So I survived the week with Tom off to England(just barely). It is certainly difficult trying to keep up with the schedules for 3 people when you are only 1 person. I'm afraid SCott did not fair quite as well with his tests as I would have hoped. My kids just cannot cram for tests(good lesson for high school and college!).

So Scott is going to have to do some extra work with Tom-especially with the math. Even Allison tried to help  Scott out last week and had some trouble getting through the problems.  I especially don't like that the teachers at SCott's school wait to announce tests just a few days ahead of time. Scott really could use the weekend for review, and everything is always crammed into the week. Plus the kids don't have much school left, so the workload is even greater.

And as you all know, we are usually pretty busy during the week with extra curricular activities. Speaking of which, Congrats to SCott for getting through his 2nd class requirements for Boy SCouts last week. He is now busy trying to finish up a few badges and working on his 1st class requirements. He actually finished a few 1st class requirements before the 2nd class was completed.

Unfortunately for Allison, our pleas to have her Gold Award project accepted to build the horsebackriding ramp were too late. The stable could not wait any longer and they asked a group of Boy SCouts to complete the project. Just repairs though, not a complete rebuild like Allison had planned. So now we are searching for another project that she can do within a year's time before she graduates from high school!  Hard to believe it is just one more year for her. She ended up taking the SAT again on Saturday to try and bump up her English section. She tried a testing method they recommended at her SAT class which actually caused her score to drop. So much for the tutoring services!  She also worked on finishing up her volunteer work for the NHS program for the year. She needs to complete 1 more hour on an in-school project. She sat and cut out cancelled stamps for 2 hours for an art project that has been going on for a few years at the school. The art teacher is trying to make a holocaust mural out of 6 million stamps honoring the number of  victims killed. They are only up to 1 million. I know I keep tearing off stamps from letters, but most people don't send cards/letters anymore(thanks Linda, I know you do!). And Christmas comes in handy, and my mom always sends cancelled stamps along with Campbell soup labels for the schools. Anyhow, Allison doesn't want to look at another stamp for a long time(it is not her thing) but she has 1 more hour to go!

We also were busy running around on Saturday afternoon. After Allison finished up her test, I had to rush her and I off to our GS Annual Board meeting. Usually they run this on a Thursday night, but this year they decided to try a SAturday luncheon. They even had some classes in the morning, but neither Allison or I could attend. We made it to the meeting just as lunch was being served, right after we sang Grace with the GS choir, and then had to get back up before lunch was over to sing a few more songs. Not very many members of the choir attended-mostly just the older girls and a couple of Brownies. We just sang a few songs that we will be singing on the stage in DC in June at the Rock the Mall event. I can't keep up!  AFter the meeting, Allison had time to get home and change, do some homework and get to work. I had time to get home and check Scott's homework for the weekend.

And that 's about the time Tom got in from England. We had a lot of news to catch up on.

But on Sunday we were off to church early as Scott was serving mass. Afterwards, Allison had to get to work, and that evening, Allison had to be at a GS summer camp meeting. She had to meet with the Archery crew to go over the usual routine. In between all these activities she managed to get some homework done. Of course, piano was on Thursday night. Right after I took Scott to his new swim class.

He just started in the Porpoise Club-a group that prepares you for a swim team. Scott would like to try and get on a swim team. Which probably means we would drop gymnastics after this semester. (Just not enough days in the week).

And it was time for the annual shearing of the sheep(ie Cookie got a hair cut). I am sure she will appreciate the short hair as it has been starting to really warm up. Not a ton of rain though. I did manage to get the mulch ordered and the grass cut this past weekend. I know what we are doing next weekend!

HOpe you had a chance to catch Allison's video. This week I am sending prom photos along with some shots from the Distinguished Women's Award gala. Allison is standing with her mentor and the group shot is of all the girls with their mentors. The 3rd woman from the left in the dark suit is the Mayor of Baltimore-Stephanie Rawlings -Blake

Kathleen