A Private Investigation

The Thunder Shirt is still missing.

We have looked everywhere for it.

It has a lot of velcro on it and it has to to stuck to something.  I don't know.  I figure, the minute I buy a new one, the other one will turn up.

Rain Day

We did not have school today due to extreme rain.  Phoenix does not have great street drainage as it rains
6 - 8 inches per year.  The girls have NEVER missed school due to weather.  They look at me vaguely when I try to explain to them what a Snow Day is.

We had our Rain Day.  We went and watched someone get rescued when he tried to drive through a washed out street.  This is a reoccurring problem in our neighborhood.  This is the second rescue we have watched since the Monsoon Season began.

I believe this is why Arizona has a Stupid Motorist Law.

And So It Goes

Tonight is the first high school football game.  Blonde Girl is going with the band as they go to the away games.  Miss Brunette is going as it is an important game and she is the photo editor for the yearbook.

And, I don't want to alarm you - but the thunder shirt has gone missing.  I washed it and it was with the folded laundry.  I am spending time tomorrow searching for it.  It also rained and poor Abby followed me around the house while I searched the drawer where it lives and the basket by my bed for that stupid, very helpful shirt.

Happy Labor Day Weekend.

Ta Da!

We did survive the summer break.  Miss Brunette continued her work as a life guard and is going to be one of the head guards next year.  Blonde Girl became a certified life guard and will hopefully continue to pass the swimming instructor class, the swimming test, etc. and be eligible for the best summer job ever.

BG also attended lots of band rehearsals and is now at school at 6:30 in the morning four days a week.

My school starts tomorrow.  We have done our room, the home visits and made it through our Open House.

Whatever His Name Was

Woke up to a dead Beta fish.

Funny, I can not remember his name.

Blue.  Indigo.

The girls were fine with his untimely death.  Better than with some of our other dearly departed Betas.

Thunder Shirt to the Rescue

Sam and Abby during fairer weather.

 It rained last night and thundered quite a bit.  I got up to get Abby her thunder shirt and she followed me and stood while I pulled it out of the drawer.  She then held very still while I pressed the velcro down.  She is still wearing it this morning.

I am not sure how much rain we got.  It seemed pretty dry this morning.

Water Logged

Last years pic of the girls of summer.

This is my second week off of work.

The girls are good.

Miss Brunette is still life guarding.

Blonde Girl got into the Life Guard Academy, which keeps up busy four days a week.

I went hiking with Love Man on Friday evening to see the big, orange moon and fell.  I twisted my ankle.
It is swollen, but I am doing fine.

Today, my friend and her daughter came over to hang out by the pool.  That was fun and I need to do that more often.  It has been too long.

Free, At Last

Day 1 Summer Break -
Drove people around,
caught up on emails/computer stuff,
made some calls and went to Circle K twice.

The Cutest of the Cute

I am still slaving away at summer school.  We have a group of little children that are young, around two, called the minis.  They are hilarious.

There is this one cute, chubby little guy and he is funny every single day.

We make the children remain at the table until everyone is finished with their lunch.

He said to me, "I'm excused."

"What?  Who excused you?"

"I am excused.  I'm excused.

Mr. I am excused had to stay at the table for another few minutes.  But, he tried to leave a few times.

He finally got his wish and shot across the room like a rocket.

If it were a Snake...

It might have bit me.  But, it was dead.  In our pool.  Floating on top.

I was in the pool.  Love Man was in a chaise.  I was scooping the pool with a hand scooper.

I was in the far corner when I realized a snake was floating on the water.  OMG.

I did not matter that it was dead.

Love Man had to get it out.

It was a good, King snake that eats mice, bugs, scorpions, etc.  Not venomous.  Dead.  A baby.

OMG!

I am not a fan.

May Mania

May Mania hit us hard.  Since the last time I wrote on this blog:

Miss Brunette attended prom

Blonde Girl was promoted from 8th grade

Blonde Girl is playing the vibes in the high school band

Miss Brunette's photograph of the Yarnell Hill Fire won honorable mention in the Congressional
Photography Show.  Okay, I think that is what it is called.  The picture hangs in the student district's office.

Miss Brunette started working at the swimming pool as an advanced lifeguard.  Advanced only as she is certified to teach swimming lessons.

Blonde Girl still takes drum and horse lessons.

Miss Brunette still babysits.

Blonde Girl attended the Forum Festival for jazz band and vocal premier.  The jazz band received a gold metal and the vocal premier received a silver one.  They also went to Disneyland.

Miss Brunette has with and without me, attended many training sessions for the pool.  Omg.

And, this is why I have not posted a thing.

I am finishing with summer school next Friday and I will be better.  I will also post pictures from many of this activities.

The Play, The Play

April and May Mania have begun.

Blonde Girl was in the MSJH play, she was great. The production was Peter Pan, Jr.  We went to all four performances.  She was in the Lost Boys Company and was a Raccoon Twin.  It was fun.

Captain Hook is our neighbor and he was outstanding!

It has been pretty quiet around here.  BG slept until 11:00.  I let her skip Confirmation.  Miss Brunette
started her in-service work at the pool.

TTYL

In the Dog House

Miss Brunette took a nap and her retainer fell out.  It went missing.  We removed all the bedding.  We looked under everything.  We moved the mattress.  We could not find the retainer.

Three days later, I was making my bed and I heard a clatter.  It was a compressed piece of clear plastic.

Miss B and I looked under my bed.  We pulled the three dog beds out, what can I say they like to sleep under our bed.  We found three other pieces.

We got a new retainer.

Sadie owes me $150.

Ride 'Em Cowboy

We made horses over the last two weeks and took our Trail Ride on Thursday!

Then, we had camp grub consisting of hot dogs, chips and s'mores.

It has been fun.

Technical Difficulties

Just a little whine!

Our wifi was all jacked up this week.  I finally had the repairman come and he fixed it.  Then, I came home early from work all excited for a blissful half hour alone in the house.  The heat pump fan was on the on and not the auto switch.  And, although the unit was on off, it was 100 degrees.

We had to shut the breaker off or roast.  It melted chocolate and ruined my daffodils.

The repairman came out today.  It is a shorted wire.  But, guess what I found out?  When we got these two new heat pump units a few years back, the company used our 27 year old, southern exposed wiring.  Boy are they in trouble with me.

The repairman had has to come back as it is a deal and may involve cutting holes in walls.  Lucky for us we have a home warranty and it is costing us $75.  I love AHS!

As far as the company who sold us the heat pumps, I called them and told them what they had did.  The service manager is supposed to call me back.

The lady said, "we will do anything to make you happy and built your trust back up with us."

Isn't that nice.

Lucky for us we have a large back patio and we can keep the house pretty cool from the southern exposure by opening screen doors at night/early morning and shutting up the house during the day.

Next Time -  The great mystery of how Miss Brunette's retainer went missing and the dog who is being blamed.

I am No Fool

I told the children in our class to line up at the door as we were piling in Mrs. T's car and going to McDonald's.

They believed me, poor things....    

Clean Start

Love Man is on a long hike.

I made the girls help me clean.

I oiled my wood furniture, which is mostly everything.  It is all good.

We then had, what is called, mandatory quiet time.....

Long Week

Not her cake!

It has been a long week.

At my school, we had a huge Birthday celebration for my teaching partner who had a big, big birthday.  It was so cute.  Every child in the school wore blue (her favorite color) and brought her one flower.  We paraded all of the classes through and then we all met up again for a round of singing "Happy Birthday."

It was fun and the Rainbows were very excited to have Mrs. T.
as their famous teacher.

All of that emotion is exhausting.  She left with an entire car full of flowers.

Back In the Swing of Things

We have started back to school, with great dread and fatigue.  We will survive this.

My teaching partner pointed out to me today that we have 10 weeks of school left.  Ten weeks and a lot of stuff to do in that time.  OMG.  And, we are organized.  A well-oiled machine.  I said, "why did you have to tell me that?  Why?"  The girls have to go longer.  By the time they get out of school, I am almost done with summer classes.

Ten weeks.  I did not need to hear that.  I barely remembered to make the play dough.  I thought of it in the middle of the night and make it after I made our lunches.  Ugghh.

Dustin Lynch Selfie

Cowgirl looks pretty happy in this pic.  LOL!!!!!

Dustin Lynch

The city that Love Man's works for has a large P83 party and Dustin Lynch performed.  Blonde Girl was all over it after she began listening to his music.  She and her friend Taylor went and they were the cowgirls of the hour.  At the meet and greet, Dustin said to Haley, "to you want to take a selfie with me?"

Older readers:  If you don't know what a selfie is - look it up on the urban dictionary.

She of course, said, "YES."

They were in the front row mid-way through the concert jumping up and down.

Dustin also signed cards for them and BG's cell phone case.

In turn, she purchased a Dustin Lynch t-shirt which I stopped her from cutting the arms off with my nice fabric scissors.  "OMG, what are you doing?  That t-shirt was $20."  Honestly, that is cheap by concert standards.  But, still DO NOT RETROFIT IT.

She was listening to him this morning and went to school wearing her t-shirt and her wristbands, which I am making her cut off this afternoon.  I am mean that way.

I May Need a Guide Dog

In the week before Spring Break, my vision has gotten worse.  I must need to carry my readers with me at all times.  I was standing in line at my Circle K and a lady was standing near me waiting to pay.  She had on button that said, "I Love Jeans."  I thought, "Wow, she is not even wearing jeans.  Is she in the jeans industry? Why would she wear that button?"

She got closer to me and her button said, "I Love Jesus!"

Happy Sunday.

Days in the Parks

Sequoia National Park

Yosemite National Park

Death Valley National Park

We also went to Joshua Tree National Park and King's Canyon National Park.  Joshua Tree was okay and King's Canyon was similar to Sequoia.  

Park Hopping

We just returned from California.

Five National Parks

Four Days

Three Dogs

Two Girls

One Husband

Zero Tolerance, just kidding.  LOL!

Spring Break at Last

YEAH!  We are ready......

Happy Valentine's Day

We had our usual and customary heart-shaped meatloaf.  It was good.  We also had potatoes and broccoli.

I gave Love Man wool hiking socks and fingerless wool gloves.  He lost his fingerless clothes a while ago and has since looked all over our house for them.  It is a mystery.  He was happy to get them!  It sounds a bit silly as we live in Phoenix, but we go to cold places and it is sometimes 30 or 40 degrees here!

Blonde Girl is off to a Saturday play practice.  Miss Brunette drove her as she needs to get a gift for a birthday party tonight.  It is a murder mystery themed party and she is Rapunzel.

I hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day.

Loving it on This Side of the Pond

We love British shows.  

"Downtown Abbey" - omg!

"Call the Midwife" - one of the best shows ever!

"Doc Martin"- hysterically funny and I want to live in that village.

"Sherlock!" - the best show in the universe.


You all need to watch these shows.  From the beginning, season one if you have not done so already or are a loyal viewer like me!

Have I ever steered you wrong?

Music and the Arts

We are good.  Miss Brunette is recovering from her first week back at school.  Blonde Girl was cast as a raccoon in the junior high play "Peter Pan."

She has heard that Carrie Underwood is coming to town.  She cried upon hearing the news.  It is not easy being a "Care Bear."

Miss B would like to see Katie Perry, who is also coming to town.  I think Love Man would like to see her!!!!!

Omg.

We try so hard to be normal.

Ordinary Times

I told myself when I was putting away the Christmas things, that I would leave the Snow Men until February. Well, one thing lead to another and I basically put the entire shebang away.  I left some Spode candlesticks, my snowman cookie jar and a quilt up.  And, I think I have a snowman snow globe and a holly tea pot still out.  But, all of that deco lives in my house.  The rest goes in the garage or attic. So, it is all bye-bye for now.

I never take the village down any more.  I even turn in on some summer nights.  I like it.  I think I need to get a large plant and put white lights on it in the living room.  That is my new plan.