May

Naomi's cute class and amazing teacher, Mrs. Rosales

May 1st, we went to the Embassy Suites to check out Naomi's multiple art projects that were on display.  Art is one of her favorite subjects and it shows.  Most kids only had one or two items on display, but Naomi had three.  She was very proud as she found each one for us.

A Winter Day.

Senior Frog.

My cool necklace.

May 3rd was the neighborhood garage sale.  It was a great day and very productive for all of us.  Steve and I cleared $350.  Jeremy earned $150.  Nick earned $50.  Naomi earned $75.  The kids loved it that their old stuff was worth money and I loved it that I no longer had to look at all the extra stuff in my house.  That is definitely what I call a win-win scenario.  Back at home, Naomi and I ran out to buy a birthday present on the way to the birthday party (we totally forgot because we were getting ready for the garage sale).  Steve and Jeremy headed off to the local scout camp to work on a scout project.  Nick and I stayed at home and overhauled his scooter.  He changed out the worn wheels, spray painted the whole thing black (with glow in the dark yellow paint on the wheels) and re-wrapped the handles.  The final touch was a customized license plate.  He rode around the neighborhood while I mowed the lawn.  Later that evening, when everyone was back home, we drove to Kannapolis for the Intimidators game and fireworks.  It was a fun and eventful day.  

Before...

...After

This is one happy kid.  He has the coolest scooter in the neighborhood.  

May 4th we celebrated Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you) with death star meatballs and spaghetti.  After dinner, Steve broke out the hammock and everyone got a turn relaxing.

May 5th we had a Cinco de Mayo dinner of tostados and Cinco de Marshmallow cookies (oatmeal cookies with marshmallow melted on the top - Steve's favorite).  We will take any chance we get to celebrate with food.

May 7th, Jeremy finally finished his Physical Fitness merit badge and can now turn in his Eagle paperwork.  He is almost done.

Steve took the truck in for its 95,000 tune up and we were expecting to have to use our $350 profit from the garage sale to pay for it, but it turned out that we had already taken care of the different parts of the tune up throughout the previous six months and it was only a $40 charge for the last few, minor items that didn't get done.  The Lord is really watching out for us and helping us with our finances.  We will reach our financial goals.

May 10th Jeremy and Steve headed out early to teach the BALOO training for the Mecklenburg County Scouting Success Seminar.  Naomi, Nick and I weeded the yard in the morning and then went to the Highland Creek Elementary spring fair.  The kids each got in two rides before the sky opened up and it started pouring.  We could have gone in the school with everyone else, but the kids wanted to see the rain so we ran to the middle school and stood under the awning and watched the impressive show.  When the rain let up a little bit we ran to the truck and decided to rent a movie from Redbox.  The kids picked "The Watsons Go To Birmingham" since Nick had read it in school and said it was good.  We really liked it.  The  pizza was really yummy as well.

Before it started pouring.

May 12th Steve turned in Jeremy's Eagle packet.  We are just waiting for his board of review.  

We also found out that both AC units and heaters are dying a slow and painful death.  They both have cracks in critical places and won't last another year.  It is time to bite the bullet and get new ones.  

May 14th we got the quote of $12,000 to replace the HVAC.  At first I couldn't breathe, but after a minute I realized that is not too bad considering we have two AC units and 2 heaters and that includes all the labor as well.  

After the meeting with the HVAC guy I got to go and visit with Sister Ford.  She is such an amazing lady and has the best stories.  Today she told me about her sons dog who liked to eat the scriptures.  He only ate the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, but never the Bible.  "He must be a Mormon dog because he devoured the scriptures.  I wonder what miraculous thing will come out of his mouth next."  

When I picked the boys up from school that afternoon Nick was very upset because someone had apparently taken his watch during gym.  This is THE watch that he asked Santa to bring for Christmas.  We went back to the school to look for it and it was nowhere to be found.  The ladies in the office and the gym teachers said they would keep their eyes open for it.  They also told Nick that if he saw someone wearing his watch to get a teacher to help him with it.  I am hoping we get it back, but I am not optimistic.  

That night Naomi had try outs for Pre-Challange at Strikers.  She is really excited to take this next step in her progression towards a professional soccer player.  She did very well and fully expects to be put on a team.  

There is nothing like torrential rain and a tornado warning to start the day.  May 15th did just that.  Thank goodness it only got better from there.  But then again, that is not saying much.

May 16th Nick woke up and decided he really did not want to spend several hours on the bus to and from the zoo with his classmates.  He was very upset about it and Steve and I decided that it would be okay for him to skip this one fieldtrip.  I emailed his teacher and everything was okay.  Steve had taken the day off to drive to Raleigh to check out the proposed site for scout camp this summer.  Nick went with him and the two of them had a great time.

Meanwhile, here at home, I went to HCE to help with the second grade fair.  The kids had just finished reading "Charlotte's Web" and the teachers were throwing a fair, much like the one in the book, for the kids to help bring the book to life.  It was a ton of fun helping.  I got to fill the role of "volunteer supervisor" which meant that I wandered the fair and made sure the volunteers had everything they needed.  It was a super busy job and kept me running (sometimes literally), but I loved it because I got to see everything that was going on and take some pictures on the side.  

Watermelon with Maggie and Madelyn

Naomi got the call that night that she had made Pre-Challenge.  No surprises there.  She had a huge grin on her face all night. 

May 19th-21st I proctored the EOGs at Lake Norman Charter.  It was okay and not as boring as I thought it would be.  The kids were fun to watch because of their facial expressions.  We could tell when they got to a really hard question.

The new HVAC system was installed on the 21st.  Steve worked from home that day since I was at the school proctoring. The day was not as hot as it had been for the last week which was really nice because they ripped out the old system in the morning and didn't get the new system finished until after 6 p.m.  Our house did not get overly hot and the attic was bearable for the two guys who had to spend their day up there.  After they ripped it out they showed Steve the cracks in the heater coils as well as all the rusted out parts.  It is a good thing we were doing this now.  It truly would not have lasted another winter.  

May 23 I proctored for the third grade at HCE.  It was interesting to see the differences and similarities of the two schools and grades.  At this point, after having done it for three days already, it was getting really old and I still had one more day to go.  UUUuuuuggggg!

Memorial Day weekend we spent getting things done for our upcoming summer vacations as well as Father's Day and birthday gifts for relatives.  After the morning shopping run we spent the afternoon by the pool followed by a barbeque dinner that night.  Naomi put her new sewing machine and sewing knowledge to work and sewed her first piece quilt all by herself.  

Jeremy invented a new move called the "jiggle cuddle".  We were sitting watching a movie and he put his head on my shoulder and started shaking his head into my neck.  "Jeremy, what are you doing?  That tickles.", I laughed.  To this he replied, "Mom, that is a jiggle cuddle.  I just made it up."  He then gave jiggle cuddles to everyone. He is one silly kid.

May 28th I proctored for my last time (until next year, right?) and then ran to LNC to help in the library.  At home I fixed dinner and then we all left for the church.  Jeremy needed to be there early for his Eagle board of review.  I don't know why I was so nervous while he was in the room, but I was.  He came out with a huge grin on his face.  The council representative then called me and Steve into the room to tell us what a great son we have.  He was very impressed with Jeremy's confidence and ability to answer all the questions put before him.  I am so proud of Jeremy.  He worked really hard to reach this goal.  

Troop 215's newest Eagle scout.  Isn't he handsome!!!!

May 29th I spent the day helping Mrs. Rosales in the morning, visiting Sister Ford in the early afternoon, taking dinner into the Beachums (new baby!!!!) in the early evening and then going out to dinner with the ladies to say farewell to Christie before she moved.  It was a day spent with amazing and inspiring ladies and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I am lucky to have so many wonderful friends in my life.  

Front row: Jenn, Karilee, Kathryn

Back row: Katie, Karen, Christie, Me, Julie

May 30th was the last day of school at LNC.  It will be fun to have the boys home for the summer.  That night Steve took the troop camping and Nick thought it was a great way to start the summer.

May 31st  Naomi and I helped the Jensens clean their rental before they headed out with the moving van.  It was fun to spend a little more time with Christy before they moved away.  The boys got home from the camping trip in time for Jeremy to go to his last behind the wheel for driver's ed.  He is now ready to take the test for his learner's permit.  Later that afternoon, Jeremy and his friend, Alexis (and Steve) went to see a movie.  This is already shaping up to be (to quote the boys) "the best summer ever!"