soccer ballerinas

What a weekend! It started early on Friday when I had to pick up M from school with a 102 fever. I got S too and took M straight to the doctor. I am not usually that frantic mother who takes her kid to the doctor for every little thing, but M has a history of strep AND this is the weekend of her dance recital. So if she had something treatable with antibiotics, I wanted to get a full 24 hours of medicine in her so she would feel better and not miss her recital. Turns out it wasn't strep, but it was an ear infection, so we got the antibiotics. She got 2 doses in before bed and felt normal when she woke up on Saturday. Thank goodness!

We missed dress rehearsal Friday night because we were at the doctor and pharmacy and then I thought it best she rest so she could do the recital. Saturday morning was her last soccer game of the season. They played awesome, working together, more shots on goal, more time spent down at our end of the field. We still lost but they have really improved this season. Yay red team!

The grandparents were in town to see the soccer game and recital and they also treated us to the movie Up! It was so cute. I highly recommend it. Next was dinner out and then on to the recital. The girls looked so cute in their costumes and were very excited about performing. I take them to practice every week but I don't get to see what they do, they practice behind the curtain on the stage. So the recital is the only way I get to see how they are doing, what they are learning. I never took dance as a kid and I am not the least bit graceful or coordinated so I am always amazed at what they can do. My girls never seem nervous and they smile up there on stage too. I am so proud of them. Remembering all those steps, keeping to the music, smiling, not being overwhelmed with the amount of people staring at them up on that stage.

It was a busy weekend and my girls did an awesome job. I love my soccer ballerinas!

Oh, and the biggest news from the weekend....S has a wiggly tooth! Her first wiggly tooth, she is so excited!!!!

#96 Edgar Sawtelle

Ok, so I finally finished this book last night. And I have to say, "What?!" What an incredibly disappointing ending. It was already 200 pages too long and then I didn't even get the satisfaction of the situation being resolved. I cannot believe that is how it ended? Anybody?

I really liked when Almondine and the other dogs were the speakers for the chapters, that was very interesting to think about the situation through the dogs' eyes. I felt such a connection to Almondine and was very sad when I realized what would happen to her. Poor puppy. I say this after my own dog had yet another seizure last night when my husband startled her out of sleep last night. At almost the spot in the book where Almondine goes looking for Edgar. weird...

Why is everybody dying? Why is there nine thousand pages (OK, here is where you need to know that I exaggerate, a lot) of pointless dog training information, correspondence with other dog breeders, and run through the forest images. I get that he ran away. Now get on with it. When he meets Henry it finally got interesting again. And why doesn't he listen to the crazy Ida lady? Stay away, do not go home.

I am one of those people who enjoy the little paragraphs at the end of movies that tell you the rest of the ever afters for the characters. This book provided so little in closure that a brief epilogue would have been nice. What happens to Tinder and Baboo and Henry? Where do the dogs go after the barn burns? Has Trudy figured it all out? Is Glen blind for good? Do they find out about the mysterious bottle of poison? How does Trudy manage to go on without everybody she loves?

So another Oprah book pick down the drain. What is it with her picking books that are just, well, lacking - in my opinion, of course. I don't mind a long book. I devoured the Harry Potter series. I have read awesome Stephen King books that I wished would keep going on and on. There have been many, many books that I wished were longer. But this one needed some editing and then an alternate ending. Very disappointing, especially after as long as I waited to finish it.

Anybody out there agree? or disagree? I'd love to hear your opinions too!
Next up, Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper.

rainy mood

I think I am giving in. The rain has been coaxing me into a yucky mood all day. And I have finally decided to just let it take me. I spent the morning volunteering in kindergarten, filing things, helping the kids make a city scene with the Statue of Liberty and assorted buildings. Too much glue, white chalk everywhere, and kids asking the same questions but never stopping long enough to listen for an answer. The kids know the end is near, only 10 more days of school til summer vacation!

I came home around lunchtime to deal with problems with coordinating VBS for my church this summer. I do not like recruiting people, I do not like talking on the phone or emailing people, basically badgering them into helping out. I am not good at it. You can tell me no and I'm okay with that. I do not take it personally. You need to be a cheerful giver of your time (or you'll end up like me today!) or you shouldn't do it.

Maybe I'm just hungry or bored or hormonal or anxiously awaiting the return of my children from school. But whatever it is, I feel yucky today. I hope tomorrow will be better. See ya then...

#97 American Wife

I know earlier I said The Story of Edgar Sawtelle would be book #97 but since I had to finish American Wife first to return it to the library on time, I have switched them up a bit. I hope you'll forgive me for being confusing, as that is how I am most of the time:)

So, American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (who is a girl by the way). I really enjoyed this book. I have always liked Laura Bush in an abstract kinda way because, to tell you the truth, I really don't know much about her. I knew she was a librarian and that education and literacy are important to her(me too, being a former teacher and mother of 2). I remember something about a car accident when she was younger being in the news at one point as well. So having these things in my head before I even started reading the book made the first few chapters very interesting to me. It seemed to jump too quickly from life before being the governor's wife to the president's wife. I wanted more details, more stories, but at 555 pages already I'm not sure how that would have been possible.

I am very intrigued now though and want to read a real biography of Laura Bush. I would like to know how much of this fictionalized story mirrors her life. I like reading books like this. I have long been reading historical fiction books about the women of the Bible and then going to the Bible to get the "real" story. Of course, the fictionalized books are so interesting with the imagined details that make it all come together and illustrate what it was like to live at that time.

But back to American Wife, I found the last 100 pages kinda disorganized and distracting, jumping from one point in time to another. I found the character of Charlie Blackwell to be an interesting take on what W. might really be like. I am not the Bush hater that many people are these days and I do think he must have an interesting story to tell as well. Alice was a normal, insecure child. She grew into a reserved and competent woman. Her attraction to Charlie is obvious, but at the same time inconceivable. What could she possible see in him? His sense of humor and the fact that he does not take himself so seriously, like she does all the time must have felt like a welcome relief. Alice Lingren Blackwell was much more interesting before Charlie became governor but she explains all that with stories from her past and why her political views are almost unknown. To be able to keep all her views away from the general public is impressive. I liked when Maj finally tells Alice she married down but then I felt really sorry for Charlie that no one in his own family values him. I liked that Dena and Alice made up and they weren't responsible for leaking information to the press. Dr. Wycomb turned out to be less than honorable. I enjoyed reading the book and will feel obligated to read a biography of Laura Bush even though I really don't like biographies.

Has anyone read about Laura Bush? Tell me about it, recommend the best book to go with next. So, that's my take on this one, I can't wait to hear from you.

strawberry picking

I picked the girls up a few minutes early yesterday from school so we could drive to the orchard to pick strawberries. I wanted to get out on the back roads before the school buses. It takes about 40 minutes to get to the peach orchard so it would be unbearably longer if we had to stop every few feet for the school bus.

I love Chiles Orchard in Crozet. We have never been there to pick peaches, my family is not a huge fan of peaches. They also grow cherries and strawberries. We might have to go back this summer for the cherries and go again in a few weeks for more strawberries. We picked enough for one batch of homemade jam, but I usually make 2 batches. Homemade strawberry jam makes a good end of the year teacher gift. I like making things, food especially for the girls' teachers, instead of buying something the teachers don't need (and I can't afford!) I like combining a handful of strawberries, a banana and about 6-8 oz of orange juice with ice in the blender for a light and yummy smoothie. And of course the girls just eat them right out of the box.

The girls were super excited to pick with me. Another mom friend of mine and her two children came along this time too so it was extra fun for the girls. When they lost interest in finding the really good strawberries they had friends to run around with and play. We even shared a strawberry ice cream sundae before we came back home. Nothing like fresh picked strawberries! It was a great afternoon.

I'm almost done with American Wife!

tired girlie

Just put a crying child on the bus. I hate when I have to do that. I am guessing she is just over-tired and 8! I put them to bed by 8:00, but they don't fall asleep right away. She had a busy weekend. Her first Christian rock concert, a soccer game, a birthday party. We even did a movie night Saturday night because we had rented The Tale of Despereaux from Netflix. But I made sure that the movie would be over by 8:00pm. With the sun staying up later and the impending summer vacation, I think it is just too hard to fall asleep.

Which, of course, makes for ugly mornings full of tears and talking back. Not because she is a mean spirited child, but because she is 8 and tired. She is quickly remorseful and cries even harder when she realizes that she sounded ugly. I feel so bad for her but I also don't want that behavior to continue.

I am not a morning person either. I love being semi-awake, under all my warm and cozy blankets, listening to my husband get ready or my kids get breakfast. Then I will myself out of bed to make the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and to consult on what outfits to wear and predict the weather. Then I throw on yesterdays jeans and walk the girlies up the driveway and wait for the bus. I love that the bus stop is the end of my driveway! It doesn't get more convenient than that.

I waved to M this morning after she got on the bus, she looked back with that "I am so miserable" face, or maybe it was the "I can't believe you are making me go to school today" face. Either way, I waved and mouthed "I love you" with a smile on my face and I pray that she'll find some inner strength to turn her frown around and make the best of her day. She does have some nice friends at school and a great teacher. Poor little girlie....

first concert

Last night, my husband and I took our girlies to their very first concert. Casting Crowns was in town last night and it was awesome. If you are familiar with Casting Crowns, you know that they are a Christian rock band led by a youth pastor. So the concert was very much like a worship service at church: a few songs, some scripture, some stories, more songs, a plea for help with an organization that sponsors children all around the world to bring water and education and, of course, Jesus to other countries, and then more songs.

Both girlies were excited about the concert. S, who is just 6, even made her own sign on lined paper to hold up for the band. It said "You rook!" M, who is 8, just had to burst her bubble and explain that it was spelled wrong so S quickly turned the paper over and wrote "You Rock!" M loves Casting Crowns. We have been listening to The Altar and The Door CD for the past few weeks in the car, constantly starting song #1 and song #3 over and over. S was excited to hear Slow Fade in person and soon after she heard her song, she fell asleep leaning against my arm. It was well past 9:00pm at this point so it was very cute. I was amazed she sleep through a rock concert; but I guess when you are tired, you can fall asleep anywhere!

M loves song #1 so intently that at one point she slouched in her seat and said, "I don't think they are going to sing my song." They had already been playing for close to 2 hours (short intermission with opportunity to sponsor a child included). So you can only imagine how her face just completely lit up when the last song of the concert started. It only took about 3 notes and M recognized it as her favorite. She quickly stood up, wanting to be held higher by Daddy and shouted the lyrics right along with the band. The band played one more song as an encore after that, but M just beamed and proclaimed this was the best night of her life.

When I purchased the tickets back in March, my husband and I discussed whether we should take our girlies or get a babysitter. I think we made the right decision. They had a blast and I like that their first concert was with us and a Christian band. I didn't worry that anything inappropriate would be said or done. No suspicious smoke? smell? was evident. There were far less people there as well, less to overwhelm two young children, and our seats were fairly close to the band. What a great evening to spend together as a family!