Exxon's Reason to Exist

The oil companies are watching me today and smiling as they hear the "ching, ching, ching" of my money dropping into their pockets.

Scenario:

We live in the uttermost southwestern part of Rogers. I work in the northernmost part of Bentonville, and the girls dance in the coordinates exactly opposite of our house on the northeastern side of Rogers.

Stan picked Mason and Madison up from school today because Madison had student council after school, and he was available to pick her up. Mason was his additional prize for the afternoon.

Makenzie had dance this afternoon at 4:30-5:30. We will leave here in 10 minutes and get Makenzie to the house with Daddy. I will then pick Madison up from the house, and bring her back to the opposite side of Rogers for dance from 6:30- 8:30. (Yes, back to the same place I am sitting right now.....) I will then go back to school for a Parent Involvement Meeting (which is in Bentonville) and then at 8:30 I will come BACK to dance to get Madison and get home around 9:00.

I have reset my trip odometer to see exactly how many miles I will log today. If I can get any guesses in my responses... I'll send an October surprise to the closest guess.

You are welcome Exxon.......

Pay It Forward, And WIN A PRIZE!!!

Good evening! I am sitting at Mercy Hospital with a friend's daughter, and what better way to spend my time than blogging. It's been a busy month, so I hope to catch up my blogs soon. I've dealt with some very interesting situations at school recently, and I've decided that the world needs some kindness. I was reading Dallas's blog, which is very interesting and fun to read, and she had a really neat post. I'm copying and pasting so here you go.......Thanks for the great idea Dallas!!!!!


I have yet to see my fabulous gift from Dallas, although, I know it will be completely fabulous because it is coming from her. I will find out soon and dream until then...What am I talking about, you might ask? Well, I am paying it forward with a premeditated act of kindness. Would you like to be the owner of a fun gift and give in return? Well, read some more...THE RULES: The main focus is doing an act of kindness without expecting anything in return other than that the recipient will, in their turn, pass the kindness along and pay it forward.I will send a small, fun gift to the first 3 bloggers who post a comment on this entry. In turn, those three will post this information and pick 3 people they want to send something to and then the game will continue!!If you are interested in participating, be one of the first 3 bloggers to leave a comment!! The little something you send can be something you made, bought, were given or found, anything you want!! Just a gift that will make the person's day!!You have to promise that you will then post about this on your blog, link back to me, and then send something to the first three people who sign up to play along through your blog. Doesn't this sound like fun!!??All of you lurkers out there who never comment, now is your chance to prove to me that you frequent my blog.Have fun!

Right on Time~

** Updated with new pics**

This post is for all of you who doubted me~ This past Thursday was my baby boy's 5th birthday. We have already celebrated, Chuck E. Cheese style, and it isn't 5 months later. Here are some highlights of the party.....


The birthday boy and the rat... I mean Chuck E.


Mason and Jackson Finger~ They were born 2 1/2 weeks apart

Matthew McConnell, Mason, and Andrew Perry

Mason NEVER refers to these guys by just their first names.

***Here is Mason during his party with 2 girls that I've never seen before. Moms, if you see a birthday party happening that is obviously a paid for and organized party... please keep your uninvited kiddos away during the picture time.

Mason's latest goofiness is posing this way for pictures.

Happy Birthday Mason~

The whole party gang

July 7, 2008

This past July 7th, my dad would've turned 70 years old. So in his honor/memory, here are some lessons Daddy taught me in the 33 years that I knew him.

10. Enjoy life~ Dad always whistled. No matter what he was doing... he whistled~ Kind of like Snow White's "Whistle While You Work" He enjoyed life.

9. Work hard~ Dad did it all. From salesman to entrepreneurship.... And if it wasn't successful... he'd just try something else.

8. Dream big~ "If you don't enter the Publisher's ClearingHouse Sweepstakes.... you won't win."

7. Know how to change a flat tire, check the oil, and jump a car battery~ I had to pass the driveway test and prove that I could do all 3 when I turned 16. I can still jump a car and check the oil. God created cell phones and husbands for the flat tires...

6. Meet your neighbors~ We've lived in our house over 5 years, and I know a few by name. I'm not so great at this. My dad knew every neighbor he ever lived around and 5 facts about each of them.

5. Volunteer/work at church~ Dad did it all including....driving a bus, greeting, ushering, deaconing, and working with the kids in AWANAS. We are a little thankful he didn't try the choir. (see post #4)

4. Be joyful~ Dad was very musically challenged... maybe the absolute worst musically challenged person I've ever known.... but he didn't care~ At church, he'd sing just as loud the choir director. He was joyful~ or maybe just wanted to irritate us??

3. Never eat a roast without onions, or cottage cheese without pepper. Those of you who know me well might say I'm a little picky about my food and food service. As I'm typing this post, I realize where I got that~ Thanks Dad!

2. Laugh at yourself or preferably at others~ I definitely got my practical joking and sense of humor from Dad. He always was kidding or pestering somebody.

1. Love God, your family, and friends. Don't just tell them.. .show them too~

Thanks Dad~ Lessons learned (some better than others...)

Computer Savvy

Madison is turning out to be quite the computer techy gal. My niece, Danielle, came to stay with us this week. She and Makenzie get along very well, and they have had a blast. Madison made this video for Danielle to remember her week. I was pretty impressed with her~

Fun Summer Days

A lot of you know that when I was in the 7th grade, my family hosted a foreign exchange student. She was from Spain, and her name was Maria Pia Ramilo Rodriguez de Robles. We called her Titi for short. (Not sure where Titi came from, but EVERYONE in Rogers knew her as Titi) She called my parents Mom and Dad, and my brother and I her siblings. After her year stay, she went back to Spain for her college education years. We kept in touch over the years... I went to Spain for a summer, she returned for summers here, etc. She actually moved back to Rogers and taught ESL classes at a junior high for a while. During her stay that time, she met a Rogers native and married him. It's worked out pretty well, because now they have children of their own who have grandparents that live in Rogers. So, every summer and every other Christmas we get to spend time with this branch of our family. Titi was my sister back in the early 1980's and 28 years later is still is considered family. Our children think they are truly cousins..... I don't see the need to tell them otherwise. The first picture is one that we had taken last summer for Mom. They are stairstepped in age. I am listing their current ages...

Madison (11), Maguiña (10), Makenzie (9), Carolina (8), Ana (5), Mason (4)




We spent some time with them during this summer trip. This is the day before they left for Spain.
Poor Mason~ This is truly an estrogen ocean.


True personalities coming through~



Maguiña




Carolina


Ana

The Simpsons in Branson~ Take Two

**A list of things I discovered or rediscovered on this second trip to Branson....

1. Big Cedar Lodge is a relaxing place to stay in Branson.

2. Stan thinks so too.

3. My family really enjoys amusement parks together.

4. If you ride this particular ride first, you will walk around the amusement park with wet underwear for the rest of the day!
5. Mason still enjoys these rides that go around and around in circles. 6. Mason ISN'T tall enough to ride this ride.
7. The line for the go-karts was longer than the line for the above roller coaster. And not nearly as much fun.
8. Taking a video camera on a roller coaster doesn't work very well.

9. I sound like a drunk moron on a roller coaster.

10. Madison loves to dance!~

11. False eyelashes are difficult to glue on.....

12. Mason loves the Tutt girls.

13. Catie Beth and Emily are so sweet to Madison.

14. Mason's taken modeling lessons somewhere????

15. Makenzie could be an actual model.

16. Mason is a ham for the camera!

17. My niece Danielle looks a lot like my kids.
18. Mason wants to be just like his daddy.19. Vacation wears you out.

Stay Tuned for Take 3~