lights going out around the world.....(in our home too)

Today 

is

Earth Hour

when hundreds of millions of people, businesses, and governments around the world unite each year to support the largest environmental event in history. More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switch off their lights for Earth Hour in 2011. This is sending a powerful message for action on climate changes. It also ushered in a new era with members going beyond the hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it's shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.

We've participated in Earth hour for many years now.
Persingerfive go beyond just an hour.
We'll turn off all electric or electronics--no cellphone, no tv, no computer, no lights, no washer/dryer, no dishwasher.

We'll have flashlights in hand (thank you Grandma-Great!!) And honor and respect in our hearts for Mother Earth.

Climate challenges facing our planet are so significant that changes need to be global.
It all starts with one action to commit.

CHANGE THE WORLD WE LIVE IN

PROTECT OUR PLANET.......go beyond the hour
#Earth hour
(this blog written 5:04 AM--after publishing--I'm going offline and off the grid for the day)

SBA elevates my temperature......

All this week the children have been participating in the New Mexico Standard Based Assessment Exams.

It's really hard on the students.

They're filling in bubbled answer dots all day long.

Recess, break time and lunch time are limited.

I'd really prefer they not participate but......

(will just leave it at that)

Sweetheart comes home super exhausted and today she is running a fever.

Good thing the weekend is here.

Is homeschooling the answer???

bat mobile

I took my van in for an estimate on brake repair.

That's when I saw this black beauty in the garage.

Wow!

It's not a Mustang---I think it's a Shelby Bullitt

Very nice....I like beautiful cars.

As for the brake repair estimate; it was too expensive and time consuming to have it done right now.

It'll have to wait a little longer--
I dread having my vehicle away from me for too long.
Too much to do.....

where did i put it.....

NO SCHOOL for Bam ---today, tomorrow and Friday

School is currently OUT for student led conferences otherwise known as parent / teacher conferences. 

We attended our meeting earlier this morning with his advisory teacher.

Bam is doing well and has nice supportive teachers who encourage him.

Next we're off to the public library to replace our library cards.
I can't seem to find them.....
Do you ever put something in a great spot so that you won't forget them.
But then forget where you put it.
I feel so absent minded---I think I need a vacation!!

Reading opens your mind 

 Knowledge is power

running incognito

Fifi has another track meet today at the public school sports stadium.
During the track meet, the participants compete against other middle school runners from around our city.
The parents and siblings quickly fill up the shaded stadium seating away from the bright sun.

Fortunately today is not at all COLD like the last track meet. 

(click here for that blog)

In fact the weather is rather nice.
So relieved to be back to the beautiful New Mexico temperatures we love.

the runners and team captains getting organized

One of the male relay runners from our school placed very well

Many strong runners this year....

Fifi likes keeping fit, tone and her cardio strong through competitive running.

She inspires me....... I look up to her spirit.

♥♥♥♥♥

Fifi did very well--so proud of her!!

Meanwhile, Sweetheart attended the track meet incognito.

Do you think the paparazzi will be at the track meet today??

She's a teen idol you know...... with a Disney show and all.
Okay--maybe not.
 BUT she still enjoys dress up.....

click here for blog about my very own teen idol (incognito)

Sweetheart and Fifi discuss the events

Bam carrying Fifi's track bag while Sweetheart carries her baby doll

We had enjoyable family time at the public school stadium cheering on our
Princess Fifi

stuck in the backyard...

Uh-oh.....

Now I know where the basketball went.....

....and the kickball

....and the soccer ball

Funniest thing I've seen this afternoon......hahaha

(now how am I gonna get them down??)

Bam's new kicks....

We're headed to the shoe stores to find the perfect pair of kicks for BAM.

I can't believe how quickly he wears through his shoes.

After running in and out of shoe stores, I think he's found what he likes.

Of course it couldn't have come any sooner as we must schedule a hair cut as well.

BAM is satisfied with his new kicks and happy with a great hair cut!
Now its time for lunch in the park.
I LOVE MY SON.....
(he makes our day and keeps his sisters and I laughing all the time)

(he wasn't up to having his picture taken today)

Wild Wild West.....

Every morning, this week, we've been had to stop by the service station to fill our tire with air.

So today we're having it looked over for the leak to be repaired.

I was not pleased to hear that there was a hole in one of the new tires I bought last month.

But it was in fact-- three holes in that tire--Too close together for repair.

Arrgghhh!!

good ol' tire— took us many places, many times

I had to purchase another tire in addition to the one I was already going to buy.

Two tires!

*Frustration*

----------------------

But leave it to my girls to put a smile right back on my face.

"If I was a tire.......…Would you choose me?"

We were in for a long wait.

So we went into Costco to peruse the aisles and grab a snack.

(caesar salad and churro.......Mmmm)

Hai

King sized bear hugs 

Cookie dancing like a ballerina while her shadow looks like an animated version of her....

After what seemed like hours our van was ready.

Cookie was joyous to be leaving Costco with new tires on our van.

CRASH......

On the way home, while we were waiting at the  stop light, we were hit from behind. 

Apparently the other driver was texting and driving. 

As I got out to inspect any damage or injury. 

The woman, still clutching her cellphone, checked too, but then jumped quickly back into her car and sped away. 

Our van did NOT received any damage.

Her car received major front end damage.

She left before we could get any insurance or license or even license plate information.

We were left with sore necks and back and our van had NOT even a scratch.

A police report was filed on the hit and run.

Must be why New Mexico is called the WILD, WILD WEST......

swoosh....

It's FRIDAY!!

Its time for a little family5 basketball.....

Swoosh....nothing but net by BAM

Bam is very good at this game.....scores very easily, very well.

Princess Fifi enjoys playing and cheering us on

Sweetheart finds climbing the goal post like a monkey entertaining.

Cookie loves to slam dunk! (with the assistance from her brother)

Nessie sighting in ABQ!!

En route, after school, we took a detour through the residential neighborhoods.

That's when we saw this landscape display.....

What is this creature with a goat head swimming through the cacti?

Is it the lock ness monster (nessie doesn't have a goat head or back fins)

A sea dragon (lacking wings and furiousness)

or 

 ogopogo (that's it!!)

Very interesting............ definitely!

(would you agree??)

what's for dinner?

It's a beautiful, warm evening....

For tonight's dinner we shall dine alfresco.

We'll devour our fish tacos under our GIANT pecan tree in our backyard.

What more could we ask for?

We love fish tacos!! 

We make the best fish tacos around too.

Mmmmm....

the vernal equinox has arrived....

Spring has sprung in the Northern hemisphere.

Treat Mother Earth well

It was not given to you by your parents

it was loaned to you by your children

We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors

we borrow it from our children....

running from the bone chilling weather

ON YOUR MARK.... 

GET SET....

BANG!!!

We're supporting our Princess Fifi as she competes in her very first track meet.

It's a very, very, chilly day.
New Mexico weather is so strange!
Most of the time the weather is warm and beautiful. But sometimes we get these crazy cold snaps.
Despite the cold temperatures, the participants must run their events.
Brrrr.....

Look at that bit of snow on the southern end of the Sandia Mountains....
and that WIND!

The track runners look cold but a few lucky ones like our Fifi dressed in SMART layers.
Fortunately for Fifi she wore her cold weather running gear by Under Armour.
We love this company! (Look here)
Great stuff!!

Fifi in her track outfit with her black layered Under Armour.

Bam is leading Fifi off the field and out of the stadium after a very cold but very successful run!
Great Job Fifi!
Yay!!

Shhhh----our dog is a secret agent

You remember these guys right??

This is Sir Kyle (Bichon Frise) and Lady Cholula (Xoloitzcuintli) our doggies.

Today we're spending this Spring Break Sunday playing out in the backyard with these guys.

RELAXING.....

Lady Cholula enjoying her daily sunbath while Sir Kyle takes a break from playing fetch
with the kids--Notice that he's winking at me--

I'm not sure what kind of code it could be----BUT JUST IN CASE.

**wink wink**

that's the luck of me lucky charms.....

Saint Patrick's Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD.
Saint Patrick is said to have used shamrocks as a way to explain the Holy Trinity. In 1798, in order to make a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17 to gather public attention to their rebellion. In Irish legends, green is worn by fairies, leprechauns and immortals.

Little known fact: In the Persingerfive household we make Leprechaun traps every year. We put them out on March 17 in hopes of trapping and catching a Leprechaun..... for his GOLD. (of course)
But we have yet to catch one....
He is a trickster and always leaves fake gold coins ---chocolate gold coins---in and around the trap.
That's how we know that crafty little fella been around......
We usually find Leprechaun footprints in our yard and one year in our house!!!


Did you know that Saint Patrick's Day is the most widely celebrated saint's day in the world.

43rd annual parade "rain or shine"

In St. Louis, they celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with a parade (or two) on Market Street near the Gateway Arch.
(click here to see our holiday in St. Louis blog)

In Chicago they celebrate Saint Patrick's day
with their 188th annual Saint Patrick's day parade
but not before they dye the river GREEN!!

In Chicago they dye the Chicago River green to kick off the celebrations!!
(click here to see our holiday in Chicago blog)

New York City has an annual 251st annual Saint Patrick's Day parade.

Even the Empire State Building gets dressed up in green for Saint Patrick's Day.
(click here to see our holiday in New York blog)

This is the very FIRST year that Niagara Falls turned green in honor of Ireland's patron Saint.

Can you even believe that Niagara Falls can look even more amazing in GREEN!
This special light display was special, for the first time, for Saint Patrick's Day.    
Beautiful!!
(click here to see our holiday in Niagara Falls blog)

Downtown ABQ--not too far from where we live

Even here in ABQ the skylight is GREEN.
We went to dinner in downtown ABQ for the traditional corned beef, cabbage dinner

 (leeks, potatoes, carrots, dinner roll and green ice cream)
Talented bagpipers and sweet irish step dancers entertained us during dinner.
(little known fact: Fifi took Irish step dancing lessons when she was younger--such a cute reminder)

Bam took this great photo of his sisters; Sweetheart, Cookie and Fifi.
(the lights in the downtown underground tunnel look AWESOME in this photo)

As cute as can be........even in GREEN

Erin Go Bragh

airplanes and rockets testing grounds

SPRING BREAK FRIDAY

What to do..... what to do.....

The children wanted to go to the "BIG" park.

Since we had errands to run on that side of town we decided to do just that.

But first.....

a trip to the dollar store yields us some foam airplanes and a package of screechy rocket balloons.

Then off to the park we went to race them.

So much laughter....

If only running tasks and errands could be this FUN (all the time)

lava-ly dinosaurs....

SPRING BREAK THURSDAY

Take a walk with us today through the Triassic period, the Jurassic period, then onto the Cretaceous period.
Perfect day to examine and study the dinosaur bones, atmospheric exhibits, fossils, and minerals.
You guessed right, if you think we're at the museum.
(a.k.a: the dinosaur museum)

Don't worry Stan won't attack you............ he's got no guts! hahahaha......

This is Stan the T-rex at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science as he greets us upon entering. 

"I think I need longer arms...."

Cookie stretches her arms out as she measures the length of this dinosaur.

--Meow--

 "What if saber toothed tigers came in a mini version that I could hold in my hand."

Volcano, lava and steam.......…Oh my!!

Cookie and Sweetheart being careful to NOT step on the lava in the volcano exhibit.
Since they were little tiny tikes they used to be afraid of walking in the lava room.

And now....
 Will they're not frightened anymore.
Let's just say they still refuse to step on the replica lava floor......
Silly girls! So funny....…
GREAT DAY!!

running around in circles......3.141592653

SPRING BREAK WEDNESDAY

Happy Pi Day

Pi, Greek letter (π), is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.
Pi Day is celebrated by math enthusiasts (like us) around the world on, March 14th.
Pi = 3.1415926535....

With the use of computers, Pi has been calculated to over 1 trillion digits past the decimal. Pi is an irrational and transcendental number meaning it will continue infinitely without repeating.
Amazing huh....

What better way to celebrate the day than to have chicken pot pie for lunch and apple pie for dessert!!
Mmmmm....

Hmmm.....perhaps for dinner we shall dine on pizza pie and eskimo pie!

(hahaha)

up, up, and away....

SPRING BREAK TUESDAY

See our kites dancing with the clouds.....

The Sun is shining brightly and warm
 The wind is strong and breezy up high

It's a PERFECT day for flying kite!

flying up
flying high
flying strong
spinning everywhere
'round and 'round
 (original poem by Sweetheart)