More Personal Grad pic's

Me, Angie and Curt



Angie and my Mom



My Sister In LaW, Erica, Curt, Angie and my father in law.



Angie and her Grandparents

Tomorrow Angie and her "crew"

Long awaited graduation Pic's Part I

What a surprise - she talked the whole way in!


Since they were arranged, Senior class officers, then Valedictorian and Salutatorian, then National Honor Society, then the graduating class alphabetically, Angie was front left corner which made it easy for her to find.


While it is a B**ch getting up to her school's field sometimes, it is very cool as it is the highest point around (thus the word Hills in her school's name) and feels like the top of the world sometimes.




Her BFF Melissa was the Salutatorian.

After the ceremony pic's tomorrow.

Prom Pics? You think Angie gave me them already?

I'm still waiting for Ecuador pictures!  But here are three pic's I took with my phone. ( Most of her school shows up at the Lake clubhouse - and those not going show up to see the dresses etc, and even recent grads from the last few years as well - like 50o kids and a bunch of parents - and one cop)  

Your Home is Lively

Whether you live by yourself or with many other people, your home is always buzzing with activity. You are likely to have water boiling for tea or a fire burning in the fireplace. You live in every area of your home, and you really savor your time there. You could never feel at home in an empty or quiet house. A home should be enjoyed to the fullest.

The Homebody Test

Blogthings: Cheaper Than a Therapist

       

Angie's 1st meet!

With all the Christmas going on this week, I neglected to tell you about Angie's first fencing meet.  Both the girl's and the boys lost, but against a team that practices all year around.  Angie gained a lot of respect and fans from the parents on both sides.  She had been frustrated in past year's by captains unwilling to make substitutions once the team won or lost.  Since there are 27 bouts in a meet, 14 wins.  She had always felt that once either team hit 14, the starters should be subbed out so other fencers can get some experience.  Some schools have teams that are comprised of fencers that pretty much all take outside lessons and compete in outside tournaments.  Her school that is only about 30%, so the experience is especially important.  Other captains have kept themselves in, or been swayed by fencers who were 0-2 and wanted a shot at one win.  Angie subbed out herself and the C-strip fencer for 2 freshmen, for both their first night with electric.  One of them won, the other lost 4-5  - but started her bout losing 0-4.  So they both are showing serious potential.  

Angie went 2-0 winning both her  bouts.  Her second bout she won 5-0 in a total of 8 seconds.  Here is a picture of her after her first point in one second.

Winter Semi Formal

Last night was Angie's Winter Semi Formal.  I managed to glean some pictures from her.   Apparently the boys had some issues (with not listening earlier) and they weren't being let in without ties on.  There were a lot of phone calls to boys who hadn't left home yet.  Angie overheard one boy said " just bring 5 or 6 ties with you"  So there were a lot of boys with ties that didn't match!


Don't know how this became a good pose?

Powderpuff

The BIG Powderpuff Game between the Juniors and Seniors was held today at the High School.  Last year, the juniors pulled off a huge upset and beat the seniors (first time since the game has been played) So this year there was a lot of pressure on them as seniors to win.  Angie was pretty confident after 2 weeks of practice.



Seniors are wearing red, juniors are in white.



Angie was 18 on offense.  Here watching the defense.



Ugly cheerleaders









 In the end, the seniors won 20 - 0.  Go class of 2010!!

Angie's Halloween costume

Angie and groups of her friends usually coordinate their costumes on Halloween. This year a VERY large group of 52 went as the 50 states and DC and one of the territories. Angie went as Colorado - so she cheated went in her closet and took out her ski clothes. I'm posting these pictures taken with my camera because by the time she sends me the group picture from in front of school yesterday, it will be Easter! They make a really cute group - NY is the Statue of Liberty, idaho is A potato spud, TX is a cowgirl, NJ was a guidette. (Female guido - big hair, fake tan, long talons for nails)

Physical Therapy, Back to School

Late last spring I did something that twinged my shoulder. No recollection of what it was. Tried ice and heat, popped a bunch of ALeve, tried to give it a rest. It felt almost (key word here is almost I guess) like tendonitis so I treated it as such. It really only hurt when my arm lifted over chest level, and since most of my heavy lifting is not that high I wasn't that worried. When I went on vacation in July it really calmed down, so I figured it was going away. Well, now it is at the point when getting coffee filters out of the top cabinet causes a sharp pain that then stays sore for a while. If I move my arm when I sleep the pain is actually sharp enough to wake me up. The problem here is that I am seriously right handed. My left arm allows my shirts to fit better, and offers moral support to my right arm. So even though my right arm hurts. it is hard to make myself use the left. When I went for my physical last week, I 'fessed up to my doctor about it.

Turns out I don't have tendonitis, I have an impingement syndrome, which is pinching my Bursa sacs. great. My arm is moving wrong, and instead of rotating nicely in the joint it is coming up and pinching the bursa. Thus pain. Then like a balloon, when you pinch one end the other end expands, and the expanding side is pressing on the end of the tendon causing some of the same symptoms of tendonitis. Then the doctor tells me there is a fast way and a slow way to stop the pain. Well, duh, what's the fast way? Three giant needles!!! And when the cortisone wears off, the pain may be back. EEEK! What's the slow way? Physical Therapy. OK, sign me up.

My insurance co, approves up to 60 sessions per calendar year per joint on impingement. At three visits a week, the therapist and my doctor figure I should be good in 8-10 weeks, So right now I'm scheduled for 12. I cannot tell you how bad I hurt after the first visit (wednesday) My whole arm and shoulder (including my shoulder blade) was sore Thursday. Friday I kept telling myself no shots, no shots, no shots. Today, I'm sore but not stiff and it's not as bad as it was on Thursday. I'll let you know how Monday goes.



Thursday night was back to school night. As we were walking up to the school (with my coffee in my LEFT hand) Curt makes a comment that we made it to our last back to school night. AAACCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!! Last back to school night?? I'm not old enough to have been to my last back to school night!!! The rest of the night was somewhat surrealistic. I found out why Angie suddenly likes literature - 20th century literature and composition is taught by the baseball coach. Youngish, not bad looking guy. Mmmhmmm yeah I get it now. her Statistics AP teacher reminds me of the funny little man that plays the asst football coach on Evening Shade (please tell me you remember that show. A lot of people at work sort of gave me blank stares on that one.) really hyper dude. She's had her french teacher 3 out of 4 years. her french IV is being taught as a gifted and talented class because there are only 7 kids (and 2 haven't taken their test to skip french 3 - the actual gifted kids - if they don't pass the class will have 5) and doesn't make the minimum sign up numbers. The kids all qualify for GAT based on test scores, class selection, grades and recommendations, so yes it is a loophole. Otherwise she would have had to travel across town to the "evil" knolls to take the class. She had her sociology teacher for World Civ and Hist 2A so this is her third time with her also. ( we were the only parents to show up for that class) The teacher was all - I'm so happy Angie liked me enough to take me a third time. (Angie wasn't totally thrilled, but figured she needed the class and since that was the only teacher sucked it up- although Angie says she's a very different teacher for an elective) Her adv calculus teacher she had last year for calc, she's happy about that because when she moved up from college prep to honors math she had lots of issues first marking period last year, and that teacher spent a lot of extra time with her. Also she knows exactly what Angie and three of her friends learned last year. Her physics teacher - looks like a stereotype of a physics teacher (mind you I love physics) his shirt and tie even didn't match!! Gym is gym, and her Art of Film teacher wasn't there.

LAST BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT!!! sigh.

Big Game Results

Wouldn't you figure as soon as we got to the game it started to drizzle, then light rain, then rain then back to drizzle? Would you think that either of us would have brought an umbrella, poncho or even plastic bag? If your answers were yes and no then you are correct. However, the Knights played well and:

Final Score:

20-0

BIG GAME

So today's the big game - Hills vs Knolls. The game both teams MUST win. (We're a regional high school district 4 towns split to 2 schools plus the county math/science/engineering academy is attached to Hills. So all the kids know each other and serious bragging rights are on the line) The seniors organized a huge tailgating party in the senior parking lot (it's a home game for Hills) Curt and I are about to leave to go to the game. It is great weather for a game. It stopped raining a few hours ago, in the low 60's...

Go Scarlet Knights!!


Beat the Eagles!!

Most Improved Girl's field player -

Should I give you three guesses??

Non- Nascar stuff!!

Other things have been going on besides my recuperation from the race. Angel is going to be in the honor guard at graduation this year. Go Angie!! It rained ALL week!! All week. (The only place I burned last weekend was my neck, cause I'm new at this whole sunscreen thing and forgot to sunscreen it. So I was a bit peely despite all the aloe, cocoa butter and lotion I've been putting on it. I think the apron at work caused it. But I told people I was growing gills) SO my herbs have been growing like crazy, but the veggies aren't. We've had yummy pesto and dilled salmon. Along the cooking line, since the berries smelled sooo good at Apple Farm I made:


A mini-strawberry/blueberry crostada for me and Angie


I made peach/blueberry for Curt, cause he doesn't do strawberries. I was going to glaze them with melted peach jam, but it was late and I wanted to eat them.

On Ravelry, I'm in a group called squares squared link will only work for Ravelry members. the group does weekly squares in a loose checkerboard theme. I've been making the squares to go around number squares for my next Victory Junction afghan. There are bonus points for early dates this year ( I guess to make it easier on Min rather than getting them all in the fall.) So 6.22 is the date. I'm not sure if I can finish in the next 9 days, but I'll give it a shot. I'm working on a 14 square ( in red of course) right now. I'm in a beach swap on the group. The swap involves sending three or four squares around a beach theme in cotton yarn that can be used either as cloths or added to a blanket or throw. And a beach bag - the bag can be either knit, crocheted or sewn. I'm not telling what I'm doing because I don't know if my partner has found my blog ( I say found like they have to look! it's linked off my ravelry profile for those of you not on ravelry) and I don't want to spoil the surprise.

For myself I've decided on a small throw for cool summer nights ( um Mother Nature that's a hint COOL breezy summer nights not hot humid sticky nights like last night ok?) I'm going to do beach symbols like smiling sun, beach ball, light house, seagull, sand castle (my partner sent me a great link to rachel who has some really cute patterns including flip flops, a bikini, a one piece) And some just wavy squares. It took a while to find the colors I wanted. I wanted kinda soft colors. My friend Jenn had custom dyed yarn made to remember the gulf coast of Texas which she will be leaving soon. The yarn had the colors of the sun, the sea and the sky. It came out gorgeous. So that inspired me, because originally I was looking for white blue and green and wasn't happy with what I was finding. So I went with green, blue and beige and I think it will just what I want:



Angel used my car to go see Land of the Lost last night, so Curt and I decided to go do something. We ended up going to this amazing bbq (real smoked slow cooked bbq) place in Wharton called HOT RODS link will work for everyone. Curt had ribs , I had pulled pork (was deciding between that the Texas brisket and the jambalaya) we both had red beans and rice, really good cornbread and hush puppies both with honey butter (yum!) I had a seasonal beer called beach bum, curt had cricket hill's IPA. Then we split an apple thing with ice cream and caramel sauce. mmmmm. I found out recently that Cricket Hill ( which is only 20 minutes from here) now does tours and tasting - definitely on the to do list for the summer! We ended up getting home AFTER Angie! How cool is that?! I know I'm sad...

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Honor Student

Last week I went to the Induction ceremony for the National Honor Society. Unfortunately I had camera issues and did not have any pictures to post. Next week, Angel gets into the History Honor Society. Yesterday she got into the French honor Society. It was kind of sad, the Spanish honor society outnumbered the French, German and ESL students. ( this year for the first time, the school had an honor society for ESL students learning English.) Angel is all happy that she will have all these cords to wear for graduation.

Junior Prom

Friday night was Angel's Junior Prom. They went to the Atrium in West Orange. She left her camera in her friend's mom's car, so more pic's next week.



Curt , Angel and I



Angel's crew



Divia, Angel, Melissa, Avni and Yahtee. Otherwise known as the UN (missing Janine and Guadalupe)




While Angel was at the prom, Curt and I went on a "date" to Rattlesnake Ranch Cafe. Had Alligator Bites ( must eat as many of them as possible before one eats me! - serious phobia- no idea why) And a stuffed Poblano Pepper with chicken and a stuffed Anaheim Pepper with shrimp. Yummy! Curtis had a Stella ( yuck) while I went with Smithwicks (yum). WE picked up and dropped them off at the local popular diner ( Yahtee's parents picked them up from there) then we went to a different diner for dessert and coffee. We were actually surprised how many parents let their kids drive themselves. (It's a half hour away) And since 17 year olds in NJ have "provisional" licenses they can't be on the road after midnite. Also we saw a few cars driving with a teen behind the wheel with 4 kids in the car ( they can only have one other non-related in the car and if related you must be in the same address) Not surprising there were more than a normal cops around here last night.

QUICKIE

Angie's Junior prom is coming up. I have to pick her up early from school, take her for her hair, nails and especially those feet! Then they're meeting up at her friends house for pic's and 2 dads are driving them W. Orange. We're picking half of them up and bringing them to one of the diners in town with another parent. Then 2 other parents are driving them to the friends house they started at for a sleep over. AARRGGGHHHH I'm definitely not old enough to have a kid heading to the junior prom!!

Leaving you with the promised pic of Jeffrey's package since he has it now.. Yes that is an Earnhart JR book on the bottom of the pile.. His mom is a JR fan after all.

Yesterday

I just realized I brought my camera yesterday and didn't take a single picture!!!! Oh that seriously sucks!!!




yesterday, after work, I drove down to philadelphia. It was supposed to be a 2 hour and 7 minute drive but took me over 3 1/2 hours. Traffic came to a standstill on the turnpike right after the truck/car lane split. I should have played with the trucks, they were moving until it merged again. Then - thank God when I was playing with Google maps I decided that the less time I was on the turnpike the better so I had changed the route to go 195 to 95 around trenton, it was more miles but seemed better. Well the blinky highway warning sign said the turnpike was CLOSED at exit 4!!! ( I got off at 7a) there was no traffic on 95 so I was happy again. Then in PA approaching Philly it stopped again because the initial traffic put me going into Philly during rush hour!!

Now the reason I was going to Philly - as most of you know I'm on ravelry a lot and as all of you know I'm a serious NASCAR fan. On Ravelry I belong to a few groups that are NASCAR related. There are a bunch of people that are the "core" shall we say group of people on the groups that have become good online friends. One of these friends Min, lives in Philly. We keep saying we need to get together and meet up. ( She doesn't have a car so it's more complicated than meeting halfway) We do have a side bet going on for this NASCAR season as to Tony making it into the chase. (top 12 drivers that go for the championship during the last 10 races) Well right now TOny is 5th.. YAY Tony! The bet is loser has to travel to the winners city for sushi. Yes another of my infamous win/win bets.


She contacted me earlier in the week because Sara, another friend, was coming up to Philly ( she had met sara irl last fall when delivering all the afghans we made for the Victory Junction Gang Camp) and we could surprise her. It was really great to finally meet Min and Sara. We went out to a sushi restaurant and met up with a bunch of Min's friends. Everything was totally yummy. the restaurant had a great deal - $24 all you can eat , 20 pcs per round, 2 hours max. But the catch was they charge you $1 for every piece you don't eat. They had a great dessert roll. Fried banana - sounds weird but so delicious!! And they gave us a piece of some kind of lime pie to share. One of Min's friends is a fencer - she fences epee, must have a long attention span, but kinda cool.



After Min, Sara and I went back to min's to watch the nationwide race and I got to meet felix and oscar (min's kitties) and Foster (sara's kitty) . We got to bed well after midnight. ( impressive since I had been up since 245am) (I woke up to pee at 3am- damn habits and Oscar was in the bed next to me - how sweet was that? Felix likes to curl up in things and was in a printer paper box lid for part of the evening so I gave him one of the cat snuggies in my back seat . ( I haven't been able to get in contact with the lady that was making them) I got back up at 545 so I could be at Angie's school for the relays they sponsor. Schools come from as far away as Jackson NJ and farther. I had to help set up the concession stand and work it until noon. It took just under 2 hours including stopping at the first rest stop on the turnpike for gas and coffee.

While I was gone, Curt missed me so much he finally recovered everything off the broken hard drive:) Actually while he has travelled a bunch of times for work and he and Angie have been to Louisianna w/o meet several times, I have only left them one time for work when I was still in store mgmt. they missed me - how sweet! When Angie got home from the relays ( she came in 9th out of 24 for shot - and she's just the backup shot thrower - but she fouled in disc :( she asked about how it went - she wants that fried banana roll! But she says I should go again - just not really soon. She said she'd tell her dad she gave the thumbs up!

Of course since Min is going to lose the bet, she'll be coming up here!!

Grace - hope you survived tonight - good luck with tomorrow I'll be thinking of you! I got your tag - it will have to wait until tomorrow!

As I said - forgot to take pic's all pics courtesy of the web.

Angie update

After much lurking at the mailbox, Angie got the letter she was looking for. Out of 82 kids who applied, 57 made it into the National Honor Society. And Angie made it in!

She also made last Sunday's sports section in the spring track outlook. Last years girls team was undefeated in the regular season. There are 40 returning girls. 13 made the paper. Now she has to live up to the press! They did win their first dual meet so off to a good start.




I was somewhat feeling like a terrible Mom Friday night. We had a meeting for her trip to Ecuador, with the former head of security for the US Embassy complex in Quito. All these parents were freaking out because of the stuff going on in Mexico. And because they suddenly realized that their kids were going to a developing third world country and there is no cell service where they're going and how canthey be overprotective? I swear these people are going to spend the entire 22 days parked next to the phone. Me, I figure Ecuador is probably one of the safer countries in South America right now. Safer than Columbia definitely. As long as they understand how to act so they are not targeted for theft, and they stay together as a group, they should be ok. It is after all supposed to be a learning experience. But really letting her go to New York over Christmas was technically just as dangerous if you think about it. Just closer. Curt and I are actually thinking about taking one of the weeks as a vacation ourselves. WE figure we can still be reached via cell, Curt get's email on his cell so we are just as easy to get as at home. And as long as we bring our passports and aren't too far away from an airport, even if something god forbid happens, it won't be any harder to deal with. But really I'm not going to sit here and panic. She's getting her last bunch of shots next week, we're going to get her that bug netting to use with her sleeping bag, pants with zippered pockets, sunscreen, real deet ( not that off stuff) etc. I'm confident.