F is For Flute

Three weeks!  Three weeks!  That's how long we have until Chad finally comes home from the big bickering cesspool that is the middle east.  Up until now he's been pretty chill about his return, trying to keep his mind on the mission or something (which is at least the answer he gave me when I demanded to know WHY HE WASN'T EXCITED LIKE ME, DOESN'T HE LOVE ME ANYMORE!?) but today when I Skyped him I could hardly understand a word he was saying due to his complete inability to sit still.  He was busy packing his stuff up for shipping back to the US (while doing cartwheels?) and I could tell he was finally getting antsy.  And I have to add this in here, even though Chad told me I shouldn't post it on facebook because apparently a bunch of the lovely army wives (I love them OOOOOOH so much) were bitching that THEIR husbands should have got one too!  Whine!  Moan!  Waaah!  I'm a princess and I want all the attention and I will get it through my husband and his deployment! 

Erm.  Ahem. 

Chad got a Bronze Star!

Even though I'm at the point that if I hear ONE MORE STINKING WORD ABOUT HOW ALL THE COMBAT TROOPS HAVE LEFT IRAQ (LIES!) OR GET ONE MORE STUPID E-MAIL FROM THE FAMILY READINESS GROUP MY HEAD MIGHT BURST INTO FLAMES I am ridiculously proud of him.   

Here on the homefront Emma has decided that she wants to play the flute in the school band.  Fifth grade is when the schools here start the band thing.  (I'm sooooo relieved that she has no interest in cheerleading.  Use thy brains child!)  The band teacher will start her from square one and teach her everything she needs to know which is good because I know nothing about the flute and don't want to shell out dough on private lessons for an instrument she may or may not keep playing.  I *did* give her her first flute lesson tonight though when I was required to inform her that NO, the flute is not an appropriate tool to POKE PEOPLE WITH.  She has already figured out how to make noise with the thing (she is currently blowing one loooooong note on the thing in her room) and attributes this to the fact that music is "in her blood".  (She's obviously never heard Sperm Donor try to carry a tune.  It's not pretty.) The girlie DID get my side of the family's musical ability (you should hear the kid's falsetto!) and Chad's as well, even though he didn't technically contribute anything to her genetic makeup.  Can't wait for the first concert complete with ear-splitting ten year-old trumpet sounds!

F is for Flute!  On which I toot!  (an original Emma)

(Missy is our official flute supervisor.)

 Emma also got braces last week, just on her front teeth for six months, and although she has emphatically stated that she HATES THEM she will thank me later. Plus she looks adorable in them. She has the ortho assistant Cheryl wrapped around her little paw already. The office will give patients a token to be redeemed for prizes each time they come into the office wearing a special shirt given to them, and then one more if they've brushed well. Somehow Emma conned Cheryl into giving her NINE tokens the first day. Cheryl gave her one for "being cute". The kid has learned how to market herself, I'll give her that!

And lastly, for your enjoyment, here is a photo of the french fry that fell to the bottom of the oven and was forgotten and nearly burned down the house when I preheated for a pizza tonight.  See Honey?  I DIDN'T burn down the house while you were gone! 

Three more weeks!  Three more weeks!