Cleaning Out Closets

I have room for my heart for Love Man, but not in my closet.

I don't know what has happened, but I have now taken over our entire closet. Not just my half. And, to further complicate things the nasty burglars messed up my office closet. View photos to see for yourself. There is nothing good in there. Wrapping paper, frame parts, old school projects, flags, games, etc. You know, the run-of-the mill closet junk.

So, now I have to "bucket brigade" everything out. I have already warned the girls that they

will be helping. They are going to be on my "bucket brigade" team. They are delighted.

I first have to clean office closet in order to get my seasonal stuff out of our closet. I have asked several friends if they want to come over and help. "No, they say". I have even offered to regalle them with funny stories. "No." So, I am on my own.

Please note I have viewing the messing up of the closet and the stealing of my planner as a hate crime. I am.



I'm taking anything I haven't worn for 1 1/2 years to Goodwill. Can you say the same for your clothes?

Pool Party

It was good. I think there were 20 girls here. Hard to tell, really.

But there is always a story. This one mom called about 15 minutes before the party started and wanted to bring popsicles. I told here I had them already, she didn't need to bring anything.
She kept insisting about the popsicles. "No." I said, "we are fine."

She arrived with her invited child and three other girls. One of which I have never seen in my life. Hilarious. My girls kept looking at her trying to figure out who she was.

I think everyone had fun. It seemed like they did. They ate every drop of food. I may have one watermelon left and some granola bars. But, the cookies are history. Blonde Girl didn't even get one!

Rise and Shine

Get up monkeys, we are having a party and there is a lot of stuff to do. Cleaning,
shopping and getting things ready for the onslaught of girls.

School is Out

Okay Mom, her hair wasn't like that all day. Be sure to notice Sam in the doorway.

This is one of Miss Brunette's pals. She is a sweet, deep girl.

We have gotten a lot of mileage out of these poodle skirts. I ordered them online from some

web-site called Pokey Snoo or something nutty like that. Pookey was hilarious.

We are glad school is over. Next, is the pool party, which is Friday.

Soooo . . . .

We are good. I am going to Miss Brunette's end of elementary school ceremony. They call it

End of Year Culmination. She has advised me what to wear and how to do my hair. Actually,

her suggestions were pretty good, so I am doing it.

Love Man is moving back to Phoenix. Somehow my clothes have expanded to his side of the closet. I am going to have to shift things around a bit. Or, maybe an amoire will be waiting for me somewhere out there.

Shaw Butte

On Monday we hiked Shaw Butte. It is the one I hiked when the girls were in preschool.

There is a trail that leads to the main trail from the parking lot at my school. It is okay.

I got winded, but made it. See that patch of road. I walk on that.

The view from the top is very pretty. It is not uncommon to see people run up and down the mountain or ride mountain bikes. You also see very elderly men and women hiking. Sort of inspiring. And, you know they have done it for years and years.

Preview: Shaw Butte Trail 306 may be the best all-around hike in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. It offers a challenging hike to the summit, a scenic loop through the desert floor, panoramic overlooks around nearly every turn, and fewer crowds than Piestewa Peak. Located at the northwestern corner of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, Shaw Butte offers another popular and challenging hike in the heart of Phoenix.

Yesterday, Trail 100

Yesterday we did Trail 100, heading east. It goes on forever. You can wind around forever. It took about 90 minutes. The girls were happy to see us go and watched TV. Blonde Girl did negotiate a play date. I told Love Man on the way home I had lunch to make, clothes to fold and a house to straighten up.



I think it is billed as a mountain bike trail. I can't imagine that. But, you see people biking and running up the mountains. They have evidently have had a lot of practice. Trail 100 is very pretty through parts.


Here is some information on it. I cut most of it out, it bored me and I live here.



Trail #100 - Charles M. Christiansen Memorial Trail Length: 10.7 miles. Elevation: 2,080 ft. - 1,290 ft. Multi-use trail. Difficulty: Easy to moderate






The Christiansen Trail is a multi-use trail that traverses the Phoenix Mountains Preserve west to east and serves as the major artery for the trail system in the Phoenix Mountains. The trail passes through tunnels at Seventh Street, Cave Creek Road and Northern Avenue avoiding any conflict with vehicular traffic.

Same Old, Same Old

Nothing much is new. Love Man is here and we have been hanging out by the pool.

The husband and I hiked yesterday. This is apparently what we are going to start doing. I am fine with it, if it does not kill me. We hiked North Mountain, it is fast and short. It took us about 45 minutes. I still don't have a camera, but have been using photos from the web. So, it is all good.

Here is information on North Mountain:

Trail #44 - North Mountain National Trail. Length: 1.6 miles. Elevation: 2,104 ft. - 1,490 ft. Recommended for hiking only Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
The trailhead is located at the Maricopa picnic area in North Mountain Park where paved parking, restrooms and drinking water are available.
The trail travels north up an incline and set of steps. Follow the paved road to the top of the mountain. Bear left just below the towers and follow the trail along the ridge to the junction with #44A from the Quechan picnic area. The trail continues south from the junction along the ridge and ends at the picnic area near the water pumping station.

Brinks to the Rescue

Brinks is here and retro-fitting a new alarm. And, wiring some windows for us. Love Man is also here until Tuesday.

It rained all night. We slept with the windows open. I selected "option" on the dumb alarm and kept the sensor on in case someone walked in our house. Keeps the girls in their rooms! And, the dogs too. They don't like the alarm.

We have set it off three times. One night I set it off around 10:00 and Abby slept under Blonde Girl's bed. She normally wants to be very comfortable with her bed and blanket. Poor thing.
Now they are putting a new alarm on, free to me. And, wiring some windows.

Love Man may put a moat around the house. I'll keep you posted.

I Also Love . . .

"As Time Goes By", it may be the greatest television show ever. It is so great. Our PBS
station had a big marathon and the girls "Sandy" and "Judy" came in. The had the entire
series and the reunion show for a donation of $325. I seriously almost did it. I had to stop myself. I can not support Gap/Old Navy and PBS. And, being the bargain shopper I am,
I am sure I can get it on Amazon for less and send money to PBS.

We are Alarmed

Do you ever watch the BBC show

"Keeping Up Appearances?"

It is hysterically funny.

To quote Mrs Bucket, "we are alarmed!"

End of Year

We are all fine. The girls school is winding down and neither of them have ANY homework. Good!

Send me your address via email. I am recreating my calendar. I could also use your phone numbers. If you don't, you might not get a Christmas card from us.

Blue Ribbon Winner

First place, 3rd Grade LOM County Fair

Photography - Nature

Here are some of the pictures that Blonde Girl used.

Now I am Mad

I realized this morning that my Coach calendar, address book and everything we have to do is gone. I almost feel profiled. Why would they want that? So, I have no idea what we are doing
and how to get to this birthday party for Blonde Girl's soccer team-mate. It is at some rock climbing place in North Scottsdale. . . . . We have a busy week next week. I hope I can piece it all together.

Now, I realize my new Shell credit cards are also gone.

I hope I figure out what else is missing.

Waiting for the Locusts to Come

Yesterday, there was a dead, large lizard in my pool.

Today I came home from moving rooms at preschool to a moved computer, unlocked front door and open window without a screen in Blonde Girl's room. I phoned the 911 and then was instructed to call the non-emergency number. I did. Two police cars with four police officers arrived. The checked the house, even drawing their guns before opening Miss Brunette's door. Nothing. The blinds were pulled up in Blonde Girl's room, her lamp was moved and the screen was off leaving only an open window.

Guess what is missing?

Four cameras, including my much beloved 10 mega-pixel Kodak Easy Share that I use for this blog. One old camera I use I preschool, Blonde Girl's and Miss Brunette's. Nice.

But, we are safe and not ransacked, so I feel lucky. I am not worried about being in the house.

I suspect our front door was left unlocked.

I was in a huge hurry to get to school for the move. I was late and didn't check the doors.
Miss Brunette walks with a friend to school and the door may have be left unlocked. We are not sure, but it could have been a lot worse.

On other balances of the universe. I scored a fabulous Le Creuset brasier pan. FREE!!!!! In Sonoma or Azure Blue, no less. There is a God. . . . . . poor pan was abused. It needed a good home.

School is Over

School is out for another year, for me anyway. The girls are mad that I am done today and they have to go until May 27. Tomorrow I have to go in. We are continuing the big room switch.

We moved major furniture and chairs, shelves, etc. and now it is the cupboards and closets.

Now Try It!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=F8yRce_gdglpoHz2dht7tTExNjk1NzI3&referred_by=16462153-YZG9EMx&p=moveon

Mother's Day Spoof

You have to look at this. It is hilarious.
http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=F8yRce_gdglpoHz2dht7tTExNjk1NzI3&referred_by=16462153-YZG9EMx&p=moveon

Blonde Girl is 10

This butterfly cake didn't take the best picture. It turned out soooo cute. The polka-dots are

purple. Blonde Girl covered it with sprinkles and we made the antenna out of red vines and gum drops. I cut the cake lengthwise and made it into a layer cake.

Happy Mother's Day

Teacher Appreciation

It is Teacher Appreciation week at the girl's school and maybe everywhere, although some schools pick their own time. We give the teacher's gifts at Christmas, Birthdays, End of the Year

and Teacher Appreciation. That is what is done here. Normally, we give them tea roses for Teacher Appreciation. I bought 7 this year. The girls enjoy bringing the roses to all of their teachers.

Miss Brunette went on the tour yesterday of MS Junior High. When Blonde Girl was young

and we would drive by MSJH, she would say "Mom, when I go to High Junior . . . . " or "Well

things are going to be a little different around here when I go to High Junior." It always made

me laugh.

Now, Miss Brunette is going to be going to High Junior in the fall. She is so excited and is going to take a Volley Ball clinic in June in hopes of making the team! She will also be in Show Choir, which she had to have a recommendation from one of the music teachers (there are three) at LOM.

Last night we went to an Evening of the Arts at their school. We watched Miss Brunette and

the 5th/6th grade band perform. They were great! We are lucky that the girls have art, band

and chorus when so many schools don't have them anyway. That is sad to me. I would have had

a horrible time in school without band and chorus.

Love Man is here and was so happy to be able to go.

Yesterday

It was Water Day at our school. The children arrived in swim suits, beach towels and water bottles for squirting. It was wild. First, we washed things from our room and even our chairs.

Then, we had a snack on our towels in our room.

After they jumped in the sprinklers and played in the paddling pools, we headed inside for a popcicle. Then, getting it all back in their cubbies was a nightmare. Imagine "John and Kate Plus Eight", except with us it was plus 19. I don't know how the Duggers do it.

I was exhausted when I got home. I had to lie on the bed and moan for about twenty minutes.

Then, I went to bunco. I brought the girls as it was at a good friend's house. Blonde Girl and Molly have been friends forever. We got home at 9:30, which is late for the girls.

Gardenia

I was surprised to see how many blooms were on the gardenia. I can't decide if I LOVE

the smell. I have them floating in a big bowl in my room. They are so fragrant and pretty.

Love Man puts Ironite on them to encourage their growth. This is an old bush that we

had a terrible time getting it to grow and be healthy.

Remember?

Remember this tree last year? I was showing you my free benches. This is the one I got for 25% off after the chicken attack. It has grown a lot.

Guess what? I am now over run with flies. We don't have them much here. Too hot.

But, the weather has been mild and I am swatting a lot a day. One night I killed 12.

Sick, I know. Then, I went on the hunt for them and pulled up all my blinds and found them

on my window sills trying to get out, I guess. Or, they heard I was coming to get them.

The girls are under strict instructions to notify me if they see a fly in the house. I am on a mission.

When the pest guy came for his yearly termite inspection, I asked him if there had been a lot of

complaints about the flies. He told me, "I'll have someone call and give you an estimate

on their removal." I told him "I am from the Midwest, I removed them by fly swatter." What

people will pay for is amusing.

You do have to buy fly swatters in season or else you are out of luck. Once the temperatures goes up, no more flies.

Abby

Isn't she sweet. I also saved a post WWGD and it appears in the April archives. So, go read that.