Halloween II: Revenge of the School Parties

Friday, quite possibly the most beautiful fall day EVER, was filled with school festivities. The elementary school had their parade during the day...

(Notice the shorts...I would have been wearing some too, if I hadn't already switched to my once-a-week shaving schedule the minute the temperature dropped below 60.)

(Hello, $5 Lillian Vernon costume from Marc's!)

That evening was the annual Parkside Halloween bash. It was also pizza and movie night, the middle-schoolers invited friends to come over for dinner before the party. They got their own special table in the basement and were lucky enough to make it through most of Kazaam before the party started.

After I snapped this picture, the girls all said, "OK, we have to go now. Bye." And they were off.

The evening was a success--fun had by all, stuffed to the rafters with pizza and soda and treats, and two winners in the costume contest! Sydney took 3rd in the Prinicpal's Favorite category, and Leah took 2nd in the Most Original category. I guess all the spray adhesive inhalation was worth it.

Next stop--trick-or-treating!!

Halloween: The Beginning

After nearly getting high on spray adhesive and realizing I would be sans husband, we made it to the ward Halloween party in all our costumed glory.Bag of Popcorn (quite possibly the crowning achievement of my costume-making career)
and Dunkin' Donut #1

Dunkin' Donut #2 and friend

Ballerina Witch and Dunkin' Donut #3

Bring on the candy!

You know you're obsessed with Shaquille O'Neal and the Cavs when...

...you wake your son up in the morning by saying, "Andrew, the Cavs season opener is tonight!"

...you put Kazaam on hold at the library.

...you give a little kid a hard time at the ward Halloween party because he doesn't know which game you are referring to when you ask him who's going to win.

...you get jealous when you find out that someone your husband works with goes to the same gym as Shaq and think that person is totally crazy for not switching her gym night to be the same as his. And then you tell your husband to find out which gym it is.

...you pause The Biggest Loser to watch the game.

...you think "Look at him. He's right there!" everytime they show Shaq.

...you are (literally) on the edge of your seat for the final 2 minutes.

...you have the same feeling during Game One as you had during the playoffs.



...and you are just as disappointed after the loss.

Goal-oriented.

Family scripture reading.

It's such a good idea, a commandment even, but trying to round up the kids after a long day of rounding them up for homework, dinner, and chores and then getting them to sit still or even upright is quite a task. One that I am very tempted to bag when it's after 8 o'clock.

But for the last couple of years we have been reading more nights that not. Not always happily, not always without distraction, not always without tears or bickering or raised voices. I would be willing to bet it was easier for the Gitmo interrogators to obtain info from their terrorist prisoners than for our family to get through just one verse a piece, yet still we trudged on.

Finally, this week, we hit a milestone in our Book of Mormon reading. And no, it wasn't that we finished the book.

No, this week we finished the book of Alma. All sixty-three chapters.

Three hundred and sixty-eight pages down, only one hundred and sixty-three pages to go. We're two-thirds of the way there.

Think we can finish before the leaves fall again?

Maybe if I can get some of those interrogators, we might have a chance.

News Flash: Exercise Stops, World Doesn't

With Glenn out of town, there were two mornings I couldn't leave the house to exercise like I usually do. So, even though there is a perfectly good treadmill in the basement, I made an executive decision. I just didn't do anything. I slept till 7, when it was time to get the kids up for school. And then today the kids were off school, so there was no way I was getting up earlier than the sun. Yet another day with no physical exertion. And no sweat.

This hasn't happened since our vacation this summer. And before that it was post-surgery recovery. But three days off in a row for no good reason? Not for a really long time.

And guess what? I feel fine. I have not suddenly gained five pounds. I am quite capable of doing that with the exercise, thank you very much. I have not suddenly been zapped of all my energy. I am still just as tired as ever. Was I more stressed this week without exercise? Doubt it. In fact, I haven't missed it at all. I think I could get used to this.

Aww, who am I kidding. I'm going to keep exercising because (sing-songy voice here) it's the right thing to do. And I kind of like it.

But the best part of all? No guilt. Not one little bit. Not even a tinge of feeling bad. Now that is a truly refreshing break.

(Would I feel this way after a three day break from cleaning the kitchen...?)

Half-way there.

Half-way caring about the messy kitchen.

Half-way through a batch of banana snickerdoodles.
Make them and you will understand why.

Half-way through last night's Biggest Loser.

Half-way deaf from the high decibels of my children's voices.

Half-way frozen toes that need to get under a blanket.

Late night conversation with my boyfriend.

Half-way through Glenn's two day business trip.

Half-way through an exceptionally stressful week.

Half-way to the loony bin.
Half-way lost my mind.
Half-way holding it together.

Livin' on a prayer?

Absolutely.

Stats update

Andrew's numbers for today's game--

1 15 yard punt return
5 flags pulled
1 extra point conversion

and

1 touchdown!!

See it for yourself right here...



And now for a little intensity...

The boy loves his game!

What's wrong with this picture?

Ohio recently passed a law that now requires children ages 4 through 7 to ride in a booster seat. And I have a son who will be 7 for two more months. Guess what that means? Yep, we pulled the booster off the top of the freezer in the garage, dusted off the spider webs, and set it back in the car.

{stepping on soapbox}

I totally get the reasoning behind this law. The seat belts are made for an adult, not a child, it's safer, blah blah blah. I just think it is ridiculous. Andrew looks utterly ridiculous in that seat. This kid has (surprisingly, perhaps) sat very calmly in a car for the past 3 1/2 years with out a booster and nothing has happened. He has been comfortable and well-behaved. And while I am all for keeping kids safe, I am not - and I repeat NOT - a huge fan of over-regulation. Whether or not my particular child is in a booster seat has nothing to do with anybody else. You may have a child who will not sit still in a car, but I don't (one of heaven's tender mercies). So why can't it be my choice?

If you want to regulate someone, why don't you get stricter about those idiots who text while driving? Or what about those drunk drivers? How about cracking down on people who actually kill others while intoxicated instead of giving them a mere 30 days in jail? (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Mr. Cleveland Browns player Donte Stallworth.) If it weren't for fools like that, my kid wouldn't even need a seatbelt at all.

OK, OK, I know my logic is faulty. I know the government just has our best interests at heart (doesn't it always?). And for two months, Andrew will be sitting in a booster. Because ultimately I do believe in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

But I don't have to agree with it. Or be happy about it.

{stepping off soapbox}

Pssst...I also don't make my kids wear bike helmets. They have them, but if they don't wear them, so be it. I never did and I survived. So there, Ohio state legislature!

You now have permission to tell me what a bad mother I am. Ready.....GO!

Happy is as happy does.

Lately the sun seems to have forgotten its main job is to rise each morning. Add in some major kid drama this week and I haven't been feeling too sunny myself. But there have been some moments where I felt little surges of joy. In the strangest of places.

Like instant messaging my sisters. I'm no texter, but I am a champion chatter. Confirming plans, asking to send kids home, offering to pick Jenna up, making plans for a 6 AM run, making sure at 5:45 AM that the run is still on since it's raining, did u hear abt this, can u believe that, ttys, syl, luvu. I love seeing that little green light and knowing that with a couple keystrokes I can check in or touch base. Or even vent. All without making a sound.

Like my new blanket. The blanket on our bed was too cold, but you add in our fire-starting comforter and it was too hot. So for those chilly-but-not-frigid-below-zero-frostbite in between nights we needed something more. Target had just the ticket, and at a great price. I got a queen-sized microfiber fleece blanket for just $12.75! At that price, I threw in another one for Brooke's bed, washed them up, and took them warm right out of the dryer all soft and fluffy, and made up the beds. It is like heaven. A warm, soft, cuddly piece of heaven. Which makes it that much harder to get up for those 6 AM runs...

Like "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. Say what you want, but that song is contagious. It makes me want to put my hands up every time I hear it. Which just happens to be pretty much every time I turn on the radio. It's got a catchy tune, easy-to-sing lyrics, and built-in dance moves. What more can you ask for from bubble gum pop? I'm feeling down, and the DJ drops my favorite tune and the Miley song was on...and the Miley song was on...and the Miley song was on...

I think I'm gonna be OK.

Three seconds flat.

That's all it takes for Andrew to stop this play cold.



Final score:
Andrew's team - 25
The Other Team - 0

Boo-yah.

Oh, Say Can You Sing

Friday Night Fever was in full force this week as the Parkside choir was asked to sing the National Anthem at the Westlake football game. The weather all week was pretty cold and rainy, so we were a little doubtful that it would be a pleasant experience. But lo and behold, the skies cleared and the temperature rose and the excitement grew as the high school stadium geared up for an influx of 5th and 6th graders.

The field was still a swamp, though, so the kids had to sing from the stands. Not conducive to video taping. And both high school marching bands were blaring the music from the track in front of us. Not conducive to hearing the kids. Still, the girls have joined the ranks of such stars as Whitney Houston, Jon Secada (my personal favorite from the Indians - Marlins World Series in 1997), and various American Idol contestants. Not many of us can put that on our resume.