Leaving is hard

Especially when you're leaving friends.

Keaton's school held a special breakfast at Mimi's Cafe for the out-going students who won't be returning next year.

It was a tough morning for our little sensitive one as she's moving from 4th grade at her school to 6th grade next year at Reagan's school.


















Baby sisters draw a crowd.










And prompt group hugs.

She'd like to thank the academy

Reagan got her special award today. She's dressed so, um, uniquely because her lip-sync group was chosen to perform just prior to the awards ceremony. Add to the award the fact that she got "Commended" in Reading and Writing on her TAKS test and did really well on the Math portion, and you've got a pretty good week.












Teacher's Choice Award winner for Pre-AP Language Arts.

Field Day '08

It was HOT.

















And so was the cook!

Say wha?!

Keaton (all of ten years old and voicing genuine concern): "Mom, Reagan was laughing at me this morning 'cause she said..."

(heavy, drawn out sigh)

"...my BOOBS are getting SAGGY!

On second thought...

Maybe I shouldn't have played in that bag of charcoal. Dad does not look happy.

Lettin' off some end-of-school steam

Keaton squirming in the worm race.












Hayden taking in some last minute coaching.















Landon got to do a little ball kicking.












Little Miss Peyton cheered them on.

















And Dad surprised us all by RUNNING...and living to tell about it.

She works hard for her money

I just want to brag a moment.

Sutton (18) now has two jobs. TWO. She's still working at Outback Steakhouse where she's been since last fall, and she is completing her training period as she transitions from hostess to server.

Now she's added a second job at PetSmart where she checks in dogs at the PetsHotel.

Yes. Dogs. At a pet hotel.

She doesn't normally do dogs, or animals, or even small children for that matter. But she is willing to do it now because they pay her.

Money talks...LOUD.

She left this morning for school and I will see her again tomorrow morning. She goes straight from school today to work, and then works until closing. On the weekends she works from 7am (!!) until 5pm at PetSmart and then from 5:30pm-close at Outback. My philosophy is that if you work like a dog when you're young, you're more apt to finish that degree so maybe you won't have to work like a dog the rest of your life.

She's working hard, she's making money, and she's too busy to do anything else.

This momma's proud.

Determination

We live in an affluent area. We are surrounded by excess I never dreamt imaginable while growing up in my tiny, country Texas town. My children, in their attempts to fit in, are often left feeling neglected because they don't have the luxury cars, the high tech gadgets, and the designer hand bags of their peers. Heck, my kids don't even have TVs in their rooms or a working computer, for that matter. I buy our clothes from discount stores or off of sales racks WITH a coupon. We don't drive fancy cars.

We are the Clampetts and I am perfectly okay with that. My children? Not so much. But they'll survive...and thrive just like I did. As much as I'd like to give them everything they desire, doing so would do them a gross disservice. And besides, I like having grounded children who understand they have to work hard in life.

So you can imagine the complete and utter respect and admiration I feel for this guy.

I think we should make him an honorary member of our Clampett family. He'd fit right in and we'd be so very proud to have him.

And the winner is...

HAYDEN!!!

Hayden had his first ever Tae Kwon Do competition today where he won the silver medal in Forms and the gold medal in Sparring. I'm not sure who was more excited, him or his dad.

Listening to the coach.

















He won the first match 7-0 and the second match 4-0. His last opponent withdrew because Hayden was kicking too hard.












He was declared first place winner by the referee.

















Very proud of his new hardware.

Cra-zazy 'do's

Today was Crazy Hair Day and these two went all out.






















Keaton's solar system was due as well, but who can really focus on academics when you look like they do?

I wish you all had a sister...

...like THIS!

Hopefully, some of you are as blessed as I because my sister is pretty terrific.

"The only thing that separates us from the animals..."

"...is our ability to accessorize," or so says Olympia Dukakis’ character in Steel Magnolias.

My children seem to agree.

















Keaton, clearly thrilled with my photo request.

Funky feet

It's Crazy Sock Day at Hayden and Keaton's school. And the amount of time spent by these children on socks is really socking shocking.

Award winner...

for Crazy Hat Day at her school. So good she could eat it.

My Hong Kong cable arrived!

And I have fought back bravely from the brink of insanity since being without my laptop for TEN SOLID DAYS.

TEN. SOLID. DAYS. PEOPLE. It was horrible. And I don't mean to brag, but I showed great restraint by not whining nearly as much as I would have liked.

I even read a book, a real book that I bought from a bookstore and everything.

And I loved it!

I haven't read an entire book for pleasure since finishing graduate school because, well, graduate school just did me in. And then there were three more babies, and no sleep, and life, and...okay, these are excuses and I really should read more books.

But I am back online and boy did I miss you guys.

Ode to my ill laptop

Oh, my dear laptop
How I miss you so.
Your cableless carcass can't turn on
Forcing me to woe.

My blog it sits unloved
My auctions I do lose.
My emails go unanswered
No websites can I cruise.

I have to use his desktop
The feeling is just wrong.
Because the cable he bought me
Must travel from HONG KONG!

To the lovely guy who FLIPPED ME OFF!

I'm driving down the road minding my own business and you pull out, cross traffic and my path, forcing me to hit my brakes.

I don't honk at you. I don't even give you a dirty look, not even the one-eyebrow-raised one that frightens little children, yet you find the need to stick your arm out, and as you look at me and sneer, shoot one right off.

Seriously? Was that really necessary?

I SO think not.

You should know that I prayed for you as you drove away laughing at my expense. But don't think I'm all that great because before I got to the "God please bless him" part, I had to forcibly stifle the "God please run him into that ditch and plant that finger he's so proudly showing off right into his..." part.

I am obviously a work in progress.

And you, sir, are just plain rude.

Such a nice day

Mother's Day was perfectly lovely this year. We went to church and then to lunch at some dear friends' home. The children swam all afternoon and then we came home to an early bedtime. It couldn't have been more special.

Flowers from Jimmy the children.


































Swimming and water guns? The boys were in heaven.

















And the flying was pretty fun too.