No AC-----Uggh!

Well, the verdict is in. Our upstairs AC unit has a leak in the system somewhere---which honestly, we already knew. We've had issues with this unit the entire time we've lived in the house. However, since the technician doesn't know where the leak is located, he needs to run a pressure test for 4-5 days. The kicker is the entire unit needs to be turned off during that time. Oh no! So no upstairs air conditioning for a week. Thank goodness the downstairs still works! We'll be a tad hot until next Wednesday. I will say that I am thankful it is only the end of May and not the end of July! It would be much hotter in July. Whew.

Sisterly Love!

Random things.....

---Katie started work today at the YMCA summer camp. She is working with 7-8 year olds and working 35 hours per week. Her friends are somewhat taken aback by her weekly hours but their parents tend to hand them things instead of having the child pay for it. Katie realizes she needs the money because mom won't just hand over cash very willingly! Anyhow, the first day was hectic and stressful but that is par for the course. She did say later in the evening that everything went much smoother than she anticipated (based on last year's experience!).
---The little girls have three days of school left until they are home for the summer. Both are very excited to go swimming every day, visit the library, play in the backyard, and not do much else. Sounds good, huh? Anna Grace will tell us that when summer is over, she is going to Kindergarten!
---Alex has started off his summer by cranking the amp on his guitar and enjoying being able to play as loudly as he wants since no one is home! I had to warn him to keep the phone near him in case I called (or the air conditioning company--another story there).
---Dave has one more week in China before he heads home. He'll actually be heading to Bangkok this weekend and return to ATL from there. I know he is looking forward to getting home. Last night, I put the video clip of the girls at the pool specifically for him but he was unable to open it. It may be a censorship thing in China. He has to access this site via an anonymous server. Fun fun.
---I have two more offical days of school. We are getting new flooring in our classrooms so have to pack up everything we have in our rooms into boxes to be easily moved. I'm almost done, I hope! I'm down to the few random things which don't easily fit into boxes. I remember when we've moved houses before and reach a point where we just throw stuff into boxes although none of it makes sense together. I'm about there!
---That's it for the night. I will post a few random pics Katie took. I am awaiting news of my car (and the second new transmission in two weeks) and the AC guys to come to our house (to repair the upstairs unit for the 4th time in two years). It's been non-stop action around here! I mentioned the AC issues today at work and someone thought I meant in my car (because that went out a week ago too!).

Thank goodness summer is here!!

Memorial Day fun!

Two swimming girls!

I went shopping!

After researching all last night and today, I decided to go check out this Sony Cyber-Shot. I have a Cyber-Shot now but it's pretty old and slow. This is the newest version that just came out recently. I am charging the battery pack and am looking forward to playing with it!

New camera

My wonderful parents from school gave me a mastercard gift card which I thought I would put toward a new digital camera. I will take my current one to school to capture photos of my class during the year. Anyhow, I would like to stay around $300 but would consider higher if it was worth it. Does anyone have any recommendations??

Another stinkin' transmission

Well, after having our new refurbished transmission for one week, it went out on Thursday. I drove the five miles from the daycare to the garage going 50 mph in first gear. Not good. Anyhow, a sensor went bad---or something like that. The garage told me they were not going to order just a replacement sensor. They want a whole new transmission. That's what I paid for so that's what I should get. Since it's under warranty, that is fine with me. It means we'll be without the van another week because of the holiday weekend but we have Dave's car to use in the meantime. As long as it's done by June 3 when Dave gets home, I'll be happy! Sooner would be better, of course.

School's Out!!

Today was our last day of school. It was sad to see all my kindergartners head home for the summer knowing they'll be first graders in the fall! They've grown so much.

It also crossed my mind today that we now have a senior (Katie), a freshman (Alex), and a kindergartner (Anna Grace) in our house. Big years for all of them! Abby will move up to Pre-3 at her school too. Don't want to leave her out!

Oh my gosh!!

Don't you just love the new look?? Danielle emailed me yesterday saying it would be the weekend until she would be able to do my blog. However, when I got home today, there was an email saying she was done!! I was so excited to pull it up and see the final product. I love it!

New blog design coming!

I have asked Danielle from Blogs By Danielle to redo our site. Look for an entire new design in about a week or so! I am so excited to see the end result!!!

Happy Gotcha Day to Abby!!

Two years ago today, we were in China to meet Abby. She wasn't very happy to see us! But two years has made a huge difference. Check out the pictures! Here are some from then and now.

Eighth grade semi-formal

Below are scenes from a photo session before the eighth grade semi-formal. The kids are all friends----and went as friends! Katie wanted to come also since she knows the girls but that meant hauling along the little ones. Whew. I was ready to come home!!

These pictures were taken in a local outdoor shopping area with a gazebo and fountain. We were also witnesses to a gentleman proposing to his girlfriend! Katie spotted it coming (the lady was gone for a moment, the man ran and got a bouquet of flowers to put behind the bench where they were sitting). Sure enough, within a few minutes, he was on his knee proposing to her! We all clapped when she jumped up and gave him a hug. Poor guy never imagined a bunch of middle schoolers and their moms witnessing his proposal!!!

Back to the pictures, I am not going to name all the kids due to privacy, but Alex is the tall one in the white shirt! There are lots of other pictures with other kids too but I figured these were enough to give you an idea.

Scenes from Pre-K Graduation

Look out Kindergarten!! Here comes Anna Grace!

Update

We heard from the garage early this morning. The transmission is completely shot. Chrysler has a history of transmission problems---just an FYI for any Chrysler owners! Anyhow, I will have a rebuilt transmission put in sometime next week with a good warranty. Until then, I have Dave's car since he is out of the country. Good thing too otherwise we'd all be squeezing into Katie's car!!

Dave left today for three weeks in China. I told the girls when Daddy left, we would rent "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Daddy strongly dislikes this movie so I was nice and waited until he was gone. :-) So, we went to Blockbuster just a little bit ago and rented it for them. It should keep them busy for a little while!

Alex is playing in a soccer tournament about an hour from here. He rode down with friends (thank you!) and is now on his way home. They won the first game but lost the second. They have another game tomorrow morning so I hope it goes well.

Stinkin' Transmission

The transmission just croaked on my van again. It had issues last year while it was still under warranty but then fixed itself for some reason. Now we’re out of warranty and it spent today completely slipping out of gear to the point of trying to go up a hill but not being able to accelerate so I went down instead. Not good. So the tow truck is on its way here to tow it to the garage. Dave leaves for China tomorrow so at least I can use his car while they check out mine. I’m hoping it’s something simple but I’m not holding my breath. Will keep you posted.

Clean rooms---finally!

I have been so sick of all the toys in the girls rooms that I went on a wild rampage today and started throwing away all kinds of stuff. Little pieces of toys, things that always seem to take up all kinds of space, or things that are fun to keep strewn all over the floor. So, now they are down to the basics: dollhouses, kitchen and accessories, magna doodle, Mr. Potato Head, train, a few barbies, and things like that. Maybe having less stuff to throw around will help to keep the rooms cleaner.

Prom Night

Tonight is prom for Katie and all her friends. We met up with all the kids at a local bed and breakfast to use the garden for pictures. Here are some random scenes from our photo shoot today. (click on photo for larger view)

Katie and the girls


The pinning----she couldn't do it so mom had to help!


Anna Grace and "her" Catlan


Katie, Catlan, and the girls


The bus taking all the kids to dinner and prom


The boys!


Katie and Catlan


No more pictures, Mom!


Katie and Catlan