Easter 2009

Hannah's Art in Gallery

A piece of Hannah's art work from school was recently submitted to the Fayette County School District's Calendar Competition. Rosa Parks Elementary was allowed four submissions and Hannah's was one of them. Although Hannah's art was not one of those chosen to be in the calendar it was on display during a month long gallery showing which included a reception we attended. It was also included in a bond book of all the submissions. We are very proud of our artist.

Invitation to Gallery Show




Book of all art submitted to Calendar Contest




Art Exhibit

Louisville Zoo Field Trip

Rachael's end of Kindergarten field trip was to the Louisville Zoo. The weather was crazy with heavy storms on the drive to and from the zoo. While at the zoo we experienced sun, rain and hail. Despite the weather we had a great time. My favorite was the baby elephant and Rachael's was having time with her friend Dallas and her mom.








This bird wanted out of the exhibit! We had trouble keeping him in.

March 4 -A Big Day for Three of Us

March 4, 2009 was a big day for three of us. Hannah and Grace were asked to be Honorary Senate Pages for the Kentucky Senate and I, well I turned 30 plus 10. Grace and Hannah were pages for Senator Alice Forgy Kerr who it turns out lives in our neighborhood. She spent a lot of time talking to the girls and really getting to know them. Don and Janice picked up the girls from school early and brought them to Frankfort. They had lunch with Dad, saw a few sights in the Capitol Building and then went to work. Before heading to the Senate they saw Governor Beshear. Many years ago Craig worked for the now Governor and true to a good politician he remembered Craig (and of course Craig's Dad) and stopped to get his picture taken with the girls. Later in the Senate they had their picture taken with now Senator Julian Carroll, a former Governor. Two Governors in one day - pretty good!


Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear




Senator Alice Forgy Kerr


Senator Julian Carroll (former Governor)








Girls being intruced to the Senate by Senator Kerr






I was not looking forward to my birthday mostly due to the fact that it is one of my hardest days of the year for work and my boss who was scheduled to fly in from NY wasn't coming due to a snow storm on the East Coast. It was going to be a long day. Thanks to family, co-workers and people I work with outside of my company it was a great day. My sister sent me a present and beautiful flowers. I had a great lunch and many other gifts and cards. Craig and my gift to each other for our birthdays this year as well as our upcoming 15 year anniversary was a trip. Craig did the planning and gave me the details of a trip to Las Vegas on my birthday. If I had known how good everyone would treat me at 40 I would have looked forward to it!


Mom's birthday celebration at Nana and Papa's house

Flowers from Nicki, Dan, Anna and Milo

Girl Scout Thinking Day 2009

Every year in February Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world celebrate Thinking Day. This day for the second year Grace's troop has organized and overnight at a local company called Girl Friends and Company. The girls learn about different countries and Girl Scouts/Guides in those countries while having fun. They each receive a passport to stamp at each country they visit. Last year troops from Rosa Parks Elementary each took a different country. This year Grace's troop divided 5 countries up with the girls being in charge. Local girl scouts were invited and the event was used as a fund raiser for the troops trip this summer to Savannah. This year's countries were Fiji, Costa Rica, Ireland, Jordan and Kenya. The girls traveled from room to room learning from Grace's troop members. Grace and her friend had Fiji as their country. the highlight of Fiji for Grace was learning about cannibalism. I don't think that is what Girl Scouts has in mind but she did learn something. Food from each country was sampled and "swaps" from each country were made as a souvenir. A local Irish dance group was also kind enough to come and demonstrate Irish dancing for the girls and teaching them a few steps. Carlie and Grace did a great job and both Hannah and Grace had a good time. It was nice to know they could handle staying the night somewhere (with people I trust) without mom having to spend the night. I am not a fan of sleeping on the floor.

Disney on Ice

When I received a flier from our local Girl Scout council advertising special ticket prices for Disney on Ice I thought of Hannah. Given her recent interest I thought it might be fun for her to see some professional skaters and a good family activity. I asked the girls if they would be interested and they said yes. I ordered early so we got great tickets (it may also help that I know the big event coordinator at Rupp Arena.) On the actual date of the show there was some dissension in ranks. Disney?! That will be for babies! Of course Hannah asked about 40 questions I couldn't answer regarding what characters would be there, how long the show would be, etc. I am happy to report that after the show Grace told me she was surprised to find that she enjoyed the show and everyone had a good time. Our next family "cultural" event will be a local production of The King and I. I promise I am trying to balance this stuff!

Grace's 10th Birthday

Grace turned double digits in February. Insert your own cliche here - they grow so fast - how did she get so big? - It feels like we just came home with her - How can I at 25 have a 10 year old? - you get the idea. I really am in shock that Grace is 10 and growing like a weed (those cliches really do apply to my life.) For her actual birthday we let her pick a restaurant for dinner. Our only rules are that you have to sit at a table, have a menu in hand and be served. After dinner we came home for presents and cake. As requested I baked a marble cake with chocolate icing. The picture makes it look crooked. I admit I am not ever going to make the food network but I promise it looked better than pictured. Her"big" present from Craig and I was a skateboard and new helmet. On the Saturday following her birthday we had a party for her friends at a bowling alley. Grace asked her friends to bring a donation for Half the Sky rather than presents. She raised two hundred dollars!!! The girls were all great kids and had a good time. Grace's friend Jessica even helped Rachael bowl. As you can see the cake for the party was more professionally done. I only gave them a description over the phone and it was perfect. Following the bowling party we had a family dinner at home. Grace requested Salmon so we went all out and went to a local high end fish store for fresh fish. It was well worth it!











Check the expression on Polly's face. Think she is happy now you should have seen her after the girls dressed her up!