Twas The Night Before.....

....Cheer Camp at UNT....

not a creature was stirring not even Abby or me!

The ribbons were curled, the bags were all packed,

The pom-poms were poofed and the megaphones stacked.

The sun soon arose and we were then on our way,

Arriving at the dorms and starting our day.

Three flights of stairs is where we lugged all that gear,

"Where is that stinky dorm room, it has got to be near!"

We made it, unpacked, and yelled "HipHip Hooray",

Said our goodbyes, gave kisses, and sent them on their way.

They learned cheers, chants, and stunts galore, And their ACA instructor, Amy, they simply adore!

The week flew by and Saturday was finally here,

Time to pack up to come home, and perform that final cheer.

After the trophies & ribbons & medals & more,

We pointed our cars towards home, praying that a nap was in store.

And I heard them exclaim as we drove out of sight...

"CMS COLTS are #1,

and CHEER CAMP was ALRIGHT!"

Bad Day to Be An American Icon!

Thursday was NOT a good day to be an American Icon.....

We 1st woke up to the news that Farrah Fawcett had lost her battle with cancer. Though expected, the news was still sad. Glen called and asked, "So who will be Number 3?" Referring to me always telling him that these things come in 3's. First, Ed McMahon passed away, then Farrah, so Glen was anxious to get my prediction on who #3 would be. I predicted "Patrick Swayze", as the pictures I've seen of him lately on the magazine stands at my local grocery store, he looks gravely ill!

Glen said, "Ok, we'll see..." Then I'll be darn...not but a few hours later, the news was reporting that MICHAEL JACKSON had passed away! WOW! Now that one stunned me,much like the news of JFK Jr. dying in that horendous plane crash with his gorgeous wife, or the dreadful car crash in Paris that took the life of Princess Diana.......Shocking.

The news then quickly turned all of its attention to this sudden turn of events, leaving poor Farrah with maybe 4-5 minutes on FOX NEWS.......I don't think "The King of Pop" ever got this much TV time or sold this much merchandise while he was alive!! Holy Moly.....all MJ, all the time!

Sudden deaths are hard to swallow and seem to always have some sort of mystery involved.

Mr. Jackson's demise doesn't appear to be any different as the details emerge about the moments leading up to his untimely death.........

Much like.....


Marilyn Monroe: Was it suicide or murder?

Elvis: Did he really die while sitting on the john or did he fake his own death and is currently living on the beach somewhere?

Michael Jackson's death, too, has many wondering what really happened. Could it just maybe be that he was a real life person like us all and it was just his time to go?

BORING!!

That possibilty doesn't make for a good headline though does it?

My Pet Cemetary is Complete!

Glen finally finished what he likes to call the "Sanctuary for our Dead Animals"...I just call it the plain old "Pet Cemetary", but actually.... it just happens to be the area under my two favorite pine trees that we happened to bury our two favorite dogs under recently, and I thought it needed some "prettying up". Glen did too and so he worked his magic!

Thanks Glen!! It is just beautiful, just like my 2 big furry babies were!

ps...HINT #3 of our cool Summer surprise: Glen will soon be working some more of his "Magic" in the heat of the summer!

The Wait is Over and So Are They!

We've been waiting to see what would happen to the "8 Kid Wonder Couple" and last night's episode let it all out. It's official, Jon & Kate are getting a divorce. Very sad for those 8 little children who from what I remember didn't ask to have every one of their poops in the potty recorded on LIVE TV for all the world to relish in and now their parents are choosing to air their most private, personal pain.??
But I'm first to admit, I'm guilty of watching, reading, and waiting right along with my kids and my mother who all adore this family. I was actually hoping for a happy ending to this modern day family of Waltons, but looks like just another family fallen victim to celebrity status. I did find it very interesting that last night's episode featured the couple announcing their split just as the kids all received broken "crooked" homes to play in.


hummmmm.........

Father's Day Fun!

We had a fun Father's Day......Glen had ever so sweetly bought us Jonas Brothers tickets as he conveniently slipped off (solo) to the deer lease for the weekend..... he is not only a great Father to our 2 girls, but a clever one also! He did make it back in time on Sunday to open a few gifts and watch me take a 4 hour Jonas Concert Recovery Nap! We had lunch with my dad and my sweet grandfather, who couldn't get a word in, as my daughters relived every second of the concert from the night before with them. Later in the day, my 89 year old Pepa yelled from the other room, "Girls, hurry the Jo Bros are on TV!"

He is just "hip" that way!

Sit Down and Dance!?

I haven't been to alot of concerts in my life, but this one tops the cake! It was so much fun! This adorable trio can really put on a show!

The girls all had a blast......... and us mamas did too!

Here are some highlights from our Jonas Evening:
The crowd went wild when Miley showed up to sing an Encore with Nick!

The little ones were lucky enough to sign THE BUS!

The older girls signed their OWN BUS!

BUT...........

The highlight of my evening was this grumpy lady in our section who kept complaining that everyone was standing up and asked Event Security to tell us all to sit down, which they did, but with a very big grin!

Poor thing, I'm thinking she got mixed up and thought she was on her way to a Craft Show or something, because she did not have any fun ESPECIALLY when everyone started standing on the chairs and dancing, then she called the Police!
Lucky for us, The Law was on our side and they allowed us to continue to stand and dance, asking us only to refrain from standing on the chairs.

Sadly, for the grumpy lady, she found out the hard way that a "Bonus Jonas" is not a special giveaway at the Craft Show!

JONAS!!!! TONIGHT!!!

I have to say the young school girl inside me is a little excited!!

JO BROS!!!!! TONIGHT!!

It's June and I'm Already Behind!?

It's mid-June, have you bought your Fall decor yet?

Decisions decisions??

Autumn Blessings or a handful of red, white, and blue sun-visors & American Flag window stickers?

Hobby Lobby has that special way of allowing us, the customers, to hear the warm sizzle of firecrackers in our heads and feel the cool sting of fall on our cheeks all on the same aisle, all at once!

Personally, I feel a pang of panic in the pit of my stomach when I see the wooden army of 4ft tall cut-out scarecrows peering out the front Hobby Lobby window at me when I'm actually on a mission to buy 4th of July Party supplies!

"I'm already behind!" I think to myself when my basket is filled with red, white, and blue windmills and NOT bright orange pumpkins or dark fall-colored foliage! "Oh dear, it IS already June!! JUNE?!"

I am suddenly shaken back into reality from the imaginary smell of Thanksgiving turkeys basting in my imaginary oven by my 12 year old who is begging me to grab my festive red, white, and blue party supplies, get to the register, and QUIT taking pictures with my phone because......"People are beginning to stare!"

"They are not staring at us, dear!," I try to explain. "They themselves are trying to decide on the hand-painted American Flag birdhouses or the beautiful pumpkin and acorn filled cornucopias! Now let's get to the Christmas ribbon aisle, before they sell out!"

Me + Exercise = T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

Just when the "Shape Up Texas 12-week Challenge" was off and running....

Mama goes and gets her a "new running" shoe!

Dr. says I have a fractured 3rd metatarsal....sounds like 12 weeks of bedrest to me! haha...not so lucky! These old feet should be up and running again in a couple of weeks!

I'm tellin' ya, me and exercise....danger, danger!!

My Visit To The Unknown.

Tonight I visited somewhere where I've never gone before......................

......the fruits & vegetable section at my local grocery store! The stockers in this particualr area almost looked cross-eyed when they saw me "out of place"...breezing past the bakery with my head poised downward as not to even peek at the thumbprint cookie displays, only to cautiously enter their "fresh/organic" territory!

Immediately, coming to my aid they asked, "Miss, may we help you? Are you ok, lost, disoriented? You DO know that the cookie cakes are back over that way," as they pointed over to my old stomping grounds.
"I know, I know....sweet smarty pants vegetable stockers...I'm starting a 12-week challenge at work tomorrow....and ...and.... I need some help," I struggled to explain as I was sweating bullets trying to keep my basket from sharply swerving back to the sweet smell of buttercream icing.

"What's good around here?" I asked.

They ever so politely filled my cart with the most beautiful strawberries, brightly colored cucumbers, plump grapes, and much much more.

As I took one last stroll down memory lane with my grocery cart filled with "objects from the unknown", I bid a 12-week farewell to my friends....... the rows of Duncan Hines boxes that are stuffed with the most beautiful plastic sleeves of powder....ready to be mixed with Grade A Large fresh fluffy eggs, the large clear plastic domes that encase the chocolateiest brownies known to man, and the many round wheel-like cookie cakes that probably already had my name inscribed on them in red buttercream just waiting for me to pick them up......

For now, it's more exercise, better eating, and more steps for me as I join our team of 11, THE REHAB GIRLS as we compete with many other Texas Health Resource Teams across the metroplex in this 12-week challenge......"Shape Up Texas".

Most importantly, I must not forget...... every competition has its rewards:

they are offering all participants who stick with the challenge for the entire 12-weeks a Duffle Bag!

I sure hope it's big enough to hold my cookie cakes gym clothes!!

Just add water!.......

and these things will multiply like a pack of rabbits!Happy Summer from The Crusons....

Where Everyday is Laundry Day!

ps.....Need another clue about our EXCITING NEWS???

(for the record..NO! I'm NOT expecting!!)

BUT...

Hint #2: It IS coming in JULY!!

Heavy on the Turvy...a little light on the Topsy!

We saw this "TOPSY TURVY" Tomato Planter on TV and after getting past the adorable old couple using the "Topsy Turvy" on the commercial, we thought the whole little contraption was kinda cool. So being the gift-giver mom that I am, I swiftly ran to my FAVORITE place at Walgreen's...the "As Seen On TV" aisle and proudly bought Hallie one for her 2nd Grade Graduation!

Needless to say, I was met with a scowl when she opened her "Happy Graduation" gift for ME!

"Is this mine or Riley's?" she seethed through her mouth full of clenched teeth.
"Yours! Aren't you excited?" I asked.
"Uhhh..Sure!", I heard as she trailed off to go play with a box of rocks....or anything else more exciting than her NEW "As Seen on TV" "Topsy Turvy" Tomato Planter!

A couple of days later I found it stuffed under Riley's bed, in between a sleeping bag and a box. "humpf!?" I thought as I drug the forgotten "Topsy Turvy" from the depths of darkness, "if she doesn't want it, maybe I can grow me a little something!" (even though I do detest TOMATOES!)

I opened the box to find alot of "Turvy", but really no "Topsy"! Inside the written instructions read:

1. "Put the plant in the bottom." (plant not included)
2. "Put soil in the bag." (soil not included)
3. "Add water in the bag." (water not included)

Like I said, alot of "Turvy", but not so much on the "Topsy". Heck I could've saved $19.99, if I knew NOTHING WAS INCLUDED!

The "Topsy Turvy" Tomato Planter is back in the depths of darkness under Riley's bed, and I am reminded on a daily basis that I still owe my 2nd Grade Graduate a "cool" present.

SWAMPED!!

This week has been our church's VBS, and what a great week it has been! Hundreds of kids have come and many have asked Jesus to be a part of their lives and live in their hearts! That is what it's all about!Today.....we were literally SWAMPED with fun....as we endured HEAVY, and I mean HEAVY rain on our "Crocodile Dock"!! BUT...the hurricane-like conditions DID NOT keep the kids away, as they continued to come by the hundreds! Even our sweet Pastor Craig was on hand to help the kids get into the building safely and (as dry) as possible. Even though at one point the wind and rain was so strong, the umbrella did not even help! We all continued to enjoy the day and have a blast with all the kids remembering...

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Psalm 118:24

A great time was had by all!

Even tonight as we were at Target eating pizza in the deli, the girls and their friends broke out into one of the songs they learned this week!

Thank you Lord, for such a great week and for all of these precious children!

The Three Amigas!!

Hallie is having herself a fun sleepover tonight with her pals....who we like to call.....

The Three Amigas!!

I can only imagine Spring Break about 10 years from now!

GULP!!

PS...We got some very EXCITING NEWS tonight!! No way am I going to reveal what it is just yet.......and if you ALREADY KNOW...DO NOT COMMENT and spill the beans! AND NO!! I am NOT pregnant (just for the record!)

Hint #1: Think Popular TV

I think they are kinda bonding......

Lucy has been different lately. Different in a good way since Sally, our black lab, passed away. We think maybe she doesn't feel quite so competitive anymore? or maybe she thinks, "OH! I better be sweet or I might disappear like that black dog did?" Any which way, she is really a sweet girl and she is finally starting to feel like one of the family.

I even think Glen is starting to like her, maybe just a little.

He even let me give them both "Pink FauxHawks" tonight!