Areadog Adventures

First of all let me explain the title. Areadog is an acronym using our family's names. Hubby came up with it a few years ago and it stuck. The Adventures part comes from Hubby taking the kids on various excursions when they are out of school.

The latest adventure was last week, right before school started for Gman and Liv. The destination, White Mountain. (The third tallest peak in California) The Plan, drive up to White Mountain on Monday, camp one night and the next day hike to the top.

I knew 5 minutes after they left that an adventure they would have when I found all their food still sitting in the kitchen! But, hey, no problem, that's why we have cell phones right. Well, you'd think so but you have to understand my husband, you see his cell phone is for his convenience only. So I really wasn't surprised when all I got was his voice mail. Since the day before was Sunday, he had silenced his phone and never turned it back on. Luckily, (I say that sarcastically) they realized it about half way there and were able to stop at a grocery store to replenish their supplies. It took about 6 + hours to get to there. They enjoyed the campgrounds, no problems there. Next day, they set out for the big climb. What they didn't know is they had to travel on a really rocky, unpaved road for 2 hours to get to the trail head. Fortunately, there was a grader smoothing the road at the same time. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of the road and it overturned and pushed unpolished, pointy rocks into the center of the road which caused them to get a flat tire. They put on the spare and prayed that they wouldn't get another flat. Thankfully, prayers work! So here are a few pictures from their latest Adventures. Hope you enjoy them. Beautiful views.

Almost there. Only 3,000 more feet.

They made it!

The observation station at the top. They got to write their names in the little box that's to the right of that door, to prove that they made it. They called me when they got to the top. 14.252 ft up. Wow, Impressive. It took them 4 hours to get up and 3 to get down. They survived the drive back out on the now graded road almost without incident, Gman had a little altitude sickness and had to pull over to vomit. Gman and Liv were extremely sore and exhausted when they came home but what an accomplishment and just think of the stories they'll have to tell now. Fun times!

I'm a happy Mama!

G-man with the PTA President.

Our table.

I don't know if you can hear them but the angel's are singing. Ok, I'm exaggerating but I am doing the happy dance.

G-man finished his Eagle Scout project last night!!!!!! WhooHoo!!!

I can't tell you how happy this makes me. He started working on an idea over a year ago. He wanted to paint a giant map of the United States and label all the states and capitals on the playground of an elementary school but for some reason the school district wouldn't approve it. Why they wouldn't want a map on their playground, for FREE, is beyond me but whatever.
So now he has to come up with a new project and I told him it had to be done before school started again. When he got back from Lake Powell we started looking for some ideas when I happened to be talking to my friend GC, and she told me what her son had done like 8 years before. He had made Child Identification kits for the kids at a local elementary school. What a great idea! She said she still even had the kits that they had gotten from her husbands insurance company. Great! So we hit the ground running. Filled out paperwork, got the signatures we needed. We had the perfect opportunity coming up at our kids school. Every year our elementary school has what they call the Bobcat Bash. A fundraiser for the school, where they sell food and have carnival-type games. G-man got approval from the principal to set up a table at the Bash to do these kits. So know we have 2 weeks to make this happen! Then my friend GC calls and says that just a couple weeks before the kits got thrown out! Oh no! She felt so bad and then I felt bad cause she felt bad. ahh, panic. But that's ok we'll go to plan B, we just need to think about what plan B is. Next day she calls and tells me that she was able to order some more from her husband's insurance company and they put a rush order on it. Well, needless to say the kits didn't come in on time so now we're at plan C , which is make our own. So make our own identification cards we did. Again GC is helping by letting us use her husband's work printer to copy our information cards. G-man contacted our local Police Station and they allowed him to use their finger printing equipment and we borrowed a camera and printer and set ourselves up at the Bash. It was a great success and I can't tell you what a burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I know that there is still some paperwork to do but at least the project is done. I'm going to have to give my Mother's pin to my friend GC because she was instrumental in making this happen. I'm so grateful to her!

Freebies

#1) Here's a couple of deals for you if you're interested. This last tuesday Jack in the Box had an email coupon for free tacos. I took G-man, Liv and Little A and we all had a coupon and got our free tacos. Didn't have to buy any thing. I just found out they are doing it again next Tuesday so go HERE to print yours.

#2) Mars chocolate is giving away a free chocolate bar every Friday through September. Go HERE and fill out a little info and you'll get a coupon for a free chocolate bar. I just got my first coupon in the mail the other day. I forgot to do it last Friday, but now I signed up for their reminder email so they sent me an email today (thursday) so I won't forgot to do it tomorrow!!

Enjoy!

Bad Mommie??

Ok, so on Sunday it was late afternoon and we had a beautiful day, the kids were outside and I was on the phone talking to my sister when I hear cries outside. Now, of course, this is no usual sound around here, in fact, any time my kids start playing together it's a guarantee that someone ends up hurt, whether physical or emotional, it just happens. This time it was Sweet Pea. Apparently, Little A pushed her off the slide. So she hurt her knee, no big deal really. Although, if you know Sweet Pea at all, she loves attention and likes to milk it for all she can, so naturally, I try not to give it to her. Of course she couldn't walk and had to be carried to her room, yada, yada... (in her defense, she did have a bump on her knee.)
Next morning.... She comes downstairs hopping.
She says she can't straighten it, it hurts, makes a big deal of it.
Fine.
She gets a ride to school.
After school. The kids knock at the door, I open it to see Sweet Pea and Mr. E (with Popsicles) and to my surprise, my friend in her car, (she lives on the way to school and the kids have to pass her house everyday). I thank her and she says no big deal, Sweet Pea said her knee hurt so she just drove them home. I had totally forgotten about her knee and felt horrible until....... I also found out that she had hitched a ride to this friend's house on her son's rolling backpack and from there he asked if his mom could give her a ride home. After she's been home awhile I tell her that she has to try straightening it out or it's going to get stiff, so she does, and after a few ow, ow, ow she starts walking on it and claims it's all better!
How 'bout that!
Magic!
See what a little attention can do. Reminds me of a time when I was in grade school and I walked home with a friend to her house. It was a brisk afternoon and as we approach her house her Mom is standing out front waiting for us and she notices that her daughter is not wearing a coat and carrying a lot of books. Upon further investigation, she sees, I'm wearing my friends coat and she's carrying all my books. (what a good friend, love you Kat!)
I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all.