Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Yesterday I turned 37! Wow, do I feel old! Sade asked me on Sunday if I was excited about it being my birthday, and I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and said, "Not really...!" The look she gave me was priceless! She truly is my treasure!
Sunday night after I made sure everyone was in bed and I crawled into bed myself, Sade got up, made signs and posters and planted them around the house and even hid a few extra in her room for me later! When I woke up on my birthday, there were signs on the table, counters and microwave wishing me a "Happy Birthday" and telling me "UR the bomb" and how much she loves me so I should Smile today!
After school, Sade and our friend Julie went to the store because she "Needed Coke and Chocolate" (okay, there's your proof she's my daughter!!!) When they got home, I was prohibited from getting off the couch! She gave me a card that read
"Dear Mom, You are the worlds most greatest mom ever to be created. Parenting is in your blood. But now today is your day off, for it is a holiday today. It's your Birthday. Down below is a certificate for being the worlds greatest mom. It is also a ticket to get hugs and to receive a present and a card from your kids. We won't tell you who it will come from, it will just come to you at anytime during the day.
Job for you: Nothing...relax and enjoy your day.
Job for me: Make this your best B-day ever!!!!!!
Congratulations on being World's Greatest MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Well... if I couldn't get off the couch, the next best thing was for me to take a nap. So I took a nap and enjoyed the smells coming from the kitchen. Occasionally, I'd hear her call Kayode to the kitchen for something-or-other... but I respected her wishes and stayed put!
Throughout the day I got calls and birthday wishes from my loving family and special friends! Finally I was allowed into the kitchen and was shown the most yummy looking cake! Chocolate with chocolate fudge frosting and really cool "Happy Birthday" candles! (Question: What 12 year old makes their mom a cake for her birthday? Answer: The most wonderful one in the world!!!)
When Dele got home, Sade bugged him for money for dinner (I mentioned making lasagna and she about flipped...) so we ordered Pizza and chicken wings from Pizza Hut. After we ordered pizza, I was given my card! It is wonderful! Sade chose one of those music cards and it plays "You'll be in my Heart" by Phil Collins... the same song we had played at our wedding reception as a song to dance to with the kids! Very special! Dinner came and the kids and I devoured 3 medium pizzas... I guess we were hungry!
I finally got to open my present from the kids! I could hardly stand the wait! I got a bag full of goodies... Doritos, Reese cups, Twix & Snickers, oh... and a Coke! I think I've made it known what I like to snack on! :) Finally, Sade lit the candles on the cake, they all sang "Happy Birthday" to me and I made the most important wish a mom could make! I know it will come true, because today was the most wonderful birthday ever!
We concluded the night by watching a movie together. We watched "For the Love of a Dog." Not necessarily the very best movie ever made, but a good family movie! I'm so blessed to have such a fabulous bunch of kids! Especially a daughter that went out of her way to make sure my day was the best ever!!! What a lucky mom I am!!!!!
8th Grade Awards Night
Derek was invited to the 8th Grade Awards Night at Grant Sawyer Middle School. The kids and I went and sat through an hour and a half waiting anxiously to see what award Derek received. I am so proud of him! He received an award for exceding the standards on the state reading test. He received a 431 out of 500! Way to Go, Derek!
It was a very nice ceremony. The advanced orchestra performed, the Valedictorian from Durango High School spoke to the kids, next years Durango High School Senior President spoke and all of the teachers and administration were there to show the kids their support and kind words for their preparation for High School! (Can you believe Derek's going to High School?) Only the top kids in his class were invited and I'm so proud that Derek got to be part of such a special event!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
We spent Memorial Day at one of the local skate parks so the kids could play and skate and enjoy being outdoors! We were joined by our friends, the Kalua's! We ate lunch; the kids played on the equipment, rode skate boards & scooters; and, of course, we held beautiful babies! We have to try and spend as much time as we can with our friends before they move to Kansas at the end of June. The kids had a great time, as always!! We can't wait to hang out again!
Babysitter Extraordinaire
Well, our friends finally welcomed their twins to the world and Sade & I went for a visit! Sade cannot wait to babysit... and she's willing to do it for Coca-Cola & Chocolate! She held Marley the whole time we were there! We're very sad that they'll be moving at the end of June!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Band & Choir trip to Disneyland
Derek's Band and Sade's Choir (& the Orchestra) got to spend Friday and Saturday at Disneyland and California Adventure Park. We arrived at the school Friday morning at 4:30 am and loaded all of the buses. By about 5:30 we were on the road, on our way to the "Happiest Place on Earth..." I chaperoned, and luckily, the choir bus ended up being the quietest and nicest bus out of the three! We arrived at Disneyland around 10:15 am. 
While we waited for out tickets and further directions I snapped my one and only pic of Derek... he only spoke to me when completely necessary! :) I guess that's how some 14 year old boys are...too cool to like their mom (at least in public!)
Friday was basically spent at California Adventure Park. 
The orchestra performed first in the Hollywood Backlot! While we waited, Sade and I went on the Monsters, Inc ride...very cute! The band and choir listened to the orchestra perform. They did a great job! They ended up with quite a good sized audience, too. 
Once the orchestra finished, we grabbed a bite to eat before we had to meet again for the band to perform and the choir to attend their workshop. Since the band and choirs activities were at the same time, I didn't get to see the band perform. Derek said they did a really good job, and once they started playing more upbeat, "fun" music, the audience really grew! The choir had to take a stroll over to the Disneyland park where they participated in a singing workshop behind the scenes in ToonTown. What a great opportunity for the kids! They worked with one of the music producers in Disneyland and sang two songs from popular movies and made a music video with their voices and clips from the movies to take home.
Once the workshop and concerts were over the kids and chaperone's had free time in the park for 3 hours. Sade and I went on California Screamin' and The Hollywood Tower of Terror two times each! Neither of us had been on the Tower of Terror... Oh, my goodness...
Before we left for the day, the whole group met up to watch the good 'ol Electric Light Parade. They took it away from Disney many years ago and now brought it back and run it most nights now at California Adventure. Sade loved it and how fun it was for me since the last time I really remember seeing it was when I went the summer before I was in 6th grade!
We love "Peter Pan" & "Pirates of the Caribbean"...and who doesn't love G0ofY?
Saturday was our "FREE" day at Disneyland. We had 10 hours to play and do whatever we wanted! Sade and I had a blast! We went on almost every roller coaster-type ride in the park...Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones,
Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad, and of course, Star Tours.
We even drove the cars at Autotopia three times Sade can't wait to drive!!!!)
We even stopped to eat and shop, too! At 9pm we all gathered to watch the fireworks before we left for Vegas. The fireworks show is spectacular! A real-live Tinkerbell even flies over the castle! It's amazing!
Our drive home was quiet and uneventful until our bus driver decided she needed to get coffee and stretch her legs... so around 2 am we pulled off in Baker, CA to do just that. That's when Derek's bus ran out of gas! Imagine that... a charter bus out of gas on a trip! We ended up having to unload the band bus, all of the instruments, garment bags, luggage & kids and disperse them onto the other two buses. We finally made it back to the school at 4:30 am. We unloaded, went home and straight to bed!!!
All in all, we had a terrific time! Derek had a blast hanging out at Disneyland with his friends, and Sade & I had a great time hanging out with each other... a girls weekend in Disney... can't go wrong with that! My chaperoning duties were pretty much fulfilled at the hotel when I had to "tape-in" our kids so we knew which ones tried to get out in the night, waking them up in the morning, and checking them out of their rooms so we could get back to Disneyland by 9:30 Saturday morning. Otherwise, my instructions as a chaperone were to have fun and be at the check-ins just the like the kids.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Another fabulous Sawyer Middle School Drama Production! Sade wasn't a cast member this time, but she was in charge of all of the props behind the scenes! The kids did a great job and they always came out with the correct prop! :) They have 4 shows this week and they donated all of opening nights proceeds to the American Cancer Society in honor of the playwrite's current fight with cancer. It's so great to see young people so involved in the fine arts!
