The Big Kids

So I'll be brief about the two BIG kids in the family.

Scott is preparing to do a days worth of driving on Saturday. He's picking up a trailer full of stuff from my mom and dropping off a bunch of stuff for Liz. He's meeting mom and Papa Pheel at the halfway mark which is 8 hours away. To prepare for the journey, the truck needed new tires and a hitch installed. In the meantime, the power steering tube was split and the repair, although less than we were expecting (around $300 the last time I heard) has been dogging our every step to be ready for the journey. The tires came in but they were too small and different ones were ordered. They have arrived but the truck is at the 3rd or 4th repair shop still not repaired and so the tires are in limbo until the tube is fixed. The hitch can't be installed until after the fix also. We are hoping to take care of all this today and tommorow. Otherwise, Scott will need to rent a vehicle to do the pass-off. Can you believe that a truck that small and old has such a high tech driving system that the shop it's at now is the only one around that can handle this kind of repair?!?!? It doesn't make sense!!!! Anyway, I had better show Scott the appreciation he deserves because this is costing us an arm and leg and many headaches. I've learned that it's best to give Scott news or questions at night, let him miff and mull over them and then keep silent until the morning when he's come to a decision and is used to the idea and won't make me feel like the executioner about to take his head.

I've been on the painting war-path. I'm taking it in small chunks. One day I painted the entryway piano nook. The next day the long hall and kitchen hall walls. Today, the front entry and R's room entry. Tomorrow, the kitchen and so on. Eventually, all the public area's will be the same color as well as our bedroom. I'm on my second gallon and have three left to work with. By the way, I'm loving the color!!!!

Colbey

Colbey approached me last Friday about 2 minutes before the bus arrived telling me he needed me to write him a check for $35. When I inquired as to why he needed this, he replied that it was for his accompanist for solo and ensemble. So after telling him, absolutely it was not going to happen and him expressing that I would need to take this up with his band instructor, this is the email I wrote to mom...


So Colbey just informed me that he wanted me to write a $35 check for an accompanist?!?!?!?!?!?
What the heck...
Has he not been paying attention his ENTIRE life to me playing the piano, and get this, .... FOR FREE????????
Who knows who this "accompanist" is and whether or not they are any good? I can't even begin to explain how roiled my blood is right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So now I have to call the band director, get the music from him/her (I don't even know which director is his) and figure out where and when we have to be at Solo and Ensemble next Saturday. Yes, I'm speaking of the 12th.... that means no Scott to watch the other two, probably interferes with the birthday party we are supposed to be going to ... and even if I did lose my mind and go ahead and let someone else spend 17 minutes of work for $35, I would still need to figure out something for the other two because I still need to take him to Solo and Ensemble.

HOW COME TODAY IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF ANY OF THIS?????? ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ACTUAL DATE AND 10 MINUTES BEFORE HE HAS TO LEAVE FOR THE 15 MINUTE REHEARSAL WITH THIS "ACCOMPANIST"???????????????????????
*$%&!*)$%&#)@$(^*#)!(&%!@)*#(& Yes, these are bad words!!!!!!

So, I did go to his band teacher, and after a few words with him, I now have a job for next year. I will be one of the required accompanists and get $35 per kid for 17 minutes worth of work. All's well that ends well. And yes, I am accompanying him and have already had requests from other band students to be their accompanist because they don't like who they have. Snicker, snicker!!!

Colbey also went to a private air field with his YM group last night. We have a pilot in the ward and he gave them a tour of the planes he flies. He came back having taken a bunch of pictures and said it was COOL. Hopefully, I'll have the pictures to post shortly.

Landon and Ryleigh

Landon had his Kindergarten program this past Monday. It was ssooo cute!!! He came out in the second group and had this gigantic smile on his face. I made sure he saw us and we periodically waved to him to make sure he felt our support in this endeavor. When Colbey had his first program, he began crying hysterically and we had to remove him from the "stage", take him to another room and were accompanied by another teacher and counselor. To say the least, I was prepared to go through that again, but low and behold, we have a "Star Of Stage And Screen" living amongst us! He was so cute even with the massive fake smile. I handed Ryleigh off to Scott so that I could get some pics of this momentous event and it was then that I realized, the camera had no memory card in it.

I blame all of you reading this blog!!! I had taken the card out to post pictures last week and forgot to put it back in the camera. That's ok, we'll try again next year.

The best part, besides Landon's cuteness, was the program lasted only 30 minutes. Now that's the way to hold an elementary school program!!!!

He has also discovered the art of finagling. He told me yesterday, "You can make me happy by getting off the computer so that I can play, or ... make Colbey and Brock play with me." When I told him he could use the computer as soon as I was done, he replied, "I'm not happy and it's all your fault!"

Being the amazing mom that I am, I replied, "It doesn't bother ME when you say you aren't happy. Besides, you need to figure out how to be happy no matter what is going on."

He wasn't really thrilled with my answer or my suggestion that he go ride his bike or skateboard until I was finished.

The evening perked up, though at bedtime. Landon decided it was time to have all his nails trimmed. Anything to delay the dreaded sleep!! The funny part that happens every time I trim his nails, is his question, "Which one is nasty?" and then, "Is this the nastiest?" It's a contest to see which one is the grossest and it gets special love and appreciation until the next time we trim. BOYS!!! So last night was especially funny because Ryleigh was in the room at the time of the great trimming fest and she picked up a new and interesting word. NASTY. She repeated it several times just to see how it felt rolling around on her tongue. It was so great! My little girly girl going around saying, "Naaaa-shly!" The best ones were accompanied by a quick little bounce as she said it. Kind of like, Jesus Wants Me For A Sun-beam! You know what I mean...

Ryleigh has become obsessively protective of me. It's sweet ... until it becomes annoying! She needs to be right by my side and preferably in my arms at ALL TIMES! I love her, but holy cow, I'd love to be able to go to the bathroom by myself, too.

Her speech has become much more decipherable, but I still am anxious for the day when it doesn't take all my 20 remaining brain cells to smoke as they try to keep up with her babble. They are wearing out quicker than I can afford for them to. Those 20 need to last until Scott's senile and doesn't recognize that what I'm saying and doing is ridiculous. The illusion of intelligence is required until further notice!

She has also taken off in gymnastics! Man can that girl move!!! She loves the tramp, the beam, the bars and especially the rings. She RUNS through her routines like a pro and the others in her class can't keep up. (There are only two others in the class, a brother and sister.) We've started teaching her to cartwheel and she can almost push her bottom over her head for a somersault. She is saying the correct names for different tricks and I have never seen more beautiful and gymnast like thighs as hers. I love her in her leotard! She is so teachable and willing to "show off" and the teachers giggle each time she climbs up on the slide and does a boodie shake before sitting down and sliding to the next bar area. Her teachers say she has a talent and a build for a gymnast. We'll see if she continues to have a desire to be one. She's loving it for right now. That's all that matters.