Monday is here!

We have hit a new week and it is going to awesome! There has to be something said for the power of positive thinking right? Last week was unbelievable. We lost our dog Scout on Thursday night very quickly to what the vet said was an undetected rupture of a mass on her spleen that caused her to bleed internally. We have spent the weekend helping the girls deal with her absence...and ourselves. I miss her. She was our dumb blond always happy to see you girl. The most beautiful and friendliest dog. The only thing that was aggravating about her was her obsession with eating and her urge to drink toilet water. We will miss her always.

The weekend was beautiful. Tate had a soccer game Saturday. Her team made another good effort but came up short. We washed cars and planted up a storm. Sunday Scott took the girls to visit Nana and I stayed behind to stain the back deck floor and stairs. It looks great. Hopefully tonight I will be able to put the furniture back on and enjoy it being complete. The floor was the last think we needed to complete after getting it built last May.

The girls have each planted their gardens. My iris is blooming and the two plants Scout basically ate to the ground over the winter are reemerging. Those will make me think of her often which is a good thing.

Today Tate starts gymnastics track out camp. She has never done anything like this, so I can't wait to hear about it tonight. She sure is growing up. Both of them look taller and older lately. Tomorrow we get pictures taken in the rose garden with Connor. I can't wait. This week will be better! I demand it to be so!

I want a redo

This week will go down as one of the most tiring I can remember and it is only Wednesday. Last weekend was intense with 7.5 cubic yards of mulch dumped in the driveway. It looks awesome now, but it was a lot of work. For some reason it is like having a baby--you don't remember how exhausting it was since you don't do it that often.

Sunday night Tate got the unfortunate stomach bug--poor thing. She was a trooper. I had just laid my head down on the pillow after a day of mulching when it all started. We were up with her all night--seven hours of fun. I had to work Monday, so after an allnighter I worked a full day. I have not been up for 38+ hours since college and hope to not do that again anytime soon.

I also caught Tate's cold that is kicking my butt. It has gone to my chest. I'm afraid I may have to go see the doc soon. Hope not. Anyway, no one else has gotten sick so hopefully we are in the clear....I'm knocking on wood now.

I got a new coffee carafe. I picked out a new microwave to get this weekend and my Dad gave me the play by play instructions to install it and save some money. The week is looking up! Now if I can just kick this cold and get a good run in.

Tidbits from our week

Scott went to Chicago but said all he saw was the inside of the hotel conference center. Too bad!

Our coffee pot cracked and microwave shorted out. Is that really fair to happen in the same week?

This week I asked Tate why she was sleeping on top of her made bed. I reminded her that just because her bed was made does not mean that the rest of her room is clean. She smiled and said, "I was hoping the bed would do the rest."

The Easter Bunny got Paige a CD player. Now she is a singing dancing maniac. I love it. She sings so loud you would never know how shy she acts at school.

Paige is growing a lima bean even though she does not like them and actually brought home the seeds from her cucumber at lunch on Wednesday to plant in our garden.

I almost ran over a duck on my way to work today. What was he doing by himself at 6 in the morning?

Paige is pumping on the swing all by herself like a pro now. It sure took a while but she has it.

Tate's appetite is back after a cold this week. Thank goodness.

Tate went to her friend Abbie's house yesterday to play. She came home saying, "Mom, I love my chocolate bunny but Abbie's was all the way up to her knee." We just had a talk about haves and have nots so this was funny watching her want to tell me but treading lightly.

Tonight we have dinner with G, Emily and baby Connor. We can't wait.

Day as a Single Mom

Wake up at 3am to Scott's alarm that is going off for some reason while he is sleeping peacefully in Chicago. End up taking batteries out of the thing because I can't figure it out.

Wake up at 6, shower, get dressed for work. No jammies in the carpool line today.

Wake up Tate. Tate and I wake up Paige and carry the princess downstairs.

Feed dogs.

Fix them breakfast--poptart and waffle for Paige, bagel and waffle for Tate. As they watch a show, I packed Tate's lunch and got every one's book bag ready to go. I also brewed coffee in my cracked pot because I just had to have a cup.

Got girls dressed and hair done.

Leave home at 7:30 headed to Primrose. Earliest Paige has been dropped off before since Scott usually takes her at 8:30. Drop off Tate in carpool at 8:00.

Arrive at Enloe at 8:50 rather than the 6:20 I normally get there. Odd to walk in the school when the sun is out.

Work, work, work.

Meet Tate at the bus stop. Drop her off at Molly's for a play date.

Stop by Harris Teeter on my way to get Paige for some last minute dinner items.

Return home and when Tate gets back we start on homework while Paige swings. Get salad ready.

Hit the car again at 4:55 to go sign Tate up for dancing next year. We got the 5:00 lottery slot which is a great time but one of the classes she wants is already full. She is going to take ballet and tap and maybe we will get the jazz class she wants and drop the tap.

Return home and throw the chicken on the grill. Pack up BBQ chicken and apple/blue cheese salad for a friend and jump back in the car to deliver.

Return home for the third time today and have dinner. Finish homework and send the girls to the backyard while I sit here and blog.

Now I am off to give them baths and study for the science test Tate has on weather. Oh, and the 15 minutes she needs to read.

Did I say how much I love my husband and can't wait for him to get home. The mulch is coming tomorrow!

Easter

Easter was great! The girls left a note for the bunny to come to the Boon Docks (yes Tate named my parents' house this after Scott called it such when she was only two) since we went to Elizabeth City to visit my family for the long weekend. On Friday the girls climbed the pasture tree in their yard which was lots of fun since we don't have trees around here to climb. Saturday my mom signed them up for a free lesson on fish at Port Discovery downtown. They got to see the insides of a fish and look at lots of interesting things under microscopes including tadpoles, dragonfly eggs. My girls love this yucky, slimy stuff. My brother came for the day too, so we spent the afternoon hanging out with him and Melissa along with the seven dogs (Jackson, Scout, Ally, Maddy, Riley, Blue, Bridgett, and Sandy) that are there when my entire immediate family is there with their animals in tow. Thank goodness my parents live in the country on a huge lake that all the dogs think is heaven on earth. Sunday was Easter. After the bunny graced the girls with new movies, candy, and a special toy for each of them, we headed to church to hear B sing, visit with friends, and enjoy the service. The girls were adorable. Tate looked very grown up.

Now it is Easter Monday and Tate is home sick with a fever and bad cold. At least it held off for our trip. We had a great time!

Dancing, Soccer, etc.

There are so many things things I want the girls to try. Right now they dance and Tate also plays soccer. Tate did gymnastics when she was 3 but then started dancing at 4 and dropped the gymnastics because it was too much at the time with Paige in tow and kindergarten ahead. When I was their age I played soccer and danced. There were times when I only did one. It is very interesting seeing it from the other side. Now I remember seeing my mom eating Hardee's in the car as we played soccer. Now I remember her comments about being a taxi. Now I remember her displeasure always having to figure out what we were going to have for dinner. Whew! I love watching them dance and kick the ball around. I truly love to see them be good at something and get praise from someone other than us, but whew, what a job figuring it all out.

Tuesday we got next year's dance schedule. There was an actual lottery to register for the classes because the place is so popular in our area. I now have a time slot to go and try to get the classes they want. Paige will still do ballet/tap, but Tate is old enough now that ballet and tap are separate classes which equals more money and more days at the studio. It will be fun and busy but just figuring out when she gets out of school and when we can take the classes and how that affects my work schedule is a job in and of itself.

The tricky part is wanting them to experience more like playing an instrument but not wanting them to add another day to their activities. I think kids still need to come home, do their homework, and go outside and play. I have to maintain those days too. So for now we will keep on doing what they enjoy and we'll try something new if their interest changes in one of those. Paige is going to try gymnastics this summer while she is on the summer break from dance. Tate will do swim lessons after soccer is over. And me...I will find good books and magazines to read while I watch it all!

Here is Paige's "cute" recital costume and a pic of us decorating Easter eggs.