Happy Mother's Day!!!!  Tom took off for San Jose, CA early this morning. Scott took me out to breakfast after serving mass this morning as an altar server. I think he has served every Mother's Day mass. Allison was busy this morning with her classmate finishing up her physics project that looks like a motorized Mouse Trap game. She has spent the weekend finishing up projects, doing homework and studying for upcoming tests. She has 3 more weeks of school and Scott has 4.

I was hoping Allison would have spent this weekend working on her Girl SCout Gold Award project. She needs Tom's help mounting her wooden bird models along the nature trail. I took Tom over to the nature center on Friday since he had just returned from his trip to Salt Lake City. I wanted to pick up the bird models for Allison and have Tom talk to the nature center manager to determine the best way to attach the wooden models to the trees. Turns out the nature center is making this project a lot more complicated. First Allison needs to coat her bird models with polyurethane and they recommend a week to dry, so no mounting of the bird models this weekend. I was a bit concerned that Allison needed to get this project done before her 18th birthday just like the boy scouts. Turns out she has until Sept 30th of this year to finish, so not as much of a rush. The nature center would like Allison to teach her classes during their July summer camps for the Kindergartners, so we have plenty of time. Allison has her presentation made up and just needs to print up a brochure for the trail portion of her bird education program.

Instead, this week she was busy finishing up some of her school projects. She had turned in her research paper and posterboard for her work completed at Resurrection with the Kindergartners-assessing test taking with computers vs paper/pencil. On Thursday night they had a Research Fair she attended with her Kindergartner Teacher/Mentor present. Tom got home early enough on Thursday night to run up to the school with me to check out all the projects. Tom was busy grilling all the kids on their supposed research projects(some kids just look up information rather than actually carry out research like Allison did). Tom thinks our elementary school kids at the catholic school did a better job with their science research than some of the high school kids. And of course, Allison did a great job on her research and her presentation.

The night before the two of us were at the GS board meeting/dinner. Allison received recognition as a graduating girl scout, and we had to sing at the event with the GS choir. The choir also won a recognition for all our performances. Allison went up to receive that award. And we laughed during the board meeting end of year review video as they used 3 different pictures of Allison in the presentation. And of course we spotted her photo in a GS brochure doing archery(again). Allison wants royalty payments!

I had to get Scott a ride to his boy scout meeting that night. He was just happy he did not have to participate in any service projects this weekend. (That is next weekend). I have also been busy helping him work on a power point presentation on Madagascar for his last assignment in Social Studies. But he also had a lot of tests to review for last week. We didn't make swim lessons on Thursday night because he was busy studying while Tom and I were off to Allison's presentation. Instead he went Saturday since it has been raining and storming this past week and golf was cancelled. I hope he gets a make up class since he was looking forward to going out on the course this last lesson. I told Tom he should sign up for the BS golf merit badge!

On Friday Tom and I had a play date. We finally got to see Iron Man 3(very good!). Afterwards we had lunch at Cheesecake Factory and shopped at LLBean that is closing in the mall. Scott needed a new book bag(couldn't make it to the end of the year!). Everything was on sale. We also went out shopping for a new push lawn mower but we can't settle on one that we both like and can use! Tom managed to get part of the lawn cut before the storms hit this weekend, but the mower is slowly dying. Has been for years now. Scott and I tried to start it this weekend to finish up, but we couldn't get it to roll over. I should invest in goats!

I also went back for another 2.5 hour session with the endodontist last week. She is determined to fix my tooth, but I now think it is a lost cause. We have 1 more session left, but she hasn't been able to get rid of the tooth sensitivity and I don't think she can. Mainly she just has to redo the root canal and close it up. Guess I will have to live with it, but at least it doesn't need pulled! I also had an online medical appointment with the traveling nurse. I wanted to make sure Allison and I had all our vaccinations before we went to Europe. It appears that Allison is covered, but I need a tetanus shot which I will get this coming week. The traveling nurse was jealous and wanted to come along on our trip! I did not make it back to the gym last week-just when I thought I was feeling better, I wasn't. Thank goodness Cookie gets a walk everyday!

Instead I did manage to make the kids mass this past Weds for the Crowning of Mary. They also have the 2nd grade class come dressed in their 1st communion outfits(very cute). And they had donuts and coffee before school to celebrate Mother's Day. Nice to be able to attend for a change. See all the fun I am having! I have also been busy cleaning our carpets with my new toy(Tom says Mother's Day gift). The Spot Bot by Bissell. A motorized small rug cleaner. It is great for kid and pet spills and spots. I was just sad I actually missed our neighborhood garage sale. They did not put out many signs, and I had given up on our web page since it was last updated in Oct. Guess they updated it cause the sale was on Saturday. I just did not have enough time to haul everything out of the closets to the garage! Guess it is back to the resale shop.

So another big Happy Birthday Wish-This time it goes out to Mark Seitz! 

Here are some photos of SCott at school on Mom's Day as well as Altar SErving. Allison working on her GS project as well as with her Kindergarten teacher mentor at the Research FAir and at the GS Board meeting with the Head of the Board, Sheela Murthy. 

Hope everyone has a great week!