News from my hood

Middle school vandalized
Story date: Dec. 31, 2008Perpetrator: ‘School is for chumps’By Michael FordReporter

Santa may be considering some repossessions after an unknown perpetrator gained entry to a local school and caused an estimated $2,500 in damage Monday, a week into the school’s Christmas break.The perpetrator(s) gained entry to Russellville Middle School, located at 1203 W. Fourth St., through an unlocked window, causing damage to both the building and electronic equipment, according to a local police report.The Russellville Police Department (RPD) received a 911 call regarding the incident at 12:56 p.m Monday. Upon Officer Clay McBryde’s arrival at the school, principal Al Harpenau advised him that someone had broken into Room No. 621, the parent center.McBryde’s narrative indicated that once the perpetrator(s) gained entry, they “ransacked the room, smearing peanut butter all over the tables.” It also stated that a computer and printer were damaged, as well as the security door to a music room.According to the report, the cost of the damage to the room itself was $400; the computer, $1,200; the printer, $800; and the security door, $100.The perpetrator(s) wrote a message on a chalkboard that read, “school is for chumps” — followed by an obscenity — then signed the name “Blood.” McBryde’s narrative indicated it could not be determined how much property was missing at the time of the report.RPD Public Information Officer Josh McMillian said the perpetrators were probably juveniles since nothing was stolen.“We don’t tolerate anyone doing damage to school property whether they are an adult or juvenile,” he said. “The incident is still under investigation at this point.”

The Russellville Courier

My classroom is the next hall over

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Merry Christmas to me

Got myself a new toaster over and coffee maker. They both seem to work great. Really wanted to go with white this time to match the stove, micro, and dishwasher, but they are both black. The only white toaster oven was the same one we had and I didn't want to go that route again. I also got basically the same coffee maker that I had before because I love that you don't have to use a carafe (sp). The Brew Station is cool.

Ok - it always happens in 3's they say

which scares me because the fridge has been making weird noises for months and months. But, today I tried to toast up some bagels in the toaster over and it would not work. The timer ticked away, but the power light didn't come on and the bake and broil elements never heated. So, today I get to shop for both a toaster / toaster oven and a coffee maker. I guess I might find them on some good sales because of the time of year. But I also may not find what I'm looking for being the time of year.

Close call

I went into the kitchen at 6 tonight and realized the coffee pot that is supposed to turn itself off after an hour was still on from the morning.
I could not get it to turn off by pushing the button and it was very hot. So I proceed to unplug it from the extension cord. maybe coffee pots should not be plugged into extension cords, but mine was along with the microwave. I have very limited outlets in the kitchen and the 2 have been plugged into that extension cord for many years. Anywho, this is what the extension cord plug in looked like.


I could not get the coffee pot cord out of the extension cord so I unplugged it from the wall and had to break it apart to find this:

The coffee pot cord is melted into the extension cord plug in. I have tried to pull, twist, yank, hammer, and use a screw driver to get it to come out and it still wont. Now even if I did get it out, I wouldn't trust that the coffee pot plug in is in the best shape to reuse. So, the whole pot is in the trash now. I got $50 from the teacher I work with for Christmas. I guess I know what I will be getting with it :)

More Santa pictures

After half of the kids left, we were listening to Christmas music waiting for our picture with Santa to develop. Canyon got to visit Santa 5 or 6 times in the 2 hours we were there.

He really wanted to check out that beard and his glasses and the hat too.

Finally, Canyon just planted himself on Santa's lap for the rest of the time as the other kids had lost interest and we waited all most to the very last to get our picture. The lady behind is is using one of those camera docking station printers. Took forever!

Santa finally

Took Canyon to the library to see Santa. Mistake! Too many kids and the camera printer only printed out 1 picture every 3 minutes. So we waited for 45 minutes to get the picture. I had to 'doctor' it to make it look like he had eyes because they were way rolled to the side in this shot. I took a few with Sahara's camera too. Will get them up later.

Snow today ~ Swim tomorrow

Only in Arkansas. We had freezing rain yesterday and last night. Found out at 10 to 10 last night, school/work was cancelled. Yea!!! Not supposed to get above freezing today, so we don't know about school/work tomorrow. Saturday it is supposed to be 70. We will all be sick for Christmas most likely. But, having fun today. Got 3 batches of cookies done, cleaned the house delivered a b-day gift to the neighbor and we are going to attempt to go to the grocery store in a few because Sahara needs a gallon of milk and hot chocolate for tomorrow (if there is school) for Teacher Appreciation Day. Plus, the neighbors son broke his finger and his mom is too scared to take him to the doctor/hospital to get it checked. It's his pinky and it is bigger than any finger he has on his hand right now. It looks pretty bad. Wish us luck on the roads!!

Pictures by the tree

He is so excited this year.

Canyon has 1 gift under the tree right now. And it is all he cares about. (Nana's!) He wouldn't care if that was the only one he got. He can't wait to open it.

sorry sorry sorry

Have I not posted anything for 10 days??? Bad me. Really nothing is going on to report right now. Christmas shopping is nearly complete. Cards are sent out. Gifts to mail are mailed. Hadn't had time or desire to bake cookies at all this year. But have to make something for a pot luck at work for Tuesday.

Well, off to Wally World now for regular shopping (kind of worried about another bomb threat while we are there). 3 in the last 2 weeks there plus one at the court house.

Christmas tree Catastrophe

We put the tree up last Sunday as usual the weekend of Thanksgiving. But come Monday morning, half the lights were out. Monday after work, after trial and error for over an hour, we decided to take all the decorations down and the lights and start over. New lights and the ornaments where put back on and the tree fell over. Breaking a few and loosing a few branches out of the sockets. So, we started over again. And again it fell over. Now I am about to take the tree out and light it up. We went to Hobby Lobby and Walmart to get either a new tree or at least a new stand since the stand was the main problem. I wasn't very excited about the trees I saw or about spending $200 or more on a nice one so we got a new stand. Came home and found out it would ONLY work for a real tree and not an artificial one. So, stand is going back and the original stand is now 'working' for the tree. I went to bed at 10 after 6 hours of non-stop tree doing on Monday and really couldn't move a muscle any more. Note for next year: if the lights go out, tough ****!!!!

Thanksgiving X2

We are getting ready to have another turkey meal with the neighbors today. I am made a bundt cake and bought an apple pie and will bring over my left over olive dip and crackers. (I had tons left over from Thursday.) Sodas and ice are in the ice chest ready to head over here. Waiting for the cake to cool to decorate it now. Mila is cooking another turkey and a few other families are bringing goodies too. :)

rash update

After 4 days of medicine, Canyon's rash is somewhat better. He has it all over his back, but not as much on his chest and stomach now. We also switched to Dove body wash and that seems to be helping me with my severe dry skin.

idiopathic rash

In the good doc's own words, 'it means you're pathetic and I'm an idiot.' Took Canyon to the dr today early from school because he is covered on his stomach, chest and back with a red very itchy rash. I suffer the same, but in different areas from him. Doc doesn't know what it is; suggested it might be something we ate (unlikely) or wearing new clothes before they were washed (most likely). So, we are both on Benadryl and I have to switch to Dove and pick up a Rx for Canyon. He had it last year and so did I plus I just had it a month ago too. I'm thinking severe dry skin. Getting a humidifier too.

TWI - I - LIIIIIGHT

Got to see it today! Pretty good. None of the characters were visually as I pictured them and the funny/cute/goofiness of the story was lost to the more serious side of it, but there is only so much you can get in 2 hours. I would have cut the end 2 minutes shorter than they did also with the 'bite' at prom being the very end... but overall I think it was pretty close to the book version. Better than HP movie versions of the books. Thinking of rereading the book now. :)

snif snif

Twilight didn't go as planned. We were going to head to the late show (9:30) but at 5 the girls got a text from a friend that the line was all the way out to the fitness center on the other end of the parking lot from the movie theater. I took them at 5:30 and they planned to wait. It was 35 degrees out with a wind chill of about 28 so I decided that Canyon and I would not do the show today. Turns out, when they started selling tickets for the 7 o clock show they sold them for the 9:30 at the same time and by the time the kids got to the end of the building of the movie theater, they were both sold out. They went and saw Bev. Hill Chihuahua instead. Told them we would try today. But at least 300 people were turned away last night, so today might be just as bad.

* TWILIGHT*

Tonight is the big Twilight release. I have a truck load of 8th graders to take. They want to see the late show so this old person is going to have to catch a nap after work.

Plus - hehe - I'm wearing my fangs to work today. :)

Hope they don't ruin the book too badly. cant wait!!

Did you feel that?

3 earthquakes in Arkansas Saturday. I had to ask Sahara what we were doing at the time that we didn't feel the one over by Hector. About 20 miles away. Granted it was just a 2.8, but that is pretty close. We were picking up the Cub Scout popcorn and went to about 3 stores. We didn't feel anything.

new neighbors???

Waaaa! Our woods that looked like this 2 days ago




Now look like this




An area about 10-15 acres has been completely cleared away. Not just thinned like they did several years ago. It was up for sale for the last 2 or 3 years as commercial. So, I guess we will have some big business to look at now. Yea :(

An evening of crafting

Sahara decided to raid the craft closet and make James a Harley pillow for his b-day last night.

While she worked on that...

Canyon worked on a collage of 'CARS' for his Artist Activity Badge for Cub Scouts.

They both did a great job!!

Cub Scouts

Canyon, at the last Cub Scout meeting, gets his popcorn badge and prize for selling. Out of 7 boys, we was the 3rd top seller. Or mom and dad were anyway.

We get to pick up the popcorn tomorrow at noon to distribute. Can't wait til that's all done with!

Weekend happenings

About 5 of Sahara's guy friends decided to invade our smallish back patio for a few hours last night and do tricks with their skateboards off the picnic table. I am really surprised no one had to be hauled in for stitches. Afterwards, since it was about 32 out, they made a fire in the chimenea. The only casualty was Canyon's skateboard. He managed to break the truck in 2 and crack the container that we keep the dog food in. I guess he had to show off for the big boys.

After all the preparations for the big night. Canyon was done with trick - or - treating after 8 or so houses. The girls were dropped off at another friends house for a family party / bon fire and sleep over. We (dad, mom and Canyon) decided to go to the Homecoming game, after we hit a row of houses, and froze so we left early. We were down by 2 touchdowns when we left after the 3rd quarter, but managed to make a comeback and win :) Next year, we might forget the door to door thing and just hit a church party or tailgate trick or treat thing. This was the 1st year Canyon was by himself too. The 1st time Sister did her own thing.

Our Pumpkins

Pumpkin Carving !

An accident waiting to happen

Need I say more?

OK

Removed the music from my blog. I can see my posts, but I could see them before I removed it too this morning. I guess time will tell now. If I can still see it when I get back from work, maybe that was it, or at least that song. Who knows!

Going to Hobby Lobby this afternoon to get the last of the needed Halloween stuffs for costumes. Actually going simple this year. I am going to be a Vampire again and Sahara is going as a Goth Fairy (we only had to get her wings and a belt and shoes) and Canyon is going to wear Sahara's old Ty Kwon Do uniform. We have been semi-invited to a costume b-day party this weekend so I can't put off getting things together for next week.

AAAANNNNDDDDD.....

I spoke too soon. It's all gone from my view again.

What the...

Ok, mom got tired of the music on this blog so I decided to change it. After saving the new music, I went to view blog and ....
I can see everything again!!!

WOOOO-HOOOO !!!!

1st Badge

Canyon got his Bobcat Badge yesterday at Cub Scouts. I had made him a portfolio of the things he needed to do to get it, because lets face it, he is not going to remember and recite mottos, saying, or laws of the pac. In the portfolio he is writing them hand over hand and in pictures showing he can do the Scout sign, handshake, etc. I forgot to bring a camera to the meeting so he got his Badge and a b-day gift from the pac and everyone clapped. Unfortunately we had to do this under the lights of the parking lot because we were locked out of the Jr. High were the meet was supposed to be. I will continue with the portfolio (since I have sooo much experience with them) throughout his Cub Scout days - for each activity badge he needs to get now. As a Boy Scout, I have been told that a portfolio will not work because right now it is pretty much what the parent says the child can do, later it will have to be done in view of the Scout leader and in front of the troop. We just might stay in Cub forever then.

More again

For some reason, which I hope can resolve its self, I cannot see my own blog. But I know it is out there for others to see so I am continuing with it...


Here are some late arrival gifts Canyon got today for his B Day.

From Alaska

and California

Thank you everyone!!

I have been tagged by a blogger buddy I just found to participate in a Picture Tag Game. Here is what you have to do.

Go to your pictures and find the 4th file, 4th picture and post it.
Then you tell the story behind the picture.
Then pick 4 people to tag.

Here is my picture:

The kids an I are visiting James in Memphis at the first campground he was staying at while working there. We were at the laundry facility because even tho we only spent 3 days camping, we ended up having to do laundry. Here Canyon is figuring how to put the money in the dryer machine.

I tagged Melanie, Chris, Karen and Lea. Sorry - dont know how to make their names link to their blogs :(

more