More carnival...

Here are some more pictures from the very fun school carnival. Besides the cake walk, where we won 2 cakes!, the kids loved the face painting. For 30 minutes I got to be the sparkle lady. The face painting was in Cam's Kindergarten class and I was a parent volunteer for a half hour. One Mom called me the Fairy Godmother. I think that is an appropriate title! I got to put puffs of glitter on the drying face paint. This artist does an amazing job!









And one more of our loot...





It is going to be a beautiful weather week here. We hope you are enjoying many, many rays of sunshine, too!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!...

Time for the results of my giveaway...

I had a very sophisticated system for selecting the winner...



I had a trusty helper...



And some results...



Congratulations to Lisa and Life in Progress (aka Nicole) who were the big winners. I swear that Cameron picked who got which gift card from behind my back but it couldn't have worked out more perfectly! Thank you all for the wonderful comments. It really made my week! Although it appears that Mr. Shook now has a stalker/fan of his own. What a lucky guy!

We were also a big winner at the Lincoln School carnival Friday night. Molly won the "Road Trip" basket and here are our winnings...



What a great way to get introduced to the fun of the school carnival. There are so many cool things in the bag/cooler. I was ecstatic to get the large size LL Bean Bag. It will be perfect for traveling! The Culver's gift card will be a hit, too! We already look forward to get years carnival...only about 360 days away!

Hello, is there anybody out there?...

I can't believe I missed my one year anniversary blogging. I missed it!!!

Sometimes every day life just gets in the way. Mr. Shook probably needed some laundry done or a little person had strep/pink eye/runny nose. I missed my March 2nd anniversary. Then I got to wondering is anyone even reading this? I suppose it doesn't really matter because I am trying to document events in my life and maybe that isn't always good reading. But in case there is a stray reader or 2 I am doing a giveaway.

A GIVEAWAY!!!

Leave me a comment on this post and your name will go into a drawing for one of these...



I know a few crack/iced coffee/frappaccino lovers and a few organizer/stylish/who doesn't love Kohl's people so those are the 2 gift cards I got. A free $10 to love!

When you leave me a post I need to know some how who you are. You can use code as long as this SAHM/ditzy/possibly in need of a highlight to hide some recently spotted grays is able to catch on.

I will draw for the gift cards on Sunday so you have until then to leave me a post. I am so excited!!! I have had a good time blogging this past year. Thanks for being a follower!!

High expectations...

Well, it has happened again.


Cameron brought home a yellow slip from school.


Apparently we got a case of the giggles during a movie in the library. The librarian asked them to stop and they couldn't. I think about 5 boys had to move their number in class. It's kind of hard for me to be angry about this when it was laughing. I know that there are times to be serious but Cameron certainly didn't instigate the giggling. Cameron is not a natural leader. He probably started and just couldn't stop. I suggested in the future to maybe move his seat if something like this happened again. Of course, as the Mom, I had to bring down the iron fist on discipline. I told him no Wii or DS over the weekend. He spent some time in his room after school on Friday. We thought about our actions (or at least I encouraged him to do so). I then went up to talk to him about it. Tears were welling up in our eyes. I told him that we needed to make good choices at school. That even if something was really, really funny it might not be the right time to laugh so much about it. And then I told him that I would have to talk to Daddy about our potential trip to visit the Lego store in Chicago in May.

Side note - Mike had told Cameron that he could pick out a Lego kit if he doesn't move his number the rest of the year. Remember when he had to move it on birthday treat day??

Cameron's weepy eyes got as big as saucers and he burst into tears. (I know what your thinking, effective parenting, right?) I told Cameron that Daddy has very big expectations for him. And Cameron says through the tears, "What does that mean??"

So much for my good parenting. I have expectations that a 6 year old can't quite understand. Then I felt really bad. I told him to just really try and make good choices at school.

I'm having a hard time being really upset over this. This really doesn't seem all that bad. I have had the giggles before and sometimes they just feel really good.

The Picnic...

The Picnic



We have a banana.
We have a carrot.
We have a pizza.
We have a hot dog.
We have a cake.
We have a picnic. Yum!

by Cameron Shook

Illustrator:



Portrait of Daddy (note how tall and skinny he is!)

Take me away...

I have really gotten into reading with Cameron. It is so exciting to watch new words form in that little mind. We have been practicing beginner reader books. We have been going to the library once a week and picking out new titles to bring home. It has also renewed my love of reading. I use to read a lot but in the past few years I have found it more and more challenging to find the time to read. Lately I have been reading before bed which I really call "me" time. I was asked by a college friend to join an on-line reading group she set up for Stay at Home Mom's on Facebook. Last month was our first read and we read an excellent book. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. It was the second time I have read it and it remind me why I loved it so much the first time. The new book I'm now reading is by a favorite author, Jodi Picoult. It is titled Handle with Care. I would recommend this read, too.

Here are my 5 favorite books I've read:

1.) To Kill a Mockingbird

2.) A Thousand Splendid Suns

3.) The Glass Castle

4.) Bridget Jones' Diary

5.) My Sister's Keeper

This list could be much, much longer! Share with me a favorite read of yours. I need to add some new titles to my list. Books just take me away to a place where I can think, and dream and wish. I'm not a big fan of books that have been turned into movies. Always disappointing and they always butcher the story. I often don't like to see movies that have been books I read. I like keeping the original story in my mind unchanged.

Here are some of our reads...



Nothing like a little Dr. Seuss to start the day! Our favorite now is One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish. Read it again for a good smile!

The start of another milestone...

Today we went and did this...



Which means that this face...



is now registered for Kindergarten!

Let me say that again...KINDERGARTEN!!!

Do you hear the hallelujah chorus singing in the background? I think Miss Molly will be counting the days until August. She is psyched!!!

A public service announcement...

I can't believe this happened. Not one of my better moves. Are you noticing a trend here??

A few weeks ago I was in a group situation where I shared a solution to a problem I had solved. It was really a smart idea and had made a situation run a lot smoother. Someone commented to me that they were impressed that I could come up with a solution like that. I am pretty sure that they were getting at my lack of experience and knowledge in the world. I wanted to defend myself but realized that it wasn't really worth it. And, no, I don't think they were joking with me. I must admit I do some really dingy things. I can't help it. I try to be taken more seriously but it doesn't work often. And then this happens...

I was playing phone tag yesterday with a friend and realized at school pick up time that I had missed a call from her again. I loaded the kids in the car, pulled away, and dialed her knowing that she was sitting waiting for her kids, too. I pulled up to a stop sign, turned and an unmarked black car came shooting out in to the street and there go the lights on. I was about 50 yards from the kids school so I was ready to die on the spot. I pulled into a parking lot right away and sat there as the police officer approached. He wanted to see my license. He then asked if I knew why he had pulled me over. I honestly didn't. He informed me that as of January 1st, 2010 it is against the law to talk on a cell phone is a school zone.

And a construction zone.

I had no idea.

I told him that I had no idea and that I would never have done that it I had known. He let me off with a warning. So embarrassing and yet what a good law. But, I know that I have seen other Mom's and Dad's on their phones, too. I would spread the word! Tell everyone! The officer informed me that because highway construction time is coming soon with spring approaching that they will be enforcing the new law. What a smart law, truthfully. And I have been forewarned!