Pumpkin + Jigsaw = Jack-O-Lantern

2 days before Halloween we carved our pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanterns This year is the first time the girls have used a pattern to draw the spooky pumpkin face. It made things a bit more difficult to do the actual carving, sending Shane to the tool closet for the power saw. The girls first choice of a pattern were even too intricate for the jigsaw, sending them to a 2nd choice pattern. Both turned out cute!

One Word

You can only type ONE Word! Not as easy as you might think. It's really hard to only use one word answers. You can only type one word. Post your responses on your blog and let me know.

1. Where is your cell phone? Suburban
2. Where is your significant other? Office
3. Your hair? Ponytail
4. Your mother? Crazy
5. Your father? Everything
6. Your favorite thing? Shellfish
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your dream/goal? Contentment
9. Room your in? Bed
10. Your hobby? Reading
11. Your fear? Many
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you're not? Ambitious
15. One of your wish list items? Peace
16. Where you grew up? NLR
17. The last thing you did? Cook
18. What are you wearing? PJ's
19. Your TV? On
20. Your pets? Ollie
21. Your computer? Dell
22. Your mood? Tired
23. Missing someone? Always
24. Your car? White
25. Something you're not wearing? socks
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Short
28. Love someone? Yes
29. Your favorite color? Red
30. When is the last time you laughed? Earlier
31. Last time you cried? Sunday

Spirit Week=Homecoming 2008

Here are several pics from Homecoming-as we attend a small school the ENTIRE student body k-12 participates in the festivities!

How bout this girl-she looks like she is having fun!!

Sarah on Western Day
These sweet younger sisters got to have a school night sleepover, to accomadate their busy older sisters schedule!!
Always fun to feel like you are breaking a rule.

Crazy Hat Day

Sarah designed and made her own hat. It is an old ball cap of her Daddy's that she covered with gift wrap. Then she attached curly ribbon, and found some sticky bows leftover from her birthday.

She is very creative.

Camo Day

Sports Day-Such a cutieSarah wore Shane's KC Chiefs Tony Gonzales jersey.

2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars

Mitchel Musso

On Sunday afternoon we had tickets to see the Olympic Gymnasts. It was a spectacular, action packed show. Our heads were going back and forth trying to keep up with all the action. The highlight of the show for Sarah came when she realized some of the gymnast were running a lap around the arena giving handshakes and High-5's, she tapped my arm then took off for the floor where she was the recipient of a High-5 from gold medalist Nastia Liukin. This doesn't sound like me, letting her just take off does it? She didn't ask. She was SO excited and didn't want to miss her opportunity to be part of things. When we walked into the arena Shane gave all of us our ticket stub, I assume so if we were lost we could find our way back to the seats. I am proud that she was confident enough in herself to just take off by herself to be part of the action.

Later in the show I noticed a couple of people sit down in the aisle next to us (we had aisle seats) and I thought hmmmm....I bet security will be right along to move them. Little did I know that was security escorting Nastia Liukin, she was sitting on the step right next to Emily getting ready to make her entrance from our aisle. During this time E is patting my arm saying there is Nastia, being my ding-dong self, I am trying to see over their heads to find Nastia in the direction Emily is indicating. This went on long enough I didn't have time to get our the camera. Finally E said, "Right there and she is wearing Uggs"!! It was very cool. On the tour they also had a couple of musical acts, one was a random band that was not impressive. This band is signed with Disney and I imagine they will be the next big thing. And Mitchel Musso-apparently he is a big deal.

Later I will post some pics from Emily and Sarah's gymnastics days for those of you who missed those years of ours. They are both talented gymnasts who have competed, and placed well at the state level.

After the show Emily was missing the gym.

The highlight of the show for me was watching Emily and Sarah's faces, they were entranced! At one point during a beam routine performed to a sappy song about daughters I became quite emotional. I wish I could tell you I teared up, but I didn't. I had full-fledged tears rolling down my face. I was having flashbacks of taking the girls to the 2004 Tour of Gymnastics in Fayetteville. Which then sent me fast forward 4 years.

Emily will be 18.

Sarah will be 15.

Life moves quickly, I need these reminders to slow down and enjoy them.

6n - 4 = 12n + 26

A math lesson. So here we are on October 14, my (very tired) 8th grader brings this to me in tears. "The teacher made us take notes in class and I can't concentrate when I have to write what she is saying." Makes perfect sense to me. If you are one of my fellow Hornets and sat near me in Algebra--whether it was the 1st time I took it, or the 5th or 6th? by then in college. (seriously-I tend to exaggerate however this is not one of those times) You know what an achievement it was for me to finally get through college Algebra just a few years ago with an A-yes I said A.

You would think I could help this 8th grader with her pre-Algebra. My perfectionist OCD 1st born is nothing like me. She craves the proper orderly, scheduled, and neat. I am so much more laid back it is not even funny. I do wish I could be more like her, and could not be more proud. I digress from the 'math' lesson.

Shane has been the math homework parent. I do all other subjects. Not b/c I don't want to help, but b/c of conversations like this...little girl to mom "I'll just wait for Daddy to get here" or "Is Daddy coming home tonight?" mom--"Probably not until after your in bed." or "No, remember he told you this morning he would be gone" little girl responds with a sad dejected face " Oh, OK." mom says why honey? little girl (with a guilty expression) "I do not understand my math homework" or "I have a math test tomorrow". My offers of help are usually only accepted by them b/c they don't want me to feel bad. (yes, they are that thoughtful).

My reason for sharing this humiliating piece of my story is, don't let the schoolwork get away from you. If I had been following along and paying more attention in recent years it wouldn't have taken us 2 hours to do 11 pre-Algebra problems. And once I had the hang of it she (so unlike me, at her age-who am I kidding? even now) wouldn't just nod her head and act like she understood the problem that I had totally worked and had the answer to right there. She had to have it explained to her, in great detail the whys and why nots of the problem. And then work it on her own until she came up with the correct answer.

Throw in the fact that she had cheer practice until 5:00, it is 6:30 when we start. We haven't had dinner, I am also trying to help Sarah study 50 (again-totally not exaggerating) spelling words, and help her make her crazy hat for spirit day the next day.

Does it sound like I am complaining? I know I am very blessed to have a teenager!?!??!! (that's a whole other post) that is that conscientious of her studies.

For anyone who is scratching their head about the answer to the equation it is -5. (to the best of my knowledge)

October Cotillion

The 2nd cotillion was easier for Sarah, as you can see, she had a few tears. But managed to pull it together and have fun. Emily has finally decided that cotillion would be fun. She did not have that feeling 2 years ago when it was her turn to sign up! Emily and Amber dressed up for the fun of it--and talked Shane into taking them out to eat.....they have his number.

The Last Hurrah

Saturday was the final elementary football game for the McClary's! Sadly, our football team didn't have a successful season, if it were college ball we'd call it "a re-building year". This certainly wasn't because our cheerleaders didn't give it all they had....they did!! I enjoy watching the cheerleaders, God knew what he was doing when he gave me girls. It seems as if all I have talked about lately is cheerleading, it feels to me as if it is all we are doing right now.

We've got SPIRIT!! Yea, Yea we've got spirit----

The video is Sarah's half-time cheer.

She is the only one wearing a long sleeve white shirt.

With this final game, we end our 5 year stint of elementary cheerleading. I am sure we will all miss it