Have I said how much I love, love, love Lowe's Build and Grow projects?  Enough to roust all the Nockinbirds out of bed and out the door by 9:30 on a Saturday morning!

This weekend the project was a catapult.  The projects seem to be getting more complex, and I'm glad to just be the official photographer and nail-picker-upper.  Loverboy really has nerves of steel--never has flinched when she's hammering (often while looking around at everyone else) something he's holding onto.

It works!

We made a trip to our favorite (and only) library.  The summer programs will be starting soon--I think the first one involves a guy with snakes and the usual assortment of yuckiness.  And clowns are invovled at some point---eep!

She's been very attached to her ball cap lately.

I'm still suffering from a LOST emotional hangover.  Cried, and cried, and cried, was totally confused, and cried, and cried, and cried.  Still don't know anything about the four-toed statue, or any of the other eye-tic inducing mytho-details, but wow.  I've never spent so much time thinking about, trying to figure out/piece out, a TV program.  I loved all the mythological, historical, religious, literary references and wonder how many of them I've missed!  I haven't gotten as carried away as some of the viewers who, from looking at boards and blogs, have put an enormous amount of time into watching, researching, theorizing, and writing about LOST.  Even with a classic LOST non-definitive "conclusion", it's been a fun ride and I'm left with a lot to ponder.  I liked the way it ended.  And I cried the hardest when Vincent, the yellow lab, trotted out of the jungle to lie down next to Jack as he died...or whatever....LOST still.

3 1/2 days of school left.  When I look at that number, why it seems like it should be nothing at all!  Then I live it...all day.. in the four walls of my zoo classroom...3 1/2...3 1/2...3 1/2....

So much news!

The best of the news being that Loverboy has solved what ever computer problems we have been having--so I'm back, baby!

Oh, the excitement has been immense over the last couple of days.  What has so ruffled the Nockinbirds you ask?  Thanks to super Aunt Sunny, a certain Little Miss and Lolly got to go see iCarly herself, Miranda Cosgrove, in person, in concert!!  A young lady in Plano won a Quaker Oats contest,  and Miranda Cosgrove came to give a concert for her and 300 of her closest friends.  I guess she fell a few shy, so tickets went to those at Aunt Sunny's marketing company who had kiddos.  Aunt Sunny said it was concert-loud, both girls said their ears were ringing, but after a couple of songs they were both rockin' out.  And they came back seriously wound up.

We met at the mall before and after the concert.

Sporting the t-shirt that was handed out by the sponsor.  I think Little Miss was disappointed there was not any iCarly/Miranda swag to purchase at the concert.  Loves her some shopping, she does.

Molly and I had done a little shopping while they were rockin' out.

Molly and I also spent some time sitting on the swing display (a really sweet buy, fyi--$169, down from $260, if you need a covered swing and are near a JCPenny).

Out in the mall,  this was quickly spied by eagle-eye Miss. 

Looks like some sort of torture device, drawing and quartering, something along those lines--but it's little kid Nirvana for $7 a pop.

My baby!  We bought season tickets to Six Flags--I shudder to think of the amount of time we'll be spending there this summer.  Where the dare-devil came from, I don't know.  Miranda Cosgrove concert, jumpy thing, dinner at Cracker Barrel--a trifecta for Little Miss.

Lolly enjoyed a train ride and Icee--much more my speed, this one.

Big news this week at school.  We met our new principal, briefly.  Good first impression.  And about 10 minutes into 1st period today, we were all called to an emergency assembly in the auditorium.  My first thought was that the nuclear plant had blown up and they wanted us in one place to make body recovery more convenient.  But no, our TAKS scores were back.  Although subject to change a few points here and there, it looks like we will go from unacceptable (because of bad "leaver" coding last year, not academics) to recognized!  Which will undoubtably lead to a TEA investigation, but still...what a monkey off our collective back.  And, I assume, a sense of vindication for our ousted principal.  Everybody wins--can't get much better than that!

Also today, Little Miss's new bed came!  Four generations of Loverboy's family slept at one time or another on the old one.  Given her allergies, that seems a little too close to child abuse, really.

We had some clean up around here this week.

Some studying.  She's determined to be able to read on her own!

We've been playing with refrigerator magnet letters, making and reading words.  I put "up" up there, and then we added a "c", then a "p", then she was experimenting on her own.  With her rather intense Texas twang and drawl, this, she decided, was how to spell "yeap" ( as in affirmative).

Before our shopping for the week (last weekend), we hit Whataburger at Little Miss's suggestion.  As I was going to add to the list Loverboy had given me (with his humorous spellings), I noticed an item in a different style of  penmanship. 

So subtle, just slipped that right in there.

The week (and a day) in review

Happy Mother's Day to all who mother!  I don't know where the week's gone or what exactly has kept me from blogging--but here I am.  The Nockinbirds have been busy, busy, busy.  Last Saturday I had the joy of giving the SAT followed by some serious shopping.  We bought six dining room chairs from the former Cafe Nutt at fire sale prices--the Books on the Square business will be moving into that space by the end of the month.  Then we had more fun on the Square...

Molly can't pass a planter without deadheading it.

Little Miss and Loverboy had gone to a Build and Grow workshop at Lowe's.

Since we were on the Square, we decided to finish off our "research" of that vicinity for Burgerpalooza.

Rinky-Tink's is the first place I remember visiting on the square in oh, 1985 or so.  The interior has not changed.

It was a good looking burger, ratio of meat to bun on the money, nice distribution of vegetation.  But the patty--was not good.  There was an odd flavor to the beef.  Frankly, it was a disappointment and not worth the considerable price.  There was live music and lots of Bluebell ice cream, so come for a shake, but skip the meal.

I can't get enough of that gap tooth smile!

Then it was off in search of a bed for Little Miss's room.  The one she's been sleeping on is so embarassingly old I won't reveal the truth of how many generations have slumbered upon it.

Molly got us her "insider deal" on the new mattress set--it's good to have some connections in the ol' hometown.  I babysat the two sons of the owner when I was in high school, had the younger one in my class my second year of teaching, and now they both work there--and are both married and have children.  When did I get so old?  Next we hit Home Depot for a lawn mower and trimmer.  Yes,  the income tax return had come in.  How did you guess?

Sunday we headed to MawMaw's and to the Mayborn Museum/Discovery Center.  We were watching two dimes chase each other here.

Watching a "tornado" form.  I forsee us here frequently this summer, and probably the next several years!

This is only a tiny number of the pictures we took (no need to thank me for that!) and we were only there for an hour before they closed!  We didn't even make it to all of the rooms.  So, yes, many air-conditioned hours will be enjoyed on Waco visits here this summer.

We had to have another cheeseburger since we were so close to a Waco icon--Health Camp (talk about a mis-named place!).  A lot of history here, and a pretty good greasy burger.  The shakes looked good, but even I have to draw the line somewhere.

Look at the grease!  Already, you can tell this is gonna be good.

A litle skimpy on the veg, the chopped lettuce made it messier to eat--or maybe more fun to eat?  I wouldn't make a special trip for it, but wouldn't refuse to go back when in Waco.  Overall--yum.

The rest of the week seemed to fly--except when I was at work.  NOBODY wants to be in school right now.  Loverboy took this picture--Little Miss built the tower all on her own.  Maybe she picked up the engineering gene from both her grandfathers.

Enjoying the warm weather while Loverboy watered the lawn.

Let me clarify that riding a scooter bare footed, without a helmet, in a swimsuit, on a wet driveway was her father's call.  This scene greeted me as I arrived home.  OH!  I don't have any pictures (yet!), no doubt to your disappointment, but Tuesday Little Miss started cheerleader classes!  So cute it defies description.  There are four in her class and her favorite part was the end when they all put their hands together in the middle of the circle and counted "1-2-3, Starz Extreme!"  I think one of the girls is a ringer,  since she was rolling out the back handsprings, while the other three couldn't quite hit their cartwheels.  But as her Uncle Bubba says, she's got the voice for it.  So much for my secret hope she would decide she doesn't like it--before we shell out the $350 for her ensemble.

This Saturday we all went to the Lowe's Build and Grow.

This one was a trellis planter and did seem terribly involved--she did most of the hammering (shout out to Loverboy and his steely nerves for holding the nails while a five-year-old swung  a hammer at them with abandon). 

Look at that concentration.

Too much concentration apparently leads to the squirmies.

While shopping for shoes, Little Miss picked out a new pair of sunglasses for me--with pink butterflies.  Quite the shopper, my girl.

Then a visit to Molly at the Nutt House.  The lobbly piano is for sale, by the way.  It's a touch too big for our house, but has a good tune!

I'm getting a little burned out on cheeseburgers, but I am willing to do what it takes to see this project through.  We're almost done with burger tasting in town.  The rest of Texas awaits!

The ducks and lakeside eating are the real draws here.  As are the super-friendly ladies who work there.  I think Irby's has been here since the lake was made, and they've probably been working here since then too.

I recommend caution if using the drive thru, the ducks do own the place.

And the geese.

Some treasures that were left on the picnic table.

We didn't arrive by boat, but you can.  I'm not sure why that man is flat out on the dock...they don't serve alcohol.

The burger is not much to write home about.  Decent, gas-station type greasy burger (their fried catfish, on the other hand, is mighty fine), messy to eat, so wrapped in paper.  The best part, besides the fact the place has been here forever, is the view.

Texas in the springtime...aahhhh.

After a quick trip to the grocery store, it was time for...

snowcones!  Tigerblood (!) for Little Miss and black cherry for me.  Snowcones by the highway...it just feels like summer!  Later in the afternoon, we headed out to Uncle Bubba's (parents') house.  His parents have been on vacation, so Uncle Bubba has been playing farmer to the goat herd and llamas.  This was too good to miss!

Besides, KitKat, there are five dogs to be played with.  Little Miss was already in heaven.

Then it was off to the goat pasture.

When I met him at band practice in the summer of 1986, I would never have foreseen this.

I think it was in the llama pasture, just before she got to "drive" the "Mule" that Little Miss declared she wanted to live with Uncle Bubba.

(Turn you head to the right to see that one correctly.)

One happy kid.

And all of this makes me one happy Mama.  Loverboy made blueberry pancakes for breakfast and fajitas for dinner.  Molly and Papa joined us for the fajitas.  I got some lovely cards, the best being handmade.  Some pruning clippers (thanks Molly), a very pretty necklace, and a packet of seeds complete with a vase for when said seeds blossom.  A heckuva a holiday! 

And a heckuva post.  Thank you if you made it this far!