Scrapping weekend at Kimber's - I had a blast! And, the whole reason I came home and began painting MY scrapbooking room - didn't want it to look 'blah' when I have a little scrap party! :)

Unfinished hobby room (colors are better in person), and Joshua's science project the night we started. No sprouts yet - I hope, soon!

So, Justin is officially done with scouts. Next week he will begin learning about how to play LaCrosse - just a 3 week instructional. Then, he's going to begin playing tennis. It lasts about a month but is very packed with 3-4 nights a week of playing and games. It's a club that the kids can sign up for through the school. The school will get them to where ever they need to be but parents have to pick them up at that location. So, it's not really a school sport. And, next year we're encouraging him to play football for the first time - in 8th grade. Sounds ridiculous, huh? Well, here in this middle school everybody plays. We figure it's his last chance before high school to see if he can 'cut it.' Otherwise, he'll be in sports of some sort all year. Reason? He's said for a couple of years now that he wants to work Mission Control for NASA. Mission Control or not the best way to get a job at NASA is by getting into and through the Air Force Academy. So, my 12 year old has a plan already and I'm proud. But, the whole point of doing the sports is so that he will become and 'look' more well-rounded on paper. Sky says they will look not only at grades but sports, as well. I had thought it would be great for Justin to earn his Eagle Scout b/c it's something you can tack onto your resume. It looks good, right? Well, Sky said (and I agree) that it really doesn't seem to carry the same weight as decades ago. Ultimately, I'd love for him to be able to do both sports and scouts but I can't physically and mentally get him where he needs to be. Besides, he's alienated at scouts. The boys never let him take charge even when he tries. I don't know what his efforts are, exactly. But, he tells me things on our way home that makes me feel bad for him. I'm realizing - I should've encouraged dc'ing scouts years ago. I just wish Tyler was ready to call it quits. I've got him signed up for Cross-Country at the beginning of 6th grade - so, hopefully being busy with a sport of his own will force that seperation. Right now I still plan on getting Joshua into scouts but - I'm not 100% on that. I do have him registered for baseball.

In other news, I have been painting my hobby room. It's down in the basement with lots of lighting but no windows. It was a beige color but it is now Spring Green and Pool Party Blue, with accents of hot pink! I'm painting the bookcases white and what a pain in the A** that is! At any rate, having three boys and being the only girl in the house - I can say I'm soooooo happy to have a 'girlie' room! I can't wait til those bookcases are done! When it's finished I'll post pic's!

The science fair kick-off assembly was great! Being the one to have organized it I was a bit nervous. If things didn't go well all would have looked to me. But, it was amazing. Mr. Lenz, a Pulaski HS science teacher, is a professional magician and manages to tie the two together. He did two shows for the different age groups and the kids LOVED it! I had made a big Thank You card and the PTO (well, I) got him a $50 GC to the Pine Tree Grill/Thornerry Creek to go inside. I should post pic's of it, too. Looked cute. I love my Cricut! Anyway, the science fair is on the 31st! Joshua has already begun his. We have two pots and one sunflower seed planted in each. One gets to listen to music and the other one doesn't. I just hope they sprout soon so we'll have something to measure. But, if not - that's part of the science so we'll have to write up our lack of results just as if it had worked out right. Did that make sense? Anyway, Tyler wants to do an experiment on expansion using a long-necked bottle and some hard boiled eggs. But, since there can be no open flames at school we'll have to do the experiment at home and take pictures and post them to the display board in a series to 'tell' about what we did and what happened and why. Anyway, I am the Student Enrichment Coordinator at the elem school. I love it and get frustrated by it at the same time. The Reading Program and the Science Fair are my two main interests. I'm looking forward to see what I'll be doing next year. The SEC position is one voted on and that'll take place in April. There is no campaigning, though. :) Hopefully, I've done a good enouch job to get the role again (or a bump up, in which case I can still participate in the two programs I really love).

Also, Sky is working the outage right now. He is working 12 hour shifts 4 nights in a row with one night off. This will go on for about a month and a half. But, something always seems to push that back - I'm counting on two months, at least. The kids and I don't get to see him very often but, somehow - I don't mind. LOL! No, I'm just kidding. I do miss seeing him but I really hate having him home at night. My favorite shift for him to work is swings because I have him to myself in the am's and I have control of the evenings (getting dinner done, chores done, kids taken care of, put to bed and then - TV to watch and relax). It's not fair for the kids, I know. But, that is why this whole rotating schedule is a good thing. Even Sky gets tired of working days for extended periods of time. I just hate nights when it's the regular schedule of 8 hours, 7 days, every 6 weeks because I can't do too much cleaning and noise making while he's sleeping - but, when he's up it's the last thing I want to do. So, not much at all gets done that week. Haha!

Moving on. . . I wish my mama and her furniture would hurry up and get here! I need a place for my books and to move the couch to that empty space in my hobby room I made just for Robbie.

Well, I think that's it, for now.

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This was Joshua's first attempt at skating. He changed his skates three times because he thought that would help! He even had a mini breakdown on the rink - sprawled and nearly bawling!

I love my kids' schools. Have I said that before? Well, the 7th grade went on a ski trip today to Ski Brule! Justin had THE best time! He want's ski stuff for his bday and wants to take lessons. I'm really excited for him - he's finally interested in a sport!

Just entered my pick for JZB (Barrons - Fever series by Moning) on her fan page. I think James Purefoy is the perfect hottie to fit JZB! He has the personality, too!

So, I read all the HP books out loud to Justin and he loved it. I loved it. It was great 'bonding' time. And, now - even though he's 12 and reads at a college level - I'm reading him Sherlock Holmes. I bought Volume 1 at B&N for $8! But, we read last night and again this morning. It's wonderful - I love it! I wish Tyler would listen but nope - he'd rather watch TV. I've tried so hard with that one. The only thing I CAN get him to read is a comic book (which is why I'm glad they're turning some classics into comic book form - The Boxcar Children, for example). Anyway, I might actually start reading the HP series to Joshua, too. :)

I took Justin again to play chess at B&N - the GB chess club meets there the 1st Monday of every month. He played with an older man this time. I find it funny that on the way there he was bragging that he's only been beaten a few times - Ha! He lost every game. But, leave it to Justin to see the silver lining: he said, "I learn something every time I loose." What a wonderful quote, huh? He had a great time. I bought him and me Volume 1 of Sherlock Holmes - we're going to read it out loud the way I read him the whole HP series. It was a great 'bonding' time for us. So, we're excited to have something like that again. I wish I could read to Tyler and actually have him interested - but, his attention span and imagination are short-lived. Joshua is just too young yet. Although, I bet I could start reading him the HP series and he'd actually enjoy it.

Superbowl Sunday - and boy was I into it! Sky had to sleep during the day b/c he's working nights so I took Tyler and Joshua to the zoo - BRR! But, what fun! Hodari and Zuri had their antlers painted Green & Gold! The Macaques were have a blast with their green and gold streamers. The lions had already demolished their packer toys! The wolves and cougars and bobcats were out roaming around as well as the red fox and the prarie dogs. We got to see the baby Tamarin's - omg! Tooooooo cute! Came back home and snoozed before the big game. Sky got up and I fixed us some really good potato skins from Sam's - had a big GB Packers double cookie, and later, ribs and mashed potatoes and steamed carrots. Not a typical Superbowl fare but - yummy just the same (no beers for anyone tonight). It was a tight game! Sooo good. I'm such a poor looser - I hate it when I can hear the audience cheer for the 'other' team. LOL! But, Yay - my Packers won it! Woooohooo! And, - goodnite! :) I'm tired. And, back to reality tomorrow.

I totally forgot to mention this funny little thing Joshua said the other day - Justin was being a smart* and asking Joshua what a star was made of. Joshua's reply: "an upside down triangle and another triangle." LOL! Even Justin was laughing.

I am super excited! We finally bought a Fifth Wheel! Wooohooo! The bad part is - I can't admire it or load it yet. We still have the old one in our driveway - until we can dig it out and make the swap. So, the new one is in VanBoxtel storage. It's 33 feet long - 3 slide outs. Very cool bunk house with tons of space! We have an outside kitchen (and TV). I'm soooooo excited to take it to Myrtle Beach which is booked and paid for! Yipeee! I do hope we can do a weekend camp trip before we go to sort of 'break it in.' :)

Oh - and Joshua told me today - he wasn't going to give me anymore kisses if I kept saying naughty words! Awwww! That'll cause me to watch what I say from now on!

When Justin found out his music teacher was retiring he said, "Wow! I had no idea she'd been teaching that long. She's not grumpy." I thought that was way too funny. Mrs. Fontaine (sp) was pleased. Haha!

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7th gr playing Dr. Rockenstein - Justin's the 3rd one in from left on last row.

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Combined bands - PCMS, PHS, and the Pulaski Community Band. The Band-O-Rama march.