20/20 VISION???

Well, November will probably seem like a "blur" when it all said and done with. Whitley is officially 11 years old and her Mom is officially old enough to stop celebrating. These days my eyes seem to tire. Maybe it's from hours of studying and maybe it's because I'm now pushing 40. If I remember correctly, that seems to be about the time that John started wearing "cheaters".

The days go so fast and never a dull moment to spare. I am learning so much in school. We have went from Chemistry to Organic Chemistry to BioChemistry and now to Bioenergetics, which in lay terms relates to Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis. But it is much more than knowing that bodies need sugar,carbs,lipids and protein or that plant's have cholorphyll and photosynthesize. I'm learning about the things I can;t see with my naked eyes. In cellular respiration, I've learned that a 6 carbon sugar goes through 10 enzymes to split in to two, three carbon sugars called pyruvates. If there is oxygen present, they enter the mitochondria and undergo reactions with 8 more enzymes in the Kreb's cycle which produces NADH & FADH2 which carry proteins to the ETS (Electron Transport System). There the NAD loses the H+ and they diffuse across a concentration gradient. They eventually fall through the ATP synthase system because of Oxygen's electronegativity and then become H20 and ATP! ATP is ENERGY,and that is what we need to live!! Learning about plants was a little easier. They use our by-products CO2 & H2o to give us C6H12O6 and 6O2. In the choloroplasts, they have a thykaloid and in its membranes are quantasomes P680 and P700 to create light reactions. They are like little solar panels. The go throught the Calvin Cycle which is alot like the Electron transport system to produce NAPHP which produces glucose in the dark reactions. The two are opposites, but there is a link between then two. We can't live without plants, but they can love without us! That is pretty humbling to me!

Well, that's all I have to share for this week. We are winding down the semester so things are getting really busy: big projects are due in all classes. The last of regular lecture and lab exams are within the next week and then I start prepare for finals! I can actually see light at the end of the tunnel. I may need to readjust how much to take on next semester so I'm not so negative and Disney doesn't offer me a lead part for "GRUMPY! In case they didn't know, I 'm auditioning for the guy named "DOC"...the one with GLASSES!!!!

Doot-doo-doo-deeEEHHH!!! (trumpet blast)

Here ye, here ye! Behold thy new crowned Queen! Queen Whitley!!! The queen shall hereby reign from this day, Wednesday the 7th, in the month of November, for the year of thy almighty God,2007. She shall reign with fairness and justice for both men and women. She shall bestow kidness and mercy to the poor, so long as she is queen...., which is atleast for today, as she was crowned Queen of her School for "Renaissance Days!" It was a happy day for all. They had stew, kaiser rolls, sausages as their meal. There was also jousting, story telling and much more! What a great week for Whitley!

What's balck and white and read all over?

Depends on who you ask. Some say it's zebra that tripped over a bucket of red paint! Others say it's a newspaper. And of you asked Whitley, the answer would be...A BOOK!!!!

She has always loved to read and this year she was awarded for being the top reader in her class. She received a medal and certificate. School has been tough on both she and her parents so it was nice to celebrate something positive for a change. We are so thankful for a child that has her eyesight to appreciate this particular way of learning.

Whit's 11!!!!

The only request was for an ice cream cake, and still, she made out like a bandit! Awake at 6 am, she waited for her exhausted mother to crawl out of bed a little after 9. John took the day off of work to get in on the festivities as well. We decided not to torture her any longer by making her wait until after breakfast to open her gifts. The way her hands quickly worked in circles tearing open the gift wrap reminded me of Roadrunner's rotating cartoon feet. Even though we started with some items that she "needed", her enthusiasm did not wane...Beep-Beep! She opened 2 new pair of uniform pants for school, and three uniform shirts, all wrapped individually, in 65.9 seconds. Then we graduated up to the fun stuff: these cute corn-on-the-cob holders that are a little "weiner dog" in halves. The head is on one side and the tail on the other. One of Whitley's favorite foods is sweet corn on the cob, and she had asked me to make it for her b-day dinner tonight, so I couldn;t resist the little holders when I saw them! Anyway, back to the gifts....she got a new pair of skis/boots/bindings and new ski goggles!!! This is because all 5th graders ski free and get a season pass this year, so we decided to invest in the gear! Next, she got an animal book that has awesome pictures and facts about all the species known to man! She had her head in the book a great deal today; I still think she might be a zoologist.... many birthdays from now. Last, she had wanted this fleece embroidered jacket from the Outdoor Lab she attended in September. She thought she was not getting it, but I placed the order on line and the teacher hid it for me so I could use it as a birthday gift. Hence, she was totally surprised when she opened it today.

After gifts, John made a big breakfast: eggs,toast, turkey bacon, juice and pomegranate. It was very tasty. I did dishes while everyone got around. Then we headed to a place called "FAT CITY" to go play some indoor putt-putt golf. This was Whitley's chosen activity. They were going to go skiing, but her ski pass never came by mail.

We came home and John started on dinner and I went to pick up her friend Katelynn, for a sleepover. We all ate dinner and then had Whitley's request: a chocolate ice cream cake! YUM!!

The girls are downstairs playing as I download the pictures from today and post this blog. And so it is, another birthday has past and another year has begun. Number 11 has been celebrated in grand style. Hard to believe we will have a teenager in the house in 2 more years. Where does the time go?

A Visit to Kendall Elyse's House!

Whitley-IPOD NANO Kendall-Pink Butterfly

The two little girls in blue and the white pony are friends of Kendall and her family. The Jumbo plumber is Kendall's brother Cameron and the Transformer is her other brother Taylor. Whit & Kendall are in the background.

A close up of Kendall's brother Cameron. And of course, when he turns around...there's a "plumber's crack"!!!

We had a great time with Kendall & her family; such gracious people!!! Her Mom, Kim, put on a fabulous spaghetti/lettuce/garlic bread dinner. The kids had a blast trick-or-treating the hood. Kim & I stayed home and passed out candy bars and caught up gabbing.

We plan to spend Thanksgiving with them at Kim's Mom & Dad's place, and Sean's parents will be there as well. It will be the first time we've met Sean's parents. Our next event after that, will be for New Years! We are so thankful that our families are so close!

Anyway, after the women folk did their get-to-gether planning, the kids arrived back with the dads. Sean made some expressos with a little Bailey's and Cream in it, and served it up with a slice of pumpkin cheesecake. UMMMM.....what a perfect way to end October. Now that's what I call starting the holidays off right!!!

FUN FALL MEMORIES

Halloween 2005-Candy Corn Girl

Halloween 2004 - Tin Min and Scarecrow

Halloween 2002- Mad Chef and Spaghetti Girl

This year carving pumkins-2007

What Kind of Apple?

What kind of apple is Whitley going to go in costume as this year for Trick or Treat??? Any guesses?

A Granny Smith?

No, try again.

A Fuji?

Uh-uh.

A carmel apple?

Nope, but I made some for her 5th grade class fall party; YUMMMM!!!!

Give?

How about an APPLE IPOD NANO WITH VIDEO????

YES!! How did you guess?!?!?!?

After 10 years of making her costumes I could not resist. The idea is uniquely my own and I've yet to see anyone duplicate it. Being a "tween" she really liked the idea; not too babyish is key.

It's an amazing what a mom-in-college might think of when given a hot glue gun and a exactoknife!

Well tonight we did the test run with the outfit, carved pumpkins, made "Dirt & Worm" cups and caramel apples for her class party. It was another full day. It is a busy time of year, with her birthday just 3 days away as well! I'll get a few photos off to you and catch up after she turns 11!