The Chaperone

Tuesday I chaperoned Kylee's band field trip to Bob-o's, which is just a small amusement parks with go-carts,

bumper boats, tea cups,

mini golf, and an arcade. Kylee actually asked me to go and wanted me to go. She even sat with me on the bus!

She's always telling me when there are really bad words in a movie and I want to turn it off that she has heard it all before. I was sure she had heard some, you know, like the words she hears her dad and I say. But the really bad words, I was sure she didn't hear often. Boy, was I wrong. I learned a lot about middle-schoolers in the 21st century! Their mouths are foul! Not all of them, mind you. But some really blew my skirt up, as Nin Nin would say.

As I was actually chaperoning and helping Mrs. Lopez, her band director, watch 140 middle schoolers, I wasn't with her the whole time. It was nice, though, that she had no problem when I was around. I had a great time with my girl and hope I'll be invited back.

Boys Weekend

I don't know much about the boys' trip to Ruidoso. Here's what I do know:

** Elijah and his parents traveled with Blaine and Joey.

** They all stayed at Pops' and Dawn's house.

** The boys LOVED the hummer.

** Elijah almost killed them on the hummer, but I have no details.

** They had a blast hanging out with each other and the other boys on the team.

** After the games one day, everybody came back to the house to celebrate Carlo's birthday.

** The boys gallivanted in the woods around the house, resulting in many, many cuts and bruises to bare legs.

** They all want to go back and stay and Pops' and Dawn's house in Ruidoso when they don't have to go to town and play baseball.

That's all I know. I'm pretty sure that's all a mom is supposed to know about a boys' weekend, too, even though some of the other moms got to go.

High Tech Mom Mom

Mom Mom has gone high tech. She got a Flip video camera, and she videoed all the times Kylee was in the recital. Then she put them all together and made one video. I'm so impressed!!

The video is a little hard to see because the lights behind the girls on stage made it nearly impossible to get a good video. Maybe they did that on purpose. Anyway, here is Mom Mom's video, with some notes below it from me to show you where Kylee is.

0:43 third from right

0:53 second from right

2:15 far right

2:24 far left

3:26 third from left

4:48 second from left

5:03 far left

5:27 second from left

5:39 solo

6:08 front and center

6:50 fourth from right

8:02 in back

8:30 fifth from right

9:41 solo

10:19 far right

11:48 far left

12:03 far right

12:11 third from right

12:42 second from right in front, technically fourth from right

14:11 far right

14:23 top right

14:21 firth from right

14:40 front lifter

14:46 third from right

16:10 third from left

Thanks, Mom Mom!!

Remington

While Kylee and I were laying around Saturday, I noticed Remington seemed a little off. I just wasn't quite sure if he was just being lazy with us or if there was something wrong. Sunday morning, I knew for sure something was wrong. He was lethargic and lifeless. He wouldn't get up and move around. He wouldn't even turn his eyes at us when we called his name.

There wasn't a whole lot I could do. It was a Sunday, on Memorial Day weekend. I text Joey in Ruidoso and told him something was up. I asked him if we could call Wiley, his friend, the vet. He said he would check on him when he got home.

When we got home from the dance recital, Remington was the same. Lethargic. Lifeless. I was scared. I kept it together for the kids, but on the inside, I was freaking out. Joey said it was too late to call Wiley. About 11 p.m., I told him we had to take him to the doggie ER. I was terrified. Blaine had had a long weekend and was tired and moody, almost lifeless himself. Joey, Kylee, and Katelyn loaded him up and took him to the ER.

He has double ear infections. They gave him ear drops and some pain meds. Monday morning, though, he was still lifeless, and I was still scared. Joey called Wiley, and Wiley said he was probably in a lot of pain, and the pain meds would put him in la la land, too. I wasn't convinced. He was that way before pain meds. Joey seemed convinced he was fine.

I didn't go or do anything Memorial Day, mostly because I was scared our puppy was dying. That night, I started texting Dawn to see what she thought. As soon as I did, Joey got him up, fed him, doctored him, and took him outside. He was walking around, wagging his tail, and had a wet nose.

I started bawling. Weird, right? I had held it together and been so good, and now he seemed to be improving, and I was a mess.

Today, he is continuing to improve. When we got home from Kylee's field trip, he actually came to greet us. He's still moving like an old man. I'm not sure if it's because his head hurts from the ear infections or if it's the medicine making him loopy, but I am so happy and relieved. I just hope that's it, that he continues to get better and it's not something else. I guess I'm still a little scared. He's not 100%, but he's 100% better than he was!

Another Year, Another Recital

This was our tenth. Ten years, Kylee McK has been dancing in the Champion Studio recital. Joey and I went to watch her the first time right before we were even married, when she still called him 'Ho-wee'. Back when she was doing just one dance, and we sat through an almost three-hour recital to see her dance for two minutes. Now, she's in several classes and dances several times. This year she danced in seven.

Friday night, while the boys headed to Ruidoso for a baseball tournament, I took her to Magoffin auditorium for her first dress rehearsal. We stopped at Subway to feed her before we went to feed her. As I was looking at her, I realized if she can already do her makeup like this...

...we are in big trouble!

She was at that dress rehearsal from 6:30 until 10 PM. I always worry about her being so tired and worn out that she can't function. When she came out at 10, she looked just as beautiful as she did at 6.

Then she had to be back at Magoffin at 8 a.m. Saturday morning until 2 p.m. Again, she came out just fine, but when we got home, she crashed, make up and all.

(Sorry for the picture quality. It's cropped a lot, as to not embarrass my daughter.)

Since the boys were gone, we just laid around, ate, and rented movies the rest of the day. Then Sunday, she made herself up

we picked up Katelyn to go with us to the recital, and had her back at Magoffin for the actual recital.

All of the grandparents came, and the boys were back for the recital, too. She danced every other dance, then had a longer break, then danced some more. You are not supposed to take pictures or video during the recital, never have been supposed to in all the ten years. But I noticed several people videoing...more than several, a LOT! So when she came out to do a little bit of her solo, I pulled out my camera. Then I caught a little bit of her School's Out For Summer dance before getting the guilties and putting my camera away. Not only did I have a case of the guilties, I just realized it's so much better NOT to be behind the camera and just sit back and watch. Right after I put the camera away, the chair Kylee was dancing with caught a seam on the stage and collapsed. And so did my dancer. The whole audience (and it's not a small one) gasped! One of the moms sitting in front of me even turned around and said, "Oh, my! Do you think she's okay?" Ever the performer, destined for Julliard for sure, my girl was still dancing...and smiling. Just when you think they can't make you prouder, they do! She had another dance after this one, with just one other act before it. She came back out, smiling and dancing her heart out. I was sure she was okay.

She performed the finale with all the other dancers, smiling, waving, and taking bows.

When I got to the stage where she was waiting for me, she looked so good.

I took this picture and then said, "Oh, Bug, you did so good!! But you scared me." She started bawling! I wasn't sure if she was hurt or mortified or both, but (how many times will I say this) I was so proud. I realized then, she had pulled it together for the sake of her performance. You probably know if you know my girl or have read my blog, she doesn't pull herself together all that well. But for dance, she does. And for dance, she did. I almost started crying, too. Instead, I pulled my mom voice out and said, "Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She said her knee was really bothering her. But, once again in the same night, she pulled it together so I could get pictures of her with her dance teachers.

As I said, the grandparents were there and I wanted pictures of the four of us, but as we headed out of the auditorium, the more co-dancers that spoke to her, she lost it a little more. I just couldn't get myself to make her to pull it together yet again for pictures. We have pictures of her. We have pictures with her. And as much as I wanted some on that night, she had already pulled herself together for her dance team, for her dance teachers, and for her performance. I couldn't make her do it again. I always make her do it. I'm always saying, "Suck it up. Pull yourself together. Kylee, please." I couldn't do it to her after she had sucked it up and pulled it together so well on this night. So I didn't get family pictures. She actually wanted this picture of her and Katelyn,

but even in it, you can see the tears.

When we get the dvd and pictures, there will be so much more to see, as always. Then the focus will not be on the slip, on the tears. That was about half a second out of a whole weekend of great moments, great dances, great smiles, and an amazing dancer. My dancer. Until next year...

Creative Copycat

I am not creative. I didn't get that gene, just like I didn't get the fashion gene. It's not in me. In fact, I think Randa Kay got ALL the stylish genes. *badwordinsertedhere*

Anyway, I can't think creatively, but you give me an idea, and I can execute. Yessirree! And that's why Pinterest is my new best friend. They have all the ideas, and I copy them. Sometimes I even take credit for them and don't tell I'm just a copycat.

At school year end, I always need an idea for teachers' gifts. I think having a mother for a teacher fuels the need to give to them. I know how hard they work. I know the hours they put in that aren't at school. And I know what they are paid. May came around, and to Pinterest I spent some time. There were so many ideas to choose from that I knew I could pull off, so I let the kiddos narrow them down. Both of Blaine's teachers and two of Kylee's academic teachers got flowers in a vase I made.

Y'all don't even know how proud of myself I am for this. I'm not bragging. After all, it wasn't even my idea, but oh em gee, how cool are these?!? And I made four of them for less that 25 bucks!

Kylee wanted something different for her theater arts teacher and her band director, so she picked these.

They are filled with Skittles, and for the 'juices', I put Bahama Bucks gift cards in them. After I did those two, I decided to go back and get three more for her dance teachers to receive at her recital this weekend.

I have no shame in being a copycat. Thanks, Pinterest!! My kids' teachers thank you, too!

Red Carpet Event

Yesterday, my offspring, my son walked the red carpet.

Sierra Vista Elementary had a red carpet awards. This is not to be confused with the every year classroom awards. This was invitation only! While all the second students attended, only the parents of those getting a red carpet award were invited.

And though the invitation is only for two (sorry, grandparents), student siblings could come as well.

Oh, what was his award for, you ask? Drumroll, please......

A HONOR ROLL FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR!!!!

That's right, folks. Blaine Caleb Onick receives the award for having nothing but A's for the entire second grade. Oh, you wanna see his red carpet walk? You got it!

And pictures? Of course!

I can already tell the 'red carpet' events in my life will come from my kiddos, and I wouldn't have it any.other.way!!!

To The Dentist

Tuesday, I took the kids to the dentist for their cleanings. Blaine was so excited because he's a weirdo. Kylee wasn't necessarily excited; she was just nonchalant because she's a teenager.

They did both kids at the same time. They were in rooms right next to each other. Kylee told me she didn't want me to go in her room. Blaine said, "Oh, good, Mom. You can just stay with me." But I did get a picture of Kylee before I headed next door. Then I went back to check on her, of course, because I'm the mom. When I went back the second time, she had on safety glasses and there was stuff all over her face. She got the power wash because of her braces.

Blaine just enjoyed 'Mr. Thirsty', the instrument that sucked the water out of his mouth. She let him hold it, so he kept asking when he was going to get some water so he could use Mr. Thirsty.

After the cleanings, we moved on to x-rays, while I was still running back and forth between rooms. Finally, they said, How about this, Mom, and opened the doors that separated the rooms.

Hey, why didn't we do this earlier!?

Kylee did great with her x-rays.

Poor Blaine inherited my gag reflexes and could not keep that little bite-down plate in his mouth. After several attempts, they had to try something different and finally got his x-rays.

Kylee's teeth are all healthy. Blaine's, not so much. He has a cavity that started between two teeth and has eroded a lot of one and part of the other. The dentist said he could fill the cavities, but on the one tooth, the filling wouldn't last the life of the tooth. He could crown it, and that would last the life of the tooth. He said he could do it all there in his office, but he was afraid without some kind of sedation, it would traumatize him. In order to get sedation, we have to take him to a pediatric specialist. But he said he really thought that was the way to go because he wouldn't feel anything, and the pain afterwards would be minimal.

At this point, Blaine's excitement is gone, and he is FREAKING OUT upset and crying. I agreed that I wanted him to have sedation, so we are scheduled for June 5th. We could use your prayers.

Blaine was showing his Daddy later which tooth he was going to get his 'king' (crown) on, and actually seems excited about it. I'm sure that will change when he's in the chair. I'll update later.

Onick-Created Longhorn

Kylee had to be a longhorn in a play for theater arts they were putting on for kindergartners through 1st graders. We looked and looked and looked for some longhorns and a tail or something for her to wear. We found nothing. Well, we found a longhorn costume, like Bevo, for a cost of $1,500. Ummm...no. So we had to get creative. I had an idea to make some longhorns and attach them to a headband. Her daddy had an idea for a tail. Sunday afternoon, at the last possible minute (the play was Monday), we got busy.

We Her daddy made the horns.

And his idea for the tail.

She also took a white t-shirt and painted brown spots on it. I didn't take a picture of that because I was going to get a picture of the whole costume together. Since she didn't assemble it all and model it for us, I asked her to get somebody to take a picture of her with her phone at the play. Of course, she forgot. I told her when she got home to put the whole costume on so I could get a picture, but one of the horns got broken on the way home in her backpack, so she didn't want to. So, once again from my teenager daughter, I give you what I've got.

She's Got Talent

Kylee decided this was the year she was going to try out for the talent show. I guess after doing her solo on this stage, the gym floor at school wasn't so daunting. The day of talent show tryouts, though, she had the dreaded stomach bug and missed auditions. She was bummed, but not devastated.

At dance later that week, Miss Eva, her dance instructor, decided Kylee was too good to miss the talent show. She called the school, talked to Mr. Acuna, the school counselor who put the talent show together, and Kylee was in. But she didn't want us to go. Whaa...??? I didn't want to make her more nervous or be that mom, though, so I didn't go. Jillian, her bff, promised to video it for me. The video is...well, a video by a 7th grader, I guess, but a little better than nothing My favorite part are the screams at the end. I wish Jill had let it record just a bit longer. She did let me take her picture when she got home.

I take what I can get from my teenager daughter.

My Own Tuff on Buck Buckerson

Blaine has been begging to go swimming. We keep telling him it's just too cold. Yesterday afternoon, he played in the sprinkler for a while and was convinced it was NOT too cold. He just doesn't realize he's not immersing himself in the water. To shut him up pacify him, I told him I would take him swimming at Dad Dad and Mom Mom's tomorrow (today).

After he and his Daddy went to the softball game today, we met for lunch. He kept going on and on about going swimming. Kylee had a little project (to be blogged about soon) to work on, so Joey said he would help her and I could take Blaine. So off we went.

He stuck his feet in, told me it was cold, but not that cold, and he had heard if you jump in, it's not as cold. He jumped.

It knocked the breath out of him, I could totally tell, but he was not about to admit it. Every little pool toy he got out excited him like he'd never seen it before. He got out the noodle...and giggled like a girl. He got out the raft...and giggled like a girl. He got out the underwater torpedo...and giggled like a girl. Then he said, "I'm getting back in!! But I need a little break."

It had been ten minutes! I'm convinced, though that he did need a break, from his chattering teeth.

To my surprise, he actually did get back in. I was reading my book and looked up to see this.

This raft is no longer a raft. It is his bull, Buck Buckerson. It totally cracked me up! I could not quit laughing. I had to get a video of him telling me the details. This isn't even half of the stuff he told me, but it was so funny, I got a clip.

Oh, to be eight again!

We Heart Birthdays...and Her!!!

especially her!!

Another End...or Not?

Kylee's band had their awards ceremony in class yesterday, without the parents. For the second year in a row, my girl got the Spirit Award. In sixth grade she said she was not doing band. She did. In seventh grade, she said she was not doing band. She did. For eighth grade, she says she is not doing band. We shall see. They are forming a dance team for her middle school this year, and if it comes to fruition, I really think this may be her last year of band. If it doesn't, I bet she does band again. So this may be the end...or not.

Mother's Day Finale

Sunday afternoon, we went to give Nana her Mother's Day gift.

After we ate Papa's yummy fajitas (which we are still waiting for him to write the recipe down somewhere), we went to play family baseball.

When we got back to the house, Kylee made a movie trailer of Papa and Nana's love. SO funny!

Now it's over. No more Mother's Day, no more Mother's Day celebrations. Until next year...