the first one is OFF

I have been off the "blog" lately. Not only have i not been posting--i haven't been reading either. It is amazing how every ones lives went on without me lurking into them. I have missed those updates on my friends. I have missed writing about those things that i have been doing and thinking--but before i could start my entry tonight i felt the need to "catch up" on others lives. As i was reading it really made me think about what i was going to write about anyway--just how quickly life moves and things change.

Today my oldest flew the coop--literally. As of a few minutes ago a large plane took off carrying my daughter to a part of the world i have never been.

I am happy for her but at the same time i am feeling a bit of jealousy and sadness. Jealous because i wish i was going--I love an adventure and am so glad she is getting one at this time in her life but am sad that i am not there to experience it with her. I hope she takes LOTS of great pictures and keeps a good journal so years from now she will remember the details....

As i was sending her off today i couldn't help but reflect on other milestones where i sent her off on new adventures. The first one came at 18 months when she went to nursery--. The first time i had to take her into nursery she cried. As soon as she thought i was out of earshot she quit crying. She wanted me to think that she needed me--but she didn't, she was fine...

Then my daughter became shy--painfully shy, as in "i won't even talk to my grandparents" kind of shy. I had no idea where she got that characteristic from--but she had it and it worried me. I was concerned how she would do when she went off to school. We went ahead and started her in kindergarten just after she turned 5, she said she wanted to go--so we let her. Letting the first one go is hard--especially when you think they need you--I soon found out, she didn't. Off she went without so much as a glance back at me. The only tears that were coming that day were from the corners of my eyes. She bounded into that kindergarten room with confidence--and a few days later when she had the opportunity to change classes she did it--again without any issues.

She has continually surprised me at how she handles new situations. In middle school when she was held back she really grew and blossomed. She gained confidence in meeting new friends.She always seems to make friend with those who are new or visiting. Somewhere along the line she has welcomed all into her "Box". Now that doesn't mean she likes to step out of it--she likes the safety of her box--she doesn't feel the need to venture out of the box just for the sake of adventure. Once again she is willingly embarking on another new situation and new friends. She is going into this adventure not knowing anyone--this whole thing is unfamiliar, and yet she is embracing this trip with a smile on her face and light in her eyes.

I can only imagine the experiences she will be having--all without me to see it transpire. Today as i hugged her goodbye she gave me that same confidence that she had in kindergarten

--the one that said

"I will be fine mom--and don't let the door hit you in the butt"

again i was the one left there standing as she went off...

without so much as a look back

with tears in my eyes

...some things don't change....

good times with the grandparents

My daughter came in all buzzed tonight--
you could tell she had a good time.
"Guess what i ate?" She asked in her bubbly life is good attitude.
Knowing that she had been at her grandparents
i knew it must have been something yummy--
"Meatballs?" i said
"NOOOOO"she responded with indignation
--personally I thought it had been a good guess
"How about popcorn" (grandpa is known for mastering the proper amounts of real butter and salt to make a wonderful bowl of greasy goodness)
"NOPE--mom you are not very good at this guessing game"
Child, give me a break--the options are endless as to what you could have eaten--
she did take pity on me and gave me a clue
"It is something that you shouldn't eat because it might cause you to have a heart attack and since you already have a bad heart....."
"Could it have been Heart attack french toast?"
"YEP--and it was really good"
they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach--
they failed to mention that it works for grand kids as well....
Where will my children go when they need a snack this summer--
or someone to spoil them?
--it will be a long three months with the grandparents gone....

the bench

We are such creatures of habit--
I like the familiar the routine...
I do things the same way because it just "feels right"
When it comes to church on Sunday
I like to drive the same way--
park in the same area
enter in the same set of doors
and after many years we now have a bench.
We have found that in our building we do not fit on the side benches--
just too many of us and the butts are too big for all of us to fit on the side so we are relegated to the middle benches.
Somehow we have one that we have marked as "ours"
I don't know when it happened...it just did
Today when i came it my husband was already sitting down
and we were just one row back from our normal bench--
it felt weird--
first of all we were displacing the family that normally sat behind us
(at the time i did not know that they were not there today)
it had a different view--
just strange that's all....

As i was reflecting on my bench situation i realized that sooner than later we would be able to fit on a side bench. Our days of my whole family attending church together is limited--
my bench will be thinning out in the years to come.
I hadn't really thought about the fact as my children graduate that they also move onto another ward--a ward without their family sitting with them.
I remember other families with full benches not too long ago--
and now i see them sitting as empty Nester's...
Is this what i have to look forward to?
It won't be too many years before we can fit on the side bench again--
just another change...
another adjustment--
that i will be making before i know it.

bitter sweet transition

today was a day of transitions--
this was a day that i felt was far away
and now it is here.
Where did the time go--
did i blink? like the song says--
and years pass before i even realized it?
My middle child is now a high school freshman

just as i have one leaving another one starts-- and so the circle continues for the next few years--
in two years the next punk will be graduating and hopefully leaving on a mission shortly there after. and then the next two in tow...
moving all too quickly for my liking.
Was it only four short years ago i was discussing this day with my son just after i had dropped the oldest off for her first day of high school--I remember getting teary eyed at the idea of how quickly this time would fly and now here it is?!
Bittersweet transition....
something that we have been working towards...
I made the mistake and blinked
and now it leaves me with tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart--

rain or shine it's graduation time

this week has been a blur--
one HOT blur--
until today that is.
We had eighth grade promotion this morning--

it was a lovely albeit cool morning--
a pleasant surprise given the last week or so of 100+ degree days
I was hoping that the cloud cover would stay around

so when it came time for graduation it would not be ridiculously hot--
MY WISH WAS GRANTED
the only problem was--
with that wish of cloud cover

came some side effects--
like in the form of RAIN--

When was the last time it actually rained in Arizona--
HMMMM--don't know and can't remember
it has been awhile....
We have had a dry spring
and because of the lack of rain

we haven't had alot blooming which i am thankful for.
It had been drizzling lightly

and then ten minutes before it was due to start

the heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down

and here came the graduates--i actually was able to pick out my daughter and her semi wavy hair (it had been curled but rain has the effect of straightening it) She was able to pick us out of the crowd and gave us a cute wave acknowledging the fact we were sitting in the rain
and then the graduation ceremony continued on--as if rain was an everyday occurrence.
Notice how wet the track is...Did the principal cut her talk short--UMMMM--NOOOO. She had to acknowledge all the important people by name that were sitting in the rain with the rest of us--at that point--WHO CARED?--Let's just get on with it already Finally the moment came of the actual diplomas being given came. There were teachers there to help the girls up the ramp
and teachers to help them down--lest they take a spill. Her anatomy/physiology teacher was there to help her down and gave her a bad time about wearing heels in the rain and she still managed to make it back to her seat in one piece-no worse for the wear just a tad bit wet as the case maybe. Maybe they should have been wearing rain panchos instead of gowns.

It is a good thing that with swimming for all those years she has practiced the wet look--and has it down--even looks cute....

her aunt and uncle braved the weather with us--they are half way done with their graduations-
last year their sons was moved inside because of the weather--who would think two years in a row that this would be an issue

and then come rain of shine grandma is always there for her grand kids

and finally both of us got in a picture together with our first born
--our first graduate.
Even without the rain--
this will soon be an evening that will NOT be forgotten

eighth grade promotion

This is an Arizona tradition I have never understood,
but i just go along with it.
I don't understand how or why it was ever started,
but for some reason they feel the need to continue on with this tradition.
I guess it had gotten out of hand many years ago with limos and expensive dresses and people making such a big deal out of it that they have tried to scale it down--
and scale it down they have....
right back into the classroom.
My other two that have "promoted" atleast they did it in the cafeteria--
and there was a stage and speeches....
about 30 minutes worth of a program...
This child got a speech read from the principal

and a very nice talk from her teacher on how to succeed in high school,
and it was said that the reason they were going to the small classroom situation was so they could give more personal attention to the students...
somehow we failed to see any of that actually transpire--
names were read and certificates were given with no mention of additional awards--like those given for grades
photo op's were limited...


we did manage to have her poise with each of us--just to let her know how proud we are of her.
Call us crazy but we expect our kids to go onto high school--we have never felt that a celebration was called for just because you completed 8th grade---
but we don't want to be the loser parents who don't show up when everyone else is there--but is it really worth taking work off for such an uneventful thing--for 15 minutes of being crammed into a hot classroom? I say "just do away with the whole thing"...but that is just my opinion...Although if they had done away with it, I would not have gotten this picture of her

Meet the newest McClintock freshman...doesn't look like an 8th grader anymore--
goodbye uniforms hello regular cute clothes....

Seminary graduation--just another excuse for a new dress

We went looking for a new dress for High School graduation....
and we found a basic black one and then this one in less than 30 minutes...
imagine our surprise when we found this cute number for cheap...
and the shoes to go with it for cheap also...
(sometimes i just love Ross)

The sweater she already had--it went perfect
The necklace was new--that was her graduation present...
My mother in law asked if it was real--as in diamonds....
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I love this child and all and am proud of her--
but she will have to find a sugar daddy
to buy her diamonds like that...

she liked how tall the shoes made her

she liked the fact that she was as tall as her dad
(which isn't that hard to do)

and i liked the fact that she could actually walk in them

for a child not always known for her grace--she has come a long way...
I love her air of confidence and sassy-ness...
and i love the fact that as i held my breath when she got her award
--that she did not trip with those tall shoes....
she continues to make me proud...

Seminary graduation

Another milestone moment of this week.
We had the opportunity to see my daughter receive acknowledgement for the four years of seminary attendance that she participated in.
What a blessing those four years have been.
I have seen her knowledge of the scriptures increase
and her testimony of the savior grow.
She has a good foundation of why she is here...
and her purpose on earth.
She has been taught the things that will bring her everlasting happiness--
she chose to graduate.
We did encourage her to fit seminary in her schedule--
but ultimately attending was her choice.
I know it gave her balance to her crazy high school days
and i am grateful for the time she spent out of the "world"
--even it was for only an hour a day.
I am grateful for her encouragement of daily scripture reading.
I know the things that she was taught will help her as she goes out in the world--
and that in times of trouble she will be able to reflect back on them,
and they will help her in making life's choices.
I am grateful and proud that she stuck it out--
saw it through
and chose to finish....

End of the year dread

Sometimes i feel a bit dense.
In my mind i know that something is going to occur--
and yet it doesn't seem real--
I know that this is the last week of school and yet i think i am in denial--
until today and for some reason it just hit me--
that it really IS the last week of school.
Not even the last week, we are actually down to just days...
It is not that i don't love having my kids home for summer vacation--
i totally enjoy the relaxed pace that summer brings--
i don't dig the heat that the summer brings but we have learned to adjust.
I think i dread the last week of school because all the routine we have know all year is over--
we have to re-adjust...
I think i dread the last week of school because that means another school year is over
which means my kids are advancing another year
they are getting older
they are moving on
and sometimes i just want time to stand still...
so i guess that is where my denial comes in--
if you don't acknowledge it--it doesn't happen...
Right?
Well maybe not--
at least in my mind it does slow down the process just a bit....

cat in the backyard

There are CAT people and there are DOG people
and a few can manage to love them both in harmony.
We are dog people...
cats are not even an option in our home.
I do not like cats that come into my yard--
or cats that creep along the top of my fence just to antagonize my dogs.
And i really DO NOT like the cats that choose to squeeze into my attic and have cat fights in the middle of the night--OHH...the screams....
and I really do not like the fact that a cat chose my attic to die in right before we went on vacation--leaving us a awful stench to come home to
(thank you dear hubby for taking care of the body removal)
With all that being said---when a cat decided to have kittens in our shed and abandon them--
i did bottle feed them and found them homes...
No animal deserves to be born just to starve to death--not even a cat.
If they would stay kittens i might consider liking them--
but they don't....
and some cats have just liked to terrorize me
But i am here to say that i was thrilled at this CAT in my yard

I think it is a TOM-CAT and he is welcome anytime he wants to make improvements