One of the great things about living in Texas....

I came across this article from Forbes Magazine indicating that Collin County rates second in the nation in getting the most bang for the buck as far as spending per student in relation to graduation rates and SAT test scores go. I am very pleased with the schools here. Out of the 5 elementary schools they opened in our district last year, ours was the only one that scored an exemplary rating. This is rare for the first year of operation. When we moved here we definitely looked at the school factor but it didn't drive us to our present locale. I guess this was just an added perk! http://www.friscoisd.org/documents/schools-taxes-education-biz-be.pdf

Dinner Conversations

The set-up. It's last Wednesday night. Wednesday night is leftover night and whatever is in the fridge is fair game to whomever calls it first.

Mom: Heber, what do you want for dinner? Potato Soup, Beef Stew, Cheese Crisp, or Mac & Cheese.

Heber: None of those.

Mom: Well, what do you want?

Heber: Do we still have spinach?

Mom: Spinach?

Heber: Yeah. I want that Spinach Salad we had the other night with the pieces of bacon and parmesan cheese.

Mom: Salad?

Heber: Yeah.

Mom: You want Spinach Salad.

Heber: Yeah.

Mom: Okay. What dressing would you like with that? Ranch or Italian.

Heber: None. I just want the Spinach all by itself. No dressing.

Mom: Are you sure?

Heber: Yep.

Mom: Okay.

Clearly shocked, (but with a BIG smile on my face) I quietly make the salad for my son who has always had difficulty enjoying his vegetables. He ate it and he enjoyed it. The whole time I'm wondering....."Who are you and what have you done with my child!"

Computerjacked!

So! I had lots of great ideas about how I was going to get my blogging posted in a timely manner. I was going to tell you all about Christmas and about my youngest brother Jorisen coming to visit without missing a beat. Well...this is what ended up happening.

Everyday all day without missing a beat. Christmas vacation was a great big computerfest for the boys. If I managed to get on the computer, they would hover until I got off. Now that I have my computer back and I can blog, here's the reader's digest.

Christmas was fantastic. I was done early with no presents to wrap on Christmas Eve so I was really able to enjoy it this year. The boys loved what they received. Mainly a new MP3 player for Noah and a new bike for Heber. I got the Kitchenaid mixer I've wanted for a while now. Eric got some UnderArmor thermals for those chilly days of riding and he was so long overdue for some new cologne that something had to be done. It was a quiet, low-key day. Those can be the best. Boxing day brought another Christmas present for me. My brother came to visit. It has been about three years since I've seen him. He and his girlfriend had never been to Texas before so we just had to show them the sights. We had such a good time. On a knitting note, I am almost finished with Eric's first sock. He is enjoying this more than I thought he would. He has a lot better taste that you would think and enjoys trying on the socks in progress for that perfect fit. He likes the way the socks feel and can really tell the difference between handmade and store-bought. He's thinking of becoming a "sock snob". I also found a perfect sweater pattern for him with a yarn that goes wonderfully with his complexion. I can't wait to get started on it.

WOW!!!

Do any of you watch DIY Network? If so, you know that they were airing a show called "Burt Builds a Bandit". On the show, Burt Reynolds rebuilds the car from "Smokey and the Bandit" with a little help from his friends. After the "Bandit" was finished, one lucky person won the car and $20,000. Well, my first cousin Spencer won the car and the cash!!!! Needless to say I was just about speechless! We are so happy for him. Maybe the next time he's making a bootlegging run to Texarkana he'll drop by for a visit! Congratulations Spence! Here's a link to his winning entry! http://www.heavy.com/video/31907

Where did November go?

I've been a terrible blogger. November just flew by without a word from me. Here are a few of the highlights.

Mary Kay came to visit! Mary Kay was our next door neighbor in Arizona. This is the second time she has come to visit since we have moved here. She is such a treat and we love to have her come and see us. She spoils us rotten. But then, hey, I wish everyone had someone like her in their lives. We are truly blessed.

Eric did the final mowing of the lawn for Winter. 33. Yes, you read correctly, 33 yard bags later he was finished. Way to go Eric!

Noah's socks are finished and he has enjoyed wearing them. Now it's time to dye some more yarn and get started on some more socks! I LOVE knitting socks. The reason for this I think is socks are easy to knit once you know the basics, but varied enough with the cuff, heel, and toes to keep things interesting. Not only that, they are VERY portable. You can ask me at any given time if I have a sock project with me and I will say yes. Grocery store? Yes. Restaurant? Yes. Traveling? Of course! Parent Night at school? Yes. Church? Well, no. Too tempting. A girl has to have some limits. I think a pair for Eric is in the works. Something more subdued though. It has been said that making socks for someone is a true sign of love because one spends hours and hours of their time lovingly knitting socks for someone only to have them trampled underfoot until they are no longer usable and replaced by another handmade pair. Wear them in good health boys! I love you!

Happy Halloween!

This year things were a little different at the Ciminski house. Noah decided to stay home from Trick-or-Treating and be the one to give out the candy. He has been Harry Potter for years and this year he passed his costume on to Heber who wore it proudly. I stayed home with Noah and Heber went out with Eric. Noah and I sat out in the front and visited and gave out candy. It was such a pleasant night, and when Eric and Heber got home they joined us.

This is Neda. She lives next door and is such a cutie!

As you can tell, she gets along great with our boys. We love it when she drops by with her parents. We have such great neighbors!

Happy Brithday!

October is full of birthdays in my family. Eric, my Dad, and my sister Paisley all have birthdays during the month of October. During the weekend of the 19th, Eric, the boys, and I made a suicide trip to Arizona for my Dad's 60th birthday. No one knew that we were coming. We just showed up! Needless to say that we suprised everyone! The trip lasted 72 hours. 36 of those 72 hours were spent in the Mini between here and there. The boys were GREAT! I couldn't have asked for better travelers.

From the left: Paisley, Me, Arabeth, Dad, Fletcher, Taz, Mom. The only one missing from the picture is my youngest brother Jorisen. We missed you Jorisen!