Our First week of School

We started school this week.  We school from August to the end of April.  One reason is that its usually too hot in August to go out and do anyting.  This year that is especially true.  We are at 33 straight days of temps over 100 here.  Yesterday was 109.  The day before 110.  HOT!  We also like having the month of May off because everyone else is still in school and it makes a great time to do things and take trips! :)

Claire on the First day of school...

She's done so well all week.  I just hope she keeps it up for the whole year!

Nathan on the first day of HIGH SCHOOL!!  I still cannot believe he is in 9th grade!

 

On the 2nd day of school Nathan had a new student join his class...

 

She loves to jump up on his desk and hang out with him while he's doing school!

Wordful Wednesday: Cat

Ok.  I have this cat.  She showed up on our doorstep when she was just a little kitten and we took her in.  She was precious.  She's still a beautiful cat, BUT...

She is the most troublesome, temperamental cat I've ever seen!

For starters, she meows a lot...really loud!  She insists on being an indoor/outdoor cat.  I can't seem to make her choose one.  We have a kitty door.  She brings in lizards, birds, snakes and whatever else she catches in the backyard. 

She makes a lot of noise at night so we put her in the laundry room to sleep.  Its her room...she has her own space under the stairs...a plush little set up for a cat.  However, she likes to let herself out and roam the house making noise.  Did I forget to mention that she has learned how to open our doors??  That's right.  We have door handles, not knobs, and she has learned how to jump up and open them.  She does this every night now.  A couple nights ago she let herself out much earlier than usual and woke us up at 1:30 in the morning.  (On our first day of school, I might add!)  My husband got up and put her in the garage.  I had to get up again at 4 am to put her in the crate in the garage because she would stop making noised with the locked door!

It's too hot here to leave her in the garage all night so the next night I put her in the crate in the schoolroom.  She made a huge mess with the litter box.  I cleaned the crate and got it ready for her again last night only she actually stayed in her room until about 5 am so I never put her in it.  However, she found her way to her clean crate and decided to use the clean litter box I had in it even though she has her regular litter box.  So, I had to clean her crate again today!!!

So, guess what we made for her....

That's right.  The cat has a box of shame!  Now, we really don't torture our cat...we just put her in here for a picture, but the kids get a kick out of her having a "time out" in the box of shame when she does something bad. :)  It's our way of laughing when we are totally frustrated with her!!

Wordful Wednesday is hosted by http://www.sevenclowncircus.com/ and http://www.parentingbydummies.com/

L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge

Home is where you start from hosts a weekly photo challenge. 

This weeks theme is "the view from here".

My entry is this shot from the Wapatki National Monument near Flagstaff AZ.

I took this picture from inside the pueblo so this would have been the view from their window!

We had so many great pictures from our Arizona trip that it was hard to pick just one!

If you want to see the other entries or join in visit Jenn at http://www.homeiswhereyoustartfrom.com/

Wordful Wednesday

Claire made her first communion this last weekend.  We are very proud of her!

She's always wanted a tiered cake so I made her one. 

I used the same cake topper that was on my first communion cake!

Her aunt made her American Girl Doll a first communion dress too!

Claire did great.  We even had a little unexpected chaos in church. 

Two people had (unrelated) medical emergencies and had to be taken out by paramedics.

Luckily most of it took place behind us and Claire didn't see much of it. 

She was already a little nervous.  She did very well though.

My niece came up with my parents so the kids had a blast playing in the pool all weekend!

Wordful Wednesday is hosted by Parenting by Dummies and Seven Clown Circus.

Postcard Friendship Friday #76

Since the space program has been in the news lately I thought now would be a good time to share this card.  I bought it in an antique shop in Hannibal, MO.

The back says:
John F. Kennedy Space Center
N.A.S.A.
Aerial view of Crawler-Trasnporter #1.  This transporter will be used to carry the Apollo/Saturn V from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39.

When I saw this card I thought, how interesting to look back on that!
Postcard Friendship Friday is hosted by Beth at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.  Don't know why my link aren't working.  I've been having trouble with Blogger lately.  Here's the link:  http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/2011/07/sunny-greeting-postcard-friendship.html

My daughter is still collecting postcards from the 50 states.  She's gotten about a dozen different states now.  If you'd like to send a postcard from one of the states just send me an email and I'll get you the address.  We'd be happy to send a Texas one back if you want too!  aimeesland@sbcglobal.net
And thanks to all of you who have already sent her cards!!

Wordless Wednesday

Too busy for words today!

Six flags fun...

Our holiday weekend

We spent this weekend catching up on sleep and enjoying the pool!

We also took in a Ranger game on the 3rd.

Got to see the city's fireworks from the top of the stadium. 

My pictures didn't turn out.  I just can't seem to take a good picture of fireworks!

Claire made some yummy desserts for the 4th!

 

What did you do this weekend?