School's Out for summer

This will be short and brief tonight as the past two weeks are just now catching up to me. I think I've had 1 day since the 15th that I could just relax and not have to be somewhere or do something.

Today is just a little bittersweet. I was so ready for school to be over with, but at the same time it means my kids are another year older in school. I cried today when I realized Rylie is now a second grader. Chase and Preslie will move upstairs next school year to the "big" pre-k class. Although, I love their teacher. Ms. H was Rylie's pre-k teacher and I practically potty trained Chase and Preslie in her room. So the twins love her to death and can't wait to start with her. I love Rylie's second teacher. She was actually working at St. Scholastic when Cody went to Montessori school there....a long time ago. We spent most of the morning and afternoon in the sun because we had field day. Loads of fun. I am going to miss my "other kids" though.

My sister in law graduated from high school last night, which was bittersweet as well. It's so weird, she was the same age that Rylie is now when Cody and I first started dating. I see a little of her (sister in law) in Rylie sometimes. That was a long graduation last night, 469 seniors. Wow, what a long night.

Off to try to sleep. I say try because I have kids to don't want to sleep so they find anything they can to stay awake.

We lost our first family pet

Mikeyangelo died this afternoon.

I knew he wasn't doing too well. His belly was very bloated and we tried the things that we were told to do, but it just kept getting bigger. This morning he didn't look too great. We left to go to the mall and came home to him laying on his side on the bottom of the tank. Chase took it very well. We told him and he kept telling us "no he's not". Finally he went over and looked at him, Preslie walked over and put her arm around him and said "Mikeyangelo is dead, Chase". Then I heard "oh look he died with his eyes open...cool". We took him out of the tank, put him in a staple box and buried him in the yard. Chase, told him goodbye and that he was a good friend and then walked back into the house. Rylie isn't taking it too well. She's the one with tears in her eyes because she misses him.

Now, Chase has requested a turtle that will fit in his tank. I leave you with a picture of Chase and Mikeyangelo. .

Allergies

It is so that time of year. I never really had allergies until about 14 years ago. I went out into a field one time with a friend and looked horrible when I left. I saw an allergist about a year later and then started on an allergy shot in 97/98. I had about 2 shots left when we moved to IL. I had no problems when we lived in Cali and I really hadn't had any problems since we've been back (almost 6 years). Last year I had little attacks here and there, but nothing compared to the one I had on Wednesday night. I am allergic to all grasses, 3 kinds of trees, pollen, dust mites, cats and some other usual stuff....mold is not one of them. Well, we walked in the door from gymnastics and my eyes started itching, throat got scratchy, I started sneezing and the bridge of my nose started itching (my sign that it's really bothering me). I went to reach for my Claritin, which helps a lot, only to find out that I had no allergy medicine at all. The next pictures are not pretty at all and I really can't believe I'm posting them. I'm so vain that I normally wouldn't just let anyone see them but I really felt they needed to be shown. These pictures were taken on my camera phone, because I had to send the first one to show Cody. Then, I decided to record the process.

This is the first one, it was taken around 6:30 on Wednesday night....about 30 mins after the attack started.

This is the second picture and it was taken before I left for work on Thursday morning, probably around 6:45 am.

Now, here is the 3rd one. I took this Thursday afternoon during naptime, so around 1pm. I'm looking better in this one.

I'm now looking much, much better. I do still have a little puffiness but the swelling has really gone down. I don't look like the Elephant man anymore. I wore my sunglasses most of Thursday because I didn't want to scare the kindergarten class. I have to admit the kids (both mine and the class) were pretty understanding. They kept telling me that I was looking better.

Movies that suck you in

There are just so certain movies that suck you in. No matter how many times you watch them, you just have to watch them again and again. It happened last night, and it happened again today. I got sucked in last night with Because I Said So with Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore and One Fine Day with George Clooney. Then today, it was I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (the first one sucks me in too) with Freddie Prinze and Jennifer Love Hewitt and I'm now on Twister with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton.

Mother's Day has been pretty good so far. Pretty low key. The kids gave me their school stuff yesterday. Chase and Preslie made me cards with their thumb prints turned into grapes and the wonderful poem that I got when Rylie was in pre-k (now I have 3, one for each child). Rylie gave me a tile with her silhouette on it and a poem. She also wrote me a story. I did get up early this morning with Preslie. She got sick, but I think it's because she didn't have anything on her stomach and she was just waking up. She's kind of weak but playing around and being a little bit of herself. Cody and Rylie got up this morning and made me alphabet pancakes (I *heart* u). He also got me a card from himself that says "You're wonderful with the kids....especially the large one you married". Oh, it's so true. Then, they gave me a homemade gift card so I can go shopping and buy a new pair of shoes. I want an outfit, but we're about ready to start a new exercise program and I really don't want to get something I won't wear again.

The poem that I've gotten from each one of my children and it's just beautiful:

Earthbound Angels

Our mothers are earthbound angels

Sent by God above

To give our lives direction

And fill our hearts with love.

They have no wings or halos

And yet they are divine,

For years of toil and sacrifice

Have rendered them sublime.

So, mothers, may God bless you

Wherever you may be,

For the gift of love you gave us

Lives on eternally!

Clay Harrison

Rain, rain go away!!

Please come again another day! I am so sick of seeing it rain. The kids are being cooped up inside, which means they are driving everyone crazy. The PE teacher at school today took all the kids out (since it actually wasn't raining). Of course the playground was muddy and of course, my child had to slid in the mud. Because the PE teacher thought it would be fun to play "pull the clothespin" off someone game. Ya, not a good game to play with a group of 4 year olds on a muddy field. I was told they had to change Chase's clothes because his WHITE school shirt was muddy on the back, his shorts were muddy and when I picked him up....his sock were wet and muddy. Oh yes! I did tell the office that the next time the PE teacher decides to take them out on a muddy field, then he can come to my house and do laundry.

The kids had a dentist appt yesterday and it went great. They all got a clean bill with their teeth. The girls still have a few stains but something we just need to keep an eye on. He said Chase had perfect teeth and gums. He did say that he does hope we can find an orthodontist that will give us a 3 for 1 special. Oh, and Chase got sick. He has a horrible gag reflex and they tried to take pictures of his teeth. Ya, didn't work so well.

Guess what one of my kindergartners gave me? Give up? Ringworm!!! Yep, that's right ringworm. I was looking at one child's arm one day and thinking "oh, this looks like ringworm but her moms a nurse and she's telling me it's a spider bite". Ya, not so much! I got it a couple of days later. It's drying up now, which is wonderful but I'm still keeping it covered.

Work has been super busy. I think we've got less then 3 weeks left and so much to fill into those 3 weeks. I don't think I've had a breather in awhile.

On Friday, Cody and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. We went out on a date to eat dinner at a wonderful place called Rolando's. It was the first date we've been on in over a year and a half. I think it took us an hour to eat and then we were lost and didn't know what to do. I am a very lucky woman to have found such a wonderful husband. Cody is my soul mate and best friend and I can't imagine what I would be without him in my life.

Pictures from our zoo trip

I took all these pictures last weekend but I'm just now getting them posted.

Rylie and her daddy on the train ride.

This lion was peacefully sleeping until Chase yelled "hey lion look at me"

Preslie and her love.

Preslie wants to hurry up and be an animal doctor so she can take care of the boo-boo on the Elephants trunk. She says she wants to take care of elephants and puppies.