Family Game Night

July 9, 2012

I instituted Family Game Night on Saturday. The hot weather was making everyone watch entirely too much TV. We have all seen every single episode of the Big Bang theory at least twice So TV off after dinner and out came the Monopoly game and Bingo. Tommy crushed us in Monopoly although Grace put up a good fight. Then I pulled out the really old Bingo game. I got a lot of grief for choosing that particular game. But everyone wanted to be the caller so I don't think it was such a bad call (pun intended).

All In

The whole family got in the pool for a swim today. We couldn't remember the last time that happened.

I Love A Parade!

July 5, 2012

This year we were stuck in town for the 4th.  Although I would have rather been in Flagstaff where it is lovely and there are fun holiday festivities there, we had amazingly cool weather.  It was in the low 80s and sprinkling in the morning when we headed out to the Arcadia Neighborhood Parade.  The night before we had our friends over so the girls could decorate their bikes.  The Lebels used the tandem so Alex could join the parade since she has a cast on and can't pedal herself.  She even made it on the local news report yesterday morning.  Check her out here (I am in it too, for about the first 4 seconds...on the right side on a green bike with a r/w/b plaid dress on)

Arcadia's 4th of July Parade - FOX 10 News - Phoenix, AZ | KSAZ-TV

Here are a couple other pictures I took.

Grace refused to smile.  

Unfortunately, the Country Club didn't have a fireworks show this year.  I am still grumpy about that.  The only fireworks we saw were on TV...in NYC.  Hope you had a wonderful 4th!

Happy 12th Birthday Grace

July 2, 2012

Gracce turned 12 last week.  Where do the years go? The much anticipated gift was a cell phone. No, not an iPhone.  Not even a smart phone.  A dumb phone with no internet connection.  I did cave in and get a phone with a full key board.
This was the only gift.  It's that big a deal.  I also caved in and let her invite a few, well several, girls to dinner and a movie.  And that turned into a sleepover.  To ease my guilt over possibly spoiling my child, let me clarify that we RENTED a movie (1000 Words) and only 3 of the 5 slept over.
We went to Benihana,  our sometime birthday tradition.  I think this is the 3rd or 4th birthday dinner she has celebrated there.  If you don't know, it's the Japanese restaraunt where the chef cooks at a hot grill right in front of you and does fun tricks with the food.

Serious pose

Goofy pose

Trying out chopsticks

Don't know if these videos play for y'all, but here is what they did on the way to the restaraunt.  This is the song I hear about 40 times a day, complete with dance moves.

Treats for the movies!

Asleep by midnight!

Mom Taxi

June 27, 2012

So this is how my summer schedule has gone since I am now "working" this summer.  The kids and I get to our various activities, me: work, Grace: camp of some sort, Tommy: summer school. Then at 1:30ish, I leave work and get into my car.

From my office I head over to Brophy to pick up Tommy, who gets out at 2.  We drive across town home and I drop him off.  I literally drop him off and head over to get Grace where ever she happens to be "camping." I either take her home or some days take her right over the dance studio.  Then I head back home and if Tommy feels adventurous then I drive him to ACC so he can golf in this miserable heat.  Today I got out of my car at 3:25...almost 2 hours after I started.  Typical.

Back to Life

June 24, 2012

Grace came home from camp and a few days with Aunt Fissa in San Diego.  Grace took no pictures at camp.  Well, I expected that when Tommy went to camp, but I thought she'd take hundreds of goofy grinning girl photos.  Not a one.  

Luckily, Fissa snapped a couple of Grace at the beach.  Grace said she had a great time at both places. She really looks relaxed with Fissa!

And it was only a mere 24 hours before the attitude returned.  This time it was the fact that somehow I managed to run out of Q-tips in the house.  Can you believe that? What kind of terrible mom has no q-tips?!  Seriously.  Although it was a minor meltdown, there was full on attitude.  Sigh.

So Quiet

Grace left for camp on Saturday. She gets home in a few days. It sure is quiet here.