Back to Posting!

Happy girl here, laptop has been replaced (wonderful bday present) so hopefully will get posting more. Only thing stopping me is how busy life has become for me.
I started working nights at Wal-Mart stocking shelves. The hours go by fast since your so busy. The reason I took a night shift is so I could still get the kids to their activities and have time for them. But I am finding that doing it in a daze most of the time. Need to get used to this new schedule. I had requested only to work no more than three nights a week. They put me on for four, I have talk to the manager and he is going to drop me down, thankfully since four nights in a row is killing me physically.  I can handle the lack of sleep, it does get made up on nights off (has been a great cure for insomnia) it's the knee and back. My body is letting me know I am getting older and have had psoriasis for many years so let's add arthritis to it. The physical part of the job is making my knees fall apart faster.

Today was the last day of school. WOW! that school year flew by. I do look forward to mornings after work coming home and able to go immediately to sleep since don't have to run them to school.  Not looking forward to bored kids who love to pick on each other even on a busy day. Looking forward to the pool being put up this weekend. Looking forward to days of  relaxing on the swing in the sun. Bring on the summer.

I will be back posting some of the highlights of the last two months.

Weekend Trip with the Girl

This past weekend Bryanna and I took a bus along with 40+ others (two buses from our area went) to go to Minneapolis. We left Friday and returned home Sunday. We attended  the Great Girl Gathering at the Mall of America. To celebrate the 100th year of Girl Scouts.
 
They were expecting 50,000 to attend and I think they surpassed that. The mall had several areas set up for the girls to participate in a variety of activities. We did get to a couple of them.

One of the smaller crowds

It was amazing to see all the girls enjoying themselves including my girl.

We did get to go through the Sea Life aquarium.

It may not be SeaWorld but it was impressive for a small aquarium. Bryanna loved walking through the tunnel, watching the sharks, rays and turtles swimming all around us. She wanted me to take pictures but I told her it was to dark and no guarantee they were going to turn out good. I did get a few okay shots considering.

She wasn't so sure about getting her picture taken with this massive jaw.

We did get some shopping done. Of course had to go into the American Girl store and get a couple outfits for her dolls.

Another store that was a must stop was Build-a-Bear. They had a special bear for the girl scouts 100th year.

                                                                         
The line to get in was long, you could reserve one ahead of time, which I did. But so did many others. It took three hours to get it. I was really starting to rethink if it was worth it. Oh! the things we do for our kids.

It was worth it

If you have ever been to MOA you know with the massive size and three floors you do a lot of walking, which we did. She also did some swimming after, to have such endless energy. But than again she did crash on the ride home.

All in all it was a good trip with just a couple disappointments, but guess that comes with having to go along with a big group schedule. I wished we would have gotten into Minneapolis Friday night earlier, I wanted to visit with my friend, Deb. She did come over to our hotel but couldn't stay to long since she was leaving early in the morning on a trip. Then Sunday morning was a total waste of time. We didn't know ahead of time that you had to reserve a wristband for the Nickelodeon amusement park (which was opening early just for the girl scouts) or go way to early to stand in line for the limited number of bands available. That was not going to happen after walking all day Saturday. There was also a concert but once again suppose to reserve a spot ahead of time or go to the upper levels to listen to it. Didn't even try since it was across the mall from where we had to catch the bus and it was only giving us a half hour to get on after. No way this old women and slow daughter would have made it so why try.  We ended up just sitting around waiting for the two hours to pass.

I may have paid for all that walking and standing in line today (my old knees let me know) But it was a once in a life experience that one little girl will not soon forget. It was a great way to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Girl Scouts.

November past in a flurry; all the usual kid activities mixed in with moving the parents (an exhausting experience in itself).

Little time to relax much less blog.

But major problem with solution not very near. Once again my poor laptop was dropped which finished off the hinges. It is still usable for reading blogs and web-browsing, but typing with one hand while other hand is occupied holding on so screen doesn't fall back, not very fun. So until new laptop is in my hands blogs will be fewer than my usual normal.

I am hoping it won't be long.

Active Kids

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I am glad so far it's been very mild weather, warm days cool evenings. Best of all no Snow yet.

Just to think last year when driving I would  have already been in the ditch once and even a few white knuckle drives back. I am thankful my life path has yet changed again.

With me being home more has been good for the kids. They have been getting more of a chance now to be more involved in stuff they have asked me in the past but I always said I couldn't get them to.

 Jesse only got to compete in one cross country meet. For a first time I thought  he did good. I am hoping this spring for track the grades will come up and he can be more involved in it. Since he likes to run.

He will keep in shape over the winter by going to Karate.

But of course what big brother is doing lil sis must do also.

 Last Thursday during practice they handed out stripes. They both got the yellow stripe. Bryanna got hers at the end of class. I was a little surprised she got it. She has been doing good but this was not a good night. We had gone to the Broadway production "South Pacific" the night before. It turned out to be a long night. She fell asleep during the last act, but I had to wake her to get her to the car and home. She was overtired by time class started and she did not pay attention very good and was very wiggly, which she gets when tired to keep herself awake. I am proud of both of them in how hard they have worked in the last month to improve so much to get that first stripe.

Bryanna is enjoying her tap lessons.

 and her other dance class. They are getting ready for their production in December. It should be interesting this year having her in two of the scenes. Especially the costume changes.

They both  continue in Scouting. Jesse actually gets to more meetings now which is good

I may be more busy now shuffling them around to various activities but  I am loving it.

What a Sweetheart!

Saturday my niece took Bryanna over to a hair-salon that was doing a promotion for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They were putting in pink feathers in the hair (a cute new trend).

 Of course leave it to my little lady to chose a purple one instead:

What a ham

She just has to pose when I say I want to take her picture. Gotta love this cute little girl.

Looking Sharp My Dear Boy

He looks so good

I don't know why but I am not much of a parade person. But I will go when one of my kids are participating in it. I know Bryanna loves to go for the candy. I was happy last Saturday was a wonderful morning. A little chill in the air but the sun was shinning and it was going to get warmer. The morning started off running for shoes. Jesse had only told me about being in the parade a couple days before (Typical). Then reminded me he needed white shoes. I knew we had a pair downstairs from when Jordon was in band. I saved them (my pack rat ways do pay off sometimes) but of course at midnight on Friday he went to go look for them (why would he go looking for them any other time). They could not be found (so much for putting them in the bucket with all the other saved shoes). I was just thankful still got him up to the start of the parade with time to spare.

The Band is sounding wonderful

Just my luck; I would be sitting on the opposite side. Thank god for photo editing and can zoom in.

Not bad my Boy!

September Mumbles

Summer is over. Thankfully not the summer weather, at least not the past few days.

We are in the season of fast changing weather. One weekend in the 80's, next barely reaching 50 than back to 80. Mornings are always cool but a few have been foggy and actually had to scrap frost off the windows (which I am so not ready for). Convincing my little girl she can no longer wear flip flops is a daily battle. But than again convincing my self to stop wearing them is just as hard.

Had a blast going to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. It was a great weekend away with my sister and no kids. Going away without kids (or hubby for that matter) has not happened in a very long time. We had a wonderful time at the Festival Feast. The food and entertainment was great. The wine flowed freely and seeing my sister a little tipsy was a sight to see. Sunday we took a riverboat ride down the St. Croix River, very beautiful area.

Reluctantly we packed up the pool for the winter. I hate to drain it. Not because it takes a long time to drain or it's a pain to take apart and fold up. But it means for sure summer is over.

I thought no longer driving nightly to Fargo I would have more time. I feel like I am busier than ever. But maybe because the kids are getting more involved in activities. Bryanna now is taking tap dance along with her ballet/jazz dance class. Jesse is doing cross country for a couple more weeks. Both of them started going to Karate class twice a week and both are very active in Scouts. I may feel like I am running all day sometimes but wouldn't trade it for the world. I am glad they are getting a chance to be active. I have worked evenings for the past five years and always had to tell them no to things they may have wanted to try.

Started back at the Y and the first week in the pool with the kids kicked my butt (I was so exhausted the first week after I was done). Which is sad since it's only two hours swimming with the kids. Maybe I shouldn't have taken the summer off. Or better yet just gotten my self into shape and actually lost this extra poundage. I am finding trying to remember 50 names is getting harder and harder, thankfully the kids are pretty understanding when I have to ask yet again "What is your name".

I may not have gotten a whole lot done around the house this summer like I had wanted to. But I did get a corner downstairs cleaned up and organized. I now have my craft stash ready to use. Now just to find the time to actually use it.