Ryan came from school all excited yesterday. He said, "Guess what I did at school today?" I said, "You got a 100 on your social studies test?" He said, "No", "You won the spelling bee?" "NO" "UMM you got a home run in kick ball?" He said "no mom, even better, I fit a mitten over my head at recess!!!" Oh why didn't I guess that??? His endless talent never ceases to amaze me. I am so unbelievably proud!!

I spent half my morning trying to talk Maggie out of bringing my wedding album to school today for show and tell. She always wants to bring something "cool." I didn't feel the need to explain to the whole second grade class why Maggie's older sisters are actually in the wedding album. Thanks to my wonderful negotiating skills we went with the "rock" that she gave me from her camping trip this summer.

I spent two hours in Urgent Care last night waiting on sports physicals for Erin and Shannon. Erin needed hers by Monday so she can try out for soccer, Shannon needs hers in a few weeks for cheer leading. Last year we went on Sunday to get the physical, this year we are way more prepared. Had we actually planned ahead like normal people we could have went to her pediatrician and payed the 15 copay vs 35. Of course they all need new spikes to start soccer season. Kelsey's are held together by tape, Ryan's are two sizes too small and they don't make tape strong enough to hold Erin's together. Shannon has decided to hang up her soccer cleats in exchange for cheer leading. She exchanged one ridiculously expensive sport for one that costs even more. Fabulous!! Erin called me this morning and asked me the name of our insurance company. I said "Oh God, did you wreck the car again?" She said "No mom, our health insurance, you never filled that out on my health form for soccer." Whew!!!She scared me for a second!!!

Lauren came home on Monday to get her haircut. It still aggravates me that she has the same haircut as me. She looks just like me, minus the wrinkles, the fat, and the stray hairs growing out of her neck. Does she really have to steal my haircut??? She mentioned to Shannon that she was slouching in her chair at school and she caught a glimpse of her butt at that angle. She said, "Oh my God, my butt looked so flat, it looked just like moms. I went right home and did some squats." Shannon said "I would die if I had mom's butt." I said "Umm excuse me, I'm right here listening." I don't think they cared. I hope they both get my flat butt and the stray neck hairs someday.

I had Lauren take me to go watch Shannon cheer for districts in basketball. Sam had an intramural basketball game at 9:30 and I was meeting Dave there. I didn't want to have two cars. He was coming from Chesterfield with Kelsey. I had Lauren drop us off at Sam's college after Shannon was done cheering. It was quite the difference between the high school basketball and Sam's team. The name of Sam's team is the Sam-O show. She is so unique on the court that she had a whole team name after her. I'm thinking it's not because of her skills. The t-shirts even have a screen print picture of Sam on the front. When she was in grade school we used to play at a gym that had it's concession stand behind the basket, up a small flight of stairs on the stage. The problem was that my darling daughter has many qualities and a soft touch isn't one of them. She used to over shoot the basket and all the spectators sitting on stage would have their nachos and soda's flying. Watching the Sam-O show brought back memories of the flying nachos. She was upset that they lost, she never was a very good loser. We had to run by WalMart on our way home. Shannon needed blue poster board for school. My "flat" butt finally got home at 11:00. I am much too old to be be out past 9:00 but the Sam-O show was worth it.

Erin gave up going to Quick Trip for anything other than gas purchases for lent. Shannon is a little upset about this considering she usually gets a free QT donut every morning from her big sister. Shannon hasn't decided what she is going to give up yet. She said she was thinking about just trying to be nice but she thinks that might be too hard.

Yeah Hooray!!!!!! Our TV is finally fixed. It went out about a month ago. We have kept it unplugged hoping it would fix itself. No such luck. The TV came with the house and has a custom made spot in the wall. Replacing it wasn't really an option. The TV is 65 inches and it is 7 years old so it has the big speaker on the bottom. In order to replace it we would have to re construct the cut out in the wall and buy a TV stand for the bottom, not to mention the cost of a LCD or plasma big enough to fill the hole. We would have to sell one of our kids on the black market. (not necessarily a bad idea, Erin anyone????) Instead I had a repairman come out to the house. The poor guy was exposed to typical after school conversations. Shannon only told Erin that she hated her three time. Ryan made his specialty Ramen noodles after school. Erin asked for a bite and of course he refused. Erin found one frozen pizza in the back of the freezer. Ryan then offered her a bite of his Ramen noodles if he could have some pizza. Shannon had a friend over after school. She only wanted one piece of pizza, a soon as she mentioned that she didn't want her other piece, Ryan, Maggie and Erin practically attacked each other trying to be the first one to get the extra piece. This was the first time this friend of Shannon's has been over, I doubt she will be back. The whole time this family fun was going on, the TV repairman was 10 feet away working as quickly as humanly possible. I'm sure he couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. "Trust me buddy, I feel your pain."

Lauren's car is finally fixed, we picked it up this afternoon. We have an appointment on Tuesday to get the jeep fixed. I have a feeling we will become great friends with the employees at the body shop. Shannon will be getting her permit soon. That is if she ever decides to open the book and study. Dave tracked her down at Pizza Street when she was having lunch with her friends for her birthday. He went to the license bureau and picked up a drivers manual book for her to study. She just hasn't been able to find a spare moment since November to actually open the book. Come to think of it, I don't think she has found a spare moment to open any of her school books either.

Dave has put out a Murphy email challenging everyone to try and beat "the old man" in the St. Patricks Day Parade Run. I have a feeling "the old man" will have quite the bruised ego when the run is finished. Sam will be so determined to beat all of her siblings, she will probably place first overall. She is the same kid that would maul anyone who got in her way, just so she could be first out of the van and in the house. It didn't matter if you were big or little or if you could walk or talk, she was going to knock you down if she had to. It is of utmost importance to be first. She was Valedictorian after all!!!