Happy Birthday Paul!

Paul's birthday was the highlight of our week. One of the birthday traditions in our faily is that the birthday boy or girl gets to pick where we eat dinner for their BIG day. Sometimes it can be easy to guess and sometimes...anyone's guess. Paul usually chooses steak or mexican food. This year for his birthday he surprised us by announcing that Olive Garden was his choice. It was great food and great fun as we celebrated Paul's special day. We were joined by Rikki, Mark, Annette and the Siglins. Happy Birthday Paul!

Galveston Island, Texas

The weekend before the fourth, we needed to make a trip to Houston to have Austin's reading level assessed. So, we loaded the kiddos up in the car and down south to our destination! That is all but our oldest kid-Logan. We will save his story for a later time. It was fun riding the ferry boat across to the Island. The sea gulls followed the ferry and the kids had a great time taking our car on a boat. Once on the island, we went to Crystal Beach, where we spent the afternoon. The water was much warmer than California-although it wasn't as pretty. The kids liked catching the waves while the little ones picked up all kinds of shells. It was a great day!

Our New Addition - Romeo

We finally decided that it was time to get a new dog so that Faith wouldn't be so lonely. Obie passed away a year ago and she is lost without him. We found a sweet little Maltese puppy.

He is just so soft and cuddly. We adore him.

Faith was slow to warm up to him but they are starting to be buddies. The problem that we have encountered is that the kids are constantly bickering over who is going to get to hold him. It drives me nuts! Welcome to our family, little guy!

Our night with Indiana Jones

We have started a new program at our centers called Parents Night Out. It is a great way for our parents to spend some adult time together. Taking adavantage of the opportunity, I decided it was time for Mr. and Mrs. Maus to venture out to a movie. Logan was working, and Jake and Austin wanted to go along. Maybe I am just getting older, but I appreciate those times because I know a time will come very soon when it isn't cool to hang out with your parents. For today, I will enjoy that they want to be with us! A few miles north of us, in Moore, Warren Theatres just opened. I had heard alot about this place coming for the last year so it was time to go.
For the facility itself I have to say, "Wow"! They took their time building it and it showed! Everything was done with great excellence and with people in mind. They have a diner that has food at an affordable price, they have theatres that have servers taking your orders, and they even have a fireplace outside the bathrooms.
You could tell the people had been trained very carefully on how to treat people. They were young, but very professional in every aspect. The team seemed genuinely glad to be there and seemed to enjoy each other.
Some of the other cool features were the rocking chairs, (really they rocked!) the huge amount of space for your legs, the 5 different kinds of salt for your popcorn, and did I mention the fireplace?

We went to see "Indiana Jones". I'll let you in on a secret, it was the first one that I had saw and it was great. Plus, the guys are always conceding to let me watch a chick flick and this one was for them.

So, there is my night at the movies. Warren Theatres - I highly recommend. If you can, make time and take in a movie and enjoy the experience.

Whew..Gotta love Vacation!

It's been almost a month and I haven't posted anything. It isn't that there isn't anything to write about. No, not at all. In fact, the opposite is true. I get so busy though and forget to update so that you can see what is happening in our world.

We just got back from our vacation last Monday. We had 9 relaxing days exploring the great West. In route to California, we saw New Mexico, the Gigantic Crater, the Grand Canyon, Phoenix, Yuma, AZ - where Paul was stationed for three yearas in the Marines. Next, it was San Diego and the beach, Disney land, more beach, Hollywood and Beverly Hills, Santa Monica Pier, Universal Studios, Newport Beach, Las Vegas, Colorado, and then home!

When we came home, Paul and I, and some great friends had some work to do. We partcipated in a Press Conference at the OK State Capitol to urge our Governor to veto a senate bill that gives more money to schools for attorney fees. It passed, but we were able to rally some support for Dyslexia legislation. In fact, a reporter wants to do an in depth story about dyslexia.

The Perfect Mother's Day!

Ok...as the Mom of five...Mother's Day is always fun..always fullof fun surprises. Paul is an amazing father and he always makes it perfect. Today was the best! Since, I was a little girl I have dreamed of having a little girl that was a ballerina. Her recital was today and she was precious! They did a few steps and it was over in the blink of an eye. I leaned over to Paul and told him "thank you for giving me this opportunity." We had a full row full of family-Dad, Aunt Jan, Rikki, Mark, Annette, Gloria, Patti, Abbey, and Grandma Evelyn from Minneapolis! The best part is that Gracie loves Ballet and is good at it. She enjoys the form and practice and class is the best part of her week. Thank heaven for littel girls!

The kids all gave me beautiful cards. Austin got me this beautiful blown glass figure with Mom and roses on it. Paul and all of the kids got m a new I-Pod Touch. It is my first MP3 player and I think I am going to really like it. I can listen and jam to music while working late at night and not bother anyone. My family is so thoughtful and I enjoy being their Mom.

It's been 6 years since Mom passed away and it seems like it should get easier...it doesn't. There have been so many times in the past year that I wished she was here to vent to..but most of all ..so I could tell her that I finally have evolved into an understanding of what it was like raising three teenagers! I wish so badly that Mom could be here to know Gracie and Chandler. I need her now as we walk down the road of Austin's learning struggles and dealing with a school district that I have had the highest regard for all of my life and now see almost daily the attempts to do anything but provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education that ALL children deserve and are entitled to-even those who aren't perfect. Many mixed and confused emotions still swim around when I think of Mom. I know that she loved me and did the very best she could do with her circumstances. She was a great cheerleader for the three of us. It breaks my heart that she is missing out on my children growing up...especially Logan. When she passed away..so did most all of our family traditions and I have struggled immensly to make sense of it..but for this two weeks in May, as I reflect up what Mother's Day truly means and also on the anniversary of her passing..I can't help but think that death robbed of us of so much. I miss you Mom and I will never forget you or what you stood for.

Anyway ...now I am rambling. More later!

Jr/Sr Prom

Logan and Chelsee went to the Prom two weeks ago and I am just now getting around to getting these pictures posted. He was handsome and she was beautiful. We had fun getting everything ready. Chelsee shopped around for the perfect flowers, tux and her dress. They seemed to have a really good time. I have had a rough couple of weeks at work. It's just been busy and overwhelming. We have a few more events and maybe things will slow down for the summer.