strange things afoot

Don't know what happened to the layout of my blog. The header is still there but now I've got some weird messsage box about photobucket following me around.


Tbone and Coach went car shopping this morning before she had lax practice. They looked at a 4-door Lexus but honestly, I don't think she wants it. I think she wants something a little zippy, a little sporty. I think she wants to take her time and buy the car that's right for her; not just take the first car she looks at.


T is all registered for junior year of high school (gasp!). Registration was Tuesday and went fairly smoothly. I had paid for everything online so I just assumed she was automatically registered. I had totally forgotten about all the emergency contact forms, etc. and had to sit in a cramped computer room for a couple of minutes with all the other parents who didn't know what they were doing. After that, it was smooth sailing. Although I hate the forms and the large check we have to write for registration, it's always fun seeing good friends and catching up. After registration we went to the bank and opened T a checking account and met Champ for lunch.


T has had such a crazy, busy week. This week was the first week of band camp (please, no American Pie references). The Bnettes have to be there to learn their positon on the football field. It's kind of been like having double sessions -- she's had to be there from 1 to 4 PM and then again from 6 to 9 PM. I think next week is 8 AM to noon and 6 to 9 PM. The girls have gone out to lunch a lot, last night after practice they all went to Dippin Dots and one night she went to dinner w/ her dance team instructor. They all came up to the hotel earlier in the week to have their team and indvidual photos retaken. The photos were originally taken on the football field and the background wasn't the greatest. T's original photo was quite good and I did purchase it. Not sure how this batch of photos is going to turn out. It was hot as hell and the girls were positively melting.


KJ rec'd her teacher letter in the mail yesterday and we are SO psyched! We are extremely pleased with her 5th grade teacher! T had the same teacher and she was WONDERFUL. She really prepared the kids for middle school. We've know her for a number of years now. She goes to the same church, her son was one of the first boys to play lax and her daughter is a beautiful young woman who has always been exceptionallly kind and sweet to my girls. I really think KJ is going to have an OUTSTANDING year!
KJ's had her best little buddy over for most of the weekend. They're so good; hardly know they're here. Very low key. T took them to the pool earlier today and Cosmo took them again a few minutes ago. T said the pool water is so hot it's like taking a bath. Not refreshing at all.

The Garden State

Daughter #2 is totally obsessed with all things New Jersey. It's hysterical. She's been watching shows like Jerseylicious, Jersey Shore, Jersey Couture and Real Housewives of New Jersey. And then, while we're watching the show she asks a bunch of questions. So here goes:

Yes KJ. I have been to the Brownstone. My maid of honor, Barbara's bridal shower was there and yes, it's beautiful.

Yes, KJ. I've spent many, many a summer at Seaside Heights. Some summers I don't even remember (those were the best ones).

No honey. I've never met Bon Jovi but dad & I took Uncle Stephen and Aunt Lisa to one of his concerts at the Meadowlands in the early 90's. And dad & Uncle Stephen stood at the urinal with Paul Stanley from Kiss right before he joined Mr. Bon Jovi on stage.

Yes, I've been to Freehold, NJ. Uncle Zip lived near there and yes, we had 6 Flags up North except we called it Great Adventure.

Yes, sweetheart. I have been to the Paramus Mall.

Africa

Not gonna lie. It's been pretty hot out there this week. As KJ would say, "it's Africa hot." As Champ would say, "that's what we get for moving to the surface of the sun."

This afternoon was the first session of the National 7x7 football tournament at the high school. The Bnettes worked the concessions and they all looked so cute in their orange tops and black shorts. Tbone wore a black Nike ball camp to complete her ensemble. They sold tons of powerades, waters and sodas. Chik-fil-a sandwiches, not so much. The girls had fun oogling all the players and got oggled plenty in return. Champ helped out last night w/ a bunch of other dads getting the concession trailers/stands stocked. It always amazes me how many volunteers it takes to pull off an event like this. And, it's usually the same ol' folks. There's always that core group of people you can always count on.


My buddy stopped by the other night for a few. I hadn't seen her in a while but we always have so much fun laughing, gossiping, catching up on kids and hubby's. Her kids are a bit younger than mine and is always shocked and amazed by the mama drama that goes on at her pool (one mom texting another to see who else is there, talking about who's dating who/who's broken up with who, etc. She said one GROWN WOMAN had the balls to text her friend (ANOTHER GROWN WOMAN), and ask if a certain high school boy was there (supposedly her daughter wanted to know). Seriously?? This is the kind of crap I put up with last year w/ that group of women). What are you in High School again?

Jolie and Juliette with a dash of Salt

Flipping channels tonight while I was trying to unwind and I came across a rerun of "My Name is Earl." I didn't catch the whole thing but Juliette Lewis guest stars as a mild-mannered secretary who has some type of run-in w/ Joy. She trains to become a bounty hunter and has Joy running scared. Got me thinking. She's a really funny, under-rated actress. She's kind of like the female Johnny Depp. She plays some really quirky characters and I think my favorite is the Griswold daughter in Christmas Vacation (a family favorite!).


While watching the Earl re-run, a commercial for Angelina Jolie's new movie, "Salt," aired. Got me thinking. For someone who is such a humanitarian (Good Will? United Nations??), why are all her movies SO violent???


Then I REALLY got to thinking!!! What (or Who) is the one thing that Angelina Jolie and Juliette Lewis have in common???? See photos below for answer!

Minus a couple of kids

It's been a quiet but very busy week without the girls. We've talked/texted every day (several times a day) and they are having a really good time! They were both really looking forward to being with family. I know both of them are anxious to get back North permanently and be surround by loved ones.

We spent last Saturday in Atlanta (lunch at the Varsity, the day at the Aquarium and dinner at Hard Rock) and spent the night at the airport Marriott because the girls had such an early flight out of ATL to Harrisburg. Checking the girls in as "unaccompanied minors" took a little bit longer than we anticipated (not the mention the $200 fee plus $25 per checked baggage). So, day of the flight we spent an unexpected $250 on Delta. For that price, Cosmo could have just flown up w/ the girls, drove to New York and spent some time visiting his mom or something. The girls flight wasn't supposed to leave until 8:20-ish. We took our time getting to the gate and had some breakfast. We got to the gate a few minutes before 8 AM and I approached the counter to let them know we had two "unaccompanied minors" (I really love saying that!) on this flight. I barely got two words out and the agent said, "I know! We've been paging you!" We barely had time to kiss the girls goodbye before the flight attendant walked them down the tunnel and on to the plane (which was probably a good thing so KJ didn't have time to get worried or anything). Cosmo and I headed home from ATL and the girls flight was SO early that they actually arrived in PA a good half hour before we got home to BHM! Crazy!

Monday my brother took the day off from work and checked T into PSU lax camp. Part of their afternoon session was rained out and her roomie hadn't shown up yet. She was really looking forward to meeting her roommate and was a little bummed. But, typical Tbone behavior, she made a bunch of friends by dinner the first night. Her roomie finally showed up some time on Tuesday and was from NJ. T also met a lot of girls from NY and discovered that a couple of them had actually been born in the same hospital as her!

Meanwhile, KJ was enjoying the country life in PA. My cousin Jessica took her horseback riding in the morning, they had lunch, swam a bit and took the horses out again in the afternoon. She's been 4-wheeling a lot, too. I think they had a small bonfire one night (KJ said, "no s'mores; just marshmallows'). Tuesday and Wednesday KJ got to spend time w/ my niece- and nephew-who-shall-not be named and Wednesday Tbone came home from camp. She was awarded "The Sponge" award because the counselors said she "was BY FAR the most enthusiastic, had travelled the farthest and did everything the coaches told her."

Thursday they swam at my mom & dad's friends pool for several hours. I didn't realize it was a a salt-water pool and neither of the girls seemed to like it much. Friday my mom & dad took the girls and my nephew-wh0-shall-not-be-named to Hershey and it sounds like they had a blast! Today my brother and the kids spent the day at my mom's and they had a big bonfire again tonight and have been 4-wheeling all over my folks property and out at my uncle's camp.

Cosmo & I have been "honey-mooning" and have had a good time this week. We've gone out to dinner a couple of times and one night I got a pedi and one night I shopped and bought 3 dresses for work. Last night I had dinner w/ a friend while Champ had men's lax practice. We've known each other since she moved here 7 or 8 years ago and I really enjoy her company. We had such a nice visit and I really need to do that more often!

So tomorrow the girls come home and I'm sure the house will be back to normal in no time (whatever "normal" is).

Sweet 16 and Stuff

I am now the proud parent of a beautiful 16 year old daughter. I can not believe it. I swear it feels like yesterday Cosmo & I found out we were pregnant. T's dinner party was a huge success (I don't have too many photos to post just yet....my laptop isn't charging up correctly and I saved all my photos on it right before it died). The food was wonderful and the decor was amazing if I do say so myself (black & white damask w/ green apple accents and tons and tons of candles)! A couple of T's sweet friends asked if I would decorate their next b-day parties and our neighbor Molly was totally blown away. She said, "Mrs. V, I was expecting some balloons and a happy birthday banner. Not this!" T said the best part of the whole night was having all of her friends -- her dance team friends, her neighborhood friends, her lacrosse friends, her dance studio friends -- get to know each other better. They had such a good time, they all went out afterwards!

T turned 16 last Thursday and Friday morning her dad took her to get her license. After she passed the test she dropped him off at his office and took the car for the day. She picked up KJ and Devon for lunch and went to the pool for a bit before bringing Cosmo home and basically, we've barely seen her since then.