McDonald's And The Circle of Life

We go like crazy around here so cooking a homemade meal does not happen often. Plus, I don't like to cook!

We usually hit every fast food place around and some not-so fast foods places as well.

Today, I found myself eating from McDonald's not once, but twice! I do have to say that I crave their Southwest Chicken Salad and now have Connor loving them too. I went for groceries right before lunch and since McDonald's is right there in Walmart, I grabbed two salads and headed home. (As I reread this, I realize this tells ALOT about me...I just finished grocery shopping and haven't eaten at home yet!! Hmmmm.....)

Connor had a baseball game tonight and had to be dropped off at dinner time. I told Colby we could grab some dinner and then head to the game. He chose...McDonald's.

As I sat in the booth with Colby, eating my burger and fries, I watched two young mothers come in with their daughters and I realized something: McDonald's is at the core of every life cycle.

You see, I USED to be that mother. I can remember that my girlfriends and I would head to McDonald's when it was either too cold or too hot outside. We had to take the kids somewhere to blow off steam -- and get a Happy Meal or an ice cream cone. The adults would sit in that area that smelled like feet and sweat and fries and have some "adult conversation" in between needing to take kids to the potty or break up a fight between another kid whose mom was NOT paying any attention to what her child was doing!!

I am now in that stage of life where we have to run through drive-thrus in between activities to grab something to fill my teen's and preteen's stomachs. The $1 Diet Cokes are also a big attraction!

And as I sat in the booth tonight I also had a flashback to the other group of people who were filling up the tables when I would take my toddlers into McDonald's -- I guess that is the stage I will hit next. The one where all the retired folks gather around for early morning coffee and an Egg McMuffin and discuss the events of the world or relive the memories of the past.

I mistakenly thought that after my kids reached a certain age, McDonald's would be behind me. I guess it never will...I sure hope they keep the $1 Cokes and Southwest Chicken Salads around for another 50 years!

The Master Packer

Before I got married, there was a certain method to my packing a suitcase...pile everything I wanted to take into a pile and then cram it in! If it all didn't fit, I'd just bring another suitcase!

That method abruptly changed soon after our wedding when the whole Marshall clan went to Hawaii for two weeks. I was informed that I would have one suitcase -- for TWO WEEKS!! I don't remember how that turned out...evidently it did 'cuz I'm still married and I've traveled lots with the whole Marshall clan so I wasn't "kicked out" based on my packing skills!!

I guess I just don't have the packing gene. Chris does. He is The Master Packer. The boys and I love to sit and watch Chris pack a suitcase. He is very organized and there is not a space that goes unused. It probably also helps because he does not take a lot of stuff. Weird!

He left today for two weeks in China. Here is his pile...FOR TWO WEEKS!!

I sat there and watched him pack it neatly into his just-a-size-above-a-carry-on suitcase...

...and quickly reminded him that in six weeks when we leave for Italy, his packing skills will get a challenge!

Summer "Vacation" Day 1

Here is our schedule for Day One of our 2011 Summer Vacation:

6:30am - start laundry

8am - Connor at church to work recreation for VBS

8:10am - grocery store

9:30am - home to finish laundry and clean as much of house as possible

12pm - pick up Connor from church

2:30pm - Connor to pitching lessons

3-4pm - Connor to conditioning

3:30-4pm - Colby to guitar lessons

4:15pm - feed Connor dinner

5pm - drop Connor off at school for baseball game

5:45 - feed Colby dinner

6:30pm - Connor's game begins

6:30pm - Colby at church for VBX

8:30pm - Connor's game ends

9pm - pick up Colby from church

...start it all over again tomorrow!

When does school start again?!?

I Know You Are At The Edge of Your Seats

It's finally over...my baby graduated from elementary school yesterday. I had really been dreading the day that Colby would be finished with Buckalew. It has been a great school for both boys. I figured that I would need a box of kleenex and would completely embarrass my husband and son as I sat and sniffed and blew!

Well....I did not use ONE kleenex -- not one! Not one tear fell down my cheek... Not sure why; but, I was fine!

I was filled with happiness at the fortune we have to live in a place where I know for a fact that his next school is just as good as the one he is leaving. I was filled with pride as I saw him on that stage and was reminded of how he has learned, grown and matured. He even received the President's Award for Educational Excellence just like his brother did five years before.

A big swim party for the 200 4th graders ended their day. He was having a great day and I loved watching him with his buddies. When I picked him up, he was exhausted and excited for summer!

He is SO ready for summer, he couldn't wait for his dad to give him his "Summer 'Do"!!

It's All In the DNA

It is no secret that my men LOVE cars. All kinds of cars -- new cars, old cars, fast cars, loud cars, FAST cars...

The highlight of Colby's weekend is taking a drive with Dad in the Corvette. I always know when they are close to home because I can hear it from about a mile away -- I can hear the engine AND the rubber being left at the corners!

There is one thing that will stop a weekend spin faster than any other thing -- rain. The Corvette does not go out in the rain. It's a Sunny Day Stroll-kinda' car.

Colby got his "dream" bike last week. We discussed what we should do with his old bike. Selling it was the decision we came to since we don't need it. Colby rides his bike to school and locks it up along with hundreds of other bikes, leaving it out in the elements all day long.

Two days after he got his bike, there was a chance of rain. When he heard it may rain he quickly made a different decision -- his old bike would be his rainy-day bike! I wonder where he got that idea?!? Sweet boys -- and their toys!!

So on rainy days, if you should walk into our garage, you will now find Colby's Haro parked next to Chris's Corvette!

You Say Tomatoe, I Say Tomato

Another last today...Writing Cafe.

Each year in elementary school, the parents are brought in and "served" a menu of our kids' writing. It is always amazing to see samples of their stories throughout the year. They improve SO much! The kids have a theme for the day -- decorating the room and dressing the part. For example, in 1st grade, the parents went to Mrs. Snyder's Seafood Shack. Buckets of shells and crabs were centerpieces and the kids all dressed in Hawaiian shirts. Adorable!

This year, we were told to have the kids dress in black. I asked Colby this morning what the theme was this year. He said, "Well, I will greet you and say Merci." Although he pronounced it mer-si, not mer-see.

I said, "What?"

"Oh, I don't know. But I also say Bon Appetit -- I don't even know what THAT means!"

It's The Beginning of the End

I've mentioned before that this is Colby's last year in Elementary School. Nine days left at a school we have attended for 8 years.

The past several weeks I have had many "lasts".

My last Field Day was a couple of weeks ago. I really expected to get emotional about it. It was a pretty hot day and it had just rained the night before. I was in charge of the three-legged race. I placed a tied rope around muddy shoe after muddy shoe. I cheered the teams on to victory. I counted down the hours until it was over!...No tears!

Yesterday was my last day to volunteer in the school library. I asked Colby at breakfast if he would be embarrassed if I cried and came to give him a hug while he was looking at the books. He said, "Please mom. No!"

As I was shelving books, the students were listening to the school counselor give a talk on what to expect next year at their new school. She asked them what they were feeling. One little boy raised his hand and said, "I'm scared." Yep...I started tearing up! These little babies are going to be heading into the next phase of their lives in three short months. I'm scared for them too! Luckily, Colby watched his brother love every aspect of 5th grade; so, he is totally excited! I can't ask for anything more!

As of right now, I am doing pretty good on laying off of the water works. However, in nine days, I will be sitting in the cafeteria/gym for the last time, watching my baby walk across the stage and graduate. And then I will be standing in the hallway participating in a clapout with the other students and watch him exit the school for the last time. I am positive that I will need to be packing LOTS of kleenex that day!