Yard Shots.

I took a picture of the view from the front porch. Everything is looking really green. I am going to take one each season. Hopefully most of these trees will still be there. Some kind of construction project is going on near us. We hear the trucks getting louder day by day. I can't imagine anyone developing land. There are plenty of houses waiting to sell without building new ones. Seems like a big waste of time and energy. The Iris is one of the few flowers planted in my yard. I am so bad about keeping the yard planted and current. Honestly I can't make it past the laundry room to do anything else. The bathtub was in a class I subbed for Friday. It was one of the many cool reading spots. I had to take a picture with the iphone.

Mike had a really good trip. His Bronco performed extremely well. There was plenty of good food and showers available. He tried to sleep through some very windy nights. We are all glad he is back. Tomorrow begins another busy week. We have eye exams and other doctors appointments on top of our usual craziness.

Packing Up.

Mike is packing up for his big Bronco trip. He is taking a real tent and sleeping bag. I hope he has a great time. He is very excited. I am skipping this trip due to the lack of a real bed. I can't say he is too sad about that. The weather looks great and I am sure he will have a wonderful time.

The flowers are from Mrs. Lena's yard. Summer is coming quickly. Today's high was 90, this makes the car line miserable. I subbed today in a G/T class. It was a good day. While I was there my phone rang 4 different times to sub tomorrow. I finally said yes. Otherwise my phone would start ringing at 5:30 tomorrow. It would continue ringing until I said yes. I don't know when my house will be cleaned or who is going to do it.

Field Trip.

The 3rd grade Wings class took a walking tour of Benton today. It was a mystery tour to find the lost history of our town. I managed to make parts of it around my job at the art studio. Why is it things are always, always scheduled during the few hours a week I work? Some of the pictures are mine and some are Sarah's. I left the camera with Sarah while I ran back to work. I would have loved to finish the tour. Sarah did things I have never done. They began the morning at Benton State bank. We received a grand tour and lots of history. Next was the Shoppach house. I have never been there and did not realize the history of it. Then the class moved on to the Courthouse. Sarah got to climb to the top of the bell tower. I like Sarah's shot of the Courthouse. Next on the agenda the Gann Museum. This large piece of Niloak pottery is worth a very pretty penny. Finally, lunch and the Royal Theatre. The Royal Theatre was a real step back in time. I can not remember the last time I was there. I know I went to the movies through jumior high at least if not senior high. So thats many, many years. I enjoyed this field trip and learned a lot.

Breakfast with the Firemen.

Today was the big day. Sarah recently won a contest for fire safety. Her prize was a pancake breakfast and a ride to school on the firetruck. We had a great time. The firemen were super nice. We took a grand tour of the station. They cooked up a fabulous meal. The big trucks were very impressive. We saw the tools and equipment on each truck. After all of that, Sarah was strapped into the front seat of the big truck. They began the quick trip across town. The fire engine pulled into the school drive with lights and sirens blaring. All of the 3rd grade students were lined up on the sidewalk. Everyone cheered and clapped. Sarah was elated. It was a big moment.

Spring Carnival.

Caldwell celebrated the end of Benchmark testing with a BIG kickball game and a carnival. One fifth grade class won the honor of going up against the teachers in a serious kickball game. It was intense. The kids were wound up. Those kids wanted victory bad. They easily beat the teachers 7-0. Mom's helped watch the student's while the teachers took to the field. The basket was our class donation to the raffle. Each class comes up with a different theme. We chose science. Included in the basket are some cool experiment type items. I thought it was really cute. That was until I saw some of the other baskets. I personally would have bid on several of them. Unfortunately they ran the live auction while I was running the booth. My job was to take pictures of kids at a few photo stations. Next year I hope to spend more time enjoying the carnival and less time working it. The kids had a good time running to each booth.

Lines and Shapes.

I took these pictures in Charlotte's back yard. There is always something to photograph there. The kids have all been climbing up the rope into that fabulous tree house. They are quite anxious for the pool to open. It is not nearly warm enough for that. The star hangs on the gate. I like the combination of shapes-circle, stars, and squares.

Mike is back home. I am worn out. I ironed until almost 8:00 tonight. I enjoyed the Glenn Beck show tonight. He went to San Antonio for the tea party. Ted Nugent played The Star Spangled Banner. I am also thrilled Kris Allen made it through another week of American Idol. Kris is from Conway. He is part of the worship team at a big church there. He is also a UCA alumini. I don't think it's an accident he has made it this far. I think he is going to be the next Steven Curtis Chapman.

Easter Sunday.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Easter. We had terrible weather. It rained so hard We could barely hear the preacher at church. It was also COLD. We did however manage to have a wonderful day. Praise and worship at our church is just incredible. They also played a very cool video montage describing Jesus. I found it to be amazing. The kids managed to hunt some fabulous golden eggs on Mama's back porch. Each one had a special treat hidden inside. The birds loved the rain. Papa has quite the bird sanctuary in his back yard. There is a never ending supply of seeds and treats. Birds of all feathers flock to enjoy the feast. The challenge is taking the picture through a window. They see the movement and the glass shows up in the shot. I just think the banana pudding is pretty. It is a perfect light desert.

Mike is in Amarillo this week. Testing begins in the morning for both kids. We are striving to have a calm, quiet week.

Arkansas Weather.

Spring is here with tornadoes and weather to prove it. Mena got hit pretty hard last night. We had the TV on to keep an eye on things. It looked like it was coming pretty close. This made Sarah panic. We don't normally head for the bathroom but Sarah insisted. The worst of it went north of Saline County. We have come close many times but Praise God not too close. We spent about 30 minutes in the bathroom. The puppies were thrilled. They barked at the sirens and nuzzled the people. Hopefully we are done with all that. This morning Sarah's easel art depicts a car driving into a very large tornado. It is very scary for someone her age. Thank goodness Daddy was here. That always helps.

New Toy.

My 40D has spoiled me completely. However, it is so big and bulky I can't possibly carry it everywhere. Many times I sigh and wish for my good camera as I pull the pink Sony out. I decided to replace my "purse camera" with a worthy candidate. This required ebaying several items. Other family members are thrilled to use a camera that is not pink. I am in love. This little thing is AWESOME. It is ridiculous how good technology can be. I have just begun to play with it. There are many easy access features I wish were on the big camera. It's just fabulous. It will be interesting to see if you can tell which camera took what pictures. There is a cool movie feature Mike has been playing with. He has made some clips of his 4x4 adventures. For the price it competes very nicely with the SLR. Cons include the sensor size and lens. It has more megapixels than the 40D but sensor size matters more in that area. Zoom doesn't really compare with a good glass lens. The point being, even with that it still holds its own. The G10 is a great camera and I am thrilled to have it.

Social Commentary.

I looked at Sarah's easel the other day and saw this. I had to stop and read and take it all in. I don't quite follow her thinking. Apparently we need to be turning things off around here. Where has she seen rabbit ears on a TV? We have enough satellites here to launch the shuttle. I am not quite sure where the green influence is coming from, must be school. My husband will tell you we are so not green. I expect Ashton and Demi to knock on my door any day now and complain. I think I will put Sarah in charge of a home improvement project.

We went to see Knowing the other day. I saw it advertised on several Christian websites. I wanted to check it out. This is Nicholas Cage's new film. It is not a serious religious film but it raises lots of questions. Definitely a good conversation starter for your atheist friends. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The movie is action packed and a very intense 2 hours. I thought it was great and have recommended it to others.

Facebook.

Just wanted to say how cool it is. I am amazed with the connections I have made. How cool is it to talk with a friend you have not seen since Junior high who now lives in another country. I love to be logged on during American Idol. You get instant feedback on others thoughts. Several scrapbook geniuses have been generous enough to add me. I now get creative insights all over the place. All things in moderation, I don't send out alerts with every move. I just love it.

Mighty Minds.

The 3rd grade program was all about Benchmark testing. Next week is the BIG week at Benton public schools. It's all about the test scores. Sarah does not need anybody to push her to perfection. She does that all by herself. I just facilitate the process. The play was cute. The picture with the hands up is the kids screaming with test anxiety. This really does bother me. I get a new note every day about the tests. I need to send food, snacks, and personal notes of encouragement. Mrs. Beggs needs help prepping some things. Can I come in early? Not to mention a good breakfast, 8 hours sleep and a calm living environment. I will not be subbing at all next week. Only certified teachers are allowed near the test. The answer sheets do not leave their sight. If necessary, they go to the bathroom with them.

I am more than glad to volunteer and help. It makes Sarah happy and that alone is reason enough for me. I just feel the pressure and I am not even taking the test. Even Jamie, who notices NOTHING will tell you the teachers are stressing. They will both do well because they are good students. I will do everything on my end possible to smooth it out. Pray for a peaceful week in my house. I will try to relax.

Easter Egg Hunt.

We had great weather for our church egg hunt. the best part was praise and worship time. They blasted Big, Big House and other songs from speakers on the front porch. The kids were all doing the hand motions. It was very cute. Jamie is a bit big for the basket thing. Sarah hit the jackpot. We all enjoyed the candy. Then we proceeded to run all over town.

Aunt Pat and Uncle Ben visited this week. This shot is Pat helping Sarah with a Webkins game. We always enjoy spending time with them. Pat also helped Sarah work some Soduku puzzles.

I subbed for an art teacher 2 days this week. Their art work was very impressive. The only issue I had was keeping them quiet. Man, they love to talk. I finally started reading to them. That seems to be the best trick I have as a sub. Read a chapter from a really great book and you suddenly have their complete attention.

The Book Thief.

I just finished this fabulous book. It was heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. The story is about Nazi Germany. The story is told by Death. Death uses a third person narrative. He is trying to understand humans who kill and love at the same time. He is haunted by human behavior. He observes the life experiences of Liesel a young German girl is sent to live with foster parents. Hunger, hatred, abandonment, and homelessness are just a few of the themes. And that is just the Germans, never mind the Jews. Death uses colors to illustrate what he sees. The writing is incredible. The characters are strong. I will be reading this one again very slowly.