School Projects....ugggg

So here we go again with all the girls' assignments being a huge production. Codi's book report for the month of September is due Tuesday...so I figured we would get it all taken care of on Saturday....what ever happened to reading the book and filling out a paper that showed you understood and could summarize the plot??? No...she has to create a picture that represents what each chapter is about...so I ask Codi how many chapters her book is....25!!!!!! We get her all set up in the office and tell her she needs to just get it done...every time I checked on her...she was doing everything BUT her project!
! Wasn't like it was hard...just time consuming...I was so frustrated with her by Saturday afternoon, I told her it was up to her to get it done~~~I wouldn't push her anymore.....I woke up Sunday morning at 6:30...Codi had been up since 6:00 working on her pictures...guess she just needed me to lay off!!!

"Me" Day!!

I decided that it was definitely worth the effort to play hookie from school :) Usually our substitutes are ancient retired folks that barely have a pulse...the PE kids walk all over them :(...We have found a sub now that Played softball for University of Kansas and she is young (I know...can't compare to our all-time greatest sub from Michigan)..so I took today off :) :) :) I made the girls pancakes for breakfast, went to the gym, shopped a bit with success, got a facial, met Craig for lunch....all before 1:00!!!! I'm gonna buy some lottery tickets...I could totally get used to this :)...granted I do have to go to school at 3:30 for a volleyball match...but this coach is going to be very relaxed!!!

Don't Blink!! :)

It seemed like just seconds ago...it was Thursday and I was so happy that it was about to be Friday!! Now it is Sunday afternoon and I still haven't done all of my 'chores'. There is good reason for that :) Carli's volleyball team was in an elementary tournament Friday night and all day Saturday. Friday night worked out well for me because I hosted it at the school I teach and coach at :) Only bummer was that I had to stay until everyone was gone and even dump all 8 gargages that were full of...trash:)...that is where Craig came in...always good to have him there at the end for the 'clean' up part:) Carli's team seemed pretty bi-polar...one minute they looked really good...the next minute...looked like physically challenged kids~~as to be expected from hormonal 12/13 year olds :) Once again...more lessons about psycho parents...of course their kid is the best and of course their kids should be playing more...after many of the teams were knocked out of the tournament...the parents were more visibly upset than the players were!!...the kids just wanted to check their cell phones (not mine of course--gotta have one to check :)...We were proud of Carli..she played great defense all weekend...if you know anything about volleyball and have seen the player with the opposite color jersey...they are basically a defensive player...she also wanted to make sure her favorite baseball player noticed what her jersey number is :)(their countdown to the Putz twins returning is 3 days!!) To top off the Friday/Saturday tournament...I had to attend a vb clinic today to be certified to coach my boys' club team (15 years of coaching doesn't count)...so uggg ...I would love to play hookie tomorrow!!! Sometimes the effort of making sub plans isn't worth it.

...I don't wanna work :)

This is the best time of year :)...to take a month vacation!! The evenings and mornings are beautiful out...October baseball is getting closer...there have been some eventful good College games already...I would love to just park myself here on the patio for the next 4-6 weeks...watch it all~~read some good vampire books~~~someone will cook my families' meals... :) Well...it was a fun thought...I will settle for an afternoon on the couch/patio :) Another busy week gone by :) Seems like everyone around us is picking up some cold bug...hopefully we will all stay healthy (especially Craig...it's never fun when he ends up getting it~~~men just aren't good sick people...) ps..Codi continues to have to be pushed in the eating category...uggg..the other day she put all of her noodles in her napkin to "wash off"...there was a tiny hint of sauce on them...she ate squeeky clean noodles :)

Sweet Sister

When my sister and her family were living with us for a year...Codi gave up her bedroom without ever complaining. She was very excited to get her room back and her own bed. About two months ago...she watched the movie "Titanic"...since then..some crazy bad guy from the movie has been chasing her in her dreams (sorry Candace...it may never end:() Codi is now not ever wanting to sleep in her own bed. Carli has been very generous sharing her bed to keep her from being sad each night. (although Carli has made it clear that she gets "the wall")

Every week should be a 4 day week :)

It would be so nice to have every Monday off :) It was a good week. Carli had her first scrimmage and did very well. They start their games this Wednesday (which luckily fits into my schedule perfectly...shocker :) I had two matches with my team this week. In our very first game we were down 16-8...anything and everything went wrong..all I could think was...my gosh it's gonna be a long season...they turned things around and won both Tuesday and Thursday beating pretty decent teams. I also added to my collection of "are you kidding me" parent emails...My book should be published by the time I'm done coaching...SPEAKING OF BOOKS :) I finished New Moon (Twilight #2)...I just picked up #3 from Carly--she claims it is her favorite...(my Carli is reading the first one right now...maybe Craig will be next... :)


Had to post pics of the pups...they deserve a plug every now and then :) Love you Molly and Missy!!

Long Weekend Over :(

We headed up to Viterbo's Ranch for the long holiday weekend. It is about 20 miles south of Prescott. It is a full operating ranch with pretty much every animal you can imagine. The eggs we ate for breakfast were being sat on by a chicken about a half an hour from scrambling time :)...It was such a relaxing weekend!!




This is the main house to the Ranch

Getting ready to go on the first Ranger ride...I stayed back with DeEtte who is 7 months pregnant (this was the perfect opportunity for me to read New Moon!)

The creek runs right behind the house...everything is so green!!

Carli and Hailey playing in the Creek...Chris uses a backhoe to dig the sand out to make it pretty deep like a swimming pool! Of course each time we go up there there seems to be some projects that gets going..this time the guys decided to build a sand volleyball court right next to the creek...I honestly thought there was no way they were gonna pull it off...

Here is the area that they started with..the soil, once turned with the tractor was really good sand!

It is like every boys' dream to play with Tonka trucks!!

Not bad huh?? I think the kids played for hours yesterday and then insisted on taking on all the adults today...it was close for a few minutes :) maybe next time kiddos :)


Codi really wanted to bring "Daisy" the cow home...she is so cute...she had been bottle fed because her mom died at birth.


Within 15 minutes of starting our drive home :)..they were pooped!!
Back to the grind...Carli has 4 practices this week and a scrimmage...I have 2 matches and my Boys' club tryouts start..Luckily we get to start on Tuesday instead of Monday!! :)