April & May Events

April & May (yes, Aisha, April & May) were busy months! Besides the Dance Recital and dancing at most of the nursing homes during Nursing Home Week, there were many more events keeping us busy!

Tanner played in several tennis matches. He played singles & doubles......and won all of his games!! I think we have a tennis pro on our hands!

Hayley's school had its Talent Show. A couple weeks prior to the Show, the kids have to try out in front of judges. If their acts are approved, they get to compete in the Talent Show! Hayley danced with a small group of girls this year, as she did last year! I am beginning to wonder if maybe Hayley isn't meant to be in Talent Shows. Last year after the girls were on stage, the sound person couldn't get their music to work so she finally asked them to leave the stage. By the end of the Show, they fixed the problem & the girls were allowed to come back on stage & perform. This year brought a similar problem. The girls were on stage & when the music started, the girls started dancing. However, I knew that it wasn't the correct song because Hayley had told me what song they were dancing to. But the girls, all being dancers, know that the show must go on. So the girls just started dancing even though the music was wrong. I think that's awesome!! A little ways into the dance, the sound person realized it was the wrong song & stopped the music. The girls were able to start their dance over with the correct music.

Hayley had her 6th grade band concert. For this event, they combine all the 6th grades in town (there are five) & perform. You can imagine this is a big event considering that between the schools there are two band instructors & the schools only practice together four times before the concert! (Hayley made first chair!) They also do the same for the 5th grade. The 5th & 6th grades play separately but then end the concert playing one song together. They struggled with this & had to stop the song part way through & start over but they did finally get through it all at the same time!

Hayley & Dean also found time to partake in a Dad & Me Girl Scout event out at the lake. The weather didn't fully cooperate but at least it wasn't raining! They participated in a variety of races: wheelbarrow race, three legged race, hard-boiled egg on a spoon race, balloon on a string tied to an ankle race. They also went on a treasure hunt and made bird feeders out of pine cones. And for lunch, they cooked hot dogs over the fire. (Dean isn't a shutter bug like me, and I suppose it's kinda hard to take a lot of pictures when you're involved in the two-person races, so this is all I have to mark the event!)

Hayley also participated in the band contest. She had to play a solo in front of a judge with her instructor accompanying her on the piano. She scored a I+ (the best score).

Hayley's a Cadette!

The Girl Scouts Bridging/Awards Ceremony was held on a VERY windy (but sunny) day in early May at the Redlin Art Center. It was very fitting for the girls bridging from one level to the next to cross a bridge to mark the occasion. Hayley is no longer a Junior Girl Scout. She is now a Cadette Girl Scout! Her vest is now tan instead of that ugly green! This also marked her fifth year in Girl Scouts and she was awarded with a special pin. Hayley's troop was in charge of the flag ceremony and holding onto those flags in that wind was no easy task! Each girl that bridged also received a pine tree seedling. I'm not real fond of pine trees but have decided to make a conscious effort to keep it alive. Since we will be moving (hopefully) soon, we decided to plant it in a big flower pot so we can take it with us. So far it's still alive!

Hayley's troop here was not as aggressive as her troop in M in earning badges & patches. Being Hayley transferred during her Junior level, she has a lot more badges & patches than others. I even heard other mothers commenting on it! The bad part about it is sewing them on! I HATE sewing!! I recently found some iron-on backing & did try those on the last few so we'll see if they last......or if I'll have to sew those on too! Last time I managed to get approximately 14 needle pokes & sewed the vest to my ottoman!!

Hayley wants to continue GS when we move to B. It appears that they have pretty active troops there so it should be fun!

Hayley's Dance Recital - 2009

On Friday, Hayley had her end-of-year dance recital. It was an even bigger deal than normal because the dance teams did not go to competition this year. They originally registered for one in early-March (Brookings) but many girls could not go so they registered for one in late-April (Fargo) and it ended up getting cancelled due to the flooding!! So all their hard work was finally showcased in this recital.

Hayley was in two dance classes again this year - Jazz and Pom. As you can see, not many girls took Pom this year - the class had only five members!! However, the Jazz team was pretty big. Also, they had new dance instructors this year so that took some getting used to.

The recital was also bittersweet because it's her last recital here at DG with her friends. She plans on enrolling in dance when we move but it just won't be the same!

Jazz Team

Pom Team

Dean's New Job

Dean has been working at his new job for a month now. The company he is working for is probably one of the few companies that is busy, busy, busy right now! (The company makes fire trucks.) Dean is so exhausted by the end of the week!! We decided he would commute each day rather than get an apartment or hotel in SF. (We had to decide which was the lesser of the two evils, 15 hours driving & longer days or not seeing his family during the week.) He gets up at 5 am, is on the road by 5:20 & at work by 7:00! (Must be nice to be a guy & be ready in 20 minutes!!) He calls me when he leaves work (about 5:30) so I can have supper on the table when he walks in the door (about 7:00). We're used to eating supper between 5:30 & 6:00 so this 7:00 stuff seems SO late! There have been many times where I couldn't have timed supper more perfectly.....as in, I was setting the food on the table as he walked in! (Yeah for me!) Then we get to spend a couple hours with him & he goes to bed between 9:00 & 9:30! (It's funny because he goes to bed the same time as the kids!! Now I'm the night owl who heads to bed later whereas Dean used to stay up later than me!!) Dean had to work the last two Saturdays for a half day so he is really pooped. He should also be working this Saturday but we already had plans to head out of town on Friday for Easter so they'll have to make due without him! (Plus his boss said he's been spending enough time at work!) Not only is he putting in 50+ hours of work a week, he's putting in 15+ hours of driving a week! And when he's at work, he's constantly busy & running around so he does not a minute to rest or think! But......he is enjoying the job & is looking forward to the day when he "knows his stuff" as this is a new industry he's working in! (His last job involved circuit boards & such for medical equipment & Dakt*ronics.)

Needless to say, we're REALLY looking forward to our house selling (soon) & moving to the SF area. Then we can get on with our lives as it feels like we're in a holding pattern & there are so many uncertainities right now.

Daddy, How Was I Born?

A little boy goes to his father and asks, "Daddy, how was I born?"

The father answers, "Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your Mom & I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via email with your Mom and we met at a cyber cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room where your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said: 'You Got Male'."

Ha ha! Got this through email and just couldn't resist posting it. It's a good laugh!

He's Good...

PRETENSE: I was in SF all weekend visiting my sister WITHOUT my hubby and kids. Last night coming home from the Super Bowl party, this conversation between Tanner and me occurs...

Tanner: Mom?

Me: What?

Tanner: We missed you this weekend and didn't get to spend much time with you. Can we stay home from school tomorrow and have some quality time with you?

Me: (laughing) You're good! I wish I could but no. Nice try though!!

Yep, he's a keeper!

Hayley's Cool Bedroom

My plan was to get all my painting in the house done this November & December being I would have absolutely no time during tax season to do it. Well, that plan has changed for two reasons. Reason #1: Dean lost his job and there is a possibility we may have to move so it does not make sense to paint. Possible buyers will prefer neutral colors over my crazy colors! (To possible buyers - Sorry in advance for the purple kitchen and pink bedroom!) Reason #2: I quit my job earlier this week (more about that some other time) and now there is no urgency to get it done!

Dean lost his job on a Wednesday and I had started painting Hayley's room the prior Saturday so I was committed to finishing it. Although there were days when quitting seemed like the right solution...... It took me three weekends and two weeks of evenings to get her room completed. It turned out better than we could ever imagine! Prior to painting, Hayley & I had sat down and sketched out 11 possible painting techniques! Believe it or not, we actually agreed when picking the actual technique to do! So without further ado, here is her room - which involves chocolate brown, tan, three shades of pink - pastel pink, bubble gum pink & red raspberry, and white. Obviously her comforter was our inspiration!

Hayley's dance photos are all displayed here. They do them up like a scrapbook page so all you gotta do is put it in a frame or in your scrapbook. So we've decided to put them in white frames and hang them behind the door. They tend to wear a lot of red so it kinda clashes with the pink so that's why they are behind the door.

This is the wall where the sticker will go - if we stay! It states: "It's a girl thing".

I haven't decided yet if I should get tie-backs for the curtains or just leave them as they are.

Her room is not quite finished as I need to buy some white shelves to hang on her walls and I have one of those up*per ca*se liv*ing stickers in chocolate brown that is to be put on the pink wall at the end of the closet as you walk into the room. Being the sticker is not reuseable and we may have to move, I don't want to put it up until we know. And it makes me very sad to think we might have to move for two reasons. Reason #1: It was A LOT of hardwork to get this room done! Reason #2: I will have to do it all over again at the new house! :(

I Can Finally Share......

...... the details of our difficult situation.

On Wednesday, Dean lost his job. His company let 10% of its employees go and Dean was one of them.

How many times can this happen to one family??? This is the FOURTH time this has happened to us!!!

When we lived in W the first time, Dean was let go from his job along with many other employees. Then we moved to F and he was let go from that job because the company closed. Then we moved to M and he was let go from that job because THAT company closed. He then found another job in M but hated it so we moved W and he has now been let go from that job!! This all in a matter of SEVEN years!!! Even if he would have stayed at the job he hated in M, he'd still be out of a job because that company let many of its employees go and the ones that remained are only working six days a MONTH!!! So either way, we'd be in the same situation.

I only make a small salary and there is NO WAY that we can live off of my income!!! And on top of that, I just started a new job that has no health insurance. And no paid vacation or sick time. And, in addition to dealing with learning a new job, I have this stressful situation at home. I wish I had my old job back......... The only good thing about my new job right now is that tax season is soon approaching in which I will be working 60 hours a week and earning overtime pay!

I only hope that Dean can find a decent job and soon! And this means we may have to move........AGAIN!!!

There's a saying: "I know God won't give me more than I can handle, I just wish He didn't trust me so much!" Boy, do I agree!!!

So I ask that you please keep us in your prayers!!

I'm Sad & Mad at the World!

Well, to be honest with you, I'm PISSED at the world!!!

I can't say anything at this time but when the time is right, I will fill you in.

In the meantime, we'd appreciate it if you could please pray for us during this difficult time.

Halloween 2008