I Think I've Recooperated!

I stayed up until . . .I don't know . .. about 3am. The girls were all up before 8am. You'd think 5 hours would be enough, but I slept on the couch!

Clarification, in case anyone thinks I'm totally insane. There were 6 girls all night, 13 girls total for the "bath junkie" part of the party. We have, in the past, had 11 boys all night. Andy thought the girls would be louder, but discovered boys really are louder.

Poor Allison . . .still takes her like 6 blows to get the candles out! The cake was done by my friend Erin . . .she's got a cake business going. Excuse the picture . . .I didn't do any cropping!



I didn't get any pictures of the bath junkie part of the party. Was too busy being crafty with the girls.

Andy was in charge of flip flops. We had to hot glue the marabou to the flip flops, so all the girls could do with that one was pick out the pair they wanted and the color of marabou they wanted.

I did lip gloss. We used this kit from oriental trading. I tried to let the girls scoop out the base ingredient (vaseline, basically) . .. . that was a disaster. I ended up letting them scoop the glitter and stir it.

I found several recipes online for various things. Recipes follow:

Body Glitter

Get a small container (I used those little glad lock containers. . . the tiny ones). Fill it up 3/4 of the way with aloe vera gel. Stir in coloring (I used those colorants they sell for making soaps). I was surprised how little you had to put in to override the green of the gel. Well, except for making yellow . . .yellow was not easy! Stir in glitter. You've got the body glitter. The girls loved that one.

Bubble Bath

1/2 cup baby shampoo or mild dishwashing soap (tried the lavendar shampoo . . .sooooooo didn't work! I ended up using ivory)
1/4 c water
1/2-1 tsp glycerin
6-10 drops fragrance (again use the essential oils for soap making)
coloring

Put everything in some kind of mixing bowl and stir. Then pour it into a bottle (I used those little travel bottles you can get at Target).

The girls loved doing that . . .and those 4 things took up about an hour's worth of time. We had stations, so the girls would find a spot at a station they hadn't done yet.

Had pizza/cake/opened presents. Then did water balloons . . .had them chase Andy and get him, then get each other.

After that, they came in and we started High School Musical. All the girls sang along with it .. . even the ones that had never seen it before (we played the sing-along version). By the end of it, we were down to just the 6 girls . . .they watched Catch that Kid. By the time that was over, it was midnight and I insisted on lights out. Of course, there was a lot of giggling after the lights went out!

So, all in all . . .. great party. And I have no idea what I'll do next year to live up to that one!

Here's a picture of Allie and my neice. She's 10 months younger than Allie and 15 months older than Alaina. {sigh} I'm scared of the teenage years!

Today

Today . . . .

-- I bought more horse stuff than I ever would've imagined (Allie's party is Friday)
-- I bought 4 bottles of aloe vera gel and 4 bottles of purple baby shampoo (anyone know, can you get clear aloe vera gel?) . . .sure hoping these beauty "recipes" work for the girls.
-- I spent an hour doing little girls' hair
-- Ian told me a story about Levi Strauss and when he made his first pair of jeans (back in in 1850). I mentioned that's where Dad Dad (my dad) worked for many years. He replied "Hmmm, I bet he wasn't working there back then. He was probably JUST a child!" ROFL . . .he started to laugh when I mentioned that would make Dad Dad 156 years old!
-- I took approximately 350 pictures .. . and liked maybe a 10th of them!
-- We had the fur trim vs. beaded look debate (fur trim won. . . not so much our favorite look, but all those beads with 7 year olds!?!?!? Why was I thinking that would be a good thing?).
-- I made it out of Michaels without buying a scrapbooking product (We were there for above mentioned beauty recipe supplies)
-- I've started another headache . . .ARGH . . .
--I've got a growing list of girls for this Friday night shin-dig . . .we're up to a total of 13!
--I'm now breathing a sigh of relief that the day is over!

So, now that you're 10 . . .

I posted my first blog post exactly one year ago . . . on the occasion of Ian's 9th birthday.

Ian . . . happy 10th birthday! I love you.

Ian,

This past year, you were in the 4th grade. You took 3 TAKS tests for the first time (a breeze for you), you actually roller skated during PE (even though you wanted me to sign that "he doesn't have to participate" note), you made all "A"s for the whole year (one of only 3 kids in your class that did so), and Dad and I think you had your first teacher crush (we never questioned . . .but by your actions/talk, we figured you just might really like Mrs. R . . . a good choice for a crush!). So, now that you're 10, you are about to start your last year of elementary school. You will go on a multi-day class trip with your grade. You will be a Big Fish in a huge pond. You'll change teachers according to subject for the first time. Ian, continue that quest for knowledge that you have. Remember what education can do for you and never settle for second best. Love the learning. . .even if it's not the most fun thing to learn about. Savor the knowledge that you know more than you did yesterday, and will know even more tomorrow.

This past year was a year of questions. You began to have some of those tough questions that Mom and Dad can't give you a good enough answer on. We said "I don't know" and "all we know is. . ." a lot this year. You wanted to know what Heaven would be like, what it would look like. You questioned about death. You questioned your own beliefs, and learned it was okay to have questions and doubts. You learned the difference between believing in God (with his many evidences of existence) and believing in Santa, the big bunny and that little fairy with a bag full of teeth. We'd worried about the day you'd find out about Santa. .. afraid that some kid would give you real proof that Santa "wasn't real". You embraced the the knowledge that Santa "just didn't make logical sense" and were thrilled to be let in on the secret. So, now that you're 10, I hope that you will continue the quest. The quest to be let in on the big secrets of this life. That you will continue to seek, question, and study about God and His word. That you will strive to be a better you. You're well on your way. You have got to be one of the few boys your age who's reading the Bible cover to cover.

This past year, you attended soccer camps, farm day camps, VBS. You learned about hard work, about having fun, and being a good sportsman. So, now that you're 10, you're headed to your first overnight camp. I hope you learn so much about God, I hope you (continue to) learn and enjoy the benefits of having friends who believe as you do, and not just base your friendships on similar likes (although you and your friends need to have things you like to do together).

This past year, you played 2 seasons of soccer, again. You played offense, you placed defense, and thank goodness! you never played goalie (such a stressful time for Mom when you do that!). You once again felt the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. You began to feel the desire to do well as an individual player. You expressed an interest in playing high school ball, you wanted to watch soccer on TV. So, now that you're 10, I hope you will take that desire and build on it. To spend the time and commitment to help you reach your goal. To work hard, and not give up if things don't go your way. To strive towards your own betterment in whatever you do. To be proud of your hard work, your progress, and your growth, regardless of the final score of the game.

This past year, you "toughened up". You were not as sensitive to things as you'd been in previous years. You began to understand that everything that happens isn't a horrible thing, and that some things are worth crying about, and somethings aren't worth wasting your time with. So, now that you're 10, I hope you'll begin to carry those experiences into the future and build on them. That you know that in life, some things are disappointing, but not life altering. That disappointment will come, and part of the getting through it is not just healing, but how you work through to healing and what you've learned in the process. With all my heart, I wish I could keep you from any of the taunting that I know is in almost all kids' lives. I wish I could hold onto you, soothe your hurt feelings, put that protective bubble around you so that no one would be able to hurt you. But realistically, now that you're 10, I have to let go . . .just a little. . . so that you can learn about disappointments and hurts. So that you can learn that you can survive through them. So that you can learn from them. Because, one day, Mom won't be able to protect you from everything, actually one day, I'll be able to protect you from very little. And when that day comes, I want you to know how to deal with disappointments and hurts, how to process that and to move forward from that point. I want you to be a strong man, and I know that means I have to let you experience sadness and make some mistakes now. . . while you're in this controlled environment.

This past year, you grew. You went through 3 different jean sizes, grew bigger feet, grew your hair long (then had it cut again), grew vegetables at the farm, grew even more in your heart. So, now that you're 10, I know most of these things won't change. You'll keep on growing physically, who knows how you'll decide to grow your hair next, and you're headed to the farm again. I wish for you that you continue to grow in your heart. To continue to be sincere and caring and concerned. To continue to try not to hurt others, and to apologize when you do.

Ian, this past year, you were 9. You did the things 9 year old boys do. You forgot homework, you rough housed with friends, you were curious, you loved to play, and you loved to laugh. So, now that you're 10 . . . I hope you'll do all the things you did last year (except perhaps we can leave the forgetting homework off that list!), and enjoy that time you have . . .just being 10. Relish those recess days, the days of not so much homework. Reach for those silly times, those times when you can just laugh. Don't grow up too quickly. You've grown past those single digit years, and are now beginning on the path towards adulthood.

Ian, this past year, you told me you never wanted to act like a teenager. That you were not going to roll your eyes, get mad at what I told you to do, hate spending time with me. And while now that you're 10, most of that probably (hopefully) won't change. But I know,that over these next couple of years, you'll begin to act like all teenagers act. You'll want your independence, to make choices without Mom and Dad having imput. You'll be mad when we set curfews, when we tell you "no" about doing things "everyone else" is doing. You won't get all of life's luxuries that some kids are already getting, and that will make you mad as well. And when all that happens, I hope that you will remember how much I loved you, how wonderful I thought you were, how blessed I felt to have you in my life, how honored I was to be your mother in those early years of your life . .. and when you were 9. . . .and when you were 10 . . . .and I hope you'll see that those things won't change as you grow.

I love you always Ian,

Mom

**********

Just a little Ian story . . . my brother teased him Sunday that he could go buy sheets with all the Target gift cards he'd gotten. Chris said he knew that's what my sister gave her gift card to go towards. I asked him this morning what he was going to get with the gift cards. He replied he didn't know, so I had to ask . . . "How about buying some sheets?" He acted insulted I'd even suggest that and said no. I reminded him that Uncle Chris suggested that a couple days ago. His response: "Sometimes you shouldn't listen to Uncle Chris' advice!" Tehehe . . .point well made Ian!

You're Invited . . .

Okay, so you're not really invited . . . .unless you're going to come and help me!

I sent out 19 of these things this morning for a total of 21 girls (2 sets of sisters). For a slumber party (was that thud you fainting or your jaw hitting the floor?).

For 3 years, Allie's waited for a slumber party. Back when Ian had his first one at age 7, we told her that would have to be the magic age. What was I thinking?????

Summer birthdays. . . it's so hard. You can never tell how many people will actually come. One year we went out 25 invites for Ian's party . . .and 8 kids showed up. Great size . . .next year, we invited the same set of kids (basically) and SEVENTEEN of them came! EEK.

So, we're doing pizza, cake, crafty stuff (we're going to make girly stuff like body glitter and lipgloss and such . . .and fuzzy flip flops) . . . and here's hoping I don't have to fit 22 girls into my family room! We might turn the sleepover into a camp out.

In other party news . . .Ian's parties have gotten smaller. He's got a good friend who has a really smart mom. They get parties for birthdays 1-5, then just have a friend or 2 celebrate until they hit the 10th birthday, then another big party, then just a couple big parties through their teenage years. I decided to incorporate this after Ian's birthday last year (when I learned of such wonderful things). Ian's got 3 friends coming to GattiTown with us, then whoever can, will spend the night here.

Then next Friday is Allie's shindig, then I'll be done until October . . .when the 2nd annual birthday carnival is supposed to happen (she loved it so much last year, she's asking for it again!).

Have You Wiki'ed Today?

So, I came across an entry in Wikipedia last night that was about the high school I graduated from. Just somehow didn't occur to me that there would be a time when Plano Senior High was an entry in an online encyclopedia (thanks to the elementary teacher that made that a bonus word! . . . .one lesson I've never forgotten).

I learned a lot of things about the school system I spent 13 years in. Learned the superintendent I had all throughout my school years was the one that put the high school system into place in Plano. I learned the whole history of Plano Senior . . . way back to 1891. And who knew that Plano had an opera house in the early 1900's? I also learned that they added a 6th building to the campus 4 years ago . . .and indoor workout facility. Hmmmm . . . .

And I learned that at least 3 professional athletes, 2 actors ( went through HS and senior HS with one), 1 reality TV "star", 1 astronaut, and the first doctor to attend to JFK (and then attended to Oswald) and is now a professor emeritus at the medical school where my sister got her PA degree. Surely out of all the people who've ever graduated from PSHS, there are more that have become famous in some way . . . so, of course that led me to a google search . . .I remembered a guy coming to visit my theater class that had just made a movie. . . .he now plays some character on General Hospital. Then there's another girl that played a character on the Wishbone PBS series . . . then there's the guy that apparently played the Gold Ranger in the Power Rangers, who has gone on to do a lot of appearances on various TV shows. . . a gal that spent 3 years on Life Goes On . .. . a guy that is now on House . . . and I'm sure the list has gone on.

On a sadder note, one of our alumni was a casualty in Somalia during the conflict that was later depicted in Blackhawk Down. His widow was a gal that graduated at the same time as I did . . .we were on the same drill team in 9th and 10th grade. I remember as a newlywed seeing her and her inlaws on a TV newshow as I sat watching in my married housing apartment at college.

I looked for classmates on various classmate finder sites. . .looks like there aren't many people looking for PSHS grads from 1989!

Now that I've taken a trip back to senior year, I'm going to have to dig up photos!

Busy Summer

** You can click on any of the pictures below to see them larger.

Going to try this post again . . . I had it all typed up and all pictures inserted and blogspot picked the moment I tried to post it to break down!

We hit the ground running from the time school was out. We left that night for San Antonio for a long Memorial Day weekend with Andy's family. We hit the zoo, the treehouse at the Witte, and Sea World. Of course, I took a million pictures there . . .not sure why. How many photos does one person need of some whale?


I love this one . . . shows a wonderful relationship between trainer and whale . .. and how amazing it must be to do this:



Once we got back, Ian had full day soccer camp. The girls Libby Lu'ed with Allie's Brownie Troop, went to a birthday party for one of Alaina's friends, had dress rehearsal and then 2 recitals. Whew!

Libby Lu:






Alaina doing tap:


Alaina's ballet (to Annie's Tomorrow)


Allison's tap:


Allison's ballet (I was sitting in the wrong place to get good pictures!)


Allison's jazz . . .the only non-blurry picture I got of this one.


This week is a 2 hour day camp for the girls. Our kids have been to this camp since they started it .. . and love it. It's at a farm, and they love going and feeding the animals, planting a garden, churning butter, etc.

Teacher Gift . . .

Just thought I'd share the gift I made for Allison's teacher. I didn't do Ian's, because another mom did hers. I simplified things this year by not worrying how many pictures I had of each kid. Was so much easier to do it this way, so it wouldn't be as noticable.