Memorial Day Weekend 2011

Friday was the last day of school! It was a half day and a late start, so it went by really fast. Like last year, I gave my class little goody bags that had a pair of sunglasses in them. Time for these kiddos to move on to third grade!



We couldn't wait to get down to the lake for Memorial Day. We picked Tripp up in Fayetteville and got to Mountain Harbor at a reasonable time (about 10:30). Because of all the rain this year, the lake is at record high levels. We blogged I think 2 years ago about how the lake was the highest it had been in like 20 years, but this was even higher than that. The launching ramp was closed, and many people had to be ferried to their docks. We just had to walk through a little bit of water on the ramp. It is the first summer for the boats to be officially on the "Cashion Dock."



Then we went heading out! Mom and Tripp were in the Cobalt and me, David and Dad were in the party barge. First summer for the "Harbor Knight."





We didn't mean to both be wearing gray.



The waether was SUPER hot, but the water, being so high, was frigid. We managed to hop in and out every now and then though. Usually on Memorial Day it's not so hot that you feel like you HAVE to get in, but this time it was really hot. So we were forced to make ourselves jump in that freezing water!



On Saturday night after dinner we took the party barge out for a sunset cruise. We were able to sit in the middle of the lake and watch the sun go down. Deuce got to take his first boat ride and loved it!

Here are some shots from the sunset ride.











Deuce was REALLY interested in other boats going by. He really wanted to jump overboard and chase them. Since he couldn't do that, he developed a new way of sitting so he could watch them go by. To our knowledge, he has never sat like this before. It was amazing how long he could hold it while the boat was rocking back and forth.



I love you Tripp!



On Sunday we pretty much repeated Saturday's events, accept we replaced the sunset cruise with cards. David and Tripp somehow managed to stay in the water long enough to take a trip under the boat.



Wonderful parents of mine.



We had a perfect weekend. It's so nice to get down to the lake and get some sun. It was also fun riding with Tripp. We played tons of peanut and I actually did moderately good! I have this week mostly off of work and David is still in the clinic. Long weekends are so fun.

Diana's baby shower

Today was my good friend Diana's baby shower! I have been looking so forward to it and was able to help put it together with some great girls. Hostesses were me, Mandy, Whitney, Leah, Alison, and Anna. The shower was at Mandy's house from 2:00-4:00 this afternoon. Earlier this week I went to Mandy's and we got crafty and built a diaper cake and a diaper wreath! Please excuse my terrible hair-do after a day at work.



The shower today went really really good. The food was great and I thought the decorations were cute too. Mostly is was just a great time to celebrate Diana and a fun time being with some especially good friends. Here are some pictures from the shower...

The good-looking Mommy to be!



Diaper wreath success!



Some table shots...





Friends!









Reegan and Emmie had a great time together running around.



Love ya friend!



Table for presents...




While all the girls were at the baby shower, the guys went and played some golf! They got done a lot later than we did, but I think they had a great time together. David snapped off this picture on his phone at Chipotle. God has certainly blessed us with a great church family in Kansas City.



My week was so tiring! I just couldn't quite catch up on sleep. It was a really good week though. Things are finishing up at work and the kids are getting really ready for summer vacation...as are their teachers. :) David started summer clinic hours this week (9:00-4:00) and I am looking forward to sleeping in a little bit with him this summer.

Right now we are sitting up watching the news because there is a severe thunderstorm warning with possible hail. Our tornado sirens were even going a minute ago. We didn't go to the basement, but we are ready if we need to! We took David's truck to a covered spot as well...there's no way we're risking more hail damage on our cars!

Graduation Weekend

We have had quite a weekend over here. First, I am officially Rachel Cashion Rainwater M.A. Ed. YES!!!! My parents came in town on Thursday night. Dad was having to leave before the graduation, so we got to have some hang out time before the big day. We went and ate dinner at Jazz and then hung out at the house. I took a half day on Friday and me and mom went up to the Legends for some shopping. David's parents came up Friday afternoon, Ben flew in Friday evening, and Tripp got here late Friday night. All through Friday afternoon we were dealing with the fact that Sooie somehow has a UTI. Yeah, I have to give my cat UTI medicine. Weird.

Saturday was graduatino day and to celebrate David made pancakes for breakfast.



THen we all got dressed up and headed to the Independence Event Center.





Just got "hooded" and about ready to walk across the stage to get my diploma.



Walking across!



Got it! I'm on the right side of the picture.



Done! Woohoo!



Mike brought up an extendable chainsaw so David could "extend our canopy" in the front yard. He cut some limbs from our big front tree. We didnt' exactly tell our family they were going to be doing yard work, so they had to work in their good clothes. Poor things. Thanks for the help!









We went and ate at D'Bronx Pizza for dinner and had a great time.





My family really showered me with gifts and love this weekend, including a cake from the famous Rick's in Fayetteville! So unbelievable what they can do!





We have had the BEST weekend. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

As a sidenote to the weekend. Sooie caught her first mouse this weekend. As disappointed as I was that there was one in the basement, I was very proud that Sooie managed to do something productive!

Mother's Day Weekend

Teacher appreciation week ended with quite a day! All in all I ended up getting like a total 8 movie tickets and over $200 of other various gift cards. Now I have lots and lots of thank-you notes to write!

We went to Little Rock this weekend to celebrate our mothers. My parents were in Fayetteville moving Tripp into his new house, so we stopped on our way through on Friday night and ate at Viejo...yum. Then we headed on to Little Rock. On Saturday we to the farm (Arkadelphia) to see David's grandma and spend some time with her. We took Deuce too and he loved it. He also chose to role in some cow manure. Yeah. Here are some pictures from the farm.

David and I with Grandma.



The whole group. Believe it or not, the woman on the far left is Aunt Deon. She is GRANDMA's aunt. She's totally with it and fun to be with. She always calls Grandma "Ima Lee," but she says it as one word.



Ladies.



Saturday night we grilled steaks. Kathy went to "Hogs" to buy the steaks and came across a refrigerator full of "dog bones." This is the kind of bones dogs eat in Arkansas...none of this "processed raw-hide." Real bone, real meat, real blood. Yuck. I don't know if Deuce will ever be pleased with standard bones again. He LOVED it. We didn't really know what it would be like with him chewing on it, but he got going and really put a dent in it. We tried to take it away and he ran. Then he hid it and we couldn't find it in the backyard somehow. After we went in, he went and retrieved it and kept right on eating. Don't worry, we didn't let him eat the whole thing...we eventually got it from him. :)





We ate Sunday brunch at the club after church and even went to Mike and Kathy's Sunday School class and spoke to the Seniors in high school. We made the trip home really long and stopped again in Fayetteville. We're so glad that we did though because we got to see Tripp's house with all his stuff in it! It looks great! I graduate this weekend and all of our family is coming up! My parents will be here Thursday, and Tripp, Ben, and the Rainwaters come on Friday night. This is David's week off and we are loving it! He is volunteering at the school just in the mornings.

Tomorrow night we're going to celebrate a late Cinco de Mayo with our good friends Katherine and Jay! Hola Amigos!

Summer Fun

Today was the second "theme" day of teacher appreciation week. Yesterday, the chocolate fountain was delicious, but today was really great too! I have been humbled by how generous the families of my students are. The gifts today included a total of $60 in AMC movie passes, 48, yes 48, individual bags of popcorn, $20 to Starbucks, a kite, some candy, Jenga, and a lotion/santizer Bath and Body works set.



These parents are truly making us feel like they appreciate all that we do for there kids. Such a special week for the teachers. I hope that when I have kids I can make my teacher feel the same way.

Well, tonight is David's last night as a third year. He is studying his booty off in the other room and will be up VERY late tonight, but he has finally almost made it to fourth year. Amazing how fast three years can go!

I forgot...

...that it was teacher appreciation week. Sometimes the things that slip my mind are astounding. I got an email from my room mom on Friday, telling me that this week was teacher appreciation week and she even told me the "theme" for each day. Somehow, I completely forgot and didn't clue in until I had gotten two cards in a row and half a dozen roses! It finally clicked, this is isn't just a really good morning, it's teacher appreciation week! Woohoo! Today's theme was flowers, cards, and candy. I had a very full desk by the time the day was over...



Tomorrow the parents are setting up a chocolate fountain in the teacher's lounge, yum! There is another theme for Wednesday (I think summer fun maybe), catered lunch on Thursday, and then the theme for Friday is "night out." We really do feel appreciated, and it turned out to be a surprise to me after all!

David is being so diligent. I am extremely proud of him this week. He is pushing through and is literally three days from being a fourth year! Deuce has been diligent so far this weekend and the start of this week. He keeps David company in the study room. Sweet boys.



I am in love with how cute my dog is. That's ok right? :)