Robert is back in Baghdad...safe and sound from his trip to Southern Iraq.  I can't say exactly where he was during his travels but it WASN'T a safe place!  I had read on-line about how they constantly bomb this particular base that he was at.  Wasn't too thrilled to hear about that and what made it even worse was that he didn't have internet access or access to a phone.  So I didn't hear from him the whole time he was traveling.  Very scary.  Thankfully while he was there they had a 'cease fire' in effect so everything was 'ok' and he's now back safe and sound in Baghdad (never though I would think being in Baghdad was SAFE, but compared to where he went...guess it is!). 

Well, Rachel did her first auditions for the theatre program at UCF.  They have ONE massive audition at the beginning of the year for ALL of the plays that they are going to have all year long.  To see the current season schedule check out: http://www.theatre.ucf.edu/currentseason.php.  So Rachel had her audtion along with all of the UCF theatre majors (and a few, very few, non-theatre majors).  She got called back for TWO of their plays-- Piano Lessons and Alice Experiments in Wonderland.

 

She went back to the call back for Piano Lessons but was not chosen to be a part of the cast because she was 'too short'.  She also went back to the call back for Alice and was called back for the part of the Queen of Hearts.  Her and a couple of other girls read for the part and she was told that she would have to wait a couple of days until the cast list was put up.  She was also told that priority goes to theatre majors (which her major is Digital Media)

 

Well, she actually got an email with the entire cast list and she was selected for the part of the Queen of Hearts!!!!!  So she will be in her first play at UCF next year.  This is a very interesting and unique play as it will be the first time ever that a play has been done with VIRTUAL CHARACTERS.  It's being performed in conjunction with two other schools: Bradley University (in Illinois, of all places) and a school in Canada.  There should be some media attention (local and national) because of the unique nature of the play.  Here is some info on it:

 

Lewis Carroll's ageless fantasia receives an electronic overhaul in which virtual characters interact with live ones, leaping on and offscreen, and from one venue to another with lightning speed. Created in partnership with Bradley University in Illinois and University of Waterloo in Canada, and thanks to broadband computers and 2-D and 3-D sets, this digital-age recreation of Alice In Wonderland uses technology to offer a new twist on Alice's surreal journey.

SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTING!!!! 

Well, it's not REALLY Alex but the girls insist that this is JUST LIKE ALEX! 

 

RACHEL AND UCF.....Things are going good at UCF.  Rachel started her classes on Monday and has already switched some (i.e., bought more textbooks!).  She also did her first audition for the plays at UCF (which I will update/announce the results of later).  We already found that her meal plan is probably not enough so we may have to increase it already.  She already came home but it was because we had tickets to see KATHY GRIFFIN in St. Petersburg, FL.  In typical college student fashion she drove right back to UCF right after the show was over (i.e., 11pm at night!).  To check out her college (and possible see Rachel!) you can view the UCF web cams at: http://webcam.ucf.edu/ (best possibility of seeing Rachel is in the Rec Center).

 

NICOLE AND VIRTUAL SCHOOL.....something completely new (to me anyway) and so 21st Century; but Nicole is going to high school--all on-line.  She is part of the Accelerated Degree Program out of Blake High School (YES, the SAME SCHOOL Rachel graduated from!).  She can do all of her required high school classes on-line and possibly get her HS diploma one year yearly.  To check out the Hillsborough Virtual School on-line home page go to: http://online.mysdhc.org/.

 

ALEX AND KINDERGARTEN (AGAIN).....seems like we just went through this last year.  Oh wait, we DID!  Yes, he's back in Kindergarten.  Alex has a hard time learning his letters and numbers and wasn't promoted to 1st grade.  He had a tutor over the summer that worked with him specifically helping him learn just his letters.  It actually really did help and now there are only about 3 letters that he does not recognize on a constant basis.  He's really sad that he isn't going to 1st grade but really likes his new Kindergarten teacher (Ms. Bell).  We have requested that he be tested for learning disabilities (LD) as soon as possible.  Hopefully that will be done SOON.  He is very much a VERBAL learner (versus visual leaner which Kindergarten really seems to focus on).  His new teacher co-teaches with the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher so that will help as well.  Hopefully the testing will show us where the main issue lies (besides the fact that he has been 'diagnosed' with borderline ADHD).  To check out his elementary school, Tinker Elementary, their web site is: http://tinker.mysdhc.org/.

 

So what a year for the kids and school!  Rachel in a new college, Nicole in a new virtual high school, and Alex back in Kindergarten (though if I don't think he's being taken care of at his current school he will be going to a new (elementary) school too!).

Today's the day!  We are driving up to Orlando to stay overnight and then move Rachel in to her dorm at college!!!!  I will post pictures of our weekend adventure.  The first photo I have is of all of her items that she is packing for the room (wonder how much will be coming BACK when she finds she can't FIT it in her room?!?).   

Well, it's already been a whole month (and then some) that Robert has been in Iraq.  What a month it's been!  Let's recap what has happened to so far:

 

-Air conditioner had major 'leak' that had to be looked at by a/c tech (the day after Robert left).  It was only a clogged line which was EASILY flushed out.  Cost $150 for service call.

 

-Hot tub had a major "leak" as well that had to be looked at by hot tub tech (again, the  day after Robert left!).  Again, it was actually a minor issue.  Appears that the waterfall was not turned off all the way and with the cover on the hot tub the water was flowing over the side and underneath the hot tub and out onto the floor.  Cost $40 for service call (cost for embarssement factor priceless).

 

-Garage door falls off it's track at the top, leaving a nice large gaping opening.  I was able to partially fix this myself (along with Nicole's boyfriend--Stephen) so it's now closed but I have finally put a call into the garage door company to have them come out and properly fix it so I can actually open and close the garage door itself.  Waiting on actual cost.

 

-Circuit breaker flips and shuts off power to various areas of the house.  I was able to move the breakers back for all BUT ONE.  It would not move what-so-ever.  Went on-line to find that it was an indication that there is something with the electrical lines in that area--which was the laundry room.  Thankfully the washer/dryer still work just not the lights in the laundry room, garage, or ANY of the lights outside (!).  Finally figured that a new broom/mop holder that was previously installed earlier that day might be touching one of the lines, so I remove it and was FINALLY able to switch the circuit back.  Cost...more grey hairs; but saved a ton of $$$$ on a service call!

 

{SIDE NOTE:  Talking about grey hairs, all 3 of us (Rachel, Nicole, and myself) did come across one GOOD thing...CHUCK.  No, he's not a our new 'pool boy'  (our new pool boy's name is Miguel); but Chuck is an amazing hair dresser!  Anyway, he does an amazing job with hair color and all 3 of us got our hair colored.  Nicole's is the most improved--black now.  Will take pics of the hair (maybe even mine...a copper red now...and short!).}

 

-Talking about Nicole she did get a new job at a place called Buffalo Wild Wings (http://www.buffalowildwings.com/index2.asp).  Great thing that she got a new job and is now WORKING.....however, after her 2nd or 3rd day on the job she got off work and stopped by a friend's house and ran up to their front door.  But it had been raining and she slipped on their wet grass and then landed in a hole in the yard and TWISTED HER ANKLE.  We ended up taking her to the doctors the following day and thankfully nothing was broken...just torn ligaments.  They put her in a splint and on crutches.  So much for her job.  She is now recovering ok and will be going back to work on Monday (8/12).

 

Well, if the rest of the remaining months are anything like this last one then I don't think any hair coloring anywhere will cover my grey hairs (if I even have hair left!). 

We finally picked up Nicole's "new" used car last month 7/23....being the Ford family that we are it is--in keeping with tradition--a Mercury Sable (twin to the Ford Taurus).  It LOOKS like it's in good condition...but after driving it for awhile not so sure now.  The 'perfect' trunk that seems to have never been used might be that way because it was REPLACED.  Of course we did a CARFAX search but it showed NOTHING REPORTED....unfortunately if they don't report an accident it doesn't show up on CARFAX.  Oh well, no used car is perfect and at least it's driveable...for now.  SEE PHOTOS OF THE CAR!