Today was that last day of school. 

Kaiden's last day as a 7th Grader at Princess Anne Middle School

Ashton's last day of 4th Grade at Three Oaks Elementary School

Cannot believe that Kaiden will be starting her last year of Middle School and Ashton will be starting his last year of Elementary School when summer is over.  Good lord where has all the time gone?

For about two weeks, Ashton has been complaining about a bug bite on his neck.  He kept saying his neck hurt and he would not go to sleep.  Then he said there was a lump, which I felt and said "Bud, you have a swollen lymph node... it happens sometimes." Basically, I just kept telling him to suck it up, get back in bed and quit being such a wuss over a stupid bug bite. I mean some nights, he would cry, and I thought he was being ridiculous. Then one day the little bug bite formed a rash...

Well SHIT... that's probably a little more than a bug bite. So I called his father, who nonchalantly mentions that the spot where the bug bite is, is where he pulled a tick off Ashton Memorial Day weekend (2 weeks ago) on the boat while fishing. REALLY? REALLY???? I have been telling my kid to shut up and suck it up for two weeks and you FAILED to mention that you pulled a damn tick off him?  His response? "We are boys... I did not know I needed to tell you every time I pull a bug off my son"  WELL GREAT... the tick changes things a little.  So off to the Doc in a Box we go.  Because of the swollen lymph nodes and the "bullseye" rash - they immediately tell us it is Lyme.  They do not need the blood results to tell them that.  They start him on antibiotics for two weeks and tell us to go to our regular doctor in three days.

We followed up with our regular doctor three days later, and by that time, a second rash had started on his back near his armpit. Also, lymph nodes started swelling in the armpit as well.  I freaked out thinking that he had gotten bitten twice. I was made aware that the presence of multiple rashes is because the infection is spreading - has nothing to do with multiple bites, and the other rashes mirror the original rash. Because of the other rash, we were taken off the original antibiotic and put on a stronger one - and now instead of two weeks, it is one to two months.

I am REALLY hoping that because we caught this within two weeks of the bite, that we will not have any lasting effects from the Lyme.  Poor Ashton. But seriously... the very first tick ever to be picked off this kid and he happens to get the one damn tick carrying Lyme Disease.  Uggghhh.

Back in December, Kaiden auditioned for the school Show Choir, and was selected as "Main Girl" - oh the excitement.  Every week she had to attend practices.  Some weeks until 8pm.  Sometimes even on Saturdays.  It was a lot of work.  She would make comments like "tonight we are working on our third number" and "tonight we learn the lift portion of the show" - it all sounded so official and fantastic.  I had to pay $60 for her dress, which was so great, because as "Main Girl" it was different than all the other girl's dresses.  She then needed a body stocking ($45) and jazz shoes ($50).  This was all starting to feel reminiscent of her days of dance when it came time for the recital.

I received an email from the Chorus teacher that the Spring Chorus concert was coming up, with the date.  I asked Kaiden that night, "when is your show choir performance?"  She let me know that it was the same night as the Spring Chorus Concert... Hmmmm... how long is the Spring Concert, that seems like a lot to fit in to one evening.  It was then that I was informed that the Footloose production was only 8 minutes long.  EIGHT MINUTES LONG.  All that practice, all that money for EIGHT MINUTES.

I present to you the production in it's entirety.  You may want to go ahead and pop some popcorn and get comfortable for the amazing performance you are about to see.  It's like a journey even... a journey into the lives of all the people that try out for shows like "America's Got Talent" and "American Idol" BEFORE they make it to the big time.

Princess Anne Middle School Show Choir Production of Footloose from soapbox.SUPERSTAR on Vimeo.

You are very welcome. 

THE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Kaiden Singing: 2:45
• Kaiden's Big "Lift" (this took months of hard practice sessions): 3:30
• Kaiden has entire Show Choir sing her a song about being a tramp... "getting around" - My proudest moment of the Production: 4:20
• Kaiden sings again: 5:20

WE ARE SO PROUD!

Todd has been working really hard all day long on our new deck. We are using the old small deck as support for the new deck. Can't wait until it is all done and we can have some decent weather so we can enjoy a beer out there!

UPDATE:

THE NEW DECK IS COMPLETE!

Todd is going to build benches into the deck around the perimieter and he is building a "deck cooler" as well.  It is going to be so nice when it is all said and done.  I am so so happy with it - MAN he did such a great job.  Our dogs also love it!

This is a phenomenal photo of Todd (all the way on the right) that was posted by an old friend of his on Facebook today. I cannot remember the last time that I laughed as hard as I laughed today when I saw this photo. Seriously.... The mullet... There are no words for it. He keeps saying they were popular in Hawaii and I keep saying he is a liar.