Girls Night Out - Bday style

 The night started out with dinner at Firebirds.  My new favorite place!  I blew the candle out, but did not partake.  Going strong on my new eating plan!

 My Valley friends came to support my birthday! YAY!  So good to see them in the summer. I have many more Valley friends - I can't wait to see them all again in August!

me and Amy

 Amy and I have been friends for 14 years.  This is probably our best picture of us together.  Too bad it is when I have pink hair.

let's stop for a sec and notice my new hair!

 Yes.  Saturday I bleached my hair and dyed it pink.  Very happy with my peak a boo pink hair.  I guess this is what I do when I turn 37. 

yep!  It's pink!

 Princess, my 13 year old, thinks it looks lame.  She turns up her nose and thinks pink is an un-natural color.  So weird to have a teenager not go for the pink.  Maybe she is just embarrassed.  I mean her mother just dyed her hair pink...poor teenage girl.  Life must be rough for her.

Jessika got me these gloves for the 80's dance night ahead

some of my friends - great group for dinner

Amanda and me

me and Pam

Jenny, Jessika, Liz - and Amanda in the back ground giving bunny ears

yes we danced at a club later that night - just 4 of us - Jessika, Liz, Amanda and me

 

 

 

 

 

fingers were painted on the way from the restaurant to the club - black light polish baby

Well, as you can see from the finger picture - we didn't make it in the club too long.  An hour and a half tops.  The transvestites and a weird guy dressed in black creep dancing behind us scared us away from the club pretty fast.  I guess I was surprised at the night club scene and that some people put themselves in that environment to find a future mate.  I LOVE to dance - but dance clubs are not for me.  After dancing to "Walk like an Egyptian"  and "Walking on Sunshine" and many other songs, we left and drove home and went to IHOP.  GREAT NIGHT!  Thanks ladies.

Swim Team Pride - Poster time

my poster for the coaches

Sweetie's poster at the bottom

It's a picture of her coaches and her good swim friends.  It says, "Best Friends Forever"

Agent J had the idea for the posters.  A barracuda eating the competition, but Princess did all the work. 

My Princess won the poster contest they had at the Tuesday swim meet!  Didn't she do a great job?  I love that creative girl!

Painted Rock

front door

Wednesday night I rearranged my schedule a bit and made it to the Painted Rock Academy hard hat tour.  This the second campus that will open August 9 of the charter school my children attend. 

It was an honor to be invited and to get the parents at this new school excited about started their own parent organization.  I made several new friends and I can't wait to meet with these people and help them get the ball rolling.  There are several things to think about - school colors, mascot, book fairs, fundraisers, etc.  The parents have a lot of involvement at our schools and these parents I met were ready and willing to jump in with two feet! 

welcome crew

just a few of the new parents

curved wall looking into library

me on the hard hat tour

touring the future school - sister school to the charter school my kids attend

kitchen

view outside MPR

looking at building from outside the MPR

SMARTEST thing I saw - doors to outdoor bathrooms

Heidi - CEO leading tour

bathroom tiles

lots of parents

cubbies of future preschool rooms

enclosed play area outside preschool rooms

CEO's future office

Conference room

Heidi, Cuyler Reid - founding member, Construction company big wig (didn't get introduced, but he seemed to know a lot)

I was super impressed at the size of the building and the lot with grass.  I LOVED the windows in this school!  It made it all seem to bright and cheery.  I am so happy that these parent get to start with so much!  LUCKY DUCKS!  Don't get me wrong - I love my school, but I am happy for the growth of replication.  Our school was Charter School of the Year last year in the state of AZ and many children deserve the opportunity to be exposed to our philosophy.  YAY for charter schools!  Yay for Reid Traditional!  YAY for Valley's waiting list getting a lot shorter because they are opening this second campus!  Now more of my friends can join me at Valley!  :)

Principal of Painted Rock - Mrs. Szostak and Assistant Principal - Miss McMillan

Want to know more about Painted Rock Academy?  Check it out here. 
Want to know more about Valley Academy?  Go here. 

Swim Meet time

Sweetie is in the leopard cap.  Karis, Sweetie and Janelle are in the front row.  Best buds.

 We have been having a swim meet every Tuesday and Thursday this summer since school got out.  This has got to be our 50th meet, I swear.  This Tuesday it was a home meet and our 3rd meet against YMCA.  My kids swim in the under 6 girls, 7-8 boys, and 13 - 14 age groups. 

13-14 boys getting ready to swim

RHM relaxing with us before the race

 This swim team is kinda weird in the sense that the little kids sit with us during the meet.  The big kids still sit with the swim team, but dealing with the kids during the meet does not make the meets very relaxing.  I do enjoy seeing them swim.  I love a good race. 

Sweetie and Nancy

My friend who teaches swim lessons in my pool worked with Sweetie and came to see the lessons pay off.  She even brought Sweetie a treat for swimming so good. 

me and Nancy

My dear friend, Nancy is moving to NV and I am so sad about it.  I hope she comes back soon.  I have known her for over 9 years. 

me, Brin, Nancy, Afton

 GROUP PICTURE TIME!

Makoa

Emery

Thanks for coming to see my kids swim!

There was a poster contest on this night.  Winner announced tomorrow.

Princess' is in the middle.

My birthday

time for cupcakes

 So...much to my chargrin, it was my birthday on June 25th.  I LOVE birthdays, but most people know that about me.  What I didn't like this year, was turning 37.  I am now closer to 40 than 35.  YUCK!

not just any cupcakes, but Amanda's peanut butter filling cupcakes - YUM!

 

heart attacked in the front yard

The day started off with heart attacked in the the front yard and a veggie cake for me.  My friends are so sweet to remember that I am eating healthy now.  YAY for Liz and Jessika.  Thanks ladies! 

Treat left on my front door

Emery and me

 Later that day, Emery came over and Princess watched her.  We had fun blowing noise makers for fun!

I then went out to lunch with Amanda.  YUM!

purse from my sister - Chrissy rocks!

 When I got home from lunch - I had a package!  My first Coach purse.

went to see Brave, but had to take a few pictures

 We saw Brave - loved the images, but the story was just so-so. 

Very excited about this...

 Then my friends cent over my favorite cupcakes.  I promised myself that I would only eat one for my birthday and cheat on the diet I am doing - but I lied.  I ate 3 throughout the night.  But no worries - I am still losing weight.

Thank you, Amanda, for making all of the cool birthday cakes and cupcakes in my lil' family.  YOU ROCK!

After dinner at home, Travis and Princess ran to volleyball and Christin and Jared came over to play games.  We played "Ticket to Ride."  I love playing games and having one day be a little about me.  I love that Jared brought cucumber (green ) juice and healthy banana muffins with flax seed.  My team of friends are supporting me on my weight loss journey.