Convention Commitment

Last night I got home from my last PTA state leadership convention.  I've been going for years and years.  For the past few, I have worked in the registration area helping the attendees with their convention packet material or as the "happy hostess" (read: welcome wagon).  I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing moms and dads arrive who not only love their kids, but are concerned for their children's classmates, school friends, and children all around the state enough to get involved.  Those kind of parents are the ones who attend the convention.

Some of these folks come from far away--St. George, Vernal, Cache County, Blanding, Utah.  That is a real commitment for them to come.  The convention registration fee is about $50 per person to start with, so they really come to attend with a full level of commitment.  The same can't be said of the locals.  I saw several registration packets go untouched.  No one came to get them, so that person did not attend.   The majority of those were from right here along thew Wasatch Front.  They didn't need to come from hundreds of miles away.  They were just a 15-20 minutes freeway ride away.  But they didn't show up.

I chatted with one volunteer mom from Richfield.  She is a local officer in her child's school.  They don't have a council where she lives--it is too rural and sparsely populated to make that work.  And more sadly, she doesn't have a Regional director at the moment either, though their area is programmed for one.  She had no one to turn to for advice, guidance or training except the state ladies.  Her comments made me realize even more that our situation here in my little town is pretty ideal.

Even with that said, I am looking forward to my final year of PTA leadership.  Both the kids will be at the high school int he fall for one year.  I've committed to serving as the PTA president there and then I am done.  After that, I'll go tuck myself into the Viking Store and work as much as they need help--happy to help, but in to be in charge.

And not to attend another convention.  Ever.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

This is perhaps the busiest week I've had all year...PTA convention, Young Women meetings, AP test Proctoring, Relief Society activity + speaking assignment.  So while I have tried to get everyone coordinated before dropping off the face of the earth--family wise--I know I haven't been a great communicator this week.  Well, honestly, Genius Golfer and I don't communicate very well most of the time. "Communication is the key to our success" is our family motto--but only because we say it filled with sarcasm and snark.

So, imagine my surprise when I came home yesterday long enough to grab some lunch to find this:

Yes.  New sod in the back yard.  Our days as white-trashing it may be coming to an end.  Well, if you don't count the left over water heater on the ground there behind him or the hammered trampoline pads on the right.  OK, OK.  It  is a process.  Let's just say that, shall we?

AP Melt Down

Today I spent the whole of the morning at the high school.  I was one of four proctors for the Advanced Placement Calculus AB test.  I watched 90+ kids take a high level math test that lasted 4 hours, earning them college credits if they pass it.

And I'm not sure who is more exhausted: the kids or me!

Another Day In Boringtown--NOT!!

Late yesterday afternoon the sirens from our emergency crews went crazy.  Now, to be honest, lately it seems that the fire and police departments have been running crazy anyway, but last night was especially wild.  We didn't know what was happening, but we could hear the sirens heading up near the Junior High--but knowing school was out for the day, I just hoped everything would be fine wherever they ended up.

Here is what was going on.  The two gals quoted in the article are friends in our stake.  The mom in the family directly involved here was one of The Girl and The Boy's preschool teachers.  Several other friends and stake members were asked to stay inside and lock their doors.  Other friends form school were stuck at practice, unable to get home. It was along three hour for them.

Sometimes you just never know what is going on, even next door.  I guess that is the reasoning behind treating everyone a little kinder than you think they should be treated. You just never know what battle they are fighting.

Prom Prep

 The Girl went to her first prom this weekend.  She got to go with our Dear Friend Chris, Thursday evening for what Christ called a "right of passage", a pedicure...Chris' treat.  Did I mention The Girl is spoiled?

The our lovely neighbor--who has only boys, and military boys at that--came over and did her hair.  The Girl had been over to Becky's a couple of days before for a few "trial runs". Becky designed a swirly bun line with some clip on sparkly bits for The Girl's big date.  Good thing we have Becky.  My hair talent is nil.

 

I did help her with the make up.   The Girl doesn't really wear much, so we used just a little more than nothing to give her a glamorous look for the night.

 

 Then her date, Trent got there.  She pinned on the boutineer with minimal coaching from me.  Though I think she pinned in on the wrong side of his coat.  They were running late, and she got it on her first attempt.  So there it stayed.

Lucky for Trent, the corsage he brought for her was a wrist kind...easy--peasy.

 

There they are.  First Prom date...in her borrowed, puffy, sparkly fancy-pants dress.  Not too bad if I do say so myself.  

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