It all came together!

 We got the set put together in time for technical and dress rehearsal.

 I tore up the curtains too much and ended up painting a window scene "to make it believable".

 Allison was one of the main characters.  They all did a fantastic job again!  I am always tickled to watch these teens...they are always type-casted perfectly to their real life personalities...which makes it funnier to me!

Sitting back with a coffee taking it all in...trying to decide if my back will cooperate to paint cracks on the walls and mess it up a bit.  I decided to leave it alone...my leg feels like it would give out...and we had a pact this year...NO BLOOD on stage!

Using their talents...

 I love to listen to the girls play their instruments...practice is a blessing!  I am thrilled with what they have done.  I know they get nervous...because I get nervous for them.

We had to laugh at Ashlynn's fortune at Sunday dinner...

talks about a fun vacation!  Our three chair fillers are counting down the days till their Florida trip!

When Auntie Mari comes over...

 Velle wants her attention!  She rolled around and got the attention she wanted!

Don't be fooled...

                                                       ....she is adorably full of trouble!

                                                          She plays hard and naps hard!

                                                   And she is my little buddy!  

We ALL love her...

but she is my shadow...and I am her pillow!

One month...

and counting!

Growing pains?

 Teddy and I had a date the other day.  He had been complaining of back pain for three weeks. Yes...to be honest...we were concerned.  Ok...maybe I more than Ted...but he was the one that said to get him in and checked out...by a doctor.  I got a name of a pediatrician and we had a date.  The doctor looked  (evaluated us...judged us...etc) at us, asked questions (history...and family history...enter story about Alisa) , checked Teddy out, and gave me a plan.  Blood work and x-ray..."if you could do it today...I will have results today."  So they took blood right there...Teddy's first time ever for something like that!  And then we went for lunch...because he is always hungry and I had no idea how long we would wait.

 A beautiful day...to be stuck inside...waiting!  Teddy experienced hospital time and he wasn't overly impressed.  Actually, for being a "walk-in style prescription" we didn't wait too long!

I was called into that door to take a phone call from the doctor concerning the x-ray findings.  Yes...my heart caught in my throat and I fought for composure when he said, "we've found something...that looks like arthritis...no tumors or anything...we will do more testing...we will take it one step at a time."  We will meet with a specialist our doctor recommended on May 12.  Teddy was relieved by somewhat of an answer.  I took a deep breath and Ted says, "We will deal with whatever comes our way." We will seek God's wisdom and direction as we always have and wait to see what His answers are.  Meanwhile...this kiddo is working and playing hard like he always does...sometimes that means a dose of ibuprofen and ice.

My little sassy friend

 She insists on sitting on my lap every morning as I get ready.  She wants to be right by me whenever I sit down...lately...she is willing to sit beside me as I grade papers...much to the chagrin of my students, "Velle didn't leave any teeth marks on MY paper!"  They are bummed about that...she has gotten better about stealing papers from my lap and my piles!  "Hey, Mom, you look irritated in this picture."  Thanks, son, for taking it...I was concentrating.

 Velle is ready for bed each night about 9:00.  We are softies...she sleeps with us and lays on my head or face at night.  I am thrilled for the nights that she goes all night without having to go out at 2 or 3am...it is bound to happen when she goes to sleep so early!

We are still smitten with this little furry friend.  To prove it...the kiddos videoed our latest duty...giving her a chalky tasting medicine for whipworm...that she evidently got before we got her but took awhile to show up??!!  Hmmmm.  Anyway,  our encouraging children were so disappointed in our method of delivery this night!  The first night...we had it all over her face and all over us.  "We actually look like we know what we are doing now!"

A week's snapshots

I tweaked my back getting out of the Yukon on Sunday and tried so hard to deal with it using past cures...to no avail.  I ended up meeting a nice chiropractor and I am almost back to normal.  The clock in the waiting room caught my attention.  I laughed...after I looked at it carefully...yep...exactly how it is...I lost three days this week to pain.

 Three Junior high MACS participants from our family this year!  Teddy did a humorous interpretation. Ashlynn played her flute.  Alisa played her clarinet.  So neat to see them growing in these areas!

 It is that time of year again!  Thankful for Mr. Ice's building skills and students quick painting skills! The play is this coming week!

 I guess this is what talking on the phone will get me!  She was quiet...but I could hear the scratching sounds...I thought she had her toy or one of the girls' flip flops...nope...the new pack of TP!

 I had come from a chiro appointment, a quick stop at the store, and couldn't bend over...so sweet Teddy cleaned it up for me after school.

 It is going to be difficult using at least two of these rolls!  OI!

School is busy with all the end of the year activities.  We started a month countdown chain this week in K5!

A couple new tricks...

 I put Velle into her cage when I went to pick up the kiddos.  We had a stop to make, so I didn't bring her with me for the after school pick up.  Guess who was greeting us when we opened the door!?  She scratched enough on the inside to move the zipper!  Hence the reason for our errand trip on Saturday...a new big girl cage!

 Same night...as Alisa was making cards...Velle hopped up on the bench like it was no big deal.  Great.

She sat on Alisa's lap for awhile...so Alisa thought she would stamp Velle's paw to make a card...that was the end of sitting still...she hopped down!

My love...

 likes to spend time with me!  And I him!  We had some errands to take care of and Saturdays are the day for that!  After sleeping in and having a lazy morning...we were out around lunch time...so we checked out a new place.  We needed our strength to go grocery shopping! That job is so overwhelming sometimes...and I love it when Ted will go with me.  "We make a great team, baby.  We knocked that out in 45 minutes and kept it under $200!  Efficiency in action!"  he makes me laugh.  "And that is why we go to Aldi!"  I also love that our three chair fillers willingly help unload the groceries and put them away!  It only seems fitting...since they are the ones eating us out of house and home!

And Velle...she just always wants to be where the action is...but nobody calls her helpful!

Date Night!

 The kiddos had a spring banquet on Friday, April 8th.  It was a dress up affair.  They all looked so nice!  Alisa said, "I feel like Cinderella."  It is fun to find pretty things to wear...fix hair...do nails and makeup...  Teddy is much easier to outfit!

 No longer little kiddos...yet, they keep us busy!  They make us laugh...and they make us shake our heads...some days.  They had so much fun and buzzed about the evening the whole ride home and then into the next day!

 We were excited too...we went on a double-date for Uncle Pastor's birthday!!!  Ted had two special places picked out that he had not taken me...and Brad and Mari hadn't been either!

 My sis...made me laugh!  She ordered a yummy pasta, chicken, vegetable dish and daintily picked out all the mushrooms.  "I just can't do them."  We then strolled the downtown street to The Yum Yum Tree for dessert!  We all oohed and ahhed over the place and "Of course, the teacher in the group would be fascinated with the book at the table."  Yep, I was!  This will be great for Grandparent's Day next year!!  And it is a cool place when they serve ice cream...coffee...and books at the table!!

 We laughed...we talked...we laughed...Our nutty blonde holding the menu that offers Nutty Blonde as a dessert!

 The birthday boy sharing dessert with his brother-in-law...what you can't see...the separate plates..."Dude, that just isn't right for two dudes to share off the same plate!"  We were so full and both guys "just wanted a bite off yours, girls."  We wanted our own choices...and didn't want to share...because we know how that goes..."Why don't you two share then?"  We laughed some more.

                                                        We all enjoyed date night!!!

Pretty Puppy

 Velle was groomed on Tuesday and she looks like a different dog!

 She went from scruffy to fluffy...

and she is wearing a scarf these days!