SCHOOLS OUT FOR THE SUMMER

Another year down! My baby is now a middle schooler :(

This is the 1st day of 5th grade

The last day of 5th grade.

She was a straight A student this year. Participated in SEEK, played basketball and softball, earned the Gold in math. She will leave the building she has known for the past 6 years and move to another world. She is excited and nervous at the same time. Lots of changes coming for our girl. Changes her Mama is not ready for. My hope is that these next few years will be a happy fun experience for her.

We have lots of summer plans as our list in the previous post shows. Lots of memories to make and new experiences for us as a family.

OUR SUMMER TIME LIST

I have to begin with the apology. I found this idea on a blog and now I can't find it in my bookmarks. I should use pinterest, huh?

Anyhoo, on to our list. Last year we made a list on paper and put it on the fridge. We did a little better this year.

We started with a Hobby Lobby Frame 1/2 off.

Coco chose green gingham scrapbook paper for the background. I had the other green paper and pink letter stickers.

She made her list with a dry erase marker. It was a family affair making the list. Dad and I got to include a few things we want to do.

Some things on our list:

Help in Joplin

Swim at the lake

Bass Pro (dad)

Harbor Village Grove, OK (me)

Naturals baseball game

Camping

Cookout with friends

Loving our list. This might just stay up all year to make lists for each season. Good reminder of taking the time to have fun as a family.

Thanks to the talented blogger that made this first!!!!

SATURDAY

I slept in until 9am this morning. It felt so good after being up so early everyday last week. The first week of the new job went very well. I worked at this bank 12 years ago and it was nice seeing some of the people that are still there now. On Monday all employees received a email from the owner labeled "The L Word" he had written about christian love and how the world needs to see more of it. He quoted a couple of bible verses in his email. That was so wonderful to know you are working for Christian people.

Today I had planned to stay home for some r&r. I spent a couple of hours working on troop files for Girl Scouts while Scott worked in the yard trimming a tree. He made Coco help pick up the limbs.

She was not a happy camper. She kept whinning about sweet gumballs falling on her and sawdust. This is proof of our child labor. Don't take that wrong she is really not overworked by anymeans.

I asked her to pick the green beans. She picked a few.

I made hummus for lunch. I ate hummus for the first time recently at Jason's Deli and loved it. What I made today was roasted red pepper hummus. It was also the first time I have used my food processor that Mom gave me several years ago.

This was how we ate it. Scott thought is was ok, Coco didn't care for it. I liked it but next time I will add more red peppers and spice it up more. I will be taking it to Mom's for lunch tomorrow and maybe once all the flavors have time to meld together it will be better.

Buddy got a trim and a bath today. He hates getting a bath and as soon as they are done he goes to roll in the grass and dirt.

Coco played with the water hose after they got done. Fun times of summer.

We are going to the tennis courts later. I want to wait until it cools off a little more. I got her a racket and balls for Christmas so she has waited a long time to use them. Scott and I are going to double against her so we don't have to run around as much. Isn't that the laziest thing you ever heard!!! Just keeping it real.

Blessings, 

Pam 

PEEK AT OUR WEEK

We have been busy working on our Summer list this week. We also took full advantage of my last week of unemployment.

Monday Coco had a sleepover with Megan. We went to Chuck E Cheese. Coco didn't want to ride the roller coaster simulator so I rode it with Megan first and then we convinced Coco to try it and she loved it.

Then we to the mall where they got a bear from Build a Bear.

My sisters campsite where we spent a couple of days.

River bank on the Arkansas river where we camped in Ozark, AR.

Coco and Aunt Tammy being silly.

Group shot of Coco, Kaylee, Tammy Lou, Jake and Alex

Coco jumpin and spinnin off the diving board. Once she got up the nerve to jump off the diving board, that is all she wanted to do.

Going thru the tunnel on the way home.

Friday we ran errands and both got a pedicure. Coco also got a color change on nails. This was her first pedi, it was funny to see her giggle when they tickled her feet.

Saturday we drove thru a carwash to benefit the Benton County Allstars baseball team. The boys did a good job of cleaning the car.

This was a great week and I am excited to begin my new job on Monday. We also have Girl Scout Camp next week and softball tournaments in the evenings. It will be a full busy week.

Have a great Saturday, it is supposed to be in the high 90's today so it will be a HOT one.

Blessings,
Pam  

A GREAT DAY

Coco and I spent the afternoon at Lake Atlanta pool today. The water was cold but the sun was hot, hot, hot!

This is where I spent most of my time.....

After the pool we went to Taco Tico for taco burgers and then home to rest before her softball game tonight. They won 21-2 ! YEA Go Team

I also have great news.

I have a job!
Beginning on June 21st

Yea me

Prayers answered

A PEEK AT OUR WEEK

I have loved spending this week with Coco! We have some great times!

First we made our summer wish list.

It has been and will continue to be added to as we think of things to do.

Our first adventure was cooking class. She made me this cookbook at school for Mothers day. Each 4th grader brought in a recipe. Love those kinds of gifts.

She chose Spicy Potato Wedges

She cut the potatoes, made the spice and now she is ready to put them in the oven. They were a little too spicy for us but it was a great learning adventure. I found out that she doesn't know a lot about the kitchen. She didn't know the difference between a skillet and a sauce pan. Kitchen class will be in our future.

A summer time necessity, Popsicles! I had forgotten how good and thirst quenching they are.

Today she called it our lazy day. She didn't comb her hair all day and I kept telling her she was making dredlocks.

We did accomplish getting all the Girl Scout badges ready for our Court of Awards on Saturday. I hot glued them to a ribbon for each girl along with a flower and her yearly pin. Coco helped me for about 5 and then she went on to watching tv.

This is what I found when I told her she could play in the sprinkler. She made a mud puddle under her tire swing. She says she loves feeling the mud between her toes. When she said that it brought back memories of mud pies and mud squishing between your toes. I didn't argue I just went and got the camera.

Looking forward to many memories this summer.

My plan is to make a scrapbook of our time together. It will be called The Summer you were 10 in 2010! What a treasure that will be when she is old and gray like her Momma!

Blessings,
Pam

PLEASE WELCOME

BELLA

JACOB

This is their new Mommy Coco. I think she is in love

Quite happy with them!

Today was cleaning day at the Dentist. She has about 7 loose baby teeth and 2 were ready to come out. Dr. Rhodes gave her the option of pulling them herself or he would do it. She was brave (with a few tears) and pulled them both out while we were there. I told her she could have a treat as her tooth fairy present.
I had no idea she would think of getting fish!

She did and we did!

It was a fun experience picking them out and getting the tank, rocks, hiding spots and food for them. A little more expensive than if she would have put the teeth in her tooth fairy pillow, but totally worth it!

Welcome to the family Jacob and Bella

Wonder where she came up with those names????

I was encouraging Benny and Joon but she stuck to her guns!

Fun first day of summer for us

SCHOOLS OUT FOR THE SUMMER

Technically tomorrow is the last day of school, we gave Coco the option of not going. Before you go thinking I am a horrible parent. They haven't done anything but play and watch movies for the past few days at school. She can do that at home. She told me earlier today that she was going to school tomorrow, but then she found out her cousin will be at Nana's and she decided to spend the night with Nana. Fine by me because I feel like crud today.

Coco and I have been talking about our plans for summer. She has 3 different camps she will be attending, basketball camp, Girl Scout day camp, church camp. This is the first year she has attended any camps and church camp will be the first time for a week overnighter. We'll see how that turns out. She also informed me that she will be spending a full week at Nana's and Mimi's over the summer. I love this idea so that she gets some quality time with her Grandmothers. I think it would be a great tradition even though they both live close to us. Hopefully they can teach her things only Grandmothers can teach!

I want to have a etiquette camp with her. She needs some refreshers on how to be a lady! I hope to find fun ways to teach her so that she doesn't think it is a chore. She is wanting to more girly lately, probably a good time to review manners!

Some other things on our list are:
Visit museums in our area
Al fresco dining
Swimming
Movies ( malco in our area is doing a 10am time 2 days a week for $2.00)
Have friends over
5th grade summer book
Tennis time
Batting cages
Zoo
Safari
Going to the mall
Picnics

I am sure we will be adding to this list as time goes by. Nothing is written in stone we are just going to hang loose and enjoy this time together. If by chance I get a job we'll still do these things just on weekends and evenings!

Are you ready for summer? What is on your to do list? I would love to hear about it.
Blessings
Pam

A FUNTASTIC WEEKEND

Coco's birthday is the 30th and she got her present a little early. Doesn't this look inviting!

So beautiful and crystal clear and cold as ice water.

One happy little girl.

DAREDEVIL IN THE MAKING

She wants me to use graphics and make this one look like she is riding a bull.

We have had a wonderful weekend. Saturday was spent with my Girl Scout troop bridging up to Juniors. I will post pictures of that later. Scott and his dad spent that time putting together the pool that said it would be ready for water in 45 minutes. That is if you aren't a previous highway builder. Scott's dad is retired from the highway department and everything has to be level. They got it up and we started filling it about 4pm and by 11:30 last night it was done. Almost 4500 gallons of water. I wonder what our water bill will be like next month. I might have to take out a loan.

I stayed up late watching He's Just Not That Into You. It was a good movie. But I didn't wake up until 10:30 this morning. Which means I missed church again. They probably think I have backslid into never never land.

Coco has driven us crazy wanting to stay in the pool but we had to shock it and add chemicals, etc. She and I got in for about an hour this afternoon and it was frizziling!!!!!!!

Tonight we are going to watch fireworks in town.

Blessings,

Pam

SUMMER SATUDAY

Today was a fun filled day of fundraisers, sports and fun. We started out at 10am with a Cheerleading Chicken Sale at the local IGA parking lot. The girls cheered from the parking lot trying to get people in to buy the chicken dinners.

This is Coco selling chicken to her Papa! Of course he drove up to support the cause!

At 1:30 we had to be a the ball park for a softball game. It was so hot. I sure got some sun. Our team played awesome and won 13-7..... YEAH!!!

After the game Scott and I were so hot we just wanted to come sit in the airconditionng and relax. Coco called her BFF that had been on vacation and she came over. They played with the water hose for awhile and just caught up on whatever happens in a 9 year olds life. They are sure happy to be together again. Aren't they having fun! I love the look on their faces! Cold water on a hot day!

I am being lazy and not wanting to do anything.

Hope your Saturday is awesome
Blessings,
Pam

Bathroom Redo

Here is my bathroom with all my deals from TJ Maxx. I wish I had a before photo b/c it is very different. Our house was built in the 60's and our bathrooms are the one of the last projects that we want to remodel. This will get us by until then. You can't really see but the colors in the shower curtain are chocolate, peach, blue and cream. It really matches that peach colored tile from the 60's....

We have had a great day. After church Coco and I came home for lunch and then I took a 2 hour nap while she played games on the computer and got into my make-up. It was so rainy and nasty I just wanted to sleep.

We started Summer Reading Club at church tonite and it was a success. We don't usually have a big crowd on Sunday nights so this will hopefully get some kiddos to come. It will also help keep the kids reading during the summer.

Tomorrow is Coco's first day of summer break, she is at Nana's and I think they might take her swimming or skating. She will stay with them every Monday. They usually try to take her to something every week which she loves. I start getting the guilty feelings about not being at home with her when summer comes around. But that isn't in our near future at this point. :(

Everyone have a great week. I will be a the ball field and trying to plan end of year Girl Scout events before everyone leaves for vacation.