Summer Memory Book

Good Monday morning... and Hello, Summer!

OOPS! OOPS! OOPS!

I accidentally posted Wednesday's Seasonal Tradition today (Monday). I should have posted a Party/Event! What can I say? I made a teeny, tiny mistake. So, look for a Party/Event Wednesday, and we'll call it even!

No one has to be anywhere today. Well, except for Josh and some friends who are going to see Up this evening. No homework. No projects. No deadlines. No dance rehearsals. No football practices. No last minute graduation "things" to deal with. I don't think I've ever liked a Monday this much in my whole, entire life.

Roxie's Dance Recital went off without a hitch. She said, and I wholeheartedly agreed, it was the most "relaxed" recital we have ever been a part of. Costume changes went smoothly... hair-do changes went smoothly... she danced GREAT! All in all, a very enjoyable event... unlike years past when the word "BUN" paralyzed me with fear.

(REMINDER: I am a "boy mom" blessed with a girl. The hair thing has always been a challenge for me. Putting hair into any kind of "different" hairstyle in two minutes or less with people screaming "Seniors On Stage," and Roxie screaming, "I'm going to miss my dance," is enough to put any "boy mom" over the edge.)

Fortunately, all three hair changes were fairly simple, and other than applying a few bobby pins here and there, Roxie did her hair by herself. My main objective it seemed during this recital was to supply her with Pepsi and chips (her favorite food), and sip on a Pina Colada Banana Smoothie they were selling upstairs in the concession area. (I'm assuming it had no alcohol because kids were buying them left and right. I didn't think to ask until after the recital, and by then it was too late. NOTE: Perhaps another reason I was so relaxed... Hmmm.)

I do have a few of things to share with you today.

1. Click on "I'm Just Telling My Story" under my Blog List. Monique has posted a Rave Motion Picture list of their free movies for the summer. I was going to post it this coming Thursday, but you'll miss one of the movies if you wait for my post. Same movies, just different locations for people who live on the Vestavia/Hoover side of town.

2. If you want to see New York City through the eyes of a family who live on a ranch out west, click on "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman." I am living vicariously through Ree, her husband and her two girls as they see the sights in that great city. She's been posting once or twice a day for the past week, and it is very, very good. (I've never been to New York City.)

3. My good blog friend, Jennifer, left a comment a couple of posts back with two websites. I'll share them with you now in case you didn't see the comment. You can check every few days on http://blog.al.com/bargain-mom/ for some different inexpensive or free things to do with your family this summer. (For example, this past weekend a few of the activities listed were Pepper Place Saturday Market, "Cool" Life of Reptiles and Amphibians at Oak Mountain State Park and the 26th Sunrise Community Hot Air Balloon Race in Tuscaloosa.) Each event has specific details (time, place, price, etc.) listed, as well as the description of the event.

You can also go to www.basspro.com and click on Bass Pro Shop Family Summer Camp for info regarding FREE Casting Pond, Workshops, Laser Shooting Gallery, S'mores Cookout, Shooting Range, etc. They have the Summer Camp every Saturday and Sunday from noon until 6:00 p.m. (May 30 through July 5). You can specifically click on any of the activities mentioned above for more details. (Mikie and Roxie will be taking advantage of this one. Next to Rue 21, Bass Pro Shop is her favorite store right now.)

4. If you are a scrapbooker, do NOT forget to go to www.peachycheap.com every morning. They have the most amazing deals on scrapbook products. (So far, always 70% or more off the original price.) It is always $4.99 for shipping. I've ordered one thing so far. I received it in less than a week. I paid $3.99 for three different packages of chipboard diecuts (a total of 127 different designs), plus the $4.99 shipping, and still saved over 60%. It's a good thing, as Miss Martha would say.

Austin finally picked the destination of his Senior Trip. He's going to Washington, D.C. Or San Antonio, Texas. No... It's definitely Washington. Or maybe explore the whole State of Tennessee. (We should have just told him where he was going!) Wherever he goes, he's leaving June 26. We gave him the choice of picking anyone he wanted to go with him, and he picked his Dad. (I didn't even have to put the idea into his head.) It will be a very special trip for both of them. They'll be gone a week, and I hope they make memories to last a life time. I also hope Washington, San Antonio or the State of Tennessee survive the two of them.

CONTEST, CONTEST, CONTEST!!!

Now, I'd like to pose a question. Keep in mind, I receive several comments a day at my e-mail address listed above, so if you only spot one or two comments in the Comment Section below, do not feel sorry for me. I'm chatting away with several people through that source of contact. Now, here is the question...

What does a typical summer week consist of in your household?

This week, I'll be posting "A Typical Week in the Life of the Faulkner Five During the Summer!"

We have no church services on Sunday nights during the summer. Pastor Kevin encourages us to spend time with our family... which I try to make sure we do! So last night we camped out in our den watching a movie for Faulkner Family Movie Night. We watched Sahara (which was already showing on TV last night anyway, so I didn't have to rent anything. After the movie, Mike and I retired to our bedroom for much needed SLEEP, and the kids stayed up watching TV (America's Funniest Home Videos. etc.), and reading in their rooms until very, very late... just because they CAN! And then they slept in this morning.

I know I'm only on #157 of my posts, and I was going to wait until post #200, but I feel summer deserves a contest. You have ALL week to answer the question posed above. I will randomly pick a winner Friday, June 5 at midnight and post it Saturday morning.

There are only two rules. You have to post your answer to the question in the Comment Section or E-Mail me. If you tell me in the hallway at church, it doesn't count. Not because I'm mean, but because I won't remember. It's that bad, folks. I have to have it in writing!

Tonya won the "100th Post Contest," and she'll tell you I promptly delivered her gift card to her husband. The prize for this contest is a little different. I will give you a $10 gift card from your favorite movie rental store. (I know, I know. That's approximately 2 1/2 movies. But, it's better than nothin'!) If you live out of state, I will send you a $10 VISA card to be used at your local movie rental store.

Summer Memory Book

Starting at the beginning of summer (TODAY would be a good day), record dates of special outings, family activities, unusual events, etc. Paste or tape into the notebook ticket stubs, programs, place cards or other souvenirs that fit.

Record the height and weight of each member of the family (except for Mom).

At the end of the season, look back on the activities of the summer and enjoy the memories you have created. Do this each summer and you and your family will enjoy looking through these memory books during the cold, winter months.

Taken from Let's Make a Memory.

NOTE: This does NOT have to be a scrapbook. It can be a plain hard-covered notebook. You can even have each family member write in the back of the notebook their favorite summer activity (or they can draw a picture if they cannot write yet). If you have a child who wants to be in charge of the notebook (like a 12 year-old girl), turn it over to them. Don't make it complicated. Make it FUN!

Have a wonderful, lazy Monday. Tune in tomorrow for a cool summer recipe. (Mikie loves this one.)

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.