Summer's Winding Down

So both girls are registered for school. KJ missed the original registration day so I did the make-up day this week while she was at PrimeTime Lax camp. Although the line wasn't long, it did take a while since there were only 1 or 2 ladies working in the school office vs. all the volunteers at regular registration. KJ's registration ran me about $85 and haven't bought any school supplies yet. Wish they'd bring back those pre-packaged school supplies!

T registered yesterday at the high school. It went very, very smoothly and was very organized. We tried to "walk" her schedule but couldn't find half her classes and we never did find her locker. She didn't have any problems w/ her schedule which is a good thing. I was kind of hoping she'd have driver's ed the 2nd half of the year so it would be closer to her 16th b-day and the info would be fresher in her mind but she ended up having it first semester.

Chris has been at his yearly Lightening Lacrosse Camp @ the U of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and comes home tonight. The girls & I were supposed to visit Tuesday night but the weather was crazy and I really didn't want to drive in it. Last night we also had some crazy storms roll thru here. We really needed the rain.

Yesterday the girls and I did a little clothes shopping. T bought a pair of jeans @ VS Pink and 2 pairs @ Delia's (they were buy one pair, get one half off AND if you tried on a pair of jeans you also got $10 off your total). She also bought a cute dress @ Delia's and wore it for registration yesterday w/ her gladitor sandals. She's really into dresses this year. We ran into Old Navy the other day and didn't find a thing (which is a first! I have never walked out of Old Navy empty-handed!). T found a tank dress @ Urban Outfitters and last night she bought a black jacket to wear over it so it meet dress code. We also found a dress for her to wear to her cousins wedding in August. KJ bought some things at Justice -- a denim mini skirt, a pair of capri pants and a couple of tops. I had 2 coupons, one was for 40% my total and I also had a $25 coupon off $50 or more. The lady seperated my order and rang it up so I could use both my coupons and walked out of Justice spending about $85 on KJ. She also got a skirt @ JC Penny's (which rang up for $4.19!!!) and 2 tops. KJ still has a couple pairs of shorts and capri pants she can wear those first couple weeks of school. Both girls need shoes -- KJ really, really, really wants a pair of Chuck Taylors and T needs shoes to go w/ the dress for Britt's wedding.

Nice, quiet weekend

So, T-bone's home from lax camp @ Duke (and has brought home a bunch of laundry, too). She had a GREAT time and learned alot. She took a lot of pics of the campus and it is absolutely gorgeous. She also said the food was better @ the Duke camp than @ Vandy.

Tonight is "laxapalooza." I think this is the 3rd year for the event and it always kicks off Primetime lax camp for the little kids. A bunch of MLL guys come into town, talk to the kids, show them tricks, do a fastest shot, etc. KJ will be attending Primetime camp Mon-Weds and Chris will be @ the U of Alabama for his yearly Lightening Lax camp for the high school boys. The girls and I usually drive down to Tuscaloosa one afternoon and spend time w/ him and the boys. The girls, especially KJ, LOVE to see his dorm room! They think it's so funny that he stays in the dorm w/ the kids.

I have a busy week ahead of me: Monday I need to register KJ for school, Tuesday T has a haircut appointment and Wednesday is high school registration. I haven't bought the girls ANY school supplies and I have no idea who needs what for school as far as clothes, shoes go.

still waiting.....

"I could have calibrated my words differently" is not an apology.

TaliBama???

This has got to be the stupidest, most ignorant thing I have ever heard come out of the great state of Alabama. AL.com is reporting:

"Alabama's Alcoholic Beverage Control Board wants the Cycles Gladiator wine from California out of state stores and off their shelves because its label includes a small nude nymph, Mobile's Press-Register reports.
The wine's label uses a small replica of an 1895 bicycle advertising poster that includes the naked winged nymph and an equally winged bicycle. Alabama's alcohol regulators are reminding stores in a warning notice that the beverage board last year ruled the label inappropriate, according to the newspaper."

What's next? Burqa's? Shutting down museums? Burning books? Covering up Vulcan's ass???

Blah. It's Thursday

Thursday is always such a cruddy day of the week. Not yet Friday, Wednesday is "hump" day. Thursday just doesn't really seem to have a good image. This Thursday the weather looks a little "iffy" -- not sure if it's going to rain or if the sun is trying to come out. We had some really awesome rain yesterday. We needed it.


T left on Tuesday for a lax camp @ Duke in NC. She drove up w/ 4 other girls from her BamaLax team. They spent Tuesday night at a cabin in NC (one of the Vestavia girls grandparent's own the cabin) and drove to Duke early Wednesday morning. They checked into the dorms and had to be on the field ready to go by 3 PM. T said they had a bit of a rain delay (they must have gotten the same storm we did) and then they had a scrimmage. She scored 3 goals. I am so FLIPPIN' proud of her! We spoke last night for a long time and she said her roomie is also a 10th grader from Colorado Springs and is awesome! She said they hit it off right away. Today they had to be in the lobby of the dorm for breakfast by 6:45 AM (which is really 5:45 aM Bama time).





Christopher is in Baltimore today. I hope he has a good day. He had to get up so early this morning for his flight but will be home fairly early tonight. It's been a rough couple of weeks and I was kind of hoping he'd go to Asheville this weekend w/ the men's team, have a couple of beers, play a couple of games and unwind a bit. I guess they couldn't get enough guys to go to the Bele Chere tournament this year so the Magic City team will not be participating (which is a shame; I think they've been going to this tournament for years!).

No major plans this weekend. I'd really, really like to strip the wallpaper in KJ's bathroom and get that project going but I don't think it's gonna happen. Her bathroom is the last room in the entire house that needs to be "done."

Distrubing on So Many Levels

From CNN.com:

Gates was arrested last Thursday in broad daylight at his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home for disorderly conduct -- what the arresting officer described as "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space." The charge was dropped Tuesday on the recommendation of police, and the city of Cambridge issued a statement calling the incident "regrettable and unfortunate."
Gates had just returned from a trip to China when a police officer responded to a call about a potential break-in at his home that was phoned in by a white woman. According to the police report, Gates was in the foyer when the officer arrived.
The officer asked Gates to "step out onto the porch and speak with me," the report says. "[Gates] replied, 'No, I will not.' He then demanded to know who I was. I told him that I was 'Sgt. Crowley from the Cambridge Police' and that I was 'investigating a report of a break in progress' at the residence.
"While I was making this statement, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, 'Why, because I'm a black man in America?' "
According to the report, Gates initially refused to show the officer his identification, instead asking for the officer's ID. But Gates eventually did show the officer his identification that included his home address.
"The police report says I was engaged in loud and tumultuous behavior. That's a joke," Gates told The Root. "It escalated as follows: I kept saying to him, 'What is your name, and what is your badge number?' and he refused to respond. I asked him three times, and he refused to respond. And then I said, 'You're not responding because I'm a black man, and you're a white officer.'"
Known as Skip by friends and colleagues, Gates is the director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African-American Research at Harvard University, and an acclaimed PBS documentarian.
While Gates' arrest lit up talk radio and blogs, it prompted others to defend the police against charges of racial profiling.
"I'd be glad if somebody called the police if somebody was breaking into my house," neighbor Michael Schaffer told CNN affiliate WHDH.
For others, the incident symbolized something more. Seeing the police mugshot of Gates brought someAfrican-Americans to near tears.
Kim Coleman, a Washington radio host, cultural commentator and blogger, said she grew numb when she saw the mugshot.
"I was not prepared for that," she said. "To see one of my heroes in a mugshot was not something that I was expecting. ... It just tells me we're not in a post-racial society."
She said there's a reason why you don't hear about prominent white people arrested in their homes: "because it doesn't happen."
It's time for America to have a long overdue national conversation about race, Coleman said. "When are we going to have that," she said. "When are we really going to sit down and strip down and say, 'This is what I feel about you and this is what you feel about me. Now, how are we going to get over that?' "
Rebecca Walker, an award-winning author, said the arrest was devastating to scholars, writers, and artists "who work so hard to keep a free flow of information."

No one seems to be recognizing Mr. Gates' part in all of this. He initially refused to speak with the officer responding to the call and he initially refused to show identification. If I were the police officer, I would find those behaviours suspicious regardless of race. Shame on you Mr. Gates.
P.S. the article also calls Mr. Gates "one of the most recognizable African-Americans in the country." Seriously? I had never heard of him in my life.

GORGEOUS Weather!

I really didn't leave the house yesterday but today was absolutely gorgeous!!! I don't know, maybe mid-80's??? Zero humidity and nothing but beautiful blue skies!

Chris, AKA Bagel Boy, provided breakfast this morning and while the girls helped him w/ yardwork, I did some in the house. We took Trixie with us to lunch @ Tip Top Grill and enjoyed the sunshine on the bluff. T went to the pool and I caught up on my reading this afternoon. Chris set up the tent in the backyard and I think the girls are having some friends sleep over.

Tomorrow is Chris's company picnic; looking foward to it!

Pool Day

Just got back from a couple hours at the pool with KJ. Hadn't been to the pool in a while (last week or the week before??). It's crazy hot out and got a little cloudy at times. Right now it looks like it might rain. Anyway, the pool was very, very refreshing. Sometimes it gets as warm as bathwater but today it was quite cool.

KJ went to open gym last night at our church. She is signed up to play volleyball on their elementary school team this fall. She loved the clinic she did at the high school and seemed like she had a good time last night.

An update on a previous post of mine: right now my life is filled with a bunch of nosey-bodies. Yesterday, T went to the pool for a while and hung out w/ a friend she's known since kindergarten and he dropped her off at our house on his dirtbike (we live 10 houses from the pool; takes less than 60 seconds to get to our house from the pool). Sure enough, I was at the pool for 5 FREAKIN' minutes today when another mom asked me if T & this boy were dating. No. They're not. She then proceeded to tell me how they were "very flirty" with each other. They're 15 years old. They're not married or breaking any laws. Gimme a break lady. Go mind your own damn business and worry about your own kids.

Painted Sunday

Today we painted our bathroom vanity black and it looks spectacular!!! It really completed the master bath. I guess it's been 2 years this summer since we had all the tile work done, the new shower doors, etc. and the bathroom finally feels finished to me now.
Chris was totally against it but he gave it a chance and now he likes it, too. I bought drawer pulls/knobs that match our faucets and light fixtures perfectly. Since I had to empty to drawers to paint, I threw away a ton of stuff (ie., body lotion, make-up, etc.). Next up -- KJ's bathroom (if we can ever find our wallpaper stripper!).

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y (gotta sing it like the Bay City Rollers song!)

I am really looking foward to a relaxing, quiet Saturday night. I worked at the lax store today and had a nice day. Couple folks came in, chatted a bit, cleaned a bit, got some stuff in order. I probably need to spend more time up there than I do.

T-bone is in Nashville for a lacrosse camp at Vanderbilt. I drove her and a teammate up Thursday afternoon. Very nice, easy ride. We stopped on the way up in Franklin, TN. My friend Margaret's cousin has a quaint little shop right on the main street, "What's in Store," so we stopped in there. Lots of cute clothes and accessories! We also stopped at a gourmet cupcake shop and had huge, delicious cupcakes and ice cold glasses of milk. We checked into our hotel and headed downtown. We walked around for a bit and had dinner at the Hard Rock. When we got back to our room the girls hung out at the pool for a while and I chilled in the room. I was so exhausted and was under the covers by 10 PM. Friday AM we had breakfast and headed to campus. We had some time to spare before the 11:30 AM check-in so we walked around and snooped in the campus store. The campus is absolutely gorgeous. I got a great parking spot in front of the dorm and they let us check-in a little earlier than planned. T & Krissy were already chatting w/ some girls from Memphis when Ellie from Mt. Brook arrived. Got the girls situated in their dorm room and I was on the road by 12:15 PM. I made it back to B'ham in less than 3 hours (I arrived at my front door @ 3:07 PM).

T & Krissy are rooming together and Ellie is in the room right next door. T said Ellie's roommate is from England (but is currently living in the states -- MD? DC?? VA? something like that) and has a wonderful British accent. Check-in was from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Friday. By 12:30 PM they had to be dressed and ready to hit the field. I talked to T last night around 9 PM and she sounded like she had a great day. They played 2 scrimmages: she scored once in the first game, they had dinner and a little break and then she scored 2 goals in the second game after dinner. They were hanging out in their room last night and about to order a late night pizza. This morning they had to be at breakfast by 7:20 AM and today was triple sessions. I spoke to her after lunch and she thought the weather was going to cancel the afternoon session. When I spoke to her later in the afternoon she said it did rain a little bit but they played thru it.

In other, non-related news, T & her boyfriend broke up earlier this week. This, under any other circumstances is not exciting or even particularly newsworthy. However, in this little village we call home, this was the topic of the week at several local swimming pools. Let me just say there are some grown women out there who really need to get a life. I have actually rec'd 2 phone calls and a couple of e-mail messages asking about the big breakup. Seriously people. This is a couple of 15-year old, soon-to-be 10th graders. Do you not have anything better to do? The phone calls/e-mails where thinly veiled attempts at gossip. While the parties involved claimed to be concerned about T, it was a gossip-finding mission. Nothing more. Some women just never grow up. They were probably bitchy and nasty back in high school, too. I personally don't know; I didn't go to high school here. I can verify, however, that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. These mom's now have bitchy, nasty daughters of their own.

Vandy Camp

trying to get T-bone ready for lax camp this weekend. Tomorrow I am driving T-bone and a teammate of hers, Krissy, to Nashville for a 3-day lax camp at Vanderbilt University. Check-in is Friday AM. Since we're not "morning" people, it was just easier if we went up the night before. If getting her ready for a 3-day camp is this difficult, not sure what I'm going to do when it's time to send her off to college! I had to buy a set of extra-long twin sheets for the bed in the dorm room (we don't have a twin bed in this house) but Chris can take them with him to his camp at the U of Alabama in a few weeks. Since she'll be doing double-sessions we had to make sure she had enough shorts, socks, sports bras, etc. We've also had to pack a bath towel, a beach towel, pillow, blanket, ibuprofen, ankle brace, lax equipment, first aid kit, sunscreen, etc.

Chris has a rare "free" weekend coming up (and by that I mean "free" of lacrosse). No camps, no practices, no clinics, no tournaments. We have a few things in the house that need to get done. T is bugging us to paint her room and I'd still like to paint my bathroom vanity glossy black. We completely updated our bathroom 2 years ago (all new tile, new glass doors, new light fixtures, granite counter tops, new fixtures, etc.). We kept the original vanity but I've always wanted to update it taking it from that builder's grade color to a chic glossy black --- like something out of a magazine. I've bought the paint and I've bought all new knobs to go on the cabinet doors and drawers.

Last night I had a couple girlfriends over for drinks at the pool and had a wonderful time! I'm not the most outgoing person on the planet but I really do enjoy having a fun evening with good friends. I think that's my problem . . . I don't do well w/ "acquaintances." I'm the type of person who has a couple of really good friends. I also don't hide my emotions very well and if I don't like someone, they know it.

Today we ran some errands, met Chris for lunch and bought T a new phone @ AT&T. The old one kept turning off and wouldn't hold a charge. It was very quick and painless and she knew exactly which phone she wanted. Of course, the little one is bugging the CRAP out of us for a phone. She is not getting one until middle school, just like her sister. And, I'm not a big believer in "well, your sister was XXX age when she got her ears pierced/phone/went to her first concert, etc." I believe each kid is different. However, I firmly believe there is no reason on earth for a 4th grader to have a cell phone.

Check out Chris's blog when you have a chance. Today he's got a "guest" blogger, Mr. Cox from Mt. Brook. Mr. Cox has twin boys a year older than T-bone and both play on the BamaLax Elite team (these boys are crazy fast!). His one twin son, Walker, is playing for the Nashville team at the Addidas National Tournament. Trey Atkinson (Homewood), Trent Chrane (Spain Park) and Brendan Conway (Hoover) are all at the tournament as well. Two are playing for Team Atlanta and two are playing for Nashville (other than Walker, I don't know who is playing on what teams). http://www.bamalax.blogspot.com/ Trey has actually been on the road the last couple of days -- he drove to Charlotte for the Southern Sizzle tournament 4th of July weekend and from Charlotte he and his parents were driving to Pittsburgh to meet w/ a college lax coach (the college name escapes me). From there they were driving to Baltimore for the Addidas tourney and then I guess they'll head back home.

Gray, Dreary Monday

and I'm fighting a head cold. I don't mind the rain; the runny nose, the sore throat, the headache and the teary eye are really bothering me.

We spent the weekend in Charlotte, NC for a lax tournament. The boys didn't do so great but we still managed to have a good weekend. We stayed right in the middle of downtown and enjoyed walking around Charlotte Friday & Saturday nights. Taylor and Emma hung out w/ a bunch of the players and went bowling and spent a lot of time at the pool. We also saw some of our former neighbors who moved to Charlotte 4 years ago. We have mutual friends, the Smiths, and Kory & Nat came to watch Haden play.

Saturday night Chris & KJ saw the fireworks from a rooftop downtown with players and parents. I was starting to not feel so great so I actually watched the fireworks from the window of our 15th floor hotel room.

On our way home from Charlotte we stopped at a PF Changs and met Chris's brother Joe, his wife Laurie and their daughter Paige for a great lunch.

Not much going on this week; having a Mom's Night Out at the pool tomorrow night. Thursday I'll head up to Nashville to take T to lax camp @ Vanderbilt.

Regarding Sarah Palin: WTF??? Unfortunately, I think she's coming across as unstable and psycho.