He comes home TODAY!!!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On another note - D finished summer school and didn't even have to take the final b/c he had less than 2 tardies and had an A in the class (needed 2 or less tardies and greater than an 85 to be exempt from the test). So YAY D man! Today he took the THEA - the college exam. He did the practice one yesterday and was prepared to fail the math b/c it's above what he's learned so far. But today he says he thinks he may have passed it. But he was there for 4.5 hours. A LOT longer than he thought he'd be there. He thought he'd be in and out. Easy peasy. Apparently not! ;) We'll know how he did when we get the scores in the mail. Whenever that is! lol!

I'm SO excited to see T!!!!!!!!!

Look Mom - I'm in Mexico!

Spoke w/ T tonight! He sounds = well, he sounds like T. Bored, tired, like a normal teenager I guess. LOL! But he talks a lot and told us all the exciting things he's done. I'll let him fill in all those deets when he gets back but it sounds like he's gone and helped out at a village - and got to donate some items. And this village spoke a different language and he learned a new word (child in their language but I can't remember what language it was). Then he went to a lake and went fishing and experienced the bugs. Today - he got to help build a house and plans to go back tomorrow. He didn't do much w/ helping in the translation but says he'll try harder tomorrow. He spent a WHOLE lot of time talking about the food he eats. That's all the time. (it's amazing how little mexican food he's eating down there!)

Anyway Pati sent 2 pics for us and I'm sharing them. Here's my boy in Mexico - 1 by himself and 1 towering over Pati. Holy moly he's a tall boy!

Go Speed Racer! (ie: swimmer Girl)

Since that day, we've only had a couple phone calls and each time he's talked about goodies he's gotten us - but won't tell us what. And he says theres a surprise for all of us that we'll get when he gets here that will be blatantly obvious when we see him - but no tattoos or piercings. Hmmmm. It's been 8 days now! Vacation bible school is over. He survived! It sounds like he had a good time though he held back some socially until the last day. Wednesday he did go to the mall w/ the kids for one's bday but other than that he didn't interact much - it doens't sound like. And he's still holding back w/ his spanish. It sounds like he's really insecure more than anything. Pati says his accent is really good and he knows his stuff but he he just gives a blank stare or resorts to english. Poor kid. He'll get it though. I hve faith in him! Every time we talk to him though it sounds like he's have a really good time! It also sounds like there are a lot of people in their church that are trying really hard to help him get a good experience out of this. And that makes me feel SO wonderful about all of this! I couldn't ask for better friends. It may be a different religion but it's all the same God we worship overall and it makes us all I believe have the same giving spirit and same heart. I really love these 2 people that have taken in my son and are trying hard to give him the opportunity to learn and grow right now! T is a great great kid and will come back having learned so much and I know he will be dying to go back. I just hope he doens't hold back the entire time.


In other news:

steve sent me flowers the other day!




How SWEET is that??????? It totally made my day! What a keeper!


Grace had her swim meet today. We decided a few days back not to go to the state meet afterall. First of all we did time trials this week. (well, that should be 2nd of all. first would be - she qualified w/ free and back at the last swim meet.) So the time trials for US was trying to get her qualified for the other races she could swim in - which was 25m breast and fly - the 50 anything and the 100 IM. Well, right off the bat we knew she wouldn't qualify for the 50 anything b/c she's too slow. And that's fine. We tried the 25 other 2 and the breast was really slow but the fly was good - except her stroke was bad. (she was fast but dq'd based on her stroke) So we would try again another day. Only it was like that all week. It was either 1 race she was okay on stroke and too slow or fast enough but bad stroke - in one race or another - or something was just wrong. And she didn't qualify for the IM. She was almost a minute too slow. That's fine too. So the probably I had was the coaches were really TEACHING anything until THIS week! NOW they want to get on them about their strokes being off. WHAT? They aren't in the water w/ them very often, if at all. TJ stands on the sides or sits down and shouts at them (he's 18) from a chair to do this or that. Laura tries to show more and is the one that does get in the water more often than not. But how do you explain how to do something if you aren't going to actually SHOW them IN the water??? These are kids for one thing! And some have never done it. Some have swam on different leagues, some have bad technique already that you need to correct and how do you correct bad habits - if you aren't going to actually PUT YOUR HANDS ON THEIR BODIES to show them what they are doing wrong??? Frustrating. So this week was the week they decided to do that. That and endurance. And sprints. Whatever.

So I got tired of trying over and over to get her qualified for something OTHER than 2 races - to make going to Dallas justifiable in my mind. (the races are like 30 seconds long and are on 2 separate days! But shoot - even if she qual'd for the other 2 races - that would have put her racing on THREE days so what ever) I got to the point of not really seeing the benefit for Grace - of trying and trying and trying to get her qual'd to go to a state meet - when #1 that tells me that she's not ready to go (if it takes THAT many tries????) and#2 if she's having stroke issues, I'd hate to see her go and get dq'd and then what? We wasted gas b/c she didn't get proper teaching before hand to correct her strokes. IMO.

It's her first year. She can swim in the fall team if she wants (and we decide and/or can afford; they are contemplating a separate technique class - I'm trying to push for one - thanks to Heidi! lol!) Then swim again in the summer and go to state next year. Plus there's a city meet the same day as state and about half the families are staying here instead of going - so it will work out. And Laura is the coach staying - so I KNOW Grace can swim at the meet here in races she she actually wants to swim in, or needs to swim in. TJ is forever not thinking about who needs to swim in what! (Like today - today was the cutoff for state and 2 kids needed to swim in certain races to qual for state still - and he didn't even put them IN those races!)

SO - back to today. She had her meet and she did AWESOME! Today was the first meet she swam in FOUR races! She swam in all 25 m races - free, back, fly and breast. She came in FIRST in her heats in the first 2 (free and back), 2nd in her fly heat and she didn't do as well in her breast heat. But that's okay! She felt really bad b/c her time was like 47 seconds but dang! She'd never raced it and it's her "worst" stroke, and it was her LAST race! Still! She totally kicked butt in her other races! Check out the pics and vids! I put of the vids of her 1st 2 races. The fly vid I have no idea WHO I was videoing - lol! I couldn't see so I was just estimating where my camera was pionting - but it wasn't on Grace for awhile! LOL! So I didn't include that one. Excuse all my yelling. I sound like an idiot (or an enthusiastic proud mom holding the camera - take your pick - but it's loud so sorry). So turn the volume down. I video'd all the races b/c dh can't make her meets and I'm always taking pics but he's never seen her swim except once - and also at practice but she NEVER does as well at practice! She ROCKED today! OH - and Devin volunteered so graciously to be a timer! So there's a pic of him too! lol!

(((her times for today:
freestyle 28.06 down from 32.25!
backstroke 29.06 down from 38.50!!!!!!!!
butterfly 39.25 in practice she got as low as 34something but she dq'd on stroke and today Dale (our spotter) said she did GREAT!!
breaststroke 47.63)))

Hi MOM!


Coach Laura giving instruction (who knows where C. TJ was today - off chit chatting w/ some girl or eating or taking a nap - but not coaching, that's for sure)


"Swimmers ready"


Devin being all official and everything


Freestyle race (sorry for the glare and moving - I couldn't see b/c of the sun - the next video I changed position)


Backstroke race (blue cap - when it zooms out - she's the one in the lead! heehee)

Goodbye in pictures

Pics from T's last day here:

Eating at DQ Country







At the airport:



awww - sad face!


Such a cute boy! (yeah, I'm a little biased but still!)




Fun with Dad




Me and T


The plane - the plane!

Texas

Planning to update the blog soon w/ how T is doing in ol Mexico and the other young'uns too. Uploading pics now and vids. In the meantime - enjoy the Texas vids and trivia.



A little Texas Trivia For Ya

Texas is well covered…….
Need to be cheered up?
Happy, Texas 79042
Pep, Texas 79353
Smiley, Texas 78159
Paradise, Texas 76073
Rainbow, Texas 76077
Sweet Home, Texas 77987
Comfort, Texas 78013
Friendship, Texas 76530

Love the Sun?
Sun City , Texas 78628
Sunrise, Texas 76661
Sunset, Texas 76270
Sundown, Texas 79372
Sunray , Texas 79086
Sunny Side , Texas 77423

Want something to eat?
Bacon, Texas 76301
Noodle, Texas 79536
Oatmeal, Texas 78605
Turkey , Texas 79261
Trout , Texas 75789
Sugar Land, Texas 77479
Salty, Texas 76567
Rice, Texas 75155
And top it off with:
Sweetwater, Texas 79556

Why travel to other cities? Texas has them all!
Detroit, Texas 75436
Colorado City, Texas 79512
Denver City, Texas 79323
Klondike, Texas 75448
Nevada, Texas 75173
Memphis, Texas 79245
Miami, Texas 79059
Boston, Texas 75570
Santa Fe, Texas 77517
Tennessee Colony, Texas 75861
Reno, Texas 75462

Feel like traveling outside the country? Don't bother buying a plane ticket!
Athens, Texas 75751
Canadian, Texas 79014
China, Texas 77613
Egypt, Texas 77436
Ireland, Texas 76538
Turkey, Texas 79261
London, Texas 76854
New London, Texas 75682
Paris, Texas 75460
Sudan, Texas 79371


No need to travel to Washington D.C.
Whitehouse , Texas 75791

We even have a city named after our planet!
Earth , Texas 79031

And a city named after our State!
Texas City , Texas 77590

Exhausted?
Energy , Texas 76452

Cold (Anybody have an idea?)
Blanket , Texas 76432
Winters, Texas

Like to read about History?
Santa Anna , Texas
Goliad , Texas
Alamo, Texas
Gun Barrel City , Texas
Robert Lee , Texas

Need Office Supplies?
Staples, Texas 78670

Men are from Mars, women are from
Venus, Texas 76084

You guessed it…..it's on the state line.
Texline , Texas 79087

For the kids...
Kermit , Texas 79745
Elmo , Texas 75118
Nemo , Texas 76070
Tarzan , Texas 79783
Winnie , Texas 77665
Sylvester , Texas 79560

Other city names in Texas, to make you smile.....
Frognot , Texas 75424
Bigfoot , Texas 78005
Hogeye , Texas 75423
Cactus , Texas 79013
Notrees , Texas 79759
Best, Texas 76932
Veribest , Texas 76886
Kickapoo , Texas 75763
Dime Box , Texas 77853
Old Dime Box , Texas 77853
Telephone , Texas 75488
Telegraph , Texas 76883
Whiteface , Texas 79379
Twitty, Texas 79079

Our favorites...
Cut n Shoot, Texas
Gun Barrell City , Texas
Hoop And Holler, Texas
Ding Dong, Texas and, of course,
Muleshoe , Texas

And last but not least, the Anti-Al Gore City
Kilgore , Texas 75662

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Texas ...
If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Texas ;
If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas ;
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Texas ;
If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas;
If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas;
If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas ;
If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas ;
If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Texas ;
If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody's passing you, you may live in Texas ;
If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly,' you may live in Texas ;
If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with all your Texas friends, you definitely live in Texas ..


Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas :
1. Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles,
2. Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles.
3. El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas .
4. World's first rodeo was in Pecos , July 4, 1883.
5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water.
6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full-time coach at Rice University in Houston .
7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America .
8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America ’s only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
9. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.
10. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900, caused by a hurricane, in which over 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island .
11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was ' Houston .'
12. King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island .
13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43' in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July of 1979.
14. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as the Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union ) instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas Flag to fly at the same height as the U.S. Flag, and may divide into 5 states.
15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.
16. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
17. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. ~~~~~~There is no period in Dr Pepper.
18. Texas has had six capital cities: Washington -on- the Brazos, Harrisburg , Galveston , Velasco, West Columbia and Austin .
19. The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S. which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington DC (by 7 feet).
20. The name ' Texas ' comes from the Hasini Indian word 'tejas' meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas .
21. The State Mascot is the Armadillo (an interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies. They have one egg, which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females).
22. The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston .


Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie , Texas :
(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff

Now that's kinda plain an' simple don't ya think?

Tony's Last Words Part Deux

(shouldn't that be in spanish? I didn't take spanish though! I took FRENCH! Does it HELP me now???? NO! All the more reason T needs Spanish help! LOL!)

Okay - Blogger is freaking out on me and doens't like my video clip. It won't let me post the video AND words in the same post - as it then says my HTML is messed up. EVEN WHEN I POST THE VIDEO DIRECTLY FROM PHOTOBUCKET TO HERE AND THEN EDIT TO ADD THE WORDS - never messing w/ the HTML! So..... Here's the text that was SUPPOSED to go w/ it! LOL!

------------------------------

We got T sent off To Mexico!!!! It was an early morning trip to the airport and then a boring wait for his flight. But he got boarded okay and the plane took off okay. I think he was nervous. Here's a video clip I took: (see next post below - *sigh*)


I got a call that night but was at work so couldn't talk but for a minute. He made it in, flight was okay, made it thru custums okay and read a book once they got back to the house. He sounds thrilled (lol - actually he sounded kind of bored but that's T! lol!)

Today we got an email from Mike and Pati. Here it is:

We got your package signed sealed and delivered. He is doing fine. He was a little tired on the ride back to the house. He took his nap in the car we took ours when we got home. He is going good and taking lots of pictures. I think if he runs out of cameras we'll just let him use our old Fugi digital so we can just load his pictures on a disk or something for him. He did ok at youth group last night although the speaker is not so clear and talks fast. I had a hard time understanding him for the longest time. He didn't have a headache at all yesterday. He said he had a slight one this afternoon. Of course that may have been from straining to understand everything during church this morning. I know my brain use to feel like mush for the first month or so that I went to church here. The native speakers accents are throwing him off a little, but that's good. That's why he's here to practice on real natural speakers.

He said the flight was fine and that his dad is a bigger painty waist than he thought. And he has more issues than he realized (interpitation by Mike).

So he's doing fine and all settled in now. We'll talk to you later.

Mike & pati oh and Tony


Now I anxiously await for more news!!!!!

Tony's Last Words

THE DAD IS BACK!!!

He made it home about 1030 last night! YAY! We have missed him SO much! We all stayed up, watching TV (Baby Borrowers - lol), waiting on him to get home! Finally we heard the bikes! We stayed outside while him and dad unloaded and waited for stepmom to get here to pick up dad. Seems they had a fab time though they looked really ragged! I wish I'd had my camera out there for that picture! S looked WAY more ragged than my dad did! lol! My bike is home safe and sound too! ;) Can wait to see all the photos and videos - we'll get those uploaded soon! (or put on a photo site to share) Hopefully S will post his travel diary or something to share his trip experiences! Right now he's snoozing on the couch. lol! Ahhh the sweet sounds of him being home! ;)

We did get out this morning and got the letter notarized for T to take w/ him to Mexico. Sent money to mexico for Pati and Mike. And went to storage for the suitcase so T can pack - finally! It's really HOT outside too! Ugh!

Yesterday was swim team pictures btw. I did Grace's hair cute but it didn't last beyond yesterday of course. I did 2 french braids and then at the bottom I made the ends do a flip knot - only I did them backwards so the pony's are sticking up. And I sort of curled the ends some. It looks cute! Of course after pictures, after achievement days, we went back to the pool for swimming practice - the pony's didn't last AT ALL! And the braids were already starting to fall out. And by this AM - yeah, they were totalled. I already did some cute hair stuff w/ her - just getting creative on my own b/c of necessity w/ swimming and summer. But then Heidi posted a link on her blog about cute girls hair styles - which is sort of where I got the french braid one. That one had the braids come down and then pull them thru in a messy half pony (where you don't pull the ponytail all the way thru) but her hair wasn't long enough. but I saw other styles on her site that showed upside down flip knots and they were cute cute cute! I also had an idea in my head for next time and turns out - she has that one on her site too! But I'll save that one and surprise ya! I just need some cute bows and ribbons and stuff. Here's grace's braids from last night (ignore my desk - I clean it but it never stays that way! It's too small)

Just for Heidi

After seeing Heidi's post about hairdo's - I thought I'd show her what we did w/ G's hair for swimming. (Previously I did do some braids in the front only - about 7 rows but they didn't go down the back. that lasted about a week) These aren't the best pics b/c the flash wasn't on at home and then at swim - it was getting dark and I wasn't close - using the zoom. But you can sort of get the idea. Lots of "knots" connected together.


From the right side (the hair parts to the right, so there's more "knots" there as it's brought across the top of the head):


From the left side:


From the front:


In the pool:




Speaking of the pool - here she is goofing off w/ friends:


Doing a cartwheel:


And here's a plane that was flying overhead (VERY VERY low) - it was quite scary at first b/c it seemed like the plane was TOO low. But it was spraying for mosquitos we found out. Still! I wish I'd had my camera ready for when it flew directly over the Y! That one made all of us jump and several people scream! It was SO low!



In other news - D man made a 92 on his FIRST world geography test of the summer! He has another test tomorrow. WTG D!!!!!