Medieval Times

This year's Cub Scout Day Camp was themed Medieval Times. It was fun (for the most part) but one of the highlights was that they had the knights from Medieval Times come out to open the ceremony on Monday. They also coordinated an awesome group rate for any Scout from the Longhorn Council that wanted to attend with his family to go see the tournament. It was really good.

We went with another family that just also happens to contain Josh's best friend, Thomas, and my dear friend, Leigh (Thomas's mom). :) And, hey, the dad ain't a half-bad guy either! :)

Josh and Thomas before the show. This was only one of the bad parts of the whole thing. It was like 105 outside and we were standing in the shade but because they had to do their opening, we all had to go stand in the sun and ROAST for like 15 minutes. It was BRUTAL!!!



This is a bad photo of the boys taking a class before the tournament on how to fight with a sword. After this was over, the king himself, knighted all participants.



Prince Driggers roots for the yellow knight (you root on the knight based upon your hat color)


The Royal Family before the dinner and tournament.


The Chancellor that started the show and hosted the tournament (and also the cool guy that went back to the employee's locker room to get Drew a bag of chips from the vending machine because he was in full "starvation fit" mode. :)



The knight we rooted for... he "died" by the way. Never wear yellow and think you'll come out ahead. Never happens.



The pagentry and horsemanship was admirable. This was the opening ceremony.


Drew wanted NOTHING of the pagentry, however. He wanted them to "blang each udder." He wanted a sword fight and he wanted it NOW! He did like the jousting...



The meal wasn't too bad, either. The first course was a pot of tomato bisque soup followed by a piece of garlic bread. Then they brought out 1/2 a rotisserie chicken, a couple of pork ribs and a roasted potato half. Dessert was a flaky apple filled pastry. No silverware is provided but after the meal, they graciously provide a warm towel that sufficiently gets the grease off of your digits. I did well, by not eating the rib, bread or pastry and only about 1/3 of the chicken (white meat only). It's good to have self control! :)

Halfway to Ten Pins!

This is the theme of the day -- Drew's 5th Birthday Party! Half-way to Ten Pins!



I created the invitations and hit Party City for the treat bags (Transformers) and party supplies and off to Main Event we went. Drew wanted a bowling party for his birthday this year. He invited some of his most favorite people and it was on!

It starts off with this kid



Don't let the looks deceive you ladies, however, he's about as ornery as they get! :) But I love him becuase as much as I put up with HIM... he still has to put up with ME too! :)

Add in Drew's personal hero...



Mix in a few friends


And you've got yourself one heck of a party!







And then we had the wishes... I wonder what a 5 year old that has anything he could NEED OR WANT would wish for?



Oh, and I forgot to mention... THE AFTERPARTY! The tissue and wrapping paper wars! We look forward to this at all our present giving events.



After the cake, pizza, gifts and bowling, it was time for GAMES!







Drew even got Pop into the game


It was a GREAT day!

So freakin' irritated

OK...so my evening last night was like this.... it's a big day for both boys... you need to get to bed early. Shower/bath and ready for bed. Josh is excited... he comes down to tell me he's already all packed up with his swimsuit, waterbottle, deodorant, hair brush, towel (has a triathlon class), and I said we'd need to get him a couple of snacks and $5 for lunch. I'd give him his schedule and map tomorrow. He goes to bed at **shocker** eight o'clock. I was like??? you don't HAVE to go to bed this early. He's like... I need a good night sleep to get up so early tomorrow. Who is going to argue with THAT logic? Not me!

Drew, get him down... he knows he needs to be asleep since he was up til midnight on the 4th.

9:00 p.m. Josh is back down to tell me he can't sleep and that he thinks he needs his clock back in his room so that he can make sure he's up in time in the morning. I tell him my alarm works fine and to go to sleep. But "I can't sleep" and I'm like??? what do you want ME to do about it? Go try. I tell him he's just excited, it's just nerves... go to bed. Period.

10:15 p.m. Josh is back... "I've tried to go to sleep and I can't." Josh, do something calming and go to sleep. I don't know what you want ME to do about it? You're not going to watch tv or play on the computer so go to bed.

11:15 p.m. Drew is in my room, "My bed is wet." I ask, "Why?" He replies, "Because I spilled my water." I go up stairs to strip and change his bed. I'm at the top of the stairs and here comes Josh again. Without waiting for anything, I reply, "GO TO BED!" In Drew's room to change his sheets, he spilled an entire cup of water in his bed trying to get a drink while he was asleep. I can tell at least HE was asleep and was awoken suddenly due to the puffy, sleepy eyes he had. UGH! Get his bed changed and he crawls back in and rolls over and is happy to be in bed.

11:50 p.m. Josh is BACK IN MY FREAKIN ROOM to tell me he can't sleep. I said in a rather unpleasant tone -- ??? at this point I don't care -- "And what do you want ME TO DO ABOUT IT? I'm not giving you sleeping meds. You're not watching television or playing on the computer so WHAT am I supposed to do? Why are you telling me ???? I have told you four times taht there is nothing I can do about the excitement and nerves other than to tell you to TRY TO GO TO SLEEP." He's irritated and walks back upstairs.

I set my alarm for 6:15 am. He's at my bedside this freakin morning waking me up at 6:13 am completely freakin dressed as if I forgot something. So, I wake up and am already beyond irritated. HE's just literally pissed me off now. I know he's excited but this crap really just irritates the snot out of me. He's NEVER missed anything becuase I slept in or shut of my alarm... NEVER MISSED ANYTHING. I know he's excited but dude... chill the frick out!

I get up and make breakfast... leave the house at 7:25 to pick up Jackson whom we are carpooling with. Drive to College for Kids and they're nearly late because the area we chose as a drop-off point has no light... We wait about 15 minutes in traffic to just turn into the college. It's ridiculous. They really need someone directing traffic there. A freakin madhouse is a good way to describe it.

So I take them, come home and shower, get dressed because today is supposed to be MY orientation as well (at 10am). I can't register for ANY classes until I take this stupid freakin orientation class. Why? I have no idea... I'm not a freakin kid. I know where to go for questions but it's protocol for their school. I wake up Drew and get him fed. All he wants to eat is toast and he won't eat quickly. He has swimming lessons at 9:30 - 10 so I coordinated with another mom that I know that has a kiddo in swimming lessons with Drew to drop Drew off at her house, they'll go to swimming lessons and then see Ice Age 3 and then lunch and then home. She's doing this as a favor to me so I can go to the orientation and not have to worry about him being taken care of. Monday was the FIRST available orientation class they had.

I get Drew dropped off about 9:15 am and remember I forgot my paperwork at home that had my id number and stuff on it so I stop by the house but ... nature calls so I make a pit stop. I get in the area where the orientation class is at 10:02.... they've shut the doors and won't let anyone else in.

I'm sorry but WTF man... I've done everything I can humanly possible to be there... and the next orientation class... is THURSDAY at 10am. :( I'm sure the exact same freakin thing that happened to me last time is going to happen this time... all the classes I need are going to be completely booked up and I'll be left with nothing ... AGAIN... YES...this has already happened! If that happens, they can kiss my happy ass... I'll just finish up via Texas Tech online... I'm not a newly graduated high school kid that sleeps late and doesn't care... I did every freakin thing I possibly could to be there... You can't tell me that they said ANYTHING even REMOTELY important in the 2 minutes I missed. I'm just irritated. Freakin a-holes.

That and I didn't get good sleep last night... so I'm automatically bitchy...

The Next Food Network Star

Ok, I know everyone has someone that has had his/her "15 minutes of fame" and I'm not one to be speaking as I've been on a show, too. However, I'm SO PROUD of my friend Melissa d'Arabian! She's a finalist on The Next Food Network Star! She was on the Rachel Ray show! I'm so excited for her! I LOVE the fact that she has the potential to bring MOM COOKING to the forefront! We have ENOUGH cooking shows with professional chefs. We NEED someone that can truly KEEP IT FREAKIN REAL!!! Food Network, are you hearing me?

Check her out HERE! I am so extremely, very proud of her!

I met Melissa several years ago when we were both involved at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and we just clicked! I remember telling her that I knew I liked her instantly because I'd never met a person that could talk faster than me! :)

AND...there are several conspiracy theories about her right now! See, they film the show and then everyone comes home and then the series starts. Well, as soon as she came home, they put their house on the market to move to Seattle! Hmm.... she said it was for her husband's work. I'm wondering... HMMMM.... did she make it? IS SHE the next Food Network Star?! I hope so! That'd be awesome and she SO deserves it! She's fun and real and just a supa-dupa person!

Melissa -- KEEP COOKIN' GIRL! I'm SENDING ALL MY TEXAN LOVE YOUR WAY!!!

Back to school...

No, it's not the time for the kids (yet)... it's time for ME! Yep, I went and registered to get back in school and finish my degree! :) My scores were so old that I'm going to have to retake many basics but ... hey, I don't care. It'll keep my 4.0 up to a 4.0 so no biggie! I don't mind at all! One thing I did realize was that I SUCK AT MATH! I horribly sucked on the test so remedial math for me. ROFL. Oh WELL! I'll live. I don't know any 36 year old that can do algebra either that hasn't had to do it in the last 20 years! :) I'll live!

:) I'm making sure my future is intact and that my quality of life is as well. Looking out for #1 (and #2 and #3).

Can you imagine? Ha ha... me? again at school.

Drew's room

The decision has finally (FINALLY) been made for Drew's room. He wants a fireman room. So, he's getting a quilt like this:

I'm going to paint walls... hang curtains... I've found several things that I'd like to do to his room... so we'll see how it all pans out. :) But, this is the start of it! Anyone with fun ideas, let me know! :) His walls are a blank canvas and I'm not opposed to painting the furniture! :)

Kids keep you honest...

Drew was running a slight fever so I gave him some ibuprophen and told him he had to have quiet time on the couch. Once the latest episode of Phineas and Ferb (his recent favorite) was finished, I asked him if he'd like to have a snack. "YES!" Off he ran to the kitchen pantry. He pulled out the BBQ Lay's potato chips (mmmm...). I helped him put a small handful into a little bowl. Then I took about 3-4 chips out and stuck them to the side. I was going to enjoy them. :) I'm feeling good about myself having today hit the 20 pound lost mark. :) (yea me!) And Drew was picking up his bowl and saw those and said, "I'll just take those too" and then he scooped up my chips and put them in his bowl. Ha! Little twerp. So I went to the pantry and got my Sun Chips and a small bowl of picaunte sauce. LOL... I guess it helps keeping me honest in my diet. ;) 12 more pounds to go and I'm THERE!