State Champs!

We now have two State Champion players in our household!!

This is the second consecutive year for Caitlin's team to win it and the first time for Hayden's team. Congratulations to both of them!!

Out with the Old, In with the New

We've had our Purple Martin birdhouse for about 8 years now and we enjoy the birds who return every spring to their summer home. This year was the first time that our bird family didn't return and I believe it's because they knew something we didn't know; this humble abode was on it's last leg. And before we were aware of just how urgently we needed to find a new condo for our visitors, the wind assisted with the removal of this old, rusted out shack. The house hung teetered to the side until Ray took the final step of bringing it down. But, before it's removal, we encountered casualties as the house leaned over and spit baby birds onto the ground.

I assembled the the new home and Ray installed it on the pole. I think it looks perfect and any bird should be proud to call it home.

As I sit here now, I can hear the birds chirping their approval of the fine accomodations we have furnished for them and we are hoping that next year they not only return, but bring relatives with them.

2007 Graduation

Well we've succeeded with getting one of our children through high school. We attended the Claremore High School 2007 graduation tonight. The weather was great and the ceremony was nice but it was a little too long for Hayden and Cody.


After a long wait we finally watched Dylan cross the stage to receive his diploma. I hope we get a good picture from the photographer because our seats were not close enough to see him very well. I looked forward to the end where the entire class celebrated by throwing their caps up in the air. They also sprayed silly string at the end and threw beach balls around during the event which was fun to watch.

Abby

You can't crash on the couch around here without an animal taking advantage.

Are you smarter than a third grader?

Caitlin, Cody and I were eating dinner out tonight when I spotted a painting hanging on the wall and I couldn't place where I had seen it before.

Me: "Where have I seen that picture before?"

Caitlin: Shrugs.. "I don't know."

Cody: "Oh that's a painting by Henri Matisse or it could be Roberto Clemente."

Me and Caitlin: (staring in disbelief at Cody) "What??"

Apparently he learned this in art class at school. Was he right? Who knows. But he named artists that I wasn't familiar with and we were impressed. Kudos to Roosa Elementary.

The Tasks of the Week

This week has been extremely busy and I was only too happy to be confined to my room for most of the day due to having the house fogged because our pets have fleas. I haven't actually seen fleas throughout the house, but I wanted to make sure that if any were lurking around, they wouldn't be lurking for long. I fogged the entire house and stuffed a towel at the bottom of my door to keep from being gassed while I hid out in the only place I had to go today. It already feels pest free and I think the dogs and cats are thanking me with every scratchless moment they have.

I cleaned the garage on Monday and took Hayden to his soccer game that evening. I went to Tulsa and picked up my new computer desk on Tuesday and starting the assembly. I took a break to take Caitlin and Hayden to practice and continued my project later that night, finishing at nearly 1:00am in the morning. On Wednesday I moved the computer to it's new location, including running the wiring from it's current location to the other side of the wall. I had to move files and office supplies which sounds easier than it was. Then I was off to take Caitlin to her soccer practice. I made a point today for all my tasks to be less laborous. I'm exhausted and still have things I need to do, but today was nice and relaxing. I think I'll reward myself with another day of rest. Afterall, a couple of events that made it an extra special week consisted of me almost blinding myself and Caitlin with flea spray and nearly killing my favorite cat.

Somebody is sleepy

It takes a lot out of her being the alpha cat!

Crawdad

Look what I found crawling through the yard this morning. At first glance I thought it was a scorpion and then you can't help but think "a lobster?". :-)

I haven't seen a crawdad in our yard in quite a long time. When we first moved into our house, we had rain by the buckets and so we had lots of crawdads. This season has been very rainy so I should have expected to see them return. When my mom was here visiting one year, we went out to the yard to try and find them, she suggested we catch them and eat them. I suggested we NOT do that.

This little guy was very angry with me for trying to take his picture... I think he snarled.

Much Preparation

Leslie and I spent all Wednesday evening organizing our goods for the garage sale this weekend. Both of us are going to be busy the next couple of nights so this was the only day we had to get'r done. After borrowing a table from a neighbor we got down to work. And now that everything is in place, it's nice to have it all ready a few days ahead of time.

We have so much stuff to get rid of that I'm afraid one day is not going to be enough. We have smaller items marked very low in hopes of getting rid of it so we won't have to haul very much off to good will.

Oklahoma's drought is over

5 inches of rain in one day is more than enough. That's what we received yesterday and more rain is expected today.

Taking baths now have to be minimal and there are restrictions on toilet flushing because the septic is backed up.

I also discovered that our carpet in the living room is wet along one of the walls. I'm sure it's seeping in from outside.

As soon as it dries up a little, we need to get out there and clean that gutter spout.

Mammogram

I had mine today. No longer will I brag that it was no big deal from my first experience from it about 5 years ago. I think I was reciting a prayer while that machine had me in it's grips. And afterwards, as I sat waiting for the technician to check my films to see if I would need anymore pictures (which I did), I noticed that my chest was on fire! Kind of like getting an indian burn when I was at elementary school.

In the next couple of weeks

Ray starts his new job in Texas on the 14th. It’s funny how some things take so long to get done and then the next thing you know, the big day is right here in front of you.

I’m having our garage sale on the 12th. I'll spend the next couple of weeks getting everything ready for that. Look forward to getting rid of junk.

Shopping

I'm taking Caitlin to driver's ed today and while she is in class, I will be enjoying some shopping. Some of my stops today will be Best Buy, the Kitchen store in the mall and Ulta. I'm having a garage sale in a couple of weeks and while I'll be getting rid of some items, I'll need to purchase items to replace upgrade the items that I'm selling.

Busy-ness

Have I mentioned that Ray accepted the job in Texas? We've been sorting through and filling out lots of paperwork. He's seen the doctor for his physical, drug test, etc. So things have been a bit busy 'round here.

Our last high school soccer game of the regular season is this evening and next week is the start of the playoffs. The girls will have to pull out everything they have to make it much further. They've had a good season but I don't think this is the team to make it all the way. I think the boys team has a better shot at state this year. But it's all fun and I look forward to all of it.

Our competitive soccer teams have the real State Cup coming up soon. Can't wait!!

Wax Museum

Cody's school had all the 3rd graders create characters for the Annual Roosa Wax Museum. This is the cutest production that I've ever seen done in school and pictures will never do it justice but I just want to post a few so that you can see a glimpse of what takes place. I even took a video of the end of Cody's portrayal of Albert Einstein. The characters are frozen into whatever position that fits the character.

If you look on the floor in front of the characters, you can see a round black object. This is a button that you press with your foot and the character comes to life and tells you about themselves.

This was fun today.

I guess you can mail anything

While I was standing in line at the post office today, patiently waiting for the next window to open up, I heard the crowing of a rooster; loud and clear and coming from the window at the other end of the counter. I was looking to see who was going to answer their phone with the rooster crowing ringtone but didn't see anything. Another minute or two later, more crowing. And then I heard one of the clerks ask, "When is that truck coming to pick up those birds?" The second clerk answered, "At four o'clock. At least the roosters aren't as annoying as the chickens we get."

Garage Sale

I'll be having a garage sale in the near future so I'm trying to locate items that I no longer have any use for to put up for sale. Leslie and I are going to have one in the next couple of weeks, but probably at her house. We decided that it would be more pleasant and less chore-like if we threw our stuff together for this event. Getting everything together is unpleasant but I'm sure the day of the sale will be somewhat enjoyable.

Rain for Friday

Caitlin's boyfriend, Caleb, came over last night and we all sat around and watched Tristan and Isolde while Caitlin narrated about how every scene was "just like Romeo and Juliet". I was actually more impressed with how she had been paying attention in school to Shakespeare.

It's raining here this morning and is suppose to all day. That wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that all of the kids have soccer games tonight (except for Cody, who doesn't play yet). I'm hoping for no reschedules.

We should hear next week about Ray's job offer. The offer has many approvals to go through and waiting is just one of the benefits he has already been awarded. And it doesn't help that one person doing the approval is out of the country.

I have a doctor's appointment today which I highly dread and can't wait for it to be over. Why...you ask? Because the scale at the doctor's office is mean.

My morning ritual

Remember when I said that I visit Sonic too much? Well, once again I was reminded that I really need to quit or at least go in disguise. The carhop said when she walked out of the door with my order, she didn’t even look to see where it was going. She saw me and just knew. Maybe I shouldn't order the same thing everytime.

Blog Worthy?

I can't get myself to blog somedays because the "goings on" in my life are the same things happening over and over again. Why would I share these drab details of going to soccer practice, soccer games and off to work again? I could, however, talk about the day that Cody announced that Oprah is scary. But I think you had to be there. Or the day that Hayden came home from school and said that he ran around the school yard with his shorts pulled up to his chest and it was funny. That's a proud moment.

Until I have more...