Band on the Run

Well, Hi everyone. So nice to see you again. (Not that I can really see you of course.) I hope everything is well with you. Ok....enough of the pleasantries. Let's get to the crazy stuff.

Saturday will be the fifth Saturday in a row that I've been at a band competition. Last week the band made a "1" at the Region UIL competition, so this week it's the Area competition. If they make the top 10 out of the 25 schools in the preliminary round, they go to the finals. If they make the top 5 in the finals, we go to the State competition in San Antonio on Nov. 6. We've been told that if that happens, it's going to be a one day trip. That's 5 to 6 hours on a charter bus, practice, march the prelims, hopefully make the finals, march the finals, hopefully win, and come home on the afore mentioned charter buses. Oh, I'm excited.

The foot still hurts, and now I go to physical therapy twice a week. The guy that did my evaluation seems to think that they can fix my foot. I'm doing all my homework. I had a doctor visit yesterday, and he's still confused about why my foot still hurts. He changed me to a medicine that addresses nerve pain. No help after one pill, but the dosage increases each week until it starts giving me relief.

Mayhem #2 survived to turn 16 on Sunday. Believe me, her longevity has been in doubt on numerous occasions. Friday night she and I drove to Dallas for the Women of Faith "Revolve Tour". It's a conference for teenage girls. I called and made sure her favorite band was going to be playing Friday night, because we knew we couldn't go back on Saturday because of band competition. The only reason we got to go on Friday was the football game that week was on Thursday night in Dallas. Her band, Zoe Girl, only sang one song while Natalie Grant did three or four. Mayhem #2 was most disappointed. Even the schedule that was in our seats said her band was suppose to play, but when we got home she found the fine print that said the schedule was subject to change. I have to admit I was pretty bummed too. I thought I had done everything I could to guarantee her what she wanted for her birthday and it didn't happen. I did get her a couple of books, a Zoe Girl poster, and this cool pen that lights up in a gazillion different colors. One of the books was titled, "The Truth About Guys." The author spoke and he was hilarious. Mayhem #2 thought the part about girls' brains being spaghetti and guys' brains being waffles was brilliant and funny. KJ 52, a Christian rapper, was also there. I liked the one song he did, but I'm not much into rap music. At the very end, I noticed this guy in the aisle next to me, and as I turned around farther there sat KJ 52 on this big glow- in-the-dark X that was on the steps. We knew something was going to happen with that X. He started throwing t-shirts. We didn't get one, but we were just three feet away from KJ 52! I'm all atingle! If we had tried to get any closer, the bodyguard would've taken us out.

Her other gifts were a hit. Mayhem #1 had come in the weekend before and gave her a couple of books, always a great choice. We went out a week early for the birthday dinner. We went to Friday's for appetizers and desserts. She also got a CD, a Batman shirt, some Beanie Babies, and "The mu-oose that bit her sister." That last one was a real hit.

This week has been Red Ribbon Week at school. It's an anti-drug campaign. Monday, after we got back from her field trip to the theater, she changed into her pajama pants for the rest of the day. Tuesday was sports day. I don't think she wore anything special for that. Yesterday was "Super Hero Day". She so wanted to be Batman, but I couldn't find any costumes or even capes. She stuck with the Batman show and went as Harlequinn. Luckily, I had made that type of costume for Mayhem #1 years ago so that was ok. Today, after I bought her a pocket protector, she went as a nerd in white shirt, high waters, nerd glasses, and dad's old bowtie. Tomorrow is camouflage day. I went to the Christian bookstore and found a camo shirt with a Bible reference on it and figured she would wear that more than once. Tomorrow is also game night with an extra band rehearsal thrown in. Mr. Mayhem is going down to be with Mayhem #1 for Family Weekend. And Saturday starts with the kids having to be at the school by 7:45am. We should be back from the competition by 11:00pm assuming we make the finals.

Did I mention that I'm still on crutches?

Mousekewhat?

Sunday afternoon, Mayhem #2 is eating lunch. You have to understand that with my girls, eating lunch at home on the weekends is an event. First they find a book they want to read. Next they fix the "hot" part of the food. (That means whatever they heated in the microwave.) After that they drag out their chip of choice and pour half of the bag on the paper plate or eat straight out of the bag. Then they nibble on cookies or candy for dessert. With Mayhem #2, lunch is not finished until the coke is finished. She'd nurse that thing all day if I'd let her. All of this eating happens while reading afore mentioned book.

Back to Sunday. Mayhem #2 was reading a non-required book during lunch when I came in, somewhere after the cookie part, and said, "Shouldn't you be reading your Mouseketeer...I mean Musketeer book?" She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "What's a Mouseketeer?" I was flabbergasted! She was serious! So I sang, "M-I-C- See you real soon. K-E-Y- Why, because we like you. M-O-U-S-E."

I said, "Don't you know about Annette Funicello or Bobby of "Thank you, Sissy and Bobby?"" ( I think that's too many quotes.) Mr. Mayhem piped in with, "More recently, Brittany Spears, Christine Aguilera, and Nick Somebody, one of the Backstreet boys." I said, "They don't count because they didn't wear ears!"

Just a note

According to Mayhem #2 I've been falling down on the job. And I didn't even know it. One day last week I was working on dinner while she was cleaning out her lunchbox. She asked,"Mom, why don't you put notes in my lunchbox any more? I miss them." I reminded her I sent her off with one on the first day of school. I also said I usually send them on special occasions and there haven't been any lately. Her comment, "Every day is a special day."

I get the hint. I sent not only a note this morning, but a surprise as well. The "chip" portion of her lunch was crunchy chow mein noodles. That's her favorite part of eating at a Chinese restaurant. Sometimes it just takes little things to make them happy and feel good.