5th Annual Talent Show

Last night was the 5th annual talent show for the elementary school. We hold the night performance in the High school. I have done the music for the past 5 years and the program for the last 2. It was a lot of fun, but sad that B ages out of the school for next year. Wanted to give you a little taste of it with B's group of 4th grade friends.

Those 4th grade girls made the background decorations: painted outlines of them. You may recognize B's from the image that was left on my floor.

English is tricky...

We are in the car on our way to Dairy Queen that has opened after being closed all winter (yippee!) and B pipes up from the back seat
"I heard a new word for gay today."
me, "Really? What is it?"
B, "um, mo-mo I think."
me, "Yeah, that would be homo and it's not something you want to be calling people."
This led to a full discussion on homosexuality and genetics, etc....

The other day B and I are in the car (why is it always the car?) and we are talking about the jump rope competition. I told her I was going to make our lunch for that day because I wasn't sure what was being served in the cafeteria. Who wants to jump rope after eating spaghetti? I said there was going to be a bake sale, too and she could get something there if she wanted.
Her response? "Well when you have a mom who makes brownies 2 or 3 times a week because she is depressed, you kind of get used to that kind and no one else's taste as good."
me, "Depressed? I do not bake because I am DE-pressed. I bake because I am STR-essed."
Good Lord what kind of rumors is she spreading around about me?

Parenting Advice #56

Under no circumstance should you paint an outline of your daughter on canvas with acrylic paint without something underneath it like newspaper.


Yes, it did come off with Lysol and elbow grease! Phew!

Jumpin' Fools!

I went to my first Jump Roping Competition on Saturday.

Hmm, that statement makes it sound like I was jumping. Ha Ha NO! I would be in intensive care if i had to do what I saw those kids doing!

B was jumping and she did a fantastic job for her first competition. Everyone on her team won at least 1 medal! Some of the kids (overachievers), won 6 or 7!

What are my conclusions about jumping?

*There are all walks of life involved in jumping.

*Our team's feet are  pretty lucky to be sponsored by New Balance. (They all get matching sneakers.)

*It's funny to watch kids get in the zone when they are jumping for speed.

*I watched a double's freestyle act where the 2 girls that were in it got so mad during their 45 second routine that they stormed off in 2 different directions. 

*Wooden bleachers hurt my butt after a few hours.

* B was not happy that her freestyle routines didn't medal. After I explained to her that this is her first year jumping and her first competition ever and she did come away with 2 medals for other speed events, I had to give her some sage advice. This is straight from my dad.

"Say 3 Awwww Shits and get on with it" She looked at me like what? You want me to say that? I made her say it aloud and it at least made her crack up.

I am looking for a comfy bleacher seat for the BIG competition in one month in Portsmouth, NH. 

Big Sissy has to look "cool".
B and her number 2 fan, Nana. (I am the number 1 fan!)
During her freestyle event.
The very cute ending pose.

Drama Queens

I had to run out to a finance meeting tonight to beg, plead and request some money for the big maritime fest my group puts on each May.

I was gone from 7-8.

This is when all hell broke loose.

I came home to one kid stressing about math homework and another stressing about a science test.

Where was my husband? On the couch, watching tv, oblivious to the drama. He actually had the balls to say that we didn't really need all that money we were asking for, blah, blah, blah. I think the fire in my ears wouldn't allow me to hear anything other than blah.

Calmed the girls down, finished most of the homework.

Layed in bed with one. She informed me that her life was a "drama. A tv drama."

Layed in bed with the other. She informed me that she had the chicken pox, lice and pink eye.

I think I am going to need something stronger than the antibiotics that the Dr. gave me today.

Taking a Bite Out of Walmart

News people on Cape Cod have been dealing with the every day crap that is dished out about the economy this winter. There have also been break ins, car accidents, fires, deaths, births, the usuals. I think we might have hit the point in the winter where the news people are just going to make stuff up to see if people are even listening. 

Case in point; 2 stories I heard about today.

There is a police officer in one Cape town that is being charged with "peeing on a rock fan" and then verbally abusing him. At a Metallica concert recently, this cop decided it was too far to head to "the head" and just peed on the guy in front of him. I might expect this from a woman because we all know how long the lines are to the ladies room, but this was a guy. Evidently he pulled out his police badge so he wouldn't get thrown out of the concert. I think he got thrown off the force instead.

The second story comes from Walmart. 

Walmart is doing pretty well in this recession/depression/secession we are having. With their rolled back prices, they are the one store many can afford. Someone was looking to buy a new wallet at the Walmart in Falmouth the other day. Evidently they had something to put in a wallet. Whatever I need/have can, unfortunatley, fit in my pocket. This wallet buying person was checking out all the nooks and crannies of said wallet and found 10 teeth in a pocket. EWWWWW! 10 adult teeth, one with a filling. The wallet still had the tags on it and no one seems to know how  the teeth got there or from who or why. 

So to sum up the Cape news this week: 

Don't lose your teeth over wet pants.

Take a bite out of crime.

Can we link peeing and teeth loss to the economy?

Stop, Pee and Chew.

Got any others? Are there news stories like this around the country or are these things saved for Cape Cod in the winter?

North Conway or Bust!

This weekend I had the rare opportunity to escape to New Hampshire!

Without husband or kids! 

Or dog! 

Or horses! 

Or goat!

Or goldfish! 

Ok, so it was a "working vacation", but we had more fun than work! Amy and I had a wedding to do in Jackson, NH which is near North Conway, NH. We went up Friday to check the lighting, but it was pouring and foggy. We checked in with the bride and groom, jumped on our beds in our hotel room and went to the outlets! Got some very good bargains and then went to my favorite rest in N. Conway; Delaney's.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny! We hit downtown N.Conway to keep the pre-wedding jitters at bay. I took this lovely picture of Mount Washington while driving. (I mean, I was parked safely on the side of the road and took the picture.)

We got back to the hotel only to find out that the bride had the stomach bug. The wedding and everything was delayed by an hour. We have never felt worse for a bride. She was a good sport and rallied to make it to the church, pictures and the reception. It's probably the only bride that we have seen sporting a Gatorade bottle than a champagne glass.

The Inn was huge and beautiful.
I had to take a picture of this house. It looks like one of our Barbie ornaments that we hang on the tree every year.
We got a little snap happy on the way home, Sunday. Evidently I am raising the roof because I am in front of a covered bridge? Lovely brown snowbanks, huh? Snow would be so much prettier if it didn't turn brown.
Here's Amy and me in front of the bridge. What is up with the Christmas wreaths still up in March? We decided that they must be frozen to the buildings, so they probably won't come down until June. 
All in all, a very fun weekend away! We are already planning our next one, maybe without the work thing!