We've reached double digits.

Hayden turned 10 today. I won't disclose any names, but there is a certain family member that likes to decorate your room when you reach the big 1-0. Hayden thought it was great . . . until she had to clean it up! We also went out for her Birthday dinner. No surprise where she picked. Tokyo. Like last year, the boys were scared of the fire and didn't really eat the food. I'm sure the second had to do with the first. Oh, I almost forgot. We(Hayden and I) wrestled with changing the place to eat. We knew we needed some place that would accomodate 18 people. We had it all planned out. We would eat at the Mellow Mushroom and make a cake that looked like a pizza. We even paid dominoes 50 cents for 2 boxes. Well Mellow Mushroom spew fungus all over our plan. They couldn't handle the Goode family. So we went to old faithful with pizza cakes in tow. They did turn out pretty cute even if it did take us 2 tubes of red food coloring to get the "sauce" to look a little red.

Camp.

Hayden went to Centri-Kid camp this summer. It is a week-long, activity and worship filled, giggle with the girls, lavish being away from siblings camp. I was a little hesitant about her being away for a WHOLE week, but she had a great time and only missed us once. She called us several times during the week and spent most of the time on the phone laughing with her roommates in the background. I think she gave our church a whole new look at her personality. She can be shy and timid, but boy can she be silly and giggly. Thank you to everybody that sent mail for her for the week. I think she won the "most mail" contest and returned home with just about all her cash. We weren't smart enough to send a camera with her and we haven't seen any pictures from the week(except the one of her and the "cute" camp counselor ). So the only photo I have for you is about an hour after her return home.

Finally . . .

My technical support person was able to get my new camera card to work with our computer . . . finally. So, here goes about a month's worth of updating using "original" dates.

I just had to laugh.

In the car:

(H)"Can you die from drinking too much alcohol?"  

(M)"Yes.  You can drink too much and get alcohol poisoning."

(D) "You know, your mother and I don't drink alcohol."

(M) "What made her ask that?"

(D) "The song on the radio."

(H) "I don't drink alcohol either."

(A) "I don't drink alcohol either.  What is alcohol?"

(H) "You know like beer and wine and stuff.  I don't drink beer."

(A)  "Well I drink root beer."

At Target:

(M) "Hello, I need to pick up a prescription for Caleb Goode - G-O-O-D-E."

 

(PharmAide(a young guy)  "Did you call it in today?" (He pulls something out of the "G" bin.)

(M)  "No, I came in Friday to get it and you guys didn't have enough.  You said to come back today."

Pharmacist overhears,  points to counter, and PharmAide retrieves medicine and hands to Pharmacist.

He sets down the package he pulled from the "G" bin.

(PA)  "Do you want this too?"

(M) "What is it?"

(PA) in a whisper  "BC".

(M) with a giggle "BC, as in Birth Control.  Look at me and my entourage.  You think I care if you shout it out.  Bet you'd get a standing ovation from everybody here at Target to know I'm on Birth Control after seeing us here today."

(PA)  "Yes ma'am.  Here is your total.  You can leave now."

Note to Hayden this morning before leaving for church camp:

I will willy miss you

love,

Ally

She did it.

We've have been telling Hayden she needs a summer "do".  This past weekend she finally decided she was ready and wanted to donate her hair.  We drove by several salons to check if they could fit her in.  Unfortunately, they could not.  I made an appointment with my hairdresser for today.  We got the call this morning that the new building they were moving to did not pass inspection, so once again the hair cut was off.  After researching on the internet, we discovered that Cost Cutters participates in Wigs for Kids.  We went and got it all chopped off.  Guess what?  It was free!  But the best part is how she smiles when you tell her it makes her look older.  

She has such pretty hair!

I think she was holding her breath.

She looks so cute!

Oh, free stuff.

Who doesn't like free stuff?  I was very excited to see Chick-Fil-A is having "free" Tuesdays.  Each Tuesday, during normal breakfast hours, they are giving away either a chicken biscuit or chicken mini's depending on which Tuesday it is.  

I thought I could sneak one past my kids yesterday.  We got ready for swim practice which included breakfast for everybody but me.  I had a plan. We drove over to Athens and dropped Hayden off at the pool.  I was on my way.  Ally would be busy playing her DS and the boys wouldn't really pick up on what I was doing except maybe for wanting a drink.  I knew early on this was not go to go over like I had planned.

Ally habitually leaves her DS on.  I think it is so she can pick up from where she left the game or maybe she just likes to make me crazy.  Usually when we load up to go somewhere, Ally is in the car, then out looking for her DS, then back in the car, then back out looking for a particular game, then back in the car, then back out looking for the charger.  Eventually we can leave after Ally has found all her items for a short ride in the car, thoroughly aggravated me, irritated Hayden because at some point Ally went in her room looking for a game and driven the boys nuts waiting in the car.  

Tuesday was no different except that Ally did not retrieve her charger.  The DS was dead.  Thus begins the questioning.  "Where are we going?"(A)  "I need to run an errand"(M) "Why can't I just stay at the pool?"(A)  Because you run around like a hooligan and I don't want you to get in trouble without me there.  It will only take a couple of minutes."(M)  "My stomach hurts."(A)  "It is just up here."(M)  "Are we all going in?"(A)  "Nobody's going in."(M)  "Just you?"(A) "I'm not going in, just in the drive thru."(M)  "I'm hungry."(A)  "OK, I'll get you a little something."(M)  "I'm tired of being in the car, you said it would only take a couple of minutes and it's been longer. "(A)  "Ally, just listen to the radio."(M)  "Can you turn the radio off, it hurts my stomach."(A).  "OK"(M)  "Why are you making me ride with you? I would behave at the pool.  I was going to read a chapter of my book.  Now I won't be able to read a chapter like you want me too.  I can't read in the car because my stomach hurts."(A)  "Ally, lay your head back and listen to the music."(M)  "I don't like this song, can you find another?"(A)  "Yes"(M)  "I really am tired of riding"(A)  "Ally, no more talking.  Listen to the music"(M)

We arrive at Chick-Fil-A.  Yeah, the line at the drive thru is small.  I pull up to order.  "Ally, what do you want?"(M)  "mm wwwt cchchchin mmmminns"(A) "Ally, you can talk now.  What do you want?(M)  "I want chicken minis"(A)  Thus began the chorus of "I want chicken minis".  

"Welcome to Chick-Fil-A.  Can I take your order?"

"Yes.  I came today to get a free chicken biscuit.  I thought I could sneak it by my kids, but apparently I can't.  Therefore, I would like 4 orders of chicken minis at the tune of $2.09 each, a large lemonade because I refuse to buy 5 drinks and so we can all share and scream about it and 1 chicken biscuit that is regularly $1.99, but today costs nothing."

"Please pull forward, Ma'am."

So after I drove an extra 10 miles round trip from the pool to Chick-Fil-A, fought with Ally and actually made her cry, showed my very sarcastic side to a very nice elderly lady at the drive-thru and dropped $11 and change for a free breakfast, here is what my sweet Hayden had to say about her breakfast.

"Mom, thanks for the chicken minis, but because of how I like to eat them, I really need the pack with 4 in there.  But, Mom, what I really like better is the chicken biscuit."

I need to practice my snack and entertainment packing

Tonight was our practice swim meet in Athens.  The girls did great and the boys, well, they stayed out of trouble for the most part and only had to go potty 5 times.  I guess I should just be happy they actually went to the bathroom.  Hayden swam free, back, breast and fly.  Ally swam free and back.  Ben, of course, had to get in on the action as a Stroke/Turn Judge, so I just hung on the other side of the fence with Nina and the boys.  I was able to get some pretty good pictures if I do say so myself.  I thought it was kind of funny when Ally asked if we were done with swimming.  I mean, she's done practice and she's done a swim meet.  What else is there?  I was also informed that my snacks were no good and I didn't provide them any entertainment.  I guess I'll need to "practice" that.  However, I did notice a little girl and 3 friends running around entertaining themselves with the cold packs from the snacks.  A nine year old almost missed breast stroke because her sister's entertainment was so good.