Cactus Classic in Scottsdale...

Today we were at the Cactus Classic Skating Competition in north Scottsdale ALL day. Jasmine skated the Annie Dramatic Program in the morning and got 3rd place, then her Artistic Program "Boots" wasn't until 5 PM, and she received 2nd place. The same judges judge pretty much every competition, and I think they are getting sick of seeing her do the same program over and over the past year, even though we change it every time she moves up a level. So, starting in the fall, we are going to do all new artistic and dramatic programs... after we get the new Freeskate Program down pat. OMG- SO much work!! especially for ME! So, we probably could have gone home in between the morning and evening programs, but north Scottsdale is just far enough that if we drove home, we wouldn't be there all that long. In the afternoon - just to kill some time- we went to a Cavy and Rabbit Show that we always attend on this weekend since Jasmine was 3 yrs old. It was much smaller than usual- for some reason. The Cavy Show was only a couple of miles from the Ice Den, so it worked out fine. Next we went to an Asian restaurant- Wok Box, then next door to Gigi's Cupcakes. I am pretty sure that Gigi's Cupcake store was on that show "Cupcake Wars". Jasmine picked out 4 Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes that were supposed to partially go to Jaime and Jasmine's friend Kiki Owens. Kiki had already gone home, and Jaime declined since she was going to a birthday party/dinner right after the competition, so now we have these extra cupcakes that we really didn't need. Long day...have to pack tomorrow to go to Big Bear Lake, wash the car, do a million errands... then FINALLY leave on Monday. Jasmine and her friend Mia Cornis who skates with her at Chandler Polar Ice. Getting ready to go to the Cavy Show with her Guinea Pig shirt on. I really didn't get any photos at the Cavy Show since it was so small and we didn't stay there very long. I have given up on getting normal photos of Jasmine sometimes. She just constantly makes faces and sticks out her tongue. It gets annoying after awhile. Here is Jaime, Jasmine and Emma Erlandson- a very nice and really funny little girl. Emma will be a comedian some day when she grows up:) Also, Jaime told me today that she and her husband are going to start the adoption process pretty soon. She wants to adopt because she (Jaime) is adopted. I told her to plan on spending much much much more time and money than if she just had a biological child:)) Ashley Osbourne and Jasmine. Her dad is my favorite person--NOT. He's the self-proclaimed ice police at Chandler Polar Ice (long story) kind of like the George Zimmerman of Chandler Polar Ice... but his daughter is good friends with Jasmine. Fun day. The little yellow dot is Jasmine skating with the judges watching:)

Bugz...

End of week "Theater Camp" play called Bugz. It's about a group of bugs planning to invade a picnic! Jasmine was the grasshopper! Clearview Cultural Center- very far, out in East Mesa. I didn't check the address prior to signing her up. Put 900 miles on my car this week just driving her back and forth. She was also in a hip-hop class, but we didn't stay for that recital because it would have meant yet another trip back and forth. They're doing alot of remodeling, so their sign is inside in the hallway!

Coaches party....

Early this morning, Katy's mom, Jacky, called me.."Can Jasmine come over to play for a playdate before the big party today". Me.."oh heck yes.. that can be immediately arranged". Hang up the phone..."Jasmine, get out of bed!!" "You're going to Katy's house this morning, then they are taking you to the party"... Halleluya!!! So, I went to yoga class, then to Whole Foods to get something to bring for the party since it was a pot-luck, then dropped Jazzy off at Katy, Jacky, and Jim's house. Jaime, Danette and Rozlyn - 3 ice skating coaches- had a big party at Danette's house. Huge house, big swimming pool. A house made for parties. Then I went to Pet's Mart to get a new Guinea cage, more toys, food and bedding for their stay at Tina's house when we go to Big Bear Lake in a week or so. They needed a larger more permanent indoor cage- along with their outdoor transportable cage. Let's see...big decision... go to a big party with around 100 people in 115 degree weather... or stay home and build a GP cage. No contest there!!! I didn't get the GP cage completely built because I took a nap!! I did go a little early to pick Jasmine up at the party, so as not to appear to be too anti-social. Jasmine had been in the pool for 3 hours straight, and hadn't eaten anything even though there was food galore everywhere in every room of the house. She had some pasta salad after getting out of the pool, then came home and said she was hungry!!! I had some salad and some type of very powerful rum drink of some sort. Oh my goodness- was it ever potent! I forgot the camera:(, but should have some photos soon. They said they took lots and lots of photos.. and even had a little "photo booth" set up there. It was fun being there for just an hour instead of the entire day. Thanks Jacky and Jim - for giving me a day off! Oh forgot... this time we are only missing one pair of underwear. We have had several discussions about the loss of the swimsuit, jewelry, and multiple items of clothing. She didn't lose her 3.00 swimsuit from Goodwill, the raggedy towel I sent with her, or her clothes..just the underwear. I am sure Danette is going to wonder whose those belong to:))

Sleepover...

Jazzy had a sleepover with Hope. I got most of the weekend to myself to "catch up" on some work. Last night, they went to Emma Arbogast's 7th birthday party, swam for hours, and had a BBQ, I am told. Today, they went to work with Hope's mom, Cathy. She works as a babysitter at a church on Sundays, so they did all kinds of arts and crafts and who knows what there. When Jasmine and I were driving home she said.."I really missed Jessie and the pigs". I told her I missed her and then asked her if she missed me too. She said kind of as a second thought "Oh sure":))) No photos since I wasn't there. The swim suit from last week never showed up. On this trip, she forgot her bed sheets/sleeping bag and a shirt!!!!, even after we had a long talk about taking care of your stuff:(!

Pestology Camp

One day Pestology Camp at Arizona Science Center. I only know what I was told... but apparently they dissected an earthworm, then they each got to touch a dead scorpion (with gloves on), then they "chopped it in half" and looked at it's "brain" and heart. I don't know if I would recognize a scorpion's brain if I saw it. They also visited the new "My Body" exhibit with Elmo. I haven't seen it, but last time Jazzy and I went to the Science Center together, there was a stomach that you can walk into that makes all kinds of noises, then you walk thru the intestines. As you exit, there is a "passing gas" sound. I know that exhibit was a huge hit with kids. They just kept going thru it over and over:) Jasmine in class when I came to pick her up. They were talking about bees and dragonflies- and how their wings work. The "jitterbug" made by Jasmine. Each child made one. Hers is pink, of course! Making something or another... not sure what:) Glad this was only a one day "camp". Driving into downtown Phoenix twice in one day is just too much!

July 4th...

Tonight we visited the Phoenix Zoo for fun, dinner, and fireworks. Jasmine rode the Merry Go Round, played in the bounce houses, and water fountains, then we had dinner. The zoo admissions are limited to 400 people on July 4th, which is really nice because on a normal day, there are typically thousands of people there at one time. It was ridiculously hot, but did cool off with a slight breeze after sunset. It never gets below 100 degrees at night this time of year. The "not so fun" part of the evening- it is usually a 12-15 minute drive to the zoo from our house, which was the case on the way there. On the way back, the freeway was closed! I guess they were thinking that because the fireworks are set off right over Tempe Towne Lake and the Salt River, which is where the freeway runs,.. that people are going to be gawking at the fireworks instead of paying attention to driving. That may be the case, but they cause a *huge* inconvenience for people trying to get home. It took us 90 minutes to get home with all of the traffic, and we even left early. So... never again...From now on, we will do something indoors and watch the fireworks on TV. It was fun when we were there, just not fun getting home. Now we are on our way to the Arizona Science Center for "Pestology Camp" sponsored by Orkin:))) When I told Jasmine she was going to be studying mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, fleas, and ants today, she had a very pained look on her face:)) I think she will enjoy it though. Waiting to get into the zoo:) Stingray Bay was open. For a couple of years, I have been trying to get Jasmine to pet a stingray. They are so friendly and used to being petted, that all you have to do is put your hand in the water and they all come swimming over and present their backs for "petting". They feel like velvet. So, this is the first time I was able to get her to stick her hand in the water. When they came up to her, she would always remove her hand. At least we're making a little progress:) Of course, the Merry Go Round is the big attraction. All of the photos I took of her in the little "water park" came out blurry, but that was great fun also!

Happy 7th birthday, Hope!

Hope Gonzales 7th birthday swim party! I didn't really attend until the very end, but I am told that they spent the whole time swimming, then eating BBQ, then of course the ice cream cake. Hope's mom made the most amazing ice cream cake... chocolate and vanilla ice cream layers with something in between- carmel/pecan ?, then icing on the top with bananas, strawberries and blueberries in the shape of an American flag. Jasmine managed to lose one brand new earring, spill a large amount of catsup on a brand new shirt, then lose her swim suit!!! How do you lose a swim suit? I don't know. We looked everywhere for it. So...since we have swim lessons tonight, I just went to Goodwill and bought her a "new" swimsuit for 3.00 since she doesn't take care of her stuff!!