Random Ramblings

**Today and tomorrow are TAKS testing days for Raley. A while back I wrote a post about him having trouble with anxiety over the first portion. I wondered if it would come back when this week got closer, but it didn't. He remained the Raley we know and love so much. I talked to him about it the other day and he confirmed what I had been thinking. He took the Math and Reading portions last year, so he knows what to expect now. The Writing portion was what had him all crazy. The teachers are still telling them that they have to pass the TAKS in order to advance to 5th grade but I have found evidence that this is not true. At least not true for 4th graders. The information I have found lists the 5th grade and 8th grade tests to be a factor in grade advancement, but not 4th. In any case, Raley will do fine on the tests, I have no doubt, but just because I am that Mom, last night I had a dream that he failed the practice test. In reality he missed one on it.
**Have the rules changed since I took Driver's Ed? The other day an ambulance was coming up behind me as I drove through town. There are two lanes of traffic in each direction, separated by a median. I was in the left lane so as soon as I could, I pulled over to the right lane, and then pulled over and stopped on the shoulder. One other car did the same. ALL the other cars pulled in to the right lane and kept on driving. I was taught that you get as far over as you can and stop. Am I wrong?
**Why do OnStar commercials ALWAYS make me cry?? I mean, some of them aren't even that emotional (I would think). Like the one where the guy calls to report his truck was stolen and they call him back when they found it. That shouldn't make me cry!! Now the one where the little kid calls because his Mom passed out, that's different, but jeez!
**I put away my coffee maker today and brought out my espresso machine. When it starts to get hot, I'm not crazy about coffee in the mornings. With my espresso machine I can make myself iced caramel macchiatos..yum!!
**Clay lost another tooth over the weekend. He looks so cute with a snaggly mouth. He has been using Legos to make these fantastical vehicles. He wants to save enough money to buy another KNex car to go along with the one he already has. You can combine them to make one big car. He is such a little charmer too. Just look at this face:

**Pattie singing along with Belle, Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella and Snow White is one of the cutest things I have ever heard. It makes me smile instantly. Especially when she is snuggled up with me getting ready to go to sleep so she is barely whispering the words. Then she says, "Mommy, YOU sing!" and falls asleep.
**Blogger finally has a spell-check again!! Although it always tells me all of our names are spelled wrong. Except for Clay. Clay is the only one whose name will probably never be spelled wrong. The rest of us are just out of luck in that department.