What’s that cliché?

Necessity is the Mother of Invention! So true.

Chloe has complained of aching feet since band camp has started. Epsom salts and hot water are supposed to be very good for soaking tired and sore muscles. The problem was finding something big enough to put enough hot water to cover both her feet without making her sit on the edge of the tub. And we found it!

A cooler! It is insulated to help keep the water warm longer, easy to move from the filling station (hose in bathtub) to soaking station and back to dumping station (the tub) and large enough for both feet. I bet if we prettied this up, gave it a fancy new name and did a little marketing we could sell it as a new product. ;-)

By the way, Chloe did wear the socks all day and was not one bit worried that she might have a "funny tan line". Apparently, several of her female co-band members were concerned for her.

Katie had a great day yesterday at Six Flags and came home very excited. The family has asked her to be their nanny next summer! The interesting part of that is they are expecting to be in Indiana by next summer but will fly Katie to be with them . I hope it works out for her. She has enjoyed the kids and is able to work easily with the parents. It would mean summer employment is a non-issue and she could focus on other things at the end of the school year. (And I won't start bugging her in March about her plans.)

Be careful what you say...

...to Chloe. :-) She may surprise you with her response.

I went to band camp a little early last night because I like to see the show come together. It's fascinating to me to watch them count out their steps, hum the music, clap the rhythms, check where they land, do the same 12 counts repeatedly and then move on to the next 12 counts. Then when I see the whole show with instruments and uniforms at a game or competition it is even more amazing . The last two years I have not been able to drop in for this part of the camp experience because they have been in NC.

I watched from afar for quite some time and then wandered over to the Band Moms Camp (basically a little tent city they have set up to help make the 13.5 hour days a little more comfortable and fun). I wasn't under the tent more than 30 seconds when I had 2 band moms tell me that Chloe needed to wear taller socks! Okay, I don't dress her anymore and she has proven to be very self-sufficient about getting her self ready to go and having what she needs but I'll make a point of discussing her socks! She has been getting blisters on her heels and now ankles right at the line where her shoe rubs. The moms felt it was because it is so hot and the kids are so sweaty!

So I told Chloe I was instructed to make sure she wore taller socks. She just laughed. This morning she came down with these socks and said "Do you think these are tall enough?"





The band moms commented right away this morning when they saw her. I don't know if she'll survive all day in those, but she did take an acceptable spare pair just in case. And maybe they really will help with the blister situation.


EJ and I went and picked up his senior pictures last night. I'm very happy. Even better, I can tell EJ is pleased. He is going to work with the photographer to help spread their name by word of mouth with picture business cards. They are very cool. One side will have one picture, his name and the year 2009. The other side will be a mini-collage of 4 pictures and have the website and phone number at the very bottom. I think they are a little different than the standard wallets and by allowing the photographer to include contact information, they are free. So EJ can hand out as many as he wants!



Katie is off to Six Flags with her family today. She was looking forward to the trip and quite tickled that she will get paid to go to an amusement park! Not a bad gig if you can get it.

It has to happen sometime...

EJ had his first accident on Saturday morning. He was returning from his CFA (Candidate Fitness Assessment) and had someone hit him from behind. EJ is fine and so is the car. I think the damage is all cosmetic. EJ was more annoyed than anything. Someone called the police and EJ got the other driver's information. No one was hurt and the car doesn't need to go in the shop. All in all, not bad.

EJ felt pretty good about his CFA experience. He will wait to see his official score and then decide if he would like to take it again. His application process is moving along but he is waiting on teachers to respond to his request for a recommendation. That is a little frustrating. Because I'm trying to let him handle this (after all I'm not going to college), I'm not really sure how hard he has pushed.

Katie recruited Chloe to help her this weekend. She wanted company and help so badly she was paying. Chloe was tired from a week at band camp but was glad to have a chance to make some extra spending money so she went over Friday night and came home Sunday afternoon.

Debbie, Michael and Garrett stopped by Saturday on their way home from Orlando. They had a great time, but are tired (and now sick with colds). It was good to see them if only for a little bit.

My "Gillette Girls" met yesterday to see "Mama Mia" and to catch up. I LOVED the movie! It was just plain fun. Made me want to sing and dance. I may have to buy the sound track.

We girls always enjoy seeing each other. Even when we spend 3 hours gabbing, I never feel like we are totally caught up on each other's lives! And we talk the WHOLE TIME; sometimes over each other. And we laugh. That's probably the best part. Laughing and the hugs. It is just amazing how much we need to cover when we don't see each other every day any more.

Band Camp has started...

...and so the temperature has soared! That seems to be how we mark our summers since Chloe has started marching. I think we have acclimated to our southern climate and summers don't seem terribly oppressive until the third week in July. Before then the temperture never seems to hit above 92° F and most days if you need to be outside it is manageable. But once those kids get back to campus and band camp starts, then it hovers around 100°!

EJ had his eye and medical exams for his US Naval application yesterday. It was an interesting day. Neither exam was as intensive as I anticipated. I have no idea if that will be the end of his medical appointments or if he will need to visit specialists based on his history and the exam yesterday. I guess we just wait and see. He is working on his essays and teacher recommendations right along so he should be on track for upcoming deadlines without having to race around. That is quite a pleasant state of affairs.

Kate will be spending this weekend with her charges starting tomorrow afternoon. It could be a long weekend for her, but I think she is realistic in her expectations and the kids sound like they are generally pretty well behaved. She shouldn't have any problems.