FROM SENIOR TO FRESHMAN...MY AMANDA

Last weekend we attended a V.I.G.

(Very Important Graduation)

Miss Amanda kissed the high school world goodbye with visions of granting A&M her presence. Which means she has surpassed her senior status, and has alas become a freshman again...

We could not be more proud of her.

Here you can view the slide show.

ALSO...there is video:

First is Emma at her awards ceremony.

Second is Amanda accepting her diploma.

Notice the strange man hollering their names in the background.

Funny...I smiled during the event when I heard the "Emm-a"!...and again two days later when I heard the "Aman-da"! But in watching these clips today, I tear up. Because I know that strange man. I know him well. And in that holler I hear love...and pride...and I know it's his way of voicing that couldn't be more proud of his girls!

AWARDS & CHOCOLATE SYRUP

Emma had an awards ceremony at school last week.

Elizabeth was home from school and surprised her by coming to the ceremony.

Afterwards, we went to On The Border and enjoyed yummy Mexican food and Carta Blanca's!

Remington delighted in licking the chocolate syrup out of the ice cream bowl (thanks Lulu!).

Amanda and Remi enjoyed some kind of strange baby-teenage ritual akin to football players attacking.

SWEET DREAMS

Look...what Remi did last night:

Yes...that monster is in fact asleep...in her own bed.

The one in her room.

How...you may ask...did I do it?

Simple...I gave her incentive:

I gave her...her sisters!

BIRTHDAY LUNCHES

This past weekend Chris had a birthday and turned...well...one year younger than me ;)

We enjoyed a celebratory lunch at The Rooster:

REMI'S A DOLL

"She's adorable! Looks like she's straight out of a Cabbage Patch box."

-direct quote from The Gap sales-guy

FLOWERS...

Roses are red.

Violets are blue.

Oh, Flowers, Flowers,

How Remi loves You!

Corny (I know) , but the pics are cute as can be:

GOIN' BANANAS

Grampy, Charlee and Remi went out to the tortoise sanctuary this afternoon to feed the rabid beasts. ;) Betty was having trouble eating her carrots...she got a good grip and pulled, but couldn't quite seem to bite off pieces...

So Charlee got her a nice soft banana for dinner.

Never seen a Yellow-Foot Tortoise munchin' on a 'nanner?

Here ya go:

THE LAST SOCCER GAME

Last weekend we attended

Emma's last soccer game

of the regular season.

Is it just me, or does the girl in front of Emma look like she has

CELL-PHONE-ITIS?

During the game the sky looked like this:

cool, huh?!

Rain!

The game was called at half-time (1-1 tie)

So we went to Casa Ole' instead.

On the way we rocked to Gwen Stefani:

*Warning: This video might make wiggle all around in your seat ;)

THE EPIDEMIC...

Does this kiddo look sick to you???

Not to me either!

But she does, in fact, have Influenza A.

(I'm told the swabs don't lie)

Influenza A means she may or may not have the Swine Flu.

I think she may because:

KAMANAWANAPLAYA

Think: Come on I wanna play ya.

It's kinda like field day on steroids.

You've gotta check out some of my favorite pics in

this slideshow!!!

BRIDGING

Last night Charlee graduated in the Girl Scout world from a Brownie to a Junior.

For those of us who don't speak the GS language, it means she's gone from a brown vest to, next year, a green vest.

We are so very proud of her!!!

TIME OUT

Ava comes to work with us every morning.

This morning she did not.

She spent her morning in a time-out.

Why?

Because she did this to my sunglasses:

...my favorite sunglasses...

...the ones I've held on to for about 3 years or so...

...the ones I've driven back to Wal-mart to find... ...

......the ones no one is allowed to borrow...

Probably...someone should have warned her.

BY THE WAY: Remi has told everyone this story...

I think it's because she's glad it wasn't her in a time-out for once

A CINDERELLA STORY

Charlee came home today talking about her Language Arts assignment: Write a letter to your favorite fairytale character.

Charlee picked Cinderella (...who wouldn't?!) and asked: How many sets of stairs are in the castle? She also included some very important advice: Next time you should tell the prince your name.

So it got me thinking...what would I write?

It came to me quicker than you can say "glass slipper": How do you get your floors so darn shiny? and: If you were the cook, why didn't you just poison your mean ole stepmom? It's probably a good thing this paper wasn't done at home...

But of all of us, Emma probably had the best advice of all: Next time wear tennis shoes.

So that got me thinking: Cinderella would make the perfect spokesman for Nike.

Nike will be calling anyday now to thank me for that fabulous idea...I know it! I'll just do a little cleaning until they show...you know...like Cinderella.

_____________________________

Once upon a time in a faraway land there was a tiny kingdom, peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance and tradition. Here in a stately chateau there lived a widowed gentleman and his little daughter, Cinderella. Although he was a kind and devoted father, and gave his beloved child every luxury and comfort, still he felt she needed a mother's care. And so he married again, choosing for his second wife a woman of good family with two daughters just Cinderella's age, by name, Anastasia and Drisella. It was upon the untimely death of this good man, however, that the step-mother's true nature was revealed. Cold, cruel, and bitterly jealous of Cinderella’s charm and beauty, she was grimly determined to forward the interests of her own two awkward daughters. Thus as time went by, the chateau fell into disrepair for the family fortunes were squandered upon the vain and selfish step-sisters while Cinderella was abused, humiliated, and finally forced to become a servant in her own house. And yet, through it all, Cinderella remained ever gentle and kind, for with each dawn she found new hope that someday her dreams of happiness would come true.

ICE SKATING

Last weekend we were invited to an ice-skating party.

I do not ice skate.

They do not make Remi-sized ice skates.

Here is my photo journal of all the ice-skating fun (minus Remi and me).

We don't go ice skating very much...I need more than the 4 arms I have to keep up with Remi off the ice and help Charlee around on the ice. Typically, Daddy takes Emma and Charlee about once a year, usually for Charlee's birthday. After all, in the midst of the June heat it is nice to be hanging out on ice. So, to say the least, we are not pro-fessional ice skaters.

Charlee make a very time consuming round on the ice...holding hands with her friend- the wall.

Then she bravely took to the ice again at the hands of Amanda and Emma.

All three glided around in circles. Although...glided...may be too strong a word.

Charlee was the first to drop off.

Amanda and Emma went round, and round, and round, and....well...you get the idea.

A little bit later, Amanda came rolling in, with frozen fingers and a suprisingly warm nose.

Emma, though...Emma could have gone all day...so I should thank her for finally hanging up her ice skates and calling it a night (or afternoon).

I was exhausted!!!

PHOTO SHOOT

Remi look here.

Remi stay still.

Remi I'll give you a lollipop.

Remi take the lollipop out of your mouth.

Remi smile.

Yes...it was that much fun!