springtime

Since we've been in this house, we've had a small 8 by 8 patio. You couldn't walk out and stand because of our table. The grill didn't fit. If yanyone ate a hamburger off the grill, then you wouldn't fit either :) We finally got it expanded. Thanks to our favorite one man band Paulie. The realtor, contractor, music conesour, friend that we all adore :) Not to mention he is responsible for our favorite baby... We now have a HUGE patio with room for the table, grill, skateboarding and my soon to be favorite spot the hammock. With my super-cool clearance umbrella we will be spending lots of time out there. With the garden starting to go into full swing, and the cool evenings it's going to be a nice spot to relax.
If only there was a way to have an ez set pool without the giant crop circle being left...
So here are some pics of our patio, since our favorite dad isn't here to share my hammock :( But soon enough, midget will be getting the boot out of it. Oh, and dad.. the patio isn't at all like the old one at the other house. This one is so completely even it's amazing :) No small lakes, theese guys were awesome.
And i absolutely crack up over this picture of Monkey and Paulie's mini-me. He looks like a monkey picking bugs out of his fur. We got to watch him for a few minutes, and midget and monkey were in heaven. She got to push him in the stroller for a walk and thought it was the best day of her life. Monkey was trying to trade her for him... not so cool. I do get he loves the adoration from the little guy.
One last thing, monkey helped make dinner the other night. They really do eat more if they cook it. So he made the breadsticks. He put the herbs and butter on them. I won't say it's the same way i do it, and he doesn't eat them. That would be petty... but it is. They were the best ever :) He ate 4 of them! So he wanted me to take a pic to show everyone :)

Thursday, why not Friday?

Why can't it be Friday yet? This week is just dragging on and on.. Last night Monkey was in a foul mood, and that sure does make a night drag on. I think he was tired, so he seemed better this a.m. They have the science portion of the taks test today. He said it was "stupid easy". I don't quite get that, but o.k. The end of the year seems to take alot out of all of us. I can't wait for the summer!
We are getting our patio extended today. We need more room than our little 8 by 8 slab of concrete. Of course monkey had to ask if they can build a ramp on the end. So don't tell dad, but midget and I have big plans with a hammock at target. shhhhh...

My beautiful ballerina

We had ballet recital pics yesterday. Torture... 2 hours we were there. There were grumpy girls everywhere, and bossy moms. I hope they got some good ones. One poor girl had a bracelet on, and the teacher said no jewelry. I get that, she wanted them all to look the same. So she told the girl to take it off, she said no. This brought the mom in, poor woman. She told her mom no, then the teacher helpers. It ended up 5 minutes with all the other girls waiting in this akward pose to get their group picture taken for the girl to get it off. She was then crying so she will be all red and puffy. She really liked that bracelet. I felt so sorry for her mom, she was so embaressed. Midget didn't want to wear her glasses, so i was worried her eyes were going to go crossed. Luckily the photgrapher and teacher noticed, so they had her look a way they weren't. Her friend was so tired she wouldn't smile. Oh my gosh, they should just hand out prozac or midol at the door. Poor monkey had to sit and wait through all of it, luckily he was being patient.
She looked absolutely beautiful, and loved her costume. I think they even got a good picture of her on her toes, so she is thrilled.

Saturdays

We had a busy day yesterday! I took Monkey to the skatepark as a reward for his super-awesome report card. He had so much fun. Those skateboarder kids are so nice. They all help each other out, and teach each other tricks. The shop there even had the shoes he's been dying for. Blue Lakai, not sure if I spelled it right or not. The boy is the Imelda Marcos of shoes. He's got more than I do now. It must be a skatebarder thing, he wants all these colorful shoes, and even looks online. A little strange, but all the others were just like him there. So i'm feeling a little better about it. I was a little concerned... :) We found out they are also having a skate camp this summer, so I think if he keeps up the good work we will sign him up.
Midget wanted to see a movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. She has been reading the books. The consensus was, not a good movie. The kids said all kinds of negative things, and it just didn't translate well to a movie. I felt bad for her, she was so looking forward to it. She ended up with a good day though, her daddy sent her flowers. She likes that :)
We have the last leg of the TAKS next week. Then there will only be 4 weeks left i believe. We got her recital costume last week. It is so beautiful, and she looks amazing in it. A little too grown up, I wasn't ready for that. Sometimes i forget how old she is, and think she is still my little baby girl. But she is almost 8. WWAAHHH.....
It was so sad the other day the weather was all wacky and I had a terrible headache. So i broke out the stand by meal of frozen pizza. Personally, i love red baron frozen pizza. The kids, not so much. I convinced midget it was so much better with green olives. So she wanted to help cut them. That made it s fabulous meal all of the sudden. All beacuase she cut the olives. So i let her use a real knife, as long as i could help her hold it. She thought she was a gourmet chef. Yelling at her brother to come watch, and could i please take a picture to put on here. So cute... so here is her pic of her cutting the olives... Now i need to go hide all the knives before she loses a finger trying to "help" without my knowwing.

good grades!!

He did it! My little man got all A's, and this is the kicker, all E's in conduct!! I don't think it gets any better than that. Oh, but wait, i'm going to brag, cause it does.... He also got his scores from the Taks, test, and he got a 98 on the math, and a 96 on the reading. So he is commended on both! I still despise the test, and think it is way to easy, but since he did good on it, i will brag anyway. I'm his mom, it's what i do :) My little princess got all A's, and S's. No E's at her grade yet. She brought her 88 in math up to a 90. IT's so cute, she said "did i get all a's like he did?". She was thrilled to have a number grade this year, and to have it be A's like his, was just the thing to make her happy. So we will spend the weekend celebrating! It's nice to have good news sometimes :)
I have pictures on my camera, but i have been booted from my laptop by my son. So they will have to wait. Just wanted to post our awesome news on here. Now to pry them off the laptop and into bed. This gloomy weather again makes me sleepy!

wow..

This month has gone by pretty fast! Doesn't seem like it during the day, but now it does. We get report cards on Thursday. Somehow my son has turned his ways at school and is likely going to get all A's again, and all E's in conduct! This is going to cost me a trip to the skate park. Midget is also going to get her good report card, they don't get regular grades yet. She is going to do really well though, she wouldn't allow anything else. She chooses a movie, much easier on me. I'm excited to take him to the skate park though, he has so much fun there.
5 weeks and 3 days, not that i am counting down until the summer.....
But sleeping in a bit would be nice!!

only here

would you see this walking down a neighborhood street. There were actually two, and they pooped all over our street!!