Oh my gosh, I cannot believe it's been almost an entire month since I updated...holy cow batman!  Sorry!  So I have to put it in list format just so I can remember each thing...sorry for the sterile look.

1. Abby's bday party
2. Family visit
3. Preschool ended/graduation/kindergarten camp
4. MOPS volunteer party/MOPS
5. Dad/Cheryl and David's visit.
6. Dance recital coming up.
7. Rummage sale/convention

There you go.  That's what's been happening in our lives, in a nutshell.

Just kidding.  I'll expound now.

Abby's bday party was a lot of fun.  We had it at a local gymnastics place and about 15 kids came. I wanted to invite some of her other friends, but anything over 20 cost another $50.  So the idea was to invite those kids as others in her class RSVP'd a NO.  But no one RSVP'd, so some peoople didn't get invited.  They were kids she knows but doesn't necessarily play with anymore, so in some ways it's not a big deal. But I would have liked to include them in the party.  After the party, we had a little BBQ at our house for the grandparents.  I figured they wouldn't want to watch a bunch of kids get all sweaty in the gym place.  But my parents and jay's parents came to the gym.  I am proud of my mom for coming, seeing as how she just had knee surgery. 

Jay's parents came out for a 1 week visit for Abby's bday. It was the first time jay's dad had met Jayson (now 2).  They got in, and about 15 mintues later, Jayson woke up from his nap. I asked him if he wanted to see Grandma Diane or PopPop and he went right to Arch and snuggled with him.  And the whole visit, Jayson really took to Arch, which made Arch very happy.  Several times he said that Jayson was the first kid who wasn't scared of him.  So I'm glad their first meeting/time together left a good feeling for everyone.  Jay's sister Amy and her 3 year old daughter Sidney came up as well.  That was the first time the "cousins" had played together. They had fun too.

The day after Abby's bday party, Sunday, was her preschool graduation at 8AM!  8AM on Sunday!  Yikes!  It was worth it though.  Totally cute, totally wonderful, totally unnecessary, but totally worth it at the same time.  Amy stayed home with Sid and Jayson so we could watch her graduate without distractions.  They wore cap and gowns, sang songs, did a little dance and then got "diplomas".  It was very cute.  I have some videos but I can't shrink it to post it to drop shots.  After that, we played hookey from church.  Between teh bday parties the day before and graduation and the family visit, everyone was just exhausted.  Then the next day, Monday, Abby started a one week kindergarten camp.  It's really just to familiarize the kids with what kindergarten would be like.  It's a program put on by the county.  I wouldnt' do it again if I had to.  It's great for kids that have never gone to preschool.  But for kids used to sitting in a circle and having rotated activity centers, it wasn't really useful.  It was a great 3 hours away from her, and she got to play with her friends, but that was the only function for her.  It was only a week and now I have both kids all day.  Stressful.  I haven't gone grocery shopping yet...i dread it.

The following week, my friend Cari and I threw a fondue party for our MOPS volunteer team this year. it was a meet and greet, and also a "I-know-you-signed-up-for-creative-activities-but-can-you-help-with-hospitality-too?" kind of meeting. It went well, we got a lot of really good feedback and I think it will go well to help gel the group together and also raise up people to take over next year

Today, my Dad arrives for a visit. I'm so excited.  He's the easiest house guest. Just give him coffee, and a computer and he's good. you don't even have to clean the house for him!  And he drinks instant coffee!!!  So i don't even have to brew it!!!!  that's my kind of man.  And on Sunday, Cheryl and David come too. I love spending time with them.  Those two people make me laugh so hard and I love spending time with them.  And cheryl and I are going to make some of those scrapbook purses again..me for the Make, Bake, or Sew Auction fundraiser for MOPS and her for personal stuff.  I love getting crafty with my best friends.  And jayson will have grandpa and uncle david to play with...yeah!!!!!

In two weeks is Abby's dance recital. Last saturday was the pictures, and immediately after was a bday party for another friends.  Busy.  But in two weeks it'll all be over!!!! Saturday's free to go to the gym!  Free to sleep in.  Free to not HAVE to be anywhere.  Love it.

BUT the weekend of her dance recital is our MOPS rummage sale.  So I have to leave the rummage sale on saturday, go see her dance, leave the recital early and go back to the sale.  Our church is hosting the sale, so I need to be there to make sure nothing gets damaged and stuff.  It's going to be a stressful day.  But sunday, I'll go see her dance again and it'll be relaxed and fun. 

Speaking of rummage sale, it's our major fundraiser for MOPS convention costs (airfare, hotel, convention).  since Airfare has gone up, we need to raise lots of money.  Pray that the garage sale goes REALLY super well!

Ok, that's what's been going on.  Sorry, it's a pretty boring read. I'll have cute stories later.

Well, the last meeting of MOPS was awesome.  Our raffle made $487!!! That's the most it's made so far.  One because we had more ladies to participate and two because we had a lot of really cool prizes.  It all worked out so cool and I wound up winning a stampin up prize pack (the one I was coveting really badly when I was amassing all the prizes).  Yeah!!!!  We showed the video of our content entry and the video the current steering team made of their favorite rooms.  It's all on http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthwindsMops .  The favorite rooms video you will mostly find funny if you were in MOPS and watched the HomeTours DVD curriculum.  They did home tours of people's houses to see how women set their homes up as a reflection of their values.  The first 3 homes were amazing....on acres of land, kitchen islands the size of my entire kitchen, basements fully furnished, even having a little castle built into their basement for their kids, backyard kitchen/dining areas, etc.  The stuff us california people would have to pay at least 2 million dollars for.  And after we'd view it, every lady was like, "I can't relate to that".  So the favorite rooms video is a spoof of those women because those 3 homes are not how most women live or can live.  We are not married to millionaires.

The MOPPETS luncheon was on Thursday and out of 25 volunteers, only 6 showed up.  We were bummed with the number because we had more food than a normal meeting and special gifts for them and they weren't there to be honored by it.  And then when we got home, I got a call from one of the moms that her son had Hand Foot Mouth disease.  She didn't know it when she brought him otherwise she wouldn't have.  The incubation time was 3-10 days, so it was a waiting game to see if my kids got it.  Well, day 4 jayson developed a fever and a blister in his mouth.  Day 5, no fever and only two red bumps on his foot and one on his butt.  (Abby said, "He doesn't have hand foot mouth disease. He has hand foot butt disease!)  So far Abby doesn't have it.  I'm hoping that what Jayson has was the extent of it and that Abby doesn't get it.  Jay's parents and sister and niece are coming next week, and I'd hate for her to get it too.  As it is, I had to call the other kids' parents in the nursery on Sunday and tell them their babies might get it too. 

Other than those struggles/business, I'm still struggling with my weight.  I cannnot get these pounds off.  I go to the gym 5 days a week, and I can see definite muscle tone in my legs and arems, but I can't lose weight and my belly continues to be big.  Even if I watch what I eat, it doesn't come off.  I'm so upset, that I eat and I'm right back up.  I feel like giving up.  I just want to lose 9 pounds...I'd be happy with that.  I gained it in 2 weeks about the time I developed an intolerance to wheat gluten, but even avoiding those foods and taking supplements when I eat wheat gluten, I still can't get them off.  I'm so frustrated.

Abby's bday party is in a couple weeks.  I had to limit the invitations because the place only allows 20 kids.  but no one's rsvp'd yet, so I can invite other kids. I have a feeling it will be a very small party.  Sad because it will be her last.  Too expensive to keep having parties. Next year, she can pick a couple friends and go do something special.

Gotta go.

Lets see, what has happened in the past couple of weeks:

1. Got food poisoning from cherry yogurt.  Woke up at 2 AM throwing up, and again at 9.  It drained me...I spent the whole day on the couch with no energy to move at all.  I didn't vomit anymore after that, but I felt queasy for 3 days after.  And the good thing?  I lost 3 pounds!!! And i've kept it off.  So next time I hit a plateau with my weight, I'm just going to eat raw chicken and see where that takes me
2. Preparing for the very last meeting of MOPS for this year.  It's our end of the year raffle, so I've got lots to do to get organized for it.  Lots of people have pulled through but one I was counting on didn't.  I approached our local Chili's for donations and the manager seemed very receptive and took our letter.  He told me they were out of their guest passes for the quarter, but come back in 2 weeks and he should have more.  I came back 2 weeks later with another letter in case he lost his and to be a fresh reminder, and he said, try again next week.  So i did, and he said I'm meeting with my manager on friday and to call then.  Well I did, he was on vacation so i talked to his manager who said they were all out of guest passes.  WHATEVER.  I was so ticked off that I will never eat at tracy chili's again because of that runaround.  And neither man had the intergrity to call me; they made me keep calling only to tell me no. I think that's low.
3. I've started spinning (power cycling) at the gym.  it's fun, as long as you take the AM classes.  The afternoon classes are a little on the borning side. The AM instructor is fun and she plays all the hits from the 80's alternative stuff I like, like Duran Duran!
4. for mother's day, I made 5 of these purses for each of the grandmas:  http://stampspaperscissors.typepad.com/stamps_paper_scissors/2008/03/the-carousel-no.html  Totally cute.  It was so cute I had to make one for Cheryl, but I didn't have all the papers and supplies that my friend did (she hosted the event), so I made due.  I'll post pics after cheryl gets it so I don't spoil her surprise.

That's sort of it.  I'm off to plan Abby's bday party, our camping trip and the MOPS raffle fliers.  Take care all!