Camping this weekend....

Labor Day- 3 day weekend. I really didn't want to go camping, but even the "cheap" hotels were 300.00/night...so...camping we went. Zero chance of rain the day prior to leaving. Then, on the day we left, it was only supposed to rain one day. I checked about 12 hours later and it said- two days of rain. Then a few hours later, 3 days of rain:(( Plus, being a holiday weekend, or just a weekend in general, the entire European and Japanese population was in Sedona. We went into Sedona- a short 20 minute drive from where we were camping at Dead Horse Ranch in Cottonwood- early on Sunday morning. At around 8 AM, the streets were already so crowded that there was no place to park and there was literally a 10 mile line of cars coming into town. So, it wasn't our greatest vacation ever, but it was still fun. First day in Sedona. Camping in the rain! Sunday morning was actually clear for a couple of hours:) We took a walk around Dead Horse Ranch Lake around 7 AM. We figured we'd better get some sightseeing in before it rained again. After walking around the lake, we went into Sedona for "shopping". Jasmine wanted to get a souvenir with her own money. I said, "Hate to tell you Jazzy, but there is nothing in Sedona that you can buy with what you have in your piggy bank". It's a super expensive touristy place. She loved the Pink Princess Sedona Ranger vest:) Playing an instrument on the sidewalk in Sedona:) We went home and we (meaning *I*) had a big mess to clean up!

School photo day!

I figured I had better get a couple of photos on "school photo day" prior to Jasmine going to school. For the school photos, they typically line the kids up and take 30 seconds per photo with no attention to hair or clothes. They always turn out badly, then the parents are expected to buy them. I usually buy them, but my photos- as bad as they are- turn out better than their "professional" ones.

Chandler Children's Choir Camp

CCC had a one day workshop for the kids to learn some of their new songs and get to know each other. Every time I tried to take a photo, Jasmine would purposely turn her head the other way:(

Coloring Contest Winner!

Ice Den Chandler had a coloring contest. The winner- Jazzy- was announced today:) They framed the picture she colored, announced her name over the loud speaker in class, and gave her a prize bag consisting of a new lanyard, autographed postcards of Jason Brown, Gracie Gold, Charlie White and Meryl Davis, an ice skate "pull" for her jacket, and a little note pad. Making the usual goofy photo face! Colored Ice Skater... Prizes:)

First day of 4th grade!

Back to school! 111 degrees, 50% humidity. New book bag, lunch bag and books:) Desk next to Leila- from 3rd grade- the one who gives Jasmine candy and makeup every day! Great:( New teacher is Mrs. Swane- much more organized than last year. She even plays nice calming music in the background:) I think this year will go much more smoothly. Mrs. Swane is even open to using essential oils in the classroom. I brought her essential oil cleaning items and an oil combination to spray all over the room for "focus". Only problem is that the other parents brought the carcinogenic chlorox junk:(

Back from Willow Springs....

It hardly ever rains in Phoenix, but of course when I went to pick Jasmine up at the bus stop... it was pouring down rain with thunder and lightening. What a mess!Apparently she wore the same clothes every day again, even though we've had the discussion about it many times. All of her clean and folded clothes, including underwear, shower towel, and clean folded sheets were in the dirty clothes bag!! She slept on the yukky mattress in her sleeping bag with no sheets:( Yuk! There are only two photos on the camp blog with Jasmine in them. In this one, she is the tiny dot with the same green shirt on. With a magnifying glass, I can see that at least she is smiling. Here are the "Coco Puffs" which consisted of two cabins- Jasmine's photography group and the Desert Divas. The photography group called "HerStory" was supposed to be a group learning to take photos to tell their own story. I don't think that happened. She did take a picture of a lizard and named him "Photographic". She made the frame too. You can hardly see him in the photo:) They made carrying cases for their cameras- which is good because even though we had a hard case, the camera looked like it aged by 10 years just in 5 days! Since it rained occasionally during the day, they did some indoor crafts. A painting.... and a "tie dye" that looks like it may have been meant to be a heart? Apparently at one of the nightly bonfires, Jasmine got the "most lovable smallest camper award":) A nice camper "parent report". Apparently she was teaching the other girls the benefits of being lactose and gluten free:))) Two badges-- one of which was supposed to be a STEM badge.

Leaving for Camp Willow Springs today!

Willow Springs Camp Prescott, AZ Photography camp! Maybe she can show me how to take photos when she returns, since mine never turn out right. Ready to get on the bus with a forced smile:) A selfie with Jazzy and me:)