Movie Review-Taken

Todd is in charge of the Blockbuster Online Queue, and therefore we seem to get Action Movies night after night. Of course, he disputes this charge, and thought it would be good to document our movie watching here to "settle the score." He's promised to leave the queue as is to see how it all plays out.

Movie #1 was Taken with Liam Neeson. Although it definitely qualifies as an action movie, it was one I actually wanted to see. Without giving away too much, the premise involved a retired CIA officer (Mr. Neeson) and his quest to save his daughter from underground trafficking. I feel so sheltered when I watch something like this-sheltered from the kinds of crimes and kinds of really mean people out there. It was interesting, but also very shoot-em-up. He liked hitting people in the face, and I could have gone without all the bone crunching.

Rating: 2 thumbs up.

On a completely different, yet related note, I really suck at finding pictures on the internet (note the very tiny movie pic above). Is there some trick I'm not aware of?

Found Dog-again. This is becoming a habit.

But seriously, Grady and I went on a walk this morning, and found this little dog on the side of the road. He was just sitting there, very quiet and still. He looked so sad. :( I noticed he had a collar, so we looked for a tag-none found. He tried to walk over to us, but I'm afraid he's been hit by a car because he won't walk on his back leg, and it looks like something is wrong with his hip joint. We stopped at the few houses around here, and discovered he'd just shown up in the last few days. He doesn't belong around here, but he has to belong to someone. I plan to call the vets around town and see what their policy is on fixing random broken dogs. I'm also hoping he has one of those chips in his ear that will tell us who his owners are. If he belongs to you, or someone you know, then let me know. Also let me know if you were really wanting a random super sweet dog for your very own new best friend.

If not, I guess God is trying to tell us to open a animal rescue center out of our backyard. Crazy.

Update: Grady and I took the dog to the vet, and they were able to scan him for a chip. She examined him, and diagnosed him with 2 broken legs. :( They planned to give him some pain meds until they contacted his people. Overall, a successful rescue, and (bonus) we are NOT the proud owners of a new smallish somewhat cute white dog. :)

Disappointment

Disappointment has to be the yuckiest feeling ever. As a kid, the worst punishment my parents could ever give me was a simple "I'm disappointed in you." No grounding, spanking, or any other guilt needed. I recently lost a new watch, and that "kick yourself in the ass feeling" is really just a form of disappointment. Kids coming home to a clean house, and wrecking it in five minutes...Total Disappointment.

But watching your kids go through disappointment-that's even worse than yucky. It's knot-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach yucky. Madison recently had a series of her first real disappointments. She competed in UIL Creative Writing for the first time. She was so nervous the day of the competition, but I pumped her up, told her not to worry, have fun, and try her best. She was proud of the story she'd written, and was sure the judges would love it. She placed 4th. Not quite the 1st Place she'd been hoping for, but our ooos and aawwws boosted her mood. She also tried out for a singing contest at her elementary school, and practiced all week to be confident in her performance. She didn't make the initial cut, and Tanner did. This time, she was devastated. I let her crawl into my lap and cry, and we talked about the courage it took to do both contests. We talked about "doing your best," and "having fun in the process." We talked about some of my own disappointments this month, and how to use these lemons to make lemonade. We talked about "God's Plan" and Fate. We talked about all the other fun things she can do well. We talked and talked, but ultimately I just wanted to take away that yucky feeling. I know there will be failures and disappointments all through the coming years, and I know that's an important part of growing up. I also know what a beating those disappointments can be, and how they can start to wear on your Spirit. Madison's Spirit is so strong-so intense, and parenting that Spirit has been challenging for this Mom-to say the least. But of course, I love that Spirit in her. Right now she's comfortable and confident in her own skin, and I just want to protect that. I want her to love being Her. To love the Plan that's been laid for her. To love the moments she's given, and feel the Blessings in her Life.

I know these are little things, but they are big in her 7-year-old world. Remember being 7? I do, and I remember those disappointments like it was yesterday. My mom would tell me that "everything happens for a reason," or "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger," and I've passed along that wisdom to Madison. It's still a yucky feeling though. The yuckiest feeling ever.

The Graduate

We made it through kindergarten, signed folders and all. Big things happened this year. Things like reading! History! Math! Now it's on to first grade for even bigger things, like loosing teeth. :)

May the Force be with You

We celebrated Tanner's 6th Birthday this weekend. SIX!!! We played it up big time with a party at the local skating rink-the same place Todd celebrated his 6th Birthday. Weird? I think so, but in a neat kind of way. :)

Tanner was pumped to see his friends arrive and hit the floor (literally) with their skates. I was actually a little nervous for Tanner's fun factor because he looked so stiff trying to move down the floor. His wheels were so tight he was scooting rather than skating. He was all smiles though, and it looked like the other boys had the same method going on, so I guess it was all good.

We skated, snacked on some hot dogs and chips, and of course, had some great Birthday Cake. A round of glow sticks (mini light-sabers) for everyone concluded the event. As a special treat, we stopped by Sonic on the way home for ice cream, and Tanner picked out the movie (Star Wars-Clone Wars) for family movie night. By that time, my NyQuil had kicked in, but Todd and the kids cozied up to end a fantabulous day.

Happy Birthday Little Man!

snaggletooth

Madison just lost 2 teeth within 24 hours. Mother-of-the-year that I am, I didn't even know she had any loose teeth! One came out at Tanner's tball game Tuesday night-the other at school the next day. eww. I hate it when the teeth fall out. Although, I like it better than when the tooth is just hanging there by a string, and the kid pushes it all kinds of unnatural directions. double eww. I guess it was good that the second tooth came out the next day since our Tooth Fairy FORGOT to come Tuesday night. We have such a slacker Tooth Fairy. This wasn't her first late appearance either. On the other hand, Decatur IS a little off the beaten path, and it probably just takes a little longer to get out this direction. I think I'll go with that. :) Madison wanted to explain a little of the excitement to the Tooth Fairy, so she also left this little note:

I think it speaks for itself.

pleeeaaasseeee?

We must be really popular in the animal world. Here's yet ANOTHER stray that wandered our direction. This one was taking up residence in the treehouse, but I DON'T plan on letting it wiggle its way into our house.The kids have other plans, and are trying to beat me down with hourly begging and pleading. The even promised good behavior and clean rooms FOR THE REST OF FOREVER. Now, THAT might be worth another pet, but I'm just not so sure I believe the little hoodlums.

Meet A Friend of Mine!

This little dude tried to ambush me in my final ascent out of the canyon. Growing up in Texas I have always been keenly aware of the possibility of seeing a rattlesnake in some of the places I find myself walking from time to time. I have always wondered what it would be like to have a rattlesnake rattle at me as warning before I knew where he was. Well...I no longer have to wonder what that is like. I experienced it. And yes, I changed my underwear at the top because when I turned to look he was about 3 feet from me.

I took this pic after he moved a couple of feet from where I spotted him. He was essentially on the top of a rock on the trail. He is a Grand Canyon Pink Rattlesnake. They blend in very well with surroundings. A ranger told me they were a non-agressive species of rattlesnake, but I am not so sure I believe him. This dude looked poised to strike and did not back down one inch...this was his territory. I let him keep it.

Grand Canyon Tour 2009

We left at 4:45 a.m. this morning in the dark so we could take advantage of the cooler temperatures and provide a chance to get out by 1:00. We made it right at 1:00. We had a lot of experiences and I learned a few things along the way as well. Here are a few of the things I learned:

• The Grand Canyon is as beautiful from the bottom as it is from the top.


• Going down hill is much harder than coming up. Just ask Mom!


• When you think you are almost there...you are not!


• The Colorado River really is 52 degrees...burr...good for sore muscles though!


• Dry heat really is not as hot!


• Daily Ranger programs are interesting.


• Flying insects like dirty people and bats like flying insects.


• Squirrels like to eat wet ones baby wipes!


• If we ever need more lizards, I know where to find a few.


• Wildlife generally does not care about your presence in the Canyon.


• Mules are sure footed animals and I still would not ride one down!


• Streams next to your camp are refreshing after a 10 mile hike.


• You need to watch for rattlesnakes on the trail!


• The last mile out of the canyon is a bitch!

You can think you have done something special since only 1% of those that visit the Grand Canyon hike the trails below the rim and only .5% of that 1% go to the bottom. Then you discover that there is actually a sponsored event call the Rim to Rim Hike, which was today. May 15th is the first day the North Kaibab Trail is open for hikers to do that so they were out in force. When I got up this morning at 3:15 a.m. there were already Rim to Rimmers going by us back to the other side, which means they were going down in the dark (fast). Yesterday we saw a guy who was going across and back across in the same day. That makes a marathon seem like a walk in the park since he was going to travel 42 miles and cover approximately 18,000 feet in total elevation change. Kuddos to anyone in shape enough to do that in a day. I guess I will just have to hang my hat on the fact that I did something I always wanted to do. And I am ready to do it again if anyone out there wants to do it with me.

Radio Silence

Todd went down into the Big Hole in the Ground today, and I won't be able to reach him AT ALL for three days. I actually hadn't even considered this detail until this morning. I do that a lot-not thinking through all the details of an event. The other day, Jennifer and I took the kids to CiCi's after baseball, and I was literally in the line to pay when I realized it was a buffet. Um-3 kids? 1 adult? Logistically not the smartest thing I've ever done. Thank goodness she was there with me to tackle that pizza catastrophe-to-be. ANYway, during this morning's revelation it struck me how often Todd and I communicate. We constantly text, call, or email. We solidify the afternoon schedule (that can take up to 15 texts easy!), wonder what to have for dinner, ask about eachother's day, vent about something crazy that happened, or sometimes just send that random "I luv u." (text speak of course). Today my phone was quiet. Todd might as well be on the moon-it's just that weird.

Also today, I subbed at the Intermediate School-6th grade science, and taught a lesson on Carrying Capacity. I was totally pumped because this is my niche (ha!), and I could talk for days on natural selection, population control, predator-prey relationships, etc. When I went to review the assignment, it was over the Kaibab Deer population that reside in the Grand Canyon National Preserve. How nifty is that? The same day I lose communication with my Todd because of the Big Hole in the Ground, I randomly teach this lesson? Omen? Fate? Divine Intervention? Definitely.

Train Ride Playdate

Today Sharyn and I took advantage of some beautiful Spring weather, and headed to Fort Worth to ride the little train that wanders around Trinity Park. Grady was super pumped for the adventure, because not only were we headed for a REAL TRAIN RIDE, but Rubye was going to ride in HIS car. Gotta love the simplicity of a 3-year old. :)

Both Rubye and Grady sat perfectly still through the entire ride, looking at the SQUIRRELS! WATER! and TRACTORS! A pit stop for popcorn during the train ride made the entire adventure perfect in their minds.After the train ride, we headed to a nearby park for a picnic. The kids found some perfect wish-making dandelions, and spent a few minutes running around like banshees hoping to find more...

and more....and even more...

As we packed up, Sharyn and I had the brainstorm of stopping by the new Sam Moon on the way home. Go ahead and question our sanity. We did. Especially as Grady broke down because RUBYE HAD THAT PUPPY BOOOOOOOK! or as Rubye broke down because her sandwich NEEDED its bag. Ultimately, we embraced our insanity, and made the stop. It actually went more smoothly than expected-shockingly enough. Grady was quite the little shopper holding my basket, and as it turns out, Rubye loves her some accessories. I wish I'd taken a picture of the two of them crashed in the back on the way home-always a sign of a good time!

The Grand Canyon In All of its Glory!

You can just barely see the Colorado river in the picture. This is generally a picture of where we will be coming up. I am standing on the trailhead.

Big Sis and Dad

Mom and Big Sis at Mather Point

You can see a trail on what will probably be the only easy part of the Bright Angel trail....looks flat from here before it drops off again or in our case before the climb to the top.

In short the pictures don't come close to showing its majesty. You have to visit.

I have been to the Grand Canyon three times now and believe I will always be amazed at the expansiveness of its size and beauty. We (Dad, Mom and Big Sis) arrived around 11:00 today, but thought it was 1:00 (on a side note, Danielle and I made the same mistake and ended up starting our hike at 4:00 instead of 5:00 back in 1998) and grabbed something to eat at the Wendy's outside the park. We then headed up to the South Rim to get our bearings for the hike down tomorrow. We will be starting our hike down the South Kaibab trail at 5:00 a.m. in the morning to take advantage of cool weather. We should arrive at our camp for the next two days around 10:00 a.m. Highs are expected to be between 97 and 102 degrees at the bottom, which tends to be 20 degrees hotter than the rim. We will make the trek back up the Bright Angel Trail and should hike out around 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. We will be taking a day hike excursion on Friday that will total about 12 miles. By the time we make it out, we will have hiked approximately 30 miles. We just completed the process of packing our backpacks and are about to go out for our last good meal for the next 3 days. Here are some pics to enjoy. Most of them are taken from the trailhead of Bright Angel where we will make our escape. Please be thinking about us. I know we will have fun.

broken toe

Yesterday in a fit of productivity, I ran through the house, rammed my ring-finger-toe into the foot of the couch, and broke it. I'm pretty sure. It's either broken or jammed. Either way it hurts. And makes me cuss. Darn it. This is not a good year for Scroggins Bones.

Grand Canyon AKA "Big Hole in the Ground" Here I Come!

In less than 72 hours I will be getting a taste of this! I can't wait!

rain

It's kinda hard to take a picture of rain, but man-the skies just opened up over here.

It's also kinda hard to corral 3 dogs, a cat and a 3 year old to keep out of the rain, in case you were going to try that out today just for kicks.

No Spin Zone!

I am a fairly quasi-conservative bloke, probably cut from the same cloth as my grandparents who came out of the Great Depression...I guess I am what is commonly referred to as a Yellow Dog Democrats. But I do have somewhat of a bleeding heart that stears me towards the left on a lot of social issues. I say this so that you understand, when it comes to business I am fairly conservative (probably more so than the average Fox News viewer). I think the market is probably one of the most efficient machines out there. You let the market work on our economy without government involvment and the problems would be fixed in the blink of an eye. Yes, many companies would fail, times would be tough, but it would give rise to another generation of entrepreneurs taking a crack at the "American Dream". Now for the point of this post. I get a email from CPA Daily everyday. It keeps me up to date on the business world, but note I am in the minority in my profession in many of my idealogies. Not what you would typically call the target audience. It is so slanted in its blurbs at times it drives me crazy. I hate it when news is spun to a certain point of view. That is probably why I don't like CNN or FOX News. They both are dripping with so much spin it is not even funny! The email I got today (see "Obama" below) drives me crazy. Since when is laissez-faire "increasing involvment". I guess we always need a reason to bag on a guy, not matter who is in office. President would definitely not fall in the box of "Best Job in the World".

P.S. This not to say that our government is not involved, I believe we have had so much government in the past 9 years that we don't know what its like to not have it. Not even a Republican could keep that from happening.

I am stepping off now.

Obama administration puts tighter grip on business JPMorgan Chase's decision to back off of a threat to make Chrysler repay all of the $6.9 billion it owed lenders illustrates the government's increasing involvement in the private sector, according to this article. JPMorgan backed off the threat after President Barack Obama signaled he would let Chrysler go bankrupt, in which case JPMorgan would have received little of the money it was owed.

Happy Monday to Me!

Hearing Loss

Todd can't hear. It's soooooooooooo annoying. Something about ear wax and water, blah blah blah. He does this every now and then, and once he actually went to the Doctor and the doctor FIXED him. So now, I am a big advocate of the doctor visit as a solution. Todd's solution is to turn the TV up so loud I can hear it in the next county, and to not be responsible for any wisdom that might come out of my mouth. "I can't hear you Danielle." is the all-encompassing excuse.

I'm registering us both for sign language classes ASAP.

Mother's Day Out Program

Remember Grady's rocky start to Mother's Day Out? I can't believe how quickly the year has passed, but somehow we made it to the end! To celebrate, last week we attended his little recital. I was sooo nervous when I left him with his teacher; I was sure he would bolt off the stage and clear the room with a fit of crazy. But, God was there, and He didn't let that happen. Happy early Mother's Day to me. :)

He actually did really great, and stood on the stage to sing all the songs he'd learned throughout the year, starting with R-E-D, red. He still doesn't actually KNOW that color, but he can sing the heck out of it.

He was so proud and excited to see us sitting in the audience watching HIM! Way to go Little Man-one year of MDO under your belt, now it's on to bigger and better things. Like Museum School! Elementary School! High School! and College! :) Maybe we should just focus on preschool for now though...that sounds hard enough.

babies, babies and moms-oh my!

We celebrated motherhood all over the place this weekend. It started Friday night with a diaper shower for Jason and Jennifer-expecting their 3rd Blessing. I was in charge of the Diaper Cake, and just had to post a picture of it for bragging purposes:Saturday afternoon I drove to the Big D to help host a shower for my friend Sona, who is expecting her first baby. While I didn't make the cake for this one, I did order it, and it turned out pretty darn cute.Today, we had our annual Mother's Day Cookout. My mom, Todd's mom, and Todd's sister were the guests of honor, and we spent the afternoon snacking on fajitas, guacamole, and apple pie. We watched the kids play on the trampoline (quickly becoming a favorite past time at the Scroggins house!), and listened to Todd and his family plan their upcoming hike through the Grand Canyon. They might be looking forward to that adventure, but I have U2 tickets courtesy of Todd and the kids. THAT is an adventure worth anticipating! Yay Mother's Day Weekend!

Edit: I neglected to mention the fun games at Jason & Jennifer's couple shower, including baby food feeding, baby diapering, and bottle drinking. Here are a few pics of those good times:

The guys were great sports by the way. Thanks so much for playing along!

addicted to the facebook quiz

I admit it, I love taking those "what kind of.....are you" quizzes. It's like reading your horoscope, or reading tea leaves, things I think are also superfun, but don't take too seriously.

Apparently, the last one I took, "What crazy bitch are you?" (see how superfun??) says I'm pretty crazy. Sinead O'Conner Crazy. Which is funny, because I was her only fan in Decatur back in the good ol' days of 1989 when I was a newbie here.

"You are one fierce bitch. You are very independent and will take no bullshit from anyone but your personality is actually sort of quiet and shy. You are a natural beauty and you are very comfortable with your femininity. You don't feel the need to overdo it or go out of your way to fuss over your looks. You don't want to distract people from what you stand for and the talents you possess. You are very idealistic and will go to any extremes to stand up for what you believe in even if it creates controversy and people don't understand. Relationships can be hard for you sometimes because men feel threatened by you but time again they come running to you and realize that you are actually very sweet and motherly....until they cross you."

According to one Facebook friend, this quiz was "soooooooo fitting." Hmmph. I never thought of myself as idealistic. I mean, all we need is love, right? :)

The Senator's Wife

Tonight my book blub met to discuus The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller. I have to admit, I was looking forward to this discussion because I thought it would be a little controversial. Without giving anything away, the title kind of describes the relationship that can happen between a husband and wife. As I get older, and more settled into my mother/wife role, I can easily see how I have evolved from "Danielle" to "Todd's wife" or "Madion's (Tanner's, Grady's) Mom." I've always thought I was above losing myself in this kind of role, yet here I am. Submissive to my position in my family. Darn it. This book lightly addresses that, and so much more. It addresses a woman's needs for friendship, sexuality, and companionship. It was interesting to hear other woman's/mom's perspectives on these issues, and how those perspectives are shaping our views for our children. I'm always up for a discussion on friendship, self-worth, and motherhood, so this book was right up my alley. A good read-just be sure to talk about that crazy ending with someone!

Pictures by Melanie

Yesterday, my friend Melanie had a photo shoot with my kids. She volunteered for the torture, wanting to get some different photographic experiences under her belt. She's working on starting up her own Photography Business, and I think these pictures speak for themselves. If she can make my kids look this angelic, just THINK what she could do for your REAL angels. :)
I'm so grateful to have a good picture of all 3 kiddos, and am more than happy to broadcast her info all over this little blog, with her permission of course. You can view more of Melanie's pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/feetfirststudios/ or email her at mdsnitker@hotmail.com.

Letting Go

I'm not very good at letting go. In fact, I kind of suck at it. I blame my nomadic military brat childhood, but in reality, it's probably just part of my genetic fiber. I spent my primary years desperately trying to put down roots in a new place only to have them pulled up seemingly minutes later. I was a dandelion; springing up all over the place, spreading roots as far as I could, but not really sticking around for the whole season. I have no doubt it was good for me, and helped shaped me into the person I am today, but it also made me wish for deeper roots and lasting friendships.

I remember moving from Beeville, TX in 4th grade, and vowing to write my friends everyday to keep them in my life. I did write, not everyday, but enough to send them a wedding invitation years later. That situation repeated with every new home. We moved. I made friends. We moved away. I missed them. Their memory wasn't enough. It was and still is incomprehensible to me that friendship should change because of distance, circumstance, or plain old life. But-I am beginning to think that might be how life works.

Recently, my daughter attended a birthday party for a little girl I've known since my first minutes as a stay-at-home-mom. They have spent a lifetime playing together-literally. They were potty-trained together, and napped together. My daughter's first sleepover was at her house, and they both orchestrated a lemonade stand during a garage sale. Twice. They've made sugar cookies, mini-pizzas, play-do castles, and beaded jewelry. They consoled eachother on the hardships of younger brothers, and shared the wonderful excitement of kindergarten. They dreamed of how they could be "real sisters" someday.

While this wonderful bonding was happening between the girls, a unique friendship evolved between their moms. A friendship sharing our children, our parenting, and the hardships that accompany motherhood. A friendship that was raw and real-as friendships among moms can be. In those moments, there's no glossing over the fact that your baby won't stop crying long enough for a phone conversation; no laughing off #2 in your 2 year old"s "big girl panties"; no miracle cosmetic to hide those dark circles, and no solution to hide your exhaustion, your worry, and your insecurity. We shared everyday stuff. The boring stuff. Lunch, naptime, playdates, stroller rides, Old Navy sales, sunscreen, broken dishwashers, dirty houses...the stuff of life. We talked about losing weight, cheap vacation spots, scheduling date nights, and how to get our husbands to just "get it." It could have been my house or her house, and the kids felt at home. That was truly a gift. For all of us.

Then we moved. I moved. Again. Since that move, I've struggled with keeping this friendship. She and I have been in different places both geographically and mentally. We visited at the gym, and tried setting up playdates, but something always interfered. Once, she completely forgot our plans. Of course, she felt terrible and promised to reschedule. And of course, I told her it was nothing, and that I'd wait to hear from her. I tried to brush it off, but being me, it ate at me little by little. When we would meet or talk on the phone, things seemed strained. Something was different. Occassionally, a piece of familiar comfort would breeze into our conversation, but it was fleeting and untouchable. Then, most recently at that birthday party, we were two strangers in the room watching our daughters celebrate "8". I was overwhelmed with a sadness; I felt I was grieving for someone or something that still seemed to be "there", and it just seemed so wrong.

I've visited these feelings since that day, and mulled over the road our friendship has traveled. My mother's words "everything happens for a reason" have echoed in my mind, and I've realized that perhaps friendship is also seasonal. Liane, my friend in first grade, was the best thing I could hope for. We were both nerdy, chubby, and shy. Because of her, I had someone to play with at recess. Margaret, my friend in 5th grade, lived near the school, and we would retreat to her house before the long hours of the day. Because of her, I learned about lip gloss and seaweed. Amber, my friend in 7th grade, lived on the military base just a few streets down. Because of her, I fell in love with George Michael and almost went to University of Texas. I've wondered if these girls ever think of me, and though I've lost touch with them, they are a part of my memory, and in some ways, I miss them. I've spent a lifetime clinging to friendships as I've moved through the ever changing status of my life, but I'm wondering if it's ok to let some of them go. Maybe there is a Greater Plan, and these friendships are part of that. Maybe friendships are seasonal, some annual, others perennial. Maybe I shouldn't be sad as things change, but grateful for the time and experience I was given.

When I think of my children as toddlers, I will remember this friendship and the time we shared raising our babies. I will remember her advice, her laugh, her tears, and her support. I will remember all this with a smile. Her friendship was a wonderful Gift for a special season in my life, and I will always hold that close to my heart, but I won't keep grasping for more. Because of her, I knew my children were normal and my trials in motherhood were also normal. Because of her, my everyday was more than ordinary. Because of her, I'm a better mother. Life forces us change and grow, and I suppose that's a good thing. I also suppose that sometimes we don't get to decide where our roots grow or how they change, and that's a good thing too.

Day 2 Flucation

Me: "Thank you guys for being awesome today."

Tanner: "It's because we made plans."



Funny how that works out.

Swine Flu Snow Day Picnic

Dave Matthews Band

Last night, a group of us braved some crazy weather to see Dave Matthews in concert. To be honest, I was a little worried for our fun factor based on the lightening and golf ball sized raindrops falling around here before we left, but I grabbed my trusty concert-in-the-rain-hat and hoped it would all work out.

We had dinner at the Twisted Root Burger Co. in Dallas, and then headed to the Superpages Center. That's when the skies really opened up. We sat in our cars for about an hour hovering over iphones and counting the lightning bolts around us. Miraculously, the skies cleared around concert time, and we braved the venue. As we sat waiting for the concert to begin, it became apparent than none of us (including the one who proposed this little field trip) were super big Dave Matthews fans. Todd and I both figured we'd recognized a few songs, but (amazingly) don't have any on the ol' ipod. This was true of all of us, and it just made me laugh. Here we were, sitting in a rainstorm that just demolished the Cowboys Training Facility, just for kicks. That's when you know you've got some great friends-any excuse to hang out works.

The concert was actually pretty fantastic (despite the $12 beer!!!!!!!!). Mr. Dave Matthews and his band are pretty amazing musicians, and I got a kick out of watching them "jam" after each song. In fact, Todd was convinced they only played five songs the entire concert. The weather held off until the last song, and then it began to pour on us once again. We packed up and took it to the car at that point knowing we might miss the encore, but satisfied with our experience. I have to give credit to Will for planning this little adventure, and helping us grow in our musical appreciation. I might not have been a super big fan before, but I'll definitely be purchasing some Dave Matthews now and in the future. Oh-and Will? Text anytime, our lives are empty and mundane without your novellas to entertain us throughout the day. :)

Swine Flu Snow Days

Confirmed as of this afternoon: No school Monday and Tuesday pending results of swine flu testing.

I told the kids we were going to home school...they weren't so super pumped about that.

they grow up so fast...

last Friday....

yesterday....

a vacation from crazy

I kept the kids home today. I'm not crazy. Promise. Well, maybe I am, but it has nothing to do with swine flu.

In any case, yesterday afternoon Todd and I began the banter of "should we or shouldn't we send the kids to school." At the time, we knew of one confirmed Influenza A case in second grade, but nothing further. We discussed the news chatter, the crazy blog conversations, and consulted friends and neighbors for their thoughts. I think the kicker for us was 1-Madison's wimp status when it comes to respiratory infections. (She has a knack for picking up every virus that wanders by in a 30 mile radius, AND it STAYS AROUND FOREVER.) And 2-Even if the bigger kids didn't infect themselves, they might pick it up and drop it around Grady. We've had a sick baby, and don't really want to repeat that experience. So, this morning as everyone started walking out the door, we made the call to play hooky. So, for now, we are part of the "reactor's club."

In spite of our hooky status, I had made plans to take Jennifer's little boy, Isaac, to Museum School in Fort Worth. I had been looking forward to the day in Fort Worth cruising down Memory Lane, but my original plan involved playing at the Children's Museum, and I decided against closed-space playplaces for today. It was actually a little difficult to come up with an alternative plan. Book store? No-train table on display for Grady to snack on. Target? Sure, fun for me, but not so fun for the kids. Mall play area? Same problem as the kid museum. Dang. Finally, as we were driving by the Amon Carter Museum, Tanner practically fell out of his seat with excitement. "Mommy, did you just see the Amon Carter Museum? We HAVE TO GO!" Turns out, his kindergarten class had just completed a telecast with the museum, AND he just happened to have his "passport" with him.

I thought for a moment. It didn't look like a popular place at 9:30 in the morning (in fact, we had the place to ourselves), and I didn't figure there was an interactive display to an Art Museum for Grady to snack on. Teachable moment, here we come.

It actually turned out pretty great. The kids were super pumped about reading the descriptions of the paintings, and were continually amazed at the years in which the paintings took place. Did you know there were people ALIVE in 1802? AND they knew how to paint? Amazing. We also watched a super cool video on how Remington made his bronze sculptures, and perhaps learned a little Art Museum etiquette along the way. To top things off, we wandered through the Modern Art Museum's grounds and discussed other kinds of sculpture. I'm not sure the kids are ready for modern art since they were more impressed with the water fountain, so I guess we'll keep it to these baby steps. :)
We topped off the field trip with a picnic at a local park, and then headed home. I'm not sure if it was the right decision to stay home or not, and I still don't know what to think of all the craziness with this outbreak. I do know I probably used it as an excuse to steal my kids away from our crazy life for a day. And I also know I'm ok with that.