Walking On Blue Clouds

Cute girl in cute shoes! Cassie needed new tennis shoes, as her old ones were getting too small. She hasn't really felt like new tennis shoes, as it's so hot here, and it's more sandals and ballerina shoes needed. But, when she saw these cute ones in her absolute favorite color, she couldn't resist at all. And I was happy as well, as the shoes were really soft, really light and very airy for hot weather. They were even foot friendly from Dr. Scholl, with a big soft gel part in the heel, which I would enjoy myself to wear. Actually they had a pair of orange ones that I thought was pretty cute too...Who knows, maybe I have to go back one of these days...

Caramel Frappuccino Please

Hmm, I seem to have to share my rare "Caramel Frappuccino" in the future! Cassie asked for a sip, and she was so surprised that she actually liked it! Well, I can't remember when I started to drink coffee, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this early. I think that an occasional sip will have to due for now!!

Science Fair Award

Last Thursday afternoon, after stressing back from base with the rental tables for the yard sale, it was time to go back to the school an hour after Cassie came home. We had gotten a letter from her teacher that Cassie was one of the 15 Students from her school, that has gotten elected by the Science teachers to be presented in the school library for a Science Fair. From all these projects, only six would be selected to represent the school.

 

Parents were welcome to attend, and the when we got there we got a great surprise that Cassie was one out of six Students that had gotten selected by the teachers to represent the school at the Yuma County Science Fair in May! It's a big deal! Only two students/or projects from each Grade, 6-8, were selected.

As you might remember, Cassie was representing her Elementary School too, for the same Science Fair last year, which you can read about here and here. She ofcourse was hoping to be able to do the same this year, to represent her new Middle School.

Cassie was so happy, and we met with the Science teacher, and she was so impressed with Cassie's project and her report. Such a shame that she can't bring the crystals to the County Fair, as no objects are counted for, only the poster boards, and she was very happy to see that she had so many pictures to show.

Cassie and her wonderful Science Teacher Mrs. D.

My sweetie, as always I'm so proud of you!! So much hard work, and it's great to see that it pays off. Two of her best friends were also selected, they had worked together on a project, which was great to see. It's great to see that her friends are also "into school" and work hard.

And last night, the final score was posted online on "Parent view", a website from school where we can follow each Grade, each homework assignment, deadlines, scores etc. This project has had different parts where there were different scores leading up to the final project grade. So far, she has had 15/15 for all the different parts 1-8, this I copied from Parent view:

1. Question 2. Hypothesis 3. Variables and constants 4. Materials 5. Procedures 6. At least 5 trials 7. Results shown in tables and graphs 8. A conclusion 9. Pictures of the experiment 10. Neatly done and legible 11. Presented in a knowledgeable way.

and now for the final score, all around plus the final presentation in class, she scored 100/100. Full points! I'm so so proud!!! You go girl!! To be continued in May, when the Science Fair is held!

Yard Sale

Again, it's been way too long since I had the time to catch up on the blog. The days are filled with so much more than being able to just relax and sit an hour by the computer. Last week I was very busy sorting out clothes, organizing them in sizes and boxes, going through the kids' rooms for toys and other things to put out on our yard sale. 

It's a lot of work, and as the days are filled with other activities, normal daily things, most of these extra work needs to be taken care of in the evenings or when I normally would find some time for me to check in here or to sort out some pictures.

But back to the garage sale. I had posted some advertisements online, and also made lots and lots of signs to put up in the neighborhood. I took the kids to base to meet up with Chris that was working to go to a place that rents out tables. I refuse to just throw everything on the ground, and I like it to be nice and tidy, and if I also know where a certain size is, I have much more success to sell a lot more, if I can with ease pull out the sizes that the customers request, instead of them digging through a pile of clothes, and giving up as everything takes too long.

Most yard and garage sales around here, are normally from 7.30am-noon or so, and mostly on Friday and Saturday. As it's quite a bit of work, we decided to extend the hours and had our sale open from early morning until around 3pm for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, one of my husband's friends joined us with a couple of boxes that they had sorted out, and when they were busy on Sunday, we took their things out of the garage too.

I know that I have already posted some pictures online, but as I have a lot of family that doesn't use Instagram, I will have to repeat myself here..

We rented the tables from Thursday to Sunday at noon, and it was good to put most of the things out on the table already on Thursday evening, to just pull the tables out of the garage in the morning. I had a lot of clothes that I also just hung from the garage, made racks of boxes and broom handles, worked just fine. It was also extra busy for me, as Cassie was invited to a sleep over on Friday to Saturday, and she wasn't home to help me with the little ones.

On Saturday, the ice cream truck came by, which was greatly appreciated form the kids. They had been such great helpers, and got to choose what ever they wanted from the pictures. Funny enough, they all ended up with the same ice cream flavor - watermelon.

Even if we were super busy on Saturday, and it was late afternoon before we actually got everything stored away, still there was no rest. In a moment where we talked about it a week ago, it seemed to be a great plan to invite this family for dinner the first time the same night. We had never had them over, I didn't know the wife and their two boys were here most part of the day too.

Saturday afternoon, with about an hour to spare before they were coming, it didn't seem like such a good plan anymore. But, plans were made, and there was nothing but get started with the potato gratins and marinate the meat. We made a very nice dinner, and just barely set the table before they were coming over.

The evening didn't last very long, as all of us where tired, and they had plans for the next morning to go to church. Still, before everything was cleaned up, and the kids were in bed, it got very late for me.

Sunday was the most slow day! Sure, it's not the typical yard sale day, and for sure, we could tell. Still, we had a few customers coming and when Chris had to take the tables back on base, I cleaned them off, put the boxes with clothes on top of other boxes, to keep it off the ground. It all happened around lunch time of course, and when I had to go inside to get some lunch organized for the kids, Benjamin and Isabella helped me look after the garage sale.

Every time a car would pull up (or just pass by for that matter...) they would yell, "Mamma hurry up, customers are coming!! Such cute little helpers!!

It was a long weekend, but even if it was a lot of work, it was also a big success. We got a lot of stuff sold, and on Sunday morning I also donated two big bags of clothes to a lady that was taking them down to Mexico to some poor kids. I told her that she could have had more, but she was only interested in certain sizes, as she has a family there with kids that she helps on a regular basis. I was glad that I could help in some way, even if it wasn't as much as I had hoped.

Another lady will stay in mind for a while, she was there looking for sweatpants for her daughter. I thought that I had heard wrong, and that she meant grand daughter, as she was looking in the boxes of clothes from Cassie in size 8-10 years old. Turned out that her 37 year old daughter was in the end stage of battling cancer, and only was not expected to live for more than a few weeks. They needed some soft clothes that they could cut open for all the tubes and other machines. So sad, and even if the woman told me that this has been an ongoing battle for a long time now, it still is so so sad, and I could see the pain in her face when she said, "even if  you know it's coming, it's impossible to prepare for."

So many stories, so many things people share with you. If you have the time and if you are opening up for a conversation, you normally end up getting more than just a few dollars from what they buy from you, but some touching stories as well.

In the very end, we made more money that we had hoped for, which was nice, but also to get the stuff out of the garage. Now, I'll have a break next weekend, and maybe I bother with setting it all up again another weekend later on...Maybe..

Air Show!

Last Sunday, I took the kids on base to visit the yearly Yuma Air Show. It's a fun event, where there is lots to do and see and you are able to see the planes and air carriers up close. There are also air acts going on throughout the day, where one show after the other is presented. It was a great day, even if it was very warm, sunny, and WINDY on the airfield.

Chris was working, which was such a shame, as he would have been able to show us more and explain a bit better for what the different ones are used. We were able to meet up with him shortly though, as we parked at his work, and then he walked with us down to the field. We had a good time, and these are some pictures from our day!

The air carrier above is one of the ones that Chris has been transported on when deploying. It's such a strange feeling knowing that these planes took him into one war zone after the other. Unreal to see the kids sit on the "seats" that he would have been sitting on. I had to explain again and again to the little ones that this was NOT the way we would travel when going to Sweden in summer...They wouldn't know!! They thought it was both scary and fun, and were fascinated by all the buttons, equipment and other things.

Seeing this, Economy class is more than enough comfort don't you think!?

Who needs first class when you know that you get there safe?

Again, no this is not the way we will travel in summer kids....

This was another big helicopter that Chris was transported on when deployed.

Cutest trio on the Air Field!!!

Rescue operations...

...up side down flights

Ben found " a big canon"!

"RED, WHITE & COOL" 

Yes, with this ammo in his hand he sure does look pretty cool!

After standing almost 40 minutes in line for the Dippin' Dots ice cream, they almost melted before we were able to find a spot in the shade to sit down and enjoy them...

...on the other hand, we found a pretty cool spot in the shade under a plane!

As I'm scared - VERY scared of heights, this will most likely be the only way I'll be photographed in an Air balloon.

Cassie & The Jet.

Loved watching my kids run, fly and chasing their shadows on the air field!

It was a great day, and I get very sentimental and very proud at the same time, to have this as a part of my life. This was the first time that I had been inside these air carriers, the first time that I had seen first hand how my husband traveled while on deployment. To almost see him sit there in uniform, combat gear and while deploying - not knowing what to expect. And when coming home- luckily luckily these air carriers transported him safely back home again - with another look on his face. A face that had then seen way more than anyone should ever have to witness. In moments like this, I look at my husband a bit different, I look at the US flag a bit different and I feel proud and I know that "Freedom isn't free..."