cards for Shopping! 

Perfume from her brothers!

Who Doesn't Love Balloons?

I was blog hopping and came across this cute wreath here-  perfect for Susie and Ben's Birthdays! 

Several bags of balloons, a foam wreath and flower pins. 

and wa-la!

and of course a little something from the girls at eighteen25!

Safe

Steve and I were happy to walk away from this crash - safe.

Last night was dark and rainy - we were heading home from a late show when we passed a big accident (several cars, police and a tow truck)  as we continued we noticed that traffic was not just slowing again but it had stopped -  the vehicle in front of us had run over debris from the previous wreck and it had resulted in 2 flat tires - we were able to stop, but the truck behind us slammed into us!  Then 2 more cars behind us did the same thing.  Since the road is under construction there was no shoulder and so it seemed that accidents were going to keep happening ...  we moved ahead to a shoulder and waited about 45 minutes for the CHP.

It could have been so much worse ... so we are thankful to have been able to go home to our sleeping kids - SAFE! 

Hopefully our van can be reconstructed ;)