STRIKE UP THE BAND

Woohoo! Today Emily found out that she will be drum major next year. This has been a dream of hers since she tried out last year. She found out that she had been close to making it last year and the directors encouraged her to try it again this year. She was very excited but nervous. When she came home Wednesday, Emily said that she had gotten along very well conducting the freshman band and the upper classmen, too. The songs that they had to do were pretty challenging. Yesterday, they had to teach a group of kids a marching formation. Again, she thought it had gone well. They also had an interview with the current drum majors and the directors. Despite feeling pretty confident, it is always a little scary when there are twelve people vying for three positions! Emily was on Cloud #9 when she came home. This will be a great way to cap off her senior year!

FAST GIRLS IN SHORT SHORTS

Last night was the track banquet. It is always a good time. The girls team was very successful this year. They finished 7th at the State Track Meet. I think that had to be a record at least in recent P.V. history. Mary Kate and Emily both had a great season. They are so lucky to have such good coaches. It must be crazy to work with 70 girls but somehow the coaches get it done and make each girl feel proud of her individual accomplishments. Mary Kate was recognized for winning the Fresh/Soph 3000 meters. That had to have been a proud moment for her. Even more than the medals, the thing the girls enjoy most are the friendships that they develop with other girls on the team. Those are truly golden!

MY SHINY NEW BLACK APPLIANCES

I have to say that I really do love my new appliances. Each and every day, several times a day, I think about how lucky I am to have them. My dishwasher was DONE!!! I had decided that it was a waste of time and money to think that our dishes were getting clean in there at all. I decided to hand wash them until we did something with the old dishwasher. Alex had kept that silly thing running way longer than anyone else would have had the patience for. It was never a good dishwasher. It was so exciting to get a new one but to also get a new stove, microwave and refridgerator was totally amazing! They look so pretty, they work so well, they do so many things that I couldn't figure out how to do before. I had been dreaming of a new stove for a long time but I couldn't believer that we were going to get everything at once. Wow! I look at them and think "I am a lucky lady!!!"

RUN FAST, GIRLS!

Brae and Taberie qualified to go to the State Track Meet next weekend. We are so excited for them and wish we could be there. Brae is running the 100 meter hurdles and Taberie is running the 300 meter hurdles and the 4x800 relay. The forecast is for hot weather! No real surprise considering that is pretty typical for Wichita in late May. Since we can't cheer the girls on, we decided to put together a care package. With a stop at Target, especially the $$$ Spot, we hit pay dirt. There are head bands with blue stars on top for Lana and Joe, superhero ice packs to cool off with, glowing necklaces and Hot Wheels for girls with "hot wheels". The most fun, though, was the Wheaties box that we fixed including Brae and Taberie's faces on the bodies of some slightly older women! Hope that enjoy the care package as much as we did putting it together for them!

LEST WE FORGET

Yesterday was filled with graduation parties. It was a fun day. A time to celebrate the achievements of young people and their dreams. Graduating from high school is certainly something that we expect from kids these days but it really does mark a real change in their lives. They make the change from being kids to being young adults, much closer to being on their own. I love all of the pictures from the time kids were little to their graduation, the recognition of their successes and listening to their future plans.

It would be easy to forget what Memorial Day stands for unless we had a few reminders. We have a flag put up by the Optimist Club on Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and Vetern's Day. It is one of those things that truly makes me happy. Probably about 1/3 of the people in our neighborhood participate in displaying a flag. It was so pretty to see all of the flags as I walked yesterday morning. You can't help but feel patriotic and remember why we celebrate Memorial Day - for all of those who sacrificed for our freedom.

I WILL REMEMBER YOU

Today, I went to the cemetary for Memorial Day. It seems like the past couple of years, I couldn't make it this weekend. It's always Graduation weekend here and it gets pretty crazy with parties and all. Today, the girls had to play in the band, Benjamin and Alex were working, too, so it was a good time for me to go to the cemetaries. I haven't been to the cemetaries alone for a very long time. Maybe never. I'm not afraid. I got over being afraid of cemetaries the years my sister mowed them as her summer job. It's a very peaceful place. Still, it was a little sad. When I was a kid, my grandparent's stone was in one of the last rows. Now, Daddy's stone is two rows behind theirs. When he died, he was in one of the last rows. More rows have been added in the past 11 years. My aunt and uncle who are still living have a stone next to Daddy's. That's kind of nice. I never thought it was a lonely place for him, but he would like having family near. There are more stones of other people who I don't even think of as old. I guess it is a comfort for them to know where they will be. I had flowers to put on Daddy's grave. I was surprised to find none on my grandparents'. I had one more flower for my Grandma Smith but I left it at Grandma Salemink's. It just didn't seem right for there to be no flowers there and I knew that Mom had taken something for Grandma Smith. I went to Springdale anyway to visit my Smith grandparents. It has been quite awhile since my Memorial Day weekend was filled with so many memories of those I loved and who aren't here anymore.

BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES!

One thing about runners is that it seems that every time you turn around, they need a new pair of shoes. I know, I know...it's nothing like other sports, no bats, no balls, no cleats, no gloves. The practice clothes are pretty simple - a t-shirt and shorts or sweats. Still, the shoes need to be replaced regularly. The people at Running Wild grin when we walk in. They are the best at fitting the kids in good shoes. The kids found out early on that the coolest pair of shoes aren't cool at all if they make your feet hurt. They appreciate the professional advice. Mary Kate got a new pair of shoes before track started. She needed a pair this weekend as she starts her summer runs. She'll need another pair before the cross country season begins. Oh, and her cleats are ready to be replaced, too. Benjamin got a new pair this spring. We'll see how much he runs this summer if he needs a pair before he goes back to school. I'll be hearing the same from Em before long..."Mom, I need a new pair of running shoes."

YOU MAKE ME SMILE!

This year, we planted yellow marigolds in the planter out in front of the garage. We haven't had marigolds in a long time. Something about these pretty yellow ones just makes me happy every time I see them!

THE BEST ICE CREAM PLACE IN TOWN

Whitey's is a Quad Cities all-time favorite. It is THE place to go for ice cream. Sure, some people are die-hard Dairy Queen fans and if you are in downtown Moline or the Village of East Davenport, it is fun to stop at Lagomarcino's. Hands down, though, Whitey's would win the vote as the best ice cream place in town. Whitey's is where the teams go after a ballgame, where you stop after your band concert, where the family goes on Sunday and where you celebrate a birthday, a good report card or just a good day (maybe even a bad one that needs cheering up!). On a busy night, you will wait in a long line. It's really not a problem because you are bound to see someone you know.

We have made plenty of trips to Whitey's. Sometimes we even walk there and feel virtuous that we have earned our treats. This spring has been especially fun because Mary Kate has started working there. She is the perfect Whitey's employee - clean, smart, well-groomed, cheerful, polite. Tonight she takes the test to graduate from Trainee to .....well, regular Whitey's girl, I guess!

YOU GO, GIRL!

One thing that I am loving at my house these days is how active the kids have been. Mary Kate is a fitness fanatic - but in a good way. She is on her break from running but she hasn't just been sitting around. She and Benjamin have been lifting at the Y. She also does all kinds of stretches and exercises. Yesterday Benjamin went to the driving range to hit some golf balls. He is having trouble with a hook - or is it a slice??? Anyway, he is working on it. The girls have also been doing some biking. Even Emily likes to bike and she tends to take a complete break from activity when she isn't training for a sport. Way to go, guys!

DANCING WITH THE STARS

I have been a fan of this show since the first season. I honestly don't know why. I just love watching people try to learn to dance. Mostly, they do very well. I am also amazed at how kind and gracious the stars really are in pretty high pressure situations. At first, I was pretty much the only person in the house who liked the show. Gradually, I have converted the whole family! Granted, the reason that Alex likes the show is because Edyta wears these amazing skimpy costumes. Every week when we are home on Mondays or Tuesdays, we catch at least part of the show. When I had to be gone on Monday for the final show, Benjamin briefed me when I got home. Pretty nice of him, huh? Shawn Johnson won this season. She was so much fun to watch but it was a very close race all season long. Can't wait till the next season starts! We'll all be watching - at least a little!

I LOVE TO HEAR YOU SING

This is Emily's second year in choir and she has loved it. This year she is in Women's Ensemble. I didn't think that I would like hearing just girls sing until I heard this group last year. They are amazing! Next year, she is thrilled that she is going to be in Chamber Choir. PV has four choirs - PV Singers, Concert Choir, Women's Ensemble and Chamber Choir. Chamber Choir gives me goosebumps nearly every time I hear them sing. It is so exciting to be a part of a group that is so committed to excellence. It hasn't been easy, Emily, because you have no study halls taking both band and choir but I have no doubt that you feel it has been worth it!

I LOVE TO HEAR YOU SING!

SUMMER BREAK

Here's Benjamin taking it easy after a long day of.....taking it easy! Benjamin has been home for nearly a week and he's so glad not to be studying. I've been teasing him that he hasn't started work yet and his sisters are working pretty hard. However, it's not fair to make it sound like all he has done is lay around and watch T.V. He helped me plant my flowers and work in the yard. (No one's idea of a good time in this house!) He has mowed the lawn a couple of times for his dad. He also filled the bike tires. I am so grateful to have someone around who can hang those bikes from the garage ceiling. For the girls and I, it is a struggle! Anyway, he had better enjoy those watching those baseball games and late night shows because Target is just waiting for him to come back. Even summer for a college student isn't all fun and games!

RUN FAST, P.V.!

The District Track Meet was supposed to be last night but with all of the rain, they were postponed until today. Today was sunny but very cool and windy. Still, the kids and I had a great time watching both the boys and girls. The PV girls won the District title which was especially fun. Mary Kate loved watching all of the girls that she has been training with strive to reach their goals of going to state. We all ended up with sunburns (or windburns but who can tell) but no matter, it was a great day!

DEAL THOSE CARDS!

Last night we played Pinochle. It was the first night in a long time that nearly everyone was home. Benjamin and the girls and I played before supper and later, Alex was home and he and I played against Benjamin and Emily. Luckily, everyone in the family loves to play cards. The girls really just caught onto the game this Christmas at Edith's. The whole family (even Jaryn) played then and they all had a great time. It is one of those great family traditions in the Misak family. I always think that Dale and Grandpa Misak would smile to see the grandkids enjoy the game so much.

MAY FLOWERS

Today Benjamin and I worked in the yard. It's really the first day this spring that I've spent any time out there and it needed some serious attention. I am not a gardener. I don't have a green thumb. I have no real desire to be a serious gardener, if the truth be told. However, I really do like flowers and even though I get tired of taking care of them, I enjoy having them all around the house. We spent the afternoon planting and it really does look pretty when it's done. I just love when they start spreading out. It makes me feel that summer is nearly here!

MY HERO

Poor Alex. He's been working these crazy 12-hour shifts with the outtage at work. They are working on the I-80 bridge so he has to make these detours that add on to his commute. For the past seven days, he has struggled with this stupid kidney stone. (The good news - he thinks he may have passed it today!) Anyway, he was headed up to bed tonight at 8 p.m when it starts to thunder and rain hard. He goes to the garage and gets out the step ladder to clean the gutter on the front of the house. What a guy! Who else would be so responsible when so tired?

THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT ISU

Yesterday Benjamin and I went to Iowa State to get the last of his things. After we loaded the rest of his stuff in the van. We went to the bookstore. Benjamin let me pick out a t-shirt for my birthday. I'm sure that my walking buddies will love it as they are both Iowa grads! While we were at the bookstore, I found this poster that I just love! It is huge and it has a kind of map of campus. Around 3 edges of the picture are small squares, each with something significant to ISU. On the bottom are phrases about Iowa State. I love those kinds of "busy" pictures with tons of things to look at. It is such a neat way to remember my college days and now those of Benjamin's!

THAT'S MY GIRL!

Monday was the final JV track meet of the year. Emily ran in the open 800 meter and got her best time of the year! I think it was probably at least 6 seconds better than she has run all year. I was so proud of her. She works hard and it is always nice to finish the season with your best time of the year. It was a really fast race - the winner ran 2:25 which would have won almost any varsity race that I have seen this year. Still, Emily was unfazed and ran a nice steady race.

Way to go, Em! You are the best!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Look what I got for Mother's Day. I got a set of I-Tunes cards so that I can choose music of my own. The Ipod (isn't it so cool?) was my present for my birthday. I had used an old one of Em's but lately it wouldn't hold a charge for more than about 20 minutes. This new one is so nice - and I love what a pretty blue it is. It definitely makes my walks more fun. Being able to pick my own music - well, now that's a fun treat, too. What will it be? Old country favorites, classic rock, some new stuff...I don't know but I sure will have fun deciding!

I used to feel like kind of a fraud for my first two or three Mother's Days. What had I done to deserve this kind of attention and pampering? I have a great mom. She has always been there for us through thick and thin. My mother-in-law is the same. Those are the moms who deserve the recognition. Still, over time, I feel that I am a mom worthy of a special day, too. I have held my sobbing children whose hearts have been broken. I have cheered them on in some of the biggest victories in their lives. I have held my tongue (maybe the hardest feat of all) when I thought I knew better. I have prayed and prayed and prayed. I have put their needs ahead of mine. I am no different than a million other moms but I am a "good mom" and today, I am grateful for the recognition.

HE'S HOME!`

Amid all the excitement of the MAC Track Meet and Alex's kidney stone, Benjamin got home yesterday. We were supposed to go up to Ames and help him bring his stuff home but with Alex not feeling well, Benjamin had to get himself and his stuff home. We'll finish picking up the rest next week. The laundry room is always the first stop for all of his stuff and the mounds of laundry that we will wash in the next couple of days. We get used to having Benjamin away at school but it is always great to have him back home!!

SHE"S A WINNER!

Last night was our conference meet. Mary Kate ran the 3000 meters and the 1500 meters - the two longest races. She has had such a good year this year. She works very hard and she takes her running very seriously. It has been fun to see how much she has improved this year. She has taken nearly 1 minute off of her 3000 meter time and about 45 seconds off of the 1500 meters. She looks strong when she runs and she runs a very smart race. Last night, she was determined to do her best. Her dad told her to go out to win. And win, she did, in the 3000 meter. She took 6 seconds off of her personal record. It was so much fun to watch and yes, as usual, I cried. Much later, after a rain delay and all, she came back and ran her 1500 meters. She took 6th place in a fast field and took 8 seconds off of her PR! What a way to end your season, kiddo!

THE COOKIES

You can't know me very long without knowing about the cookies. It's really pretty simple. I like to bake and I'm pretty good at it. I'm not great. It's just that I take the time to do it in a day and age when lots of people are too busy to do homemade. It started when Benjamin was pretty young and I'd bake when he went on Boy Scout campouts. I don't think he was very thrilled when I would send along cookies but his friends liked them. When Benjamin was in high school, I started baking cookies for the cross-country team. I baked cookies for every meet. Then it was the track team. When Em started high school, I also baked for the girls' cross-country team, and the girls' track team, and the girls' basketball team. Sometimes it gets a little ridiculous - "in season" I probably average 8 batches of cookies a week. It takes a fair amount of time. Still, it is worth every bit of it. My kids like giving away the cookies and I have made more young friends than I could have ever imagined.

DARK AND EARLY

"Dark and early" is a phrase from our newspaper days. We knew if we woke up and it was bright and early, that we had seriously overslept and we were going to be in big trouble! Now, "dark and early" refers to my 5:30 a.m. walks with my two neighbors, Martha and Lynne. Our walks are a great start to my day. I wouldn't want to get out of bed that early on my day off if we didn't have so much fun. Between us we have 3 dogs (none of them are mine!), 9 kids, husbands, parents....you get the picture. On our walks, we share our parenting adventures, share the good news of our kids achievements and keep up on the latest of our children's sports. We share info, we sympathize and we laugh. Lynne's stories from school are always something to look forward to. Once we prayed the rosary for Martha's mother-in-law. I thought we were going to start sucking air until I suggested that Martha lead the prayer and that Lynne and I follow!

Since I don't have a dog, I don't have many responsibilities in that department. Sometimes, I hold the flashlight, so that Martha can locate the poop. Still, their dogs make me happy. Maggie, The Wonder Dog, probably amuses me the most. The dog loves trash. A pop can with a tab inside can keep her happy for half of the walk. A fast food bag thrown on the crowd is a treasure trove just waiting to be explored. But most of all, Maggie loves a good carcass. Any carcass will do. She has an amazing talent for finding them, too! It takes lots of persuasion to convince her to drop one after she finds it. I guess I missed out on a great adventure last week. Maggie found a muskrat, fat, fresh and juicy. It was awfully heavy. She had to set it down a few times but she was delighted with her find! Finally, her little dog brain was distracted and Lynne was able to get her home safely - without her treasure!

Aren't I lucky to start my days "dark and early"?

THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN

This has to be one of my favorite places in the whole world. The Bettendorf Library is amazing. It is such a pleasant place to browse for books. Their selection is amazing. They also have a fabulous inter-library loan program that allows patrons to request books from a huge group of libraries. They run wonderful reading programs for kids and adults both summer and winter. In addition, there are a number of other ongoing programs for seniors, little ones, various teen groups and several adult reading groups. I visit at least twice a week and am on friendly terms with nearly all of the librarians. Last year I read over 100 books (I have another blog that I keep a short review of the books I read) and I really don't buy any books at all. I borrow them all! Isn't that wonderful? I always say that all of MY taxes go to the Bettendorf Library. Someone else will have to cover the police, garbage pick up, streets, the fire department, etc. My taxes are already going for something really, really important.

LAUNDRY BLUES

After every fun weekend, there is Monday. And along with Monday, there is always a mound of laundry. It never fails! I start laundry before I leave the house for work at 6:30 a.m. When I get home at 5:30 p.m. - guess what? - it's still there! The best thing about laundry, though, is that there is a start and a finish....until tomorrow!

TICKLING THE IVORIES

I have been taking piano lessons for about four years now. I took lessons when I was growing up. I was never really good but I did enjoy it. Especially in high school, when I took lessons from a wonderful lady named Dottie Mays. I decided it was something I'd like to do again as an adult. It has been a wonderful experience. I pick out the music I want to work on and my teacher, Tracey, helps me learn it. I play classical music but also rag, jazz and whatever fun stuff appeals to me. Today was our recital and I played Mozart's "Twelve Variations of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". I never play things perfectly despite tons of practice. Still, I flubbed some early in the piece but as I got going, I did pretty well. Mom, Emily and Mary Kate seemed to think I did okay. I will keep on playing. It's my anti-Alzheimer insurance and I like it much better than crossword puzzles.

ISN'T SHE LOVELY?

Every 17-year-old girl ought to have her night of magic. I think Emily's Junior-Senior Prom was pretty special. She loved her dress. Her hair turned out just perfect - and just the way she had hoped! She and Connor went with a group of crazy friends. The dinner was great. Prom was very cool. (Thanks to Mary Kate and her Social Committee who spent 3 hours in the morning doing the decorations for a theme of "Castle in the Sky". ) Right After Prom was a blast. Everything from the inflatables, to Laser Tag to a wild hypnotist show makes it fabulous teenage fun. Even going to a party after RAP was a great way to cap off the evening. Enjoy your bit of magic, Em. Not every day goes that way but it is wonderful to savor the very special times. (The pictures above are with Emily's friend, Allison.)

PRETTY TOES

Tomorrow is Emily's Junior-Senior Prom! How exciting! If you know anything at all about dances these days, you know that you have to get your hair done, your jewelry has to be perfect and of course, you need a manicure and a pedicure. Well actually, both girls have gone to dances and haven't done all of these things but stilll your Prom is special. I had promised Emily that she could have her nails done. It just happened to work out for Mary Kate and I to tag along. So we did and we had pedicures. It is just such a luxury to have someone else do paint your toenails for you. They rub,scrub, clip and trim and never leave a messy blob of polish. It also seems like such a great spring thing to do. It's still pretty cool and we've only had a few days that were really warm enough for sandals. It seems like maybe if we have our toenails pretty and ready, sunny warm days will finally be here.