project #1

Kyra's first project of middle school is due tomorrow. I found out about it on Tuesday and we had to go shopping for supplies that night. She started on it on Wednesday and finished it this evening. In Language Arts they had to create a 3-D item that expressed their strengths. She answered a questionaire in class that indicated she is number smart and body smart (athletics). So her 3-D object illustrated these qualities. 22 is her favorite number and it's related to sports so it fits both categories. It became her favorite number a few years ago when we went to a high school basketball game and she thought #22 was an amazing player. So last year, when she could chose her basketball uniform number, she chose 22.

She incorporated her favorite sports (horseback riding, basketball, swimming, and tennis). She added sheets that have multiplication facts on the first 2 (hard to tell from this photo angle). She's actually weak in multiplication tables so she put the ones on there that were her weakest to help her study/remember. She has pictures of her at age 5 or 6 on her favorite horse, of her in a tennis pose, and of her and her current BFF, Bryn. (Thanks Lisa for photographing them!) She used modeling clay to make a horse and a diving block. We later added flags on the toothpicks over the pool near the diving block (1). [She burned her finger on the hot glue gun so I had to do this later.]  She filled the pool with clear elmer's glue and it looks like water. She chose orange and blue to paint the 22 since they are school colors. And she added green dots to the base since green is her favorite color. I think she did an excellent job! There is significance in every aspect.

100

Kyra told me this evening that she received her first grade since she started middle school. She walked into the kitchen with a slip of paper in her hand. She said it was for the letter she had to write in Language Arts. I had proof-read that homework assignment so I suspected it was good news. However, she's a decent actress, put on her pouty face and made me promise to not get mad... Uh oh... How could she have not made a great grade on that grammatically correct letter on the topic specified? Was she supposed to write more? Were they being graded on a higher level of writing? A million questions popped into my head as she backed out of the kitchen. I promised I wouldn't get mad... We would learn from her mistakes... The little stinker handed me the grading slip:  100%. Woohoo! Of course I'm not mad; I'm very proud!!! Way to go, Kyra!!!

llama? emu? horse?

Is that a llama or an emu or a horse walking down the sidewalk of a busy street in Atlanta? Weird... I worked late today since Kyra is with her dad tonight. I wondered why traffic was so bad at almost 8 p.m. And then I saw the sights... A llama/emu/horse was walking down the sidewalk and into the street in the Decatur area. And it had an entourage of people following it. The photo isn't the greatest, but it's the best I could do; the animal is walking into the wooded area on the left. Crazy!

kitten update

This is a kitten update since they looked so cute cuddling together. Daisy (white) and Diesel are so much fun. And Riley is enjoying shredding their bed (see torn edges on left). Tasha likes to chase them and Tiger still hisses at everyone. Kyra's demoted Tiger to pet #6. Kyra's order system used to be based on longest time as a family member, but has now been adjusted to:

1. Tasha (oldest dog: siberian husky mix)
2. Riley (youngest dog: golden retriever)
3. Daisy (white kitten pictured)
4. Diesel (grey/black kitten pictured)
5. Bam Bam (betta fish), and
6. Tiger (oldest cat/oldest pet/meanest pet).

Colleen & Kyra's cooking show

Colleen came over this afternoon for another filming of Colleen & Kyra's Cooking Show. I created a separate blog to upload video's but I can't get the videos to upload. I'm guessing it's because of the file size. If you know how to reduce the file size on a video, please let me know. The video quality isn't the greatest, but the girls are hilarious!

First day of Middle School

Today was the first day of Middle School. She was so nervous. And I think she may have been even more embarrassed that I was taking pictures of her getting on the school bus. She is starting middle school, after all, not in kindergarten!

And on that topic... the middle school bus comes 45 minutes after the elementary school bus. As we were eating breakfast, she looked out the window and announced that she's been "replaced" on the elementary school bus. Our next door neighbor's oldest son is apparently starting kindergarten this year. Awww... how sweet!

13 was almost my unlucky number... Run Streak Day #13, that is... It was a busy day trying to get ready for the first day of Middle School (for Kyra) tomorrow. While I was on the computer looking up the school supply list, she decided that I needed lotion on my feet... Then she had fun playing and wrote "I am crazy" on my calf. She grabbed my iPhone and snapped this photo. I suspected something was up, but she let me walk around for a while before telling me I should rub the lotion in before we left to go shopping... Thanks honey!

Too much to do and not enough hours in the day. Mid-afternoon Kyra said, "We don't live in Lawrenceville, Snellville or Loganville. We live in STRESSVILLE!" And I couldn't agree more. She's stressing over the first day of middle school, and I'm stressing over how to get a zillion things accomplished before bedtime. Something had to give... We mutually agreed to skip the swim team party and I came to the decision at dinner time, that my run streak would come to a temporary end.

Exhausted, I fell asleep at 10 p.m. But woke up an hour later, stressed and not able to go back to sleep. I decided to get up and run on the treadmill in the basement (while girlie slept peacefully upstairs) to keep the streak alive for one more day and hopefully bring my stress level back down. Mission accomplished. Now time to climb back in bed for a few hours... night night

stop to smell the honeysuckle

I'm getting bored with my regular running routes, so this morning I headed out in the opposite direction than I normally do. I went places that I haven't been in years. Walked when I felt like I needed. Even stopped to smell the honeysuckle. Change is good.
Afterwards, I showered and went to Becca's house. The parents were invited to join them for a cook-out at noon. I enjoyed meeting new people, chatting with an old aquaintance, and being in a totally different environment. I was impressed with how they were coping with the different challenges each family was going through. I felt totally welcomed into this environment and completely at ease. Kyra had a blast playing with her friends; I think she only spoke to me 3 times.... which is a good sign!

She broke down in anger when I wouldn't allow her to invite Becca to go home with us. I know this came from exhaustion. I promised that we would invite Becca over on another weekend (she still had guests). Neither Kyra nor Becca were happy with this, but I held firm and eventually walked away. I'm not going to allow her to continue to argue with me about this. I know she's exhausted, so I don't hold the argument against her, but peacefully step back.

We eventually left, after saying many thanks and planning to get together again soon. Kyra sulked and was quiet most of the drive home. But thankfully, after dinner, she perked back up. I'm so grateful for new friends and experiences!

kitties love granny

Daisy and Diesel are just too cute cuddled in my Granny's rocking chair!

Yesterday was Open House at Kyra's middle school. Traffic was horrible and I had to park on the road about a quarter-mile from the school. I wish I had worn my hiking boots instead of sandals. Once inside, it was chaos. We met her homeroom teacher, she picked a locker, and we caught up with old friends. Afterwards, we ate at our favorite Chinese restaurant (Mah Jong) and our fortune cookies had our favorite numbers! Then we bought as many school supplies as we could find. Next was the AT&T store... Kyra killed her phone a week or so ago by placing it near the snow-cone machine, which dripped water onto her phone from the melting ice. So, since our contracts are nearing expiration, I ordered a new iPhone 4 and bought her a new phone as well.

This afternoon I took her to Becca's house. Becca has an annual end-of-summer party and she invited Kyra this year. They've been friends at Day Care for years and have grown closer this year. Becca is 5 days older than Kyra. After dropping her off, I went grocery shopping and then came home. We exchanged a few text messages and I enjoyed reading Becca's mom's posts on Facebook about the non-sleep-over party antics. So glad she's having fun!

purple streak

July was a less than stellar training month for me. My foot hurt and I lacked motivation. I came up with excuse after excuse after excuse to not run. And then I got tired of my excuses... mad at myself... totally fired up... and then decided to start a "streak". A running streak, that is. I think consistency is a must for me right now. I decided to start on Tuesday, 7/27. I didn't set any distance goals for this week other than to run at least one mile a day, and a long run of 12 miles on Sunday. (I've got to get my butt in gear since the Chicago marathon is only 10 weeks away.) I also planned to take the pups to run a mile each, every other day, and let them set the pace. They are soooo out of shape! I didn't tell anyone my intention of this running streak for fear of failing on yet another lofty goal. I kept the secret to myself until I reached 4 days of running in a row... the longest streak I think I've ever done. woo hoo! I can do this! But my plantar fascia wasn't too happy on day 4. I iced it off and on all that day. The next day, the plantar fasciitis pain was gone. Could it be possible that this streak is actually helping my PF? And today is day 6, no PF pain and goals accomplished for the week. 1-2 miles each day, starting on Tuesday, and 12 miles today for a total of 20.89 miles for the week.


So to celebrate this crazy new running streak, I opted for a wild purple streak of color in my hair. I totally love it! Hmmm... wonder what my boss is going to say... will he notice?