Well, I survived a week without Tom(sort of). I managed to clog my kitchen sink. Guess I can't do 20 things at once! Like dishes, laundry, cook and study with the kids.

Allison was mostly on her own this week.She was busy preparing for the High School Assessments. Thank goodness for online quizzes. She feels like she did well on her last two high school assessments(biology and english) last week, but the government test this past week was a bit tougher. And to think they may not have it next year! (Not in the budget!)

Scott was loaded down with homework and tests since he doesn't have much school left. I would have liked to have had him start his studying last weekend but we did not get the study guide until Monday(and because I asked the teacher for one). We mostly just worked on his spanish(telling time) and the vocab for his American history test. He also took a break while I was cutting the grass and washed and vacuumed my car for me. There has just been a yellow layer of pollen on everything. I also had him hose down some of the camping equipment(it was still full of mud) before I had to run and pick up Allison from work.

Last Sunday evening we had some guests drop by. The woman I met during Ladies Night Out who is from Michigan and is a Girl Scout volunteer. Their family moved here to Baltimore for work since her husband is an engineer and did not have much luck keeping a job in the Detroit area. She dropped by with her husband and twin girls(Scott's age) to visit with Cookie. They are shopping for a dog and thought about a Labradoodle. I told them to consider the Cavachon and she did. We are still waiting to hear if they found an available puppy yet. Not many here in Maryland. I think her girls could have stayed all night. They were mesmerized by all of Scott's electronic toys(they have two older brothers) and I think they enjoyed Scott's company too! I know he was in no hurry for them to leave! Their oldest brother just graduated from high school and was accepted into MSU, but being out of state, their Dad said it is too expensive. I guess their son was very disappointed. We hope to see them all again.

Tom arrived in Reno on Sunday afternoon with a fried computer. Tom was chosen as a Keynote Speaker for his group. He had his presentation on his laptop but since it was down he had to rely on the conference people to give him a copy of his presentation. Fortunately he had the back up and his talk went off well on Monday afternoon. He was then done for the week and decided the conference wasn't terribly exciting. However, Reno was not too exciting either. Instead he drove into Northern California to do a little sight seeing. Mostly just trees. He did have time to do a little networking. A woman from Hershey wants to hire him! I think it would be awesome to work for the candy company-and Tom could watch all the Hershey Bear Hockey games too! The hockey was tempting, but not the job.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch there was lots of homework going on. Allison was busy studying and working on her National Honor Society essay which is included with the application. Scott and I were busy studying for his history test, but he also had other homework assignments to complete first. Besides studies, we had fun activities to catch up with. I took Scott to his boy scout meeting on Tuesday night. First he had to type up his menu that he made from the rafting weekend and thenbreak it down according to the Food Pyramid as one of his boy scout assignments. Next we started on the budget assignment. Scott also stayed after school for his firs Lego Club meeting. The school is going to sponsor a Lego TEam next year to build robots and compete. Scott is very excited. Tom signed up to help out too(part of the STEM program). I also had to run Scott up to the dentist for his cavity. This time he had a real cavity and thought the whole thing was a bit uncomfortable. And it took longer for the novacaine to wear off.

Weds we were back to studying. I also was proofreading Allison's essay, so we decided by Thursday it was going to be turned in(it was due Friday). She managed to get all her paperwork turned in on Thursday morning, and I was asked to fill out a recommendation too from one of my girl scouts and Allison's classmate. (Nothing like last minute!).

Tom arrived home on Thursday night. I got Allison to her last Field Hockey practice, but I could not get SCott to gymnastics since they were at the same time. Allison has decided after trying out positions on the field, that she is happy to stay in goalie. She has also decided that field hockey in the spring is horrid for allergies. She said the Claritin is just not working anymore and we have switched to Allegra. A lot of the other drugs just make her very sleepy.

Right after her field hockey practice, I fed both kids and Allison and I went over to meet with the instructor for the Therapeutic Horseback riding program. We just missed her last Thursday, but we caught her this week(and no thunderstorm for a change). We took some more photos and had her sign Allison's paperwork as well as discussed her hopes for the project and needs. She said another girl scout was going to take on making picnic tables and clearing up a place for parents to sit and watch outside. We also found out that the woman in charge just happens to be the Aunt of one of my previous girl scouts and a great friend of Allison's! Small world.

Over the weekend, Tom finally was able to visit the stable with Allison to help her draw up a design on the computer. He decided to really meet the new handicap standards for ramp dimensions, it is going to need a double ramp with a landing. (Bigger project, more money). He is now busy working with Allison on pricing out the lumber. Allison needs to write up a proposal for approval first from the Girl Scout board before she can start work on the project. Unfortunately, the board only meets the first Weds of each month to review Gold Award submisions which is this WEds and I don't think we can get through all the paperwork and drop it off at the main office by then. Especially with Monday being a holiday. So it may have to go in for July. Still better to try and get it done this year I think than next year.

Tom and I had Friday off, but I was busy with doctor appointments. One for me and one for the cat. My doctor likes to keep an eye on my blood pressure. The medical field wants everyone to stay under 120/80 and I run 122/82(not enough for them to worry about right now so no drugs for me) Yeah! I then had to take the cat in for her yearly check up. She needed some shots and I still worry about her weight. She actually gained a 1/4lb from last year and is up to 8lbs. They said all her bloodwork is normal, but did give her an antibiotic shot since they said she might have a slight bladder infection. Overall, she is in great health for 11 yrs old(much to Tom's disappointment).

In the evening Allison had piano and Tom took Scott to a boy scout event. The boys place flags on the graves at the veteran's cemetery every Memorial Day Weekend. We have participated in this event for the past 5 years. After Allison's lesson, she joined our old neighbor's daughter at the movies to see the new Kung Fu Panda. Their Dad dropped off and I picked up.

On Saturday, after SCott's swim lesson, he joined the boys to see the movie and afterwards we hosted a sleepover. Allison had to work so we had some running around to do. Tom invited our neighbors over for drinks and an outdoor movie. The kids all watched the Yogi Bear movie on our projector in the backyard while us girls chatted inside.

On Sunday Allison and I had a singing event for a Girl Scout Award banquet with the GS choir after which we headed over for a pool party at Matt and Diana's house. Everyone brought their dogs so it kept us busy keeping an eye on Cookie with the big dogs(Cookie actually told the big dogs what she thought about them!). The weather has been incredibly hot over the weekend so it felt good to cool off in the pool, and Matt made incredible ribs and too much food. We were in charge of dessert so I had Allison bake brownies(even though it was much too hot to turn on the oven). Tom was finally able to clean out the vents and turn on the air conditioning(and Mark it is actually still officially Spring by the way). Summer doesn't start until June 21st and Allison has to go to school until June 22nd! Scott is done in two weeks.

At least the kids didn't have a lot of tests or assignments over the holiday weekend. Allison just finished up with reading A Catcher in the Rye(she liked it) and SCott is finishing The Rats of NIMH. And we were excited to see she got an A on her research paper that she worked on for several months. And she really did all the work herself. I especially like Allison's Honor English teacher this year-I thought she did a great job truly showing the kids how to write their own research papers step by step. But as I said, it is not over yet!

A Huge Happy Birthday to Christopher Bozyk who turned 14 this week! Happy Birthday Christopher!

I am sending beach pictures from our Spring Break(I wish we could have spent Memorial DAy weekend back at the beach!) That's Venice beach after a rain storm, Nokomis beach on Saturday before EAster Sunday and a stroll along the beach with Mom Seitz and Tom after dinner at Pops.

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