Sibling Sunday

arbys, originally uploaded by torri_g.

There should be a picture of the three G girls, but getting pictures of them all is pretty much an impossible task anymore. At any given time only one of them may be in the house for a picture. It is okay with me though because it gives me reason to use this picture that Stephanie took over the summer while we were out for "Girls" dinner while Todd was on one of his many TDY's.

So let's start this with stuff Steph a.k.a Binky Sue:
August brought the start of college classes yet again and full time plus is the name of the game for Steph. Let's not forget the working just about full time balanced on top of full time classes, throw in horseback riding lessons, and that all equals no real free time for her and me with the never ending driving during the day. Good news for this year she has been able to drive herself once Mom is done needing the car. Even better news is that Friday Steph went and started process towards possibly buying a car of her own! Mom and Dad had to take her money down in yesterday for her because you know she is always working...but hopefully before the end of this next week she will have a 2003 Suzuki Vitara of her very own. Fingers crossed so hard they hurt!

Paige a.k.a. Sweetpea also started college classes in August. Two art classes which she does see to love. She likes them even better when the "grown up's" of the class are just quiet and working on projects. She doesn't understand why anyone would take art if they really don't like it and finds some of her classmates to be annoying. Her search for a job has turned up nothing as of yet, but coming up in October she is going to be getting a real work out because of learning how to train a new horse with her riding teacher. Her love for horseback riding lessons is still being filled with weekly lessons and in general she is just very happy with how things are going.

Cheyenne a.k.a. Little Bug has had a very busy couple of months with school. She has had weekends filled with DECA activities, babysitting jobs, horseback riding lessons, home work, and stress of how full classrooms at the high school are. She has asked that I see about transferring her over to Tombstone High because she is feeling that because of the 40+ kids per class for her that her grades are starting to slip due to not being able to hear, and frustration levels of teachers is causing a lot of them to shut down and give up. So yes come tomorrow I will make phone calls and see just how horrible it would be to make a move to a different school.

I know it is kind of short and to the point with all of the girls, but they are all doing well for the most part, and just busy. I hope that everyone has had a great weekend and enjoy a Sunday spent with those you love.

Sibling Sunday

Gypsy Rose, originally uploaded by torri_g.

I don't actually have all that much new to tell about the girls today. Riding lessons, work, summer vacation and a few school things have been filling their week. So instead let's follow Miss Gypsy Rose's example and just have a lazy lay around Sunday! Everyone have a great day.

Should be sibling Sunday

IMG_8701, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Hold on a minute...I'm making another post in less than a week's time? Yes I am! I am trying to deal with my posting issues here. My biggest issue right now is that my internet is great for things like browsing the web or sending e-mail, but for uploading pictures to my flickr account it is painfully slow! Painfully slow tends to not work well for me so I keep just closing things down and walking away. Which of course will lead to nothing being posted. Tonight though I have made myself sit for the upload and I am going to post a real update about family.

Let's see how about we start with Ret. Army Guy. He had a good share of this last week off because of getting back from his TDY. Since he was off he helped me with some projects out in the back yard, and getting the last of some stuff moved over to storage. We also took a day to just go shopping for a few more new clothes for him. There are a couple other pieces for his work wardrobe that I would like to make a trip up to Tucson to buy, but he is pretty set otherwise. I enjoyed our day of shopping because it had been such a very long time since we had done that. Then again I loved working out in the yard with him for the same reason.

The girls...they are still the girls! The school year is running down quickly, and I think all three of them are starting to look forward to summer vacation. Oh and it is April which means that it is time for family and friends to look at portraits of Sweetpea and start thinking about what you want. I will probably send links back out to everyone in about a week or so. Don't worry though Sweetpea will be making her choices for what will go out for anyone who just can't narrow it down.
I know that I should probably have more to type about the girls but to be honest if I wrote down every thing I would still be typing come tomorrow morning, and I really just don't need to do that.

As for me...I'm loving finally having the feeling of being settled into the new place. I'm really loving living out here and I'm starting to pick my camera up more often again. I find myself smiling contently most days, and love the sound of laughter that has started filling this house. From birthday last year to birthday this year there isn't a whole heck of a lot that hasn't changed, but here I am on the other side of it all and finding that I really do love just how it all has gone.

Alright...I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Easter spent with those you love. My goal for this week it to make myself sit daily and do an upload of at least one picture. Fingers crossed that I can not pull out any hair in the process!

Sibling Sunday

Fall Festival of Color 2009-1, originally uploaded by torri_g.

I'm just not keeping up here as well as I would like to the last couple of weeks. I'm going to try this week though and I have a good amount of new photo's to share even. I've been trying to get myself and my camera out for short bursts of time to relax and the never ending attempt to get my mind to settle some.

Anyway this is sibling day not about me time. The Fall Festival of Color was this weekend and I have to say that the girls and I were a little bit more than disappointed. We do understand that the wind played a huge roll with this weekend and why they couldn't do a lot of the things, but this morning was perfect and to only have two balloons show up for the early morning ascension was just sad.
Sweetpea and Little Bug went out with me for the Saturday night glow, which wasn't to bad...it was just cut short due to the winds. We wandered around the park and listened to some pretty good music, and bought some to expensive treats, but it was for a good fund raiser so that is good. Yes Little Bug is still on those crutches! No I didn't make her go and walk all over creation with those, she wanted to go! Tuesday we finally have an appointment for her to be seen now that everything Tricare has been straightened out. I'm guessing x-rays are something that is needed, and that she is going to have even more time on the crutches since she still can't put any weight of any kind on it.

Sweetpea had a good week and says it is really feeling like her senior year now. Of course what could help make it feel real finally? The order for the cap, gown, and announcements was turned in Friday. Hold on let me get my best happy going on here....woohoo. Nope not working, oh well maybe later. I am excited for Sweetpea and this being her year, it is the cost of everything that leaves me less than thrilled. We went with a smaller package this year and are not far below what was spent last year. Oh yeah and they increased the sales tax which was just wonderful! It is done though and that is all that matters till April/May time period. Sweetpea's Friday was made even better because of progress reports coming out and her having very solid good grades this time.

Binky Sue is feeling the stress of juggling school, work, home work, life. She completed her middle school observation and is trying to get her high school and elementary school time jump started, to bad no one seems capable of calling her back. So the plan for this week is go directly to the schools. Yes, she is planning a sneak attack called just show up in the office and see what she can get done. She has started making sure to take time on what seems to be her one free day of Sunday to enjoy things. Be it spending time with family in the wee hours of the morning for the balloons that don't show up, or spending the afternoon hanging out with a friend at the mall or just at their house. The art of taking time to decompress is what she is quickly learning. Oh and last weekend she for the first time complained about why do the weekends go by so fast!

Alright that is all that I can think of to write about for the girls this weekend. I hope that everyone is doing well and has enjoyed a great weekend spent with those you love the most. I'm going to try to at least post new pictures every day this week. Hey any entry without words would probably be great after this long rambling thing.

Sibling Sunday

Oh it is Sunday again and here I am with no picture of any of the siblings. Well, that is not completely true. I have tons of photos of them in archive but not on this hard drive...and I'm being pretty lazy here today...and don't feel like moving to get to a hard drive where I might find a picture or a hundred that could be used. Yes that is my excuse and I'm goind to stick with it!

Anyway for some news about the siblings:

• Binky Sue is steadily learning to juggle school, work, Lions Club, home work, and new for this week...class room observation. She is starting at her old middle school, and when they remember you by your voice I think it can be said that you made an impact in their memory. Great for Binky Sue is that it was good memories. So she start working on getting her ten hours of middle school observation done. She also has set up with a friend who is getting private tutoring due to back surgey to get her two hours of alternate done. Binky Sue this week also got that first pay check and that feeling comes with the very first one. So all in all things are going pretty well for Binky Sue right now.

• Sweetpea this week was just pretty calm life wise for the most part. Well at least until report card was put in Mom's hand on Friday. I don't think I'm going to get into that one here at all other than to say we talked. Photography class for Sweetpea this week had her developing her first roll of film and with mistakes made good lessons were learned. I haven't seen any of the pictures, but I am hoping to see some soon since I love seeing how she views the world. Oh and that dreaded announcement order stuff landed in my house for this year! Good grief just so not sure I'm ready for all the fun of that order of announcements, caps, and gowns brings with the school. Before Thanksgiving break is the due date though, and I'm going to have to be ready no matter what.

• Littlebug was pure clumsy Littlebug this week. Crutches for the 5th time in her 14 years. It is the 4th time injuring her left ankle and I'm wondering if it is just more prone to injury because of how many times she has already hurt it. This was yet again a gym injury, you know the same class that brought us emergency room tag, and Littlebug won because she got to make a trip to the ER. Oh all the great times she has had in gym, and I personally can not wait for this class to be OVER! Due to changes for the freshmen this year, she thankfully will only have to take 1 semester of gym, and then I swear I'm never letting her anywhere near one again! Well, at least not until she is grown up and moved out. Two weeks of solid crutches use and then probably 2 more weeks with air splint. I guess the second base plate meant bussiness. Oh and yes Littlebug also had a report card come home on Friday, and I'm not going to say more than we talked.
  

Now to be fair to Sweetpea and Little Bug for the most part they had good report cards, it is just for one there is a huge problem in the making and for the other one it was basically that straw that just snapped the back because of seeing same words on hers.

Alright I think that is it for this week. I will try to make sure and get a new picture of all three of the girls together for next week. I hope that everyone has had a great weekend, and that there is a great week ahead for all of us.

Sibling Sunday

Little Bug and Sweetpea, originally uploaded by torri_g.

I'm glad that I caught this picture late Friday night when there was some goofing around going on, because Little Bug really has lost her happy this weekend. Friday marked the end of the first quarter and for these two it means Fall Break Time! They will be off this whole week, and Little Bug was very happy about that because her birthday is this week. She very skillfully negotiated her way into having a boy/girl party, and the invitations were delivered Friday.

Sweetpea is just happy to be done with projects and have the whole week to do nothing. This last week saw the arrival of the ever dreaded cap, gown, and announcements order stuff. November is the deadline once again to have it all ordered and I'm so happy that they not only raised their prices, but the shipping and handling fees, and the taxes! Gosh we are so lucky! Speaking of things senior year related...I'm going to need family and friends to start giving thought to what portraits you want of Sweetpea. If I missed sending you a link to them let me know and I will correct that. I really would like to see her senior portraits go out sooner than what I did last year.

Binky Sue...well she is done with her math class and couldn't be happier about that if she tried. I think next term she may make sure that the math class she is in isn't accelerated. She worked her first shift this past Friday and was exhausted when I got there to pick her up. She is happy with her schedule for the next week though and looking forward to getting that first pay check.

Other than that there really isn't to much else about the siblings, but that is way more than I've really had in a while about each of them. I hope that everyone enjoys a wonderful Sunday surrounded by those you care the most about.

Sibling Sunday

IMG_7039, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Finally a picture of one of the siblings. This entry will probably not be all that long of one, but since Binky Sue had such a happy week it really needs to be shared. Binky Sue got a job! So needless to say that after spending the whole summer looking and hoping to get one she is very thrilled. Monday she walked into open interview times and she walked out being hired. She will be hostess at a soon new to be opened restaurant. The name of the new restaurant? My Big Fat Greek Restaurant. She did her orientation Thursday and this Tuesday starts her training. They are not officially open till the 5th of October, but do have some events starting next weekend. Binky Sue has her black, on black, with black uniform all set, and really can not wait to get started. She is also getting close to being done with her first term math class, which I think she is happy about because doing the 8 week version versus the 16 week course has been pretty insane on the homework side.

Sweetpea, and Little Bug continue to be just settled in for the quarter which is quickly nearing an end here. Little Bug has been keeping Mom busy with the seemingly never ending "Mom can I go here?" or "Can I go do this?". This weekend was her first football game with friends and I can say that she and her friend had way to much sugar and made it feel as if there was something wrong with my car because of the bouncing around. I got them home though and at some point in time in the wee hours of the morning they both actually finally slept.

Alright that is it for this week. I know I could probably do more but instead I'm going to get back to sitting chilling out watching a football game with Army Guy here tonight. I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend spent with those that you care the most about.

Sibling Sunday

Once again we are at Sunday, and once again I really don't have all that much to report for or about the siblings. Notice the lack of a picture of them yet again. Honestly they are still here, and I will at some point in time this week actually try to get a picture of the three of them. They have just really settled into a good routine this school year and I so don't want to disturb that, because I know for a fact I would be the one to pay dearly for that. They are all happy and doing well and the longer that lasts the happier I am.

I hope that everyone has enjoyed a great weekend, with lots of time spent with those you care about the most. I also hope that there is a great week just waiting for all of us.

Lazy Sibling Sunday

I wish that I had some great picture to post, but I don't. Wish I had some great stories about the siblings to post, but I don't. It has just been really pretty quiet around here the last couple of weeks. Everyone is settled into school year routines and there just isn't all that much going on right now. Well, other than the never ending amount of time spent in the car transporting back and forth to things. I think today will probably be a very lazy Sunday since it is raining and has been since the wee early hours of the morning. No sun tends to equal very lazy day.

On a side note, yesterday was day 5 of no cigarettes for me!(YAY!) I'm really looking forward to hitting one full week in the next couple of days, Tuesday to be exact, but that can all wait for my Thursday posting. I hope that everyone enjoys a wonderful Sunday, and if you have sun shine enjoy it even more.

Sibling Sunday

IMG_6573, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Well, the routine of the school year is back for two of the three siblings here. Sweetpea and Little Bug were very happy to see the weekend come after two hectic days of school. Little Bug is loving being in high school so far, but I think the schedule of it is kicking her butt already. However, after a summer vacation spent staying up very late and sleeping half of the next day away, having to get up at 0515 would probably kick anyone's behind. She is enjoying it though because she is now part of the group with tales about how the day went at the high school.

Sweetpea's first day had her coming through the door in the afternoon with a great big slamming of the doors. If you live in this house you know that means that she is mad. Actually as Mom I usually know that it means a level beyond mad. Once I got her calmed down enough to talk I found out that she had a great day in her first five periods, it was the sixth period that brought the anger. It is a young man that has been a bit of a stalker since 8th grade, and he just happens to be in her sixth period class. Since they are both seniors this year I'm personally blown away by the odds that he is in the one elective class with her and none of the other senior classes. There was talk of dropping the class, but I know my Sweetpea, without so form of artistic type class on her schedule, this year could be one of the longest on record. It is her photography class that is in question here since she decided to not take a fourth year of art, because of her favorite art teacher leaving prior to the budget and teacher cuts that have taken place. Sweetpea has always needed the artistic outlet to get through a day at school with all of the other classes she needs to take, so there has been a lot of conversation between her and I about how to deal with having this young man in that class. She has had to deal with this every year since 8th grade and is actually very good at it, but it just isn't going to change the fact that it angers her. Hopefully with this week being a full week of school and everyone moving into a state of getting moving with instruction, maybe she will get "focused" on the art of the class and be able to just ignore the fact that he is there. But someone better not aim their camera in her direction because this is still my Sweetpea that we are talking about. She may be little but she is one tough little cookie really.

Binky Sue seemed to be going through withdrawal without her sibling here. I think she felt a little strange being the one that had no place to go with the start of school. Her job searching is still finding her nothing right now, but she has enough applications in at places that at some point in time something has to work out. This week we head over to get her books for the fall term, and next Saturday is orientation. Her classes start the 17th, and I'm sure she will not feel so left out of the learning game then.

I think that is about it for this entry. I hope that everyone is enjoying a great weekend spending time with those you care about most.

Sibling Sunday

I think I have gotten most of the mind clutter cleared out and feeling a little more back on track now. The problem...well one to many what if's and one to many wait for answers on things. Sometimes those are my worst down falls.

Anyway, let me play some catch up about the girls here instead of myself. I posted about Army Guy and Little Bug with school registration earlier in the week. Friday was Sweetpea and Mom at registration, and I have to say that it wasn't all that horrible. Oh don't get me wrong those lines were still terrible, but we only spent an hour and fifty eight minutes having to stand in them. Which with Sweetpea is a record low, and while we were walking back out to the baking in the sun car, there was a bit of a happy dance being done. For the very first time there wasn't any mistakes made on Sweetpea's schedule and it was just the stand in line and wait to get things done. The added bonus about senior registration is the photographers pushing their fliers at you trying to get your business. Parents were polite about for a little while, but after standing in line for 30 minutes and having the same person trying to push a flier in their hand 3-4 times some parents started to lose it. The photographers have tables in the main entrance, and to leave registration you have to walk right past them. Of the six that were there only one stayed right at her table, and I can tell you that she was the one that had the most people stop by to pick up information. I can understand wanting the business and being pro-active in trying to get it, but when parents are forced to spend upwards of 2-3 hours standing in line trying to get this done, no one is thinking about those senior portraits and really just want to be left alone! I think the best was the one who was told that portraits were already done, and the photographers response was "Well take this anyway because maybe you will want to have them shot again but by someone better this time." At which point in time the parent that was said to dropped the flier to the ground and got the attention of one of the teachers in the area to complain and ask that she be made to leave the area. However, that is my most interesting tale from registration this year.
So Sweetpea and Little Bug are all ready to head back to school this Thursday now. They did the walk about yesterday so Little Bug will at least have an idea of where her classes are located, and the school supplies have been bought. Four more days and another fun filled school year gets started.

Binky Sue...well I've got a bit to share about her this week. Binky Sue's advertising idea for the Lion's Club went over very well this week. She is showing them already that she wants to be an active part of the club, and has some very good idea's. They are looking for ways to increase their membership, and advertising is always a big part of that for anyone. They had talked about doing buttons, and while listening to talk of that Binky Sue had a different idea which she then asked for help designing and putting together samples to show. They are t-shirts and from the sound of it the idea was a huge hit. We put together printed samples of several different ways they could look, and she had two completed t-shirts done for the meeting. She did a youthful approach and a more mature and they liked them a lot. After the meeting this week we did some small edit changes for final look and she already has a couple of t-shirts here to put the transfers onto before the next meeting. To say that she was excited would be a great understatement about what she was when she got home. She has been invited to travel with them for another meeting coming up to show the idea off. YAY Binky Sue!
Now for the medical update about Binky Sue that kept a good share of this week filled with stress for her, and me trying to calm her down. Last September/October Binky Sue was hit with some extreme pain in her lower abdomen/pelvic area. Several trips to the doctor later they said it was probably her right ovary and it would pass...and it did. Then it returned in November, and passed, returned in January, and I think you get the idea. June brought the return of the pain, and this time it isn't going away. So an appointment was made to hopefully get someone to run the right tests and see just what is going on. Binky Sue got that with a P.A. that we will call Mr. KP. The same day as her appointment he put in for a ton of lab tests, an ultrasound for that same afternoon, and a referral to Ob/Gyn specialist. After a week of waiting for a phone call with test results Binky Sue got her first answers on Friday afternoon. Her final will wait till she meets with the specialist later in August, but right now what everything is pointing to is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom. She has numerous cysts in both ovaries, with a large one in right side measuring 2.4 cm and largest one in left measuring 1.7 cm. She has been upset because of the never ending pain that she is in, and she was upset to find out that it wasn't just the one side. She was caught off guard that they found it in both sides. However, she is doing better now at least having an idea where the diagnosis may be heading when she finally gets to see the specialist August 25th.

So that is the sibling update. It has been one heck of a week here in Arizona. I am going to try to get back to getting some picture's to post on here, oh and if you are family or close friend and haven't gotten an invitation to view Sweetpea's senior portraits let me know. I'm slowly finding out that there were some people that I missed with the first round of e-mails that I sent out. I hope that everyone has a enjoyed a weekend filled with laughter and time with those you care about the most. I also hope that there is a good week a head waiting for all of us.

Sibling Sunday

Sweetpea, originally uploaded by torri_g.

The senior portrait shooting is now done, time for the editing to kick in. I'm not going to get back to killing my eyes working on that though till I post this stink face picture. It's funny to me how while looking through so many portraits that were shot I automatically find the one that can not be used and is funny. To say it smelled bad out in the upper garden canyon would be a huge understatement. The closer we got to the creek the worse the smell got. So of course I picked a spot that was right down on the creek to shoot pictures. I mean why not? So what if the smell made you want to gag! Sweetpea did it without questioning though. To be fair the face isn't the result of the smell of the area. There was a fly that kept attacking her face that caused the look. Or maybe it was her way of telling Mom that she was tired of being shot and it was time for me to put the camera away. Of course I'm still wishing I had taken a picture of all the spiders running through the long grass ahead of me while we looked for location to shoot pictures. Think Harry Potter movie "The Chamber of Secrets" with all of the small spiders running to the forest. Sadly though I don't think many other people would have liked that photo as much as me.

So now that the senior portrait shooting is done and the editing is going to begin it is a sign that school start time is very close. Friday was family fun day up at the clinics with the girls. Army guy took Sweetpea and Little Bug for immunization updates, while I went with Binky Sue for an appointment. Binky Sue's one appointment lead to another appointment being set for her that afternoon, lab work, and prescription for pain. I'm going to hold off on anything more about Binky's appointment till she gets a call with results from all of the tests that were done on Friday though. Fingers crossed that tomorrow brings that call though, because I'm not sure how much longer Binky Sue can wait before she has a break down.
Sweetpea and Little Bug did fine with getting their shots. Little Bug's arms hurt the most because of needing four shots. But she was a good ways behind since for the last four years they were not willing to give them to her because of the Epilepsy and the medication. Sweetpea got only two, but for added fun she seems to be having a mild reaction to one of them. (I swear these girls can't do anything the easy way that doesn't involve me having to keep a constant watch on something.) But they are all current now and come this week while clearing the nurses station at registration there shouldn't be any hiccups.

With registration this week means that we are in the final two weeks before school starts up again. August 6th is the date for the Sweetpea and Little Bug. Which mean that come next weekend I'm going to have to get out and finish the back to school shopping. There are shoes to buy, hair cuts to get, and the always dreaded school supply list to shop for. Plus then there is the first day of school list that comes home for each of the classes. It is time again for the $5 here, $10 there, $20 here game to begin all over again.

I hope that everyone enjoys a wonderful Sunday. For family and friends portrait finals will be up in the next couple of weeks with a link sent out again like last year. Everyone have a great day spent with those you care about most!

Sibling Sunday

IMG_5789, originally uploaded by torri_g.

There isn't all that much new for the siblings this week that I haven't already posted about. We are in the final 20 some days of summer vacation, and only a dreaded 10 days till registration begins. The creative mind has gone to work on ideas for Sweetpea's senior portraits and other than picking a day to get started I think I'm ready. There is a list (because I've already admitted to being a list fanatic) with scouted locations for her outdoor shots that she wants, and indoor shots. Plus the outfit choices have been made. The goal is to make her's look very different from Binky Sue's. That shouldn't be to difficult really though since Sweetpea is opting to have outdoor shots done, and so far the idea's that are being written down are nothing like Binky's were last year. I personally can not wait to use my new camera for the this years senior portraits. There is only one idea that I'm concerned with for trying to shoot, but I'm sure that I will get that one figured out. There is also the thought that if it doesn't work the first time I can always set it up differently and try a second, third, and if needed fourth time. Sweetpea so far has played a very active role in the creation of idea's for her portraits. She also seems to be getting excited about shooting them here soon.

Anyway, I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable weekend and that there is a good week a head for all of us.

Sibling Sunday

IMG_5824, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Summer vacation is going by very quickly here. There is less than a month till the start of school for Sweetpea and Little Bug, and there just barely over a month till classes start for Binky Sue. But at least we got out for one mini adventure this summer even if it was very short.
Binky Sue has her first meeting as a honorary Lions Club member this week, which she is looking forward to. Sweetpea will be making her senior year back to school clothes shopping trip this week. Thinking about a trip up to one of the Tucson malls for this shopping trip. It is a big deal because I'm making it a big deal and celebrating the end of Army Guys and mine part in having to buy all of the back to school stuff. It's not to say that we won't help after graduation, but let's face it to know that I don't have to buy all of it every year is reason to celebrate even just a little. Little Bug has me worried about doing her back to school shopping, because she is right now in the midst of a growth spurt that seems to have no end. Little Bug is also the one that needs the most major amount of stuff bought because of having worn uniforms for the last three years.
I also have to sit and do the math for registration for the younger girls. The good thing is that they already have their schedules and there is not going to be a three hour wait for Sweetpea to get stuff fixed finally this year. If I sit and figure up all of the fee's in advance I can get them paid for before registration and supposedly that is going to help "stream line" the process. I really don't like when the school uses the phrase "stream line" because their idea of it and my own seem to be very different. To me it would mean less than a hour spent getting it done...to them it means 3-4 hours. Fingers crossed though that this will work out faster.
The strange thing for me about Sweetpea's schedule this year is that there is no art class. After the budget cuts the took out her art teacher of the last three years, she does not want to take art this year. Her replacement class for that however is she is taking photography this year. I'm looking forward to seeing her projects this year.

I think that is it for this Sunday, because I have reached the point where I can not think of anything else. I hope that everyone has enjoyed a great weekend so far and that today is spent with those you care most about. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Sibling Sunday

The girls, originally uploaded by torri_g.

What can I say about the siblings? It is July and there is about a month left till school starts for Sweetpea and Little Bug. Binky Sue has a little more time till classes start for her. Binky Sue and Little Bug have been going to the pool just about every day since it opened. Sweetpea prefers just going outside for a little bit. We had a very quiet 4th of July here with good food and then out in front of the house to see fireworks from the town display. Yeah we are just that boring. Other than needing to run a few errands for Binky Sue, and Little Bug this week it look like we will have a very slow week. But who knows maybe they will come up with something good before next Sunday.

I hope that everyone has had a great weekend and that there is a good week just waiting for all of us.

Sibling Sunday...It starts again

Sweetpea, originally uploaded by torri_g.

We are not even a full month since the end of the school year, and all things about senior year have started to roll into the mail box already. The reminders about senior portraits for year books, and the non stop flow of paperwork from all the photographers in the area wanting the business. Sweetpea doesn't want them though, she wants Mom to do her portraits, and we have already started talking about how to make them match her personality. We have talked about doing probably more outdoor type shots, because she just isn't the girl that is that into same "fancy" shots that her sister Binky Sue liked so much. As much as I dread the expense of another senior year, I'm looking forward to seeing just what Sweetpea will want or not care about. The best thing for Sweetpea is that she doesn't have to share her year with anyone else. There will be no other sibling or cousin with graduation this year. She can't wait to start with her senior portraits but of course there is a shopping trip that needs to be made before they can happen. Must have a new senior year wardrobe after all. Oh and there is a little thing about needing to have Mom out of the brace that would be very helpful too if I'm going to be shooting the portraits.

Other than the non stop mailings to the house about all things senior year, summer vacation is passing pretty quietly. There are up late nights and sleeping in till noon and not to much of anything else. Binky Sue got all of her thank you notes finished to go in the mail come Monday, and has a couple of college related things to do this week. Little Bug needs a trip to the library for some AP English summer reading books, and our visiting guest Mimi may be leaving this week. I have a very long list of things to get through but I'm finding that until I can get out of the knee immobilizer brace a lot of it is just going to have to continue to stay on that list. Great news though I did finally get the referral for orthopedics in the mail and can start my week off with getting an appointment.

Alright there is the sibling update and me finally being back on track with posting around here. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Sunday spent with those you care about the most, and that there is a good week just waiting for all of us.

Simple Sibling Sunday

IMG_5620, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Sleeping in on Sunday morning is a great thing, but one guaranteed way to get 4 teenage girls up well before noon is home made waffles. Add some fresh strawberries, cherries, redi whip, and sausages, and you have your self a stamped of teen girls heading towards the kitchen. They were willing to let me take pictures of plates of food but not them this morning. I'm guessing just waking up probably had a lot to do with that, I mean who really wants their picture taken just minutes after they have gotten out of bed?

Not to much in the way of plans for the day. Army Guy cooked breakfast this morning and will be cooking dinner for us tonight. I'm going to continue my very slow approach to getting laundry done here, and probably not much of anything else. The girls...well I know that one is leaving the house today to go hang out with some other friends, but my three girls are more than likely going to spend the day hiding in their rooms for fear that Mom may call on them to do some chores.

I hope that everyone is enjoying a great weekend and that today brings a perfect end to the weekend for all of us.

Little more focus on me please!

IMG_5425, originally uploaded by torri_g.

During this last month Sweetpea has been the quiet one. The one who had no days to add to the already busy calendar. The one who if you were not very careful, you might have forgotten her. I didn't though because during the month of insanity I saw her pushing to been seen and heard. Things that typically bother the living daylights out of her, I saw her doing and enjoying. There usually is nothing worse for Sweetpea than having to spend time with a crowd of people, but not only did she do it a couple of times, she laughed and enjoyed being a part of it. I love every time this little girl throws me a curve ball on how I think she is going to deal with things.

Sweetpea's school year came to a much quieter end this year. Finals were taken, last day done, and the sigh of now being a senior in high school. There has already been a couple of talks about senior year and all the lessons learned this year for time frames for getting stuff done. Sweetpea may not want to be a senior this year, but I know she will adapt and roll with all the things that are going to quickly come at her, because that is what I'm seeing more and more of with her. Plus I think there may be a huge part of her that really loves the idea that her senior year is the only huge thing this coming school year, and her shinning moments will not have to be shared with siblings.

I hope that everyone is having a good week, and tomorrow will be about Binky Sue and all things graduation.

Catching up

IMG_5445, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Time to fill you all in on all things busy from last week. Little Bug started the week off with honor awards on Monday and was pleasantly surprised with three awards. One of which was the Silver Presidential Award for having a GPA of 3.00 to 3.49, she did however voice her thoughts about not getting her GPA higher to be able to get the gold instead. Considering that just a couple years ago with the Epilepsy that she missed one whole quarter of school, I'm proud of the major school changes she has made. On the topic of the Epilepsy...get ready for the Mommy happy dance here...Little Bug had her FINAL appointment with the neurologist in Tucson last Wednesday! Since the dropping of her medicine back in December the only thing that we have seen has been a complete turn around. I can say that she is healthier and much happier (well other than being 13) now then she was for 4 years of being on the medicine. Oh and just to make sure you are all clear about this one. NO MORE TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR IN TUCSON!!
Little Bug and her sisters are posing together after the 8th grade promotion ceremony, which marked the last of my girls at the middle school. Binky Sue was reflecting on the fact that 4 years before it was her's that we all were attending, and that later that night it would be her high school graduation. But I will save that for another post this week.
There was hyper, happy, with a small mixture of moody for a busy Little Bug last week, but we got through it well.

Tomorrow I'm giving my Sweetpea a day all of her own here, and hopefully I can manage to find a picture of just her. I hope that everyone is having a good week.

Sibling Sunday

IMG_5123, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Here we are at another week that went flying by. I'm sure that this coming week is going to go just as quickly. Sweetpea still is the only sibling in the house to not add anything to the May calendar, a fact that she is very proud of. Binky Sue starts the week again, this time it is the scholarship assembly. We have fingers crossed hoping that there is more than just the grant waiting with her name on it. Little Bug gets to end the week with her 8th grade prom. In between the two is Army Guys birthday which I still need to get out and get the seafood for his dinner. Come next weekend my Mom and step Dad will roll into to town and come Monday the 18th the real busy of the month gets going. There are a couple of other people that will be arriving for graduation, and a very long list of graduation week activities plus end of school things for Sweetpea and Little Bugs 8th grade graduation. But that is still a week away and no need to rush towards that yet. Binky Sue will be done with classes as of Friday this week, and wow what a fast year this has been. Sweetpea has already started thinking towards the start of next year and what will be her senior year. Me...well I think I'm going to go into denial for a little bit longer. Because right now the thought of having to start all over again with another senior year is just to exhausting.

I hope that everyone has had a good weekend, and that this week slows down just a little bit.