Jonesing for Disneyland!

It's that time. About every other year I start to get a hankering to go to Disneyland. We were supposed to be going this summer with Athena's dance group, but with the economy the way it is there were a lot of families that just couldn't afford it this year. So we decided to go somewhere different and save Disney for October because I have been wanting to see the Halloween decorations in person for a few years now. But will I be able to wait that long? It doesn't help that Hailey just got to go to Grad night this week either! I need my Disneyland fix bad!!!

Farewell Sweet Girl

On Saturday May 16, 2009 our sweet girl Mallory passed away. We are going to miss her so much. She was our first dog as a family and will always hold a very special place in our hearts. She was one of the sweetest dogs I have ever known. Her mild manner with the kids was amazing! Both Hailey and Athena tried to ride her at some point in their lives, and there were many times they would use her as a pillow! Mallory enjoyed snacking on hats and books in her youth and we often joked that her favorite was Charlotte's Web because she ate not one but two copies. She loved the snow and probably missed Utah more than the rest of us. She would prance through the yard like a deer after it had snowed. She never really understood that she was a Labrador retriever, she hated the water and never really brought anything back that was thrown. I will miss having to dodge her on the kitchen floor when I am cooking dinner, or on my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Though she will be missed very, very much we are so thankful we had her in our lives for 13 wonderful years!

Tears of ?

We have been to the last opening night, I cried at the last closing night. Listened with joy to the last choir concert. She has researched colleges, made her decision, applied and been accepted. We enjoyed the day of orientation at ASU, supported her decision to change her major. Yes I have joked about being old, I have been a little more sentimental lately because of what is happening, but it wasn't until she walked in the door with that damn cap and gown that it really, finally hit me like a brick wall that my baby is grown up! What happened to the tiny thing in dresses and Doc Marten's, with pig tails down her back? What happened to my muscled, only girl in the class, tough as nails black belt? Where is that shy little Freshman singing her heart out in the chorus of Children of Eden? I'm not sure if they are tears of joy, sadness, regret, or fear. But I do know I am proud, happy, scared and a little sad to see her go out into the big scary world.

Bon Voyage

Athena's class set off on a cruise for the last three weeks of school. They emptied their desks last week, packed a suitcase and headed off. They are going to visit Mexico, Australia, France, Hawaii and lots of other places. It is such a fun way to get them re-focused for the last weeks of school. They were all so excited to be there Monday morning, something that has really been missing lately. Yesterday a parent brought in their boat so the kids could learn all about port and starboard, the galley and head, bow and stern. Athena came home and told me one of the dolphins splashed her and that she had a great lunch in the galley. Today they are visiting Mexico and I am going in to help weave. It is going to be a fun 3 weeks for them! All of the second grade is cruising but one class started a week earlier. So last Monday they had posters and flags adorning the wall outside the classroom. Well Athena's teacher comes up to me and says "did you see the wall? This is my project I can't be shown up by another teacher. What can we do?" Well the picture didn't turn out great but I think you get the idea of what happens when you give me a creative outlet and tell me to out-do something! My inner-Martha came out!