That's a wrap!

Today was the end of school awards presentation at blonde rascal's school. Here is the man himself receiving his awards from the principal.
He is the embodiment of brilliance and good looks. (I know, your kids are too!) He got an award for academic excellence and a champion reader award.

His sweet teacher was trying to hug him...
...but I think he was trying to make a quick getaway!

They had off Memorial Day. The last day of school is Friday and they get out at 1:15. Please. The grades are turned in, the remainder of the week will be fluff work and movie watching. All in the name of going a predetermined amount of days in order to get the good old state funding. The poor teachers are glorified babysitters this week. I vote for when the grade books are closed, so are the doors!

Oh dear, the end 2nd grade. 3rd grade means standardized testing and the "no child left behind" b.s.!!! Ugghhh. Homeschooling sounds good compared to that darned testing. Some sort of accountability for what they are learning is one thing but the crazy amount of time they spend teaching towards and stressing the kids out over these tests is nuts.

We'll live through it though, because I don't think b.r. and I would make such a great home school team. I am too laid back for a regimented schedule and he thinks I don't know anything! I can't help him with his homework with out hearing "that's not the way my teacher said to do it." Punk. AND besides all of that, I really LOVE his school despite the stupid tests!

We leave for San Diego this weekend. The weather shows that the highs will be in the low 70's and lows in the mid 50's. That is fan-freakin-tabulous!! I think I will take a jacket on this trip. Frolicking in the ocean will be a bit nippy, but we'll live. I WILL be in the water, cold or not. I hope I don't have to accost any sharks. I don't plan on going deep enough to be mistaken for a blubbery seal.

This whole trip preparation thing is expensive and time consuming. I had to do a lengthy assessment of the summer wardrobes. God bless Super Target. I had trouble finding shorts period, and the ones I did find were total hoochie mama in length. You know the ones that would only look good on an anorexic 16 year old. That was until I stumbled into Target and they saved me.

Throw in all the misc. travel size crap, more sunscreen, a pair of $5.99 sunglasses that I won't cry over if they get lost in California, dog food, some way cute clothes and Target ate my lunch!

So Sunday after church I instigated a little photography training session. I wanted to master fast action shots. My willing assistant was delighted to be my subject. He stacked all the cushions from his couch on the floor to make a jumping platform. Then stripped the comforter and pillows off of his bed to make a padded landing.

My first shot was....ummmm........way off!

After many more shots and playing with the settings, I finally got it right!I jacked the shutter speed way up to I don't even know what. I can't be expected to remember all the details this early on in my photography career!

We were cackling with laughter.It looks a little willy~nilly, I know, but be assured I was faithfully coaching blonde rascal to take note of the ceiling fan. There is some risk taking in action photography you know.

He turned on the cheese towards the end...At least I would have had clear pictures to explain to the e.r. how my son gashed his head on the ceiling fan.

Look out below!I guess if he chooses to be a stunt man later on in life we'll know who to blame!

It was a nice Memorial day. Blonde rascal slept until about 9:00, scarfed down some breakfast and was out the door to play with the neighbor kids. I got up at like 7:00 (darn body clock), ran 3 miles, got into yard boy mode and cranked up the lawn mower. It was more like "labor day" than Memorial Day. As I was walking the front yard looking for large rocks, matchbox cars, huge piles of dog poop...all of which make a wretched commotion when mowed over, except the poop and that just smells, I was startled half to death by a snake! Yes it was slithering across the driveway into the grass. I screamed and shuddered. It did not have a rattle on the end of its tail which relieved me, somewhat. We have a riding lawnmower so I was brave enough to carry on with my task. I didn't see the snake again, luckily for him because he would have been pulverized!

I mowed and weed eated. (What is the grammatically correct way to say that?) That weedeating is a killer. Then I trimmed a few trees. I was beat. I did drink a cold beer at noon in the middle of all of this work. If I have to mow like a man then I am entitled to drink like a man!

Did I mention hubs was out of town at a roping while I did all of this man work? Granted that is sort of our little agreement since he works 200 hours a week. On top of that he really dislikes yard work. It is not on my favorite list either, but truthfully the physical, sweating and dirty effort always feels good...and then there is the cold beer.

My neighbor across the street is always dumbfounded when she sees me tangled up in the yard work. She always tells hubs he has it made. When I feel like grumbling about it, then I remember how hubs works A LOT and then it helps that he does stuff like bring home this for me...





...a 1985 Mercedes Roadster! I have always had a crush on these old Mercedes. There is the benefit of a husband who works too many hours a week in the auto industry...he comes across things and gets good deals. He totally surprised me 3 weeks ago with this little peach of a Benz! At some point in your life...get a convertible. It is like walking on sunshine. It makes me smile from ear to ear to cruise along in this fun old car with my hair blowing wildly and the radio cranked up.

So hubs works very hard, I am the yard boy...and he spoils me. What's not to love?

I have no idea why I have rambled on this long. I suppose because this is much more fun than the dinner that needs to be made, the clothes in the dryer waiting to be folded, the teacher gift to wrap, the bills to pay, the trash that needs to be taken out, the dog needs water.........