Halloween Pictures

My Chrissy elephant!

Allie the Mermaid!

Don and the girls carving pumpkins.

Halloween

It's Halloween and it is going to be 60 degrees today. That means it will be comfortable Trick or Treating tonight. It is also nice for the kids costume parade. On Halloween, the kids parade through the Village in their costumes. It is really fun. The morning kindergarten parade through the school before their party. They go to every classroom so the big kids can see them. The afternoon class gets to parade with the rest of the school before the other parties start. The little ones sit as the rest of the school parades by them and then they join the parade at the end. The teachers always have a theme. One year the principal wore a blazer and a captains hat and the teachers and staff were sailors. The male teachers were pirates. It was cool. I'm not sure what the theme is this year. I heard something about dalmations. We will see!
This year I am helping with Chrissy's class party. For some reason I have never helped her class or gone on any field trips with her. I'm not sure why I haven't. I only started on days last year and I'm sure I helped Allie's class. Chrissy is excited and so am I.
Tonight we will all trick or treat together at least that is the latest plan. Things may change. We will all end up at Starr and Larry's Halloween Open House. They live around the corner. Don made two pies-peanut butter and a pumpkin cream. It is always a good tim.

Let me send a word of thanks to my niece Mary and Matt for ordering magazines from Maggie. It is a fundraiser for the 7th grade and it helps defray the cost of their Ohio Tour. It actually will go towards the amount Maggie has to pay. So thank you Mary and Matt!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!

On the 9th Day She Rested- (Not Really)

After 8 straight days of work, I finally have a day off. However, I have mountains of laundry, a messy house and a nasty bathroom. While I'm sure the produce department can get along without me, I guess my family can't. Oh well. Giant Eagle pays more!
I will start with my hair before I do anything else. I bought some hair color because I don't like the color that shows now. I want red highlights, not gray! I bought my usual strawberry blonde because at one time that was my natural hair color and I think that it looks best. I'll admit that I have never tried another color. (Hot pink hair spray for Halloween doesn't count.) I'm not very daring.
Don has a doctor's appointment in Cleveland and the girls are in school. It is just me and the animals. Bubba is back in the house now. It is getting too cold for him to stay out all night. He is 5 years old and the laziest cat I have ever seen. He makes Garfield look like a go-getter. He and little Hobo seem to get along and the dog doesn't mess with very often. Madison would like to chase Bubba but Bubba just stand there and meows at the dog. Then he settles back to sleep. I guess now I will feed the fish and color my hair. I lead such an interesting life!

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

I tried very hard not to let Maggie become like me. I set rules and enforced them. She didn't like it but she went along. Then 5th grade came along and I saw it. My worst nightmare had come to life. Now that 7th grade is here, it is worse than ever. My beloved daughter is a procrastinator. She was up until at least 11pm writing a book report that is due Monday. Oh, she read the book in plenty of time. It was researching the author and then putting it together that is taking so long. She has had the assignment for two weeks. "I'm working on it in school", was her regular response when I would ask her about it. She comes home Friday all mad at her teacher because it is due Monday. "She wants it early!" Although the due date has been moved up, the original date was for TUESDAY!!! So instead of being up late Monday night, she was up late tonight!
I already told her that I was not going to write a note to the teacher and she wasn't going to stay home from school.
I know how she feels because I was the same way. I usually wrote good papers but they were always done the night before or I would stay home from school sick and turn it in late. My brother David took the blame many times by telling the teacher that I had done the paper but he forgot to bring it in because I was home sick.
I always make sure that I have supplies on hand for almost any project you can imagine. We have the internet now which saves last minute runs to the library or Hannah's house. This year was suppose to be better. She promised me she would not wait until the last minute. You would think she would get tired of listening to me ask her about certain projects. But then I remembered, I made those same promises to my mother. I was typing papers the night before even in college. Oh, I would go to the library and check out books and start the research on day 1 but that stuff would sit in my room or my car until the last day. I would turn in note cards or rough drafts when they were due but I would always do the final paper the night before.
The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.

Halloween Party

As I get ready for work this morning I will be sporting a new hairstyle. I will have spiked hot pink hair. Today is the halloween party at the store for the kids of Madison. The Leadership group from the Y will be there with games and tatoos for the kids. A DJ will be there and all of the departments will be handing out treats to the kids.
Giant Eagle used to hold the party at Stanton Park (think Camp Kiwanee for my family that may see this) but when we became a corporate store, we scaled it down. Last year was the first year they had it at the store and it was a big hit. We have always had trick or trearing at the store but now we have music and dancing and tatooing.
I will be a punk rocker, I have an awesome shirt (according to Magpie) and the neon pink hairspray. The deli department is going as the Mickey Mouse Club-ears and all. One year Brenda the cashier wore her bathrobe and slippers and had her hair up in curlers as she rang people out. I have always dreamed of wearing my pj's to work or maybe that is one of my nightmares!! Anyways, it should be a fun time for all.

Halloween Costumes

It is that time of year again. At least this year we don't have any "dead____"! One year Maggie was a dead soccer player. They have also wanted to be dead cheerleaders. I miss the good old days when the girls dress up like Pooh Bear or an M&M. One year Chrissy was a Bumble Bee. This year Allie is going to be a mermaid and my Chrissy is an elephant. The elephant costume is soooo cute! I didn't think she would go for it because it is cute and she's a big girl now. But, Chrissy's favorite animal is the elephant and she has several stuffed ones including Ellie who will Trick or Treat with Chrissy as her baby. Allie's mermaid costume is cute too. I hope she won't be too cold in it. Maggie and her friend Bailey are going out as gangstas. Whatever. I'll have pictures soon.

The G Man

Today is Gavin's birthday. He is now 4. They call him G or the G Man. He is the cutest 4 year old and he absolutely adores Maggie. She babysits him every now and then. They watch Thomas movies together. Maggie liked to watch Thomas when she was 4. They are having a party for him tonight so I get to stop and pick up something on my way home from work. I love checking out the toy departments! I haven't shopped for a little boy for a while but it should be fun.

Happy Birthday G Man!!

Giant Eagle Workout

Who needs a gym. Come workout at the Giant Eagle produce department! Today I rode my bike to work as usual. I was half way there when I realized that I forgot to take my Aleve. I take 2 every morning before I leave for work. It helps my feet when I have to spend 8 hours on that concrete floor. Anyways, I didn't feel like turning back so I just kept riding to work. When I started, I looked at the schedual and saw that I had to break down the truck. Not alot of fun when you haven't taken your Aleve. Most of it isn't too bad but the bales of potatoes weigh 50# and are awkward to lift. I did it though but now I am paying for it. When I finish blogging I think I'll take a hot shower and take my aleve and go to bed!
The girls just got back from soccer. Allie's last practice. She took a ball in the mouth. Her lip is a little puffy. She'll live.
Off to the showers.

Biking in October

It was a beautiful day today. Very chilly though - only about 45. The sun was beautiful. It was a chilly ride on my bike this morning. The faster I rode to get to work, the colder the breeze. It was a no win situation. I warmed up with some coffee at the store. I had about a half hour before I started. Right after I punched in I had to inventory my cooler before I could write my order.
I never really warmed up until about noon!!
It was a nice ride home. It was still cool but the sun felt good. After I got home, I walked up to the school to get Allie. She had science club today. She is taking apart an old DVD player.
All of the kids take an appliance apart to see how it works. Then they make a presentation board and put their projects on display. They are judged by the principal and the secretaries. They are judged on how their presentation explains the project, and how neatly it is done. The 5th grade hallway is lined with all of these old appliances. It is fun to look at them.
The girls have gone up to soccer practice. The last practice of the season!!! Saturday is the last day. Unfortunately, I have to work so I will miss both games. The weather calls for sleet and snow for the weekend. I guess I don't feel so bad that I'm missing the games!!

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

It is a cold and dreary day here in Northeast Ohio. I have stuff to do but absolutely no motivation. I did go to breakfast after the girls left for school. I think I'll take a hot shower and maybe that will give me a little energy. Obviously the 5 cups of coffee haven't perked me up.
Last night, Allie finally got Row, Row, Row Your Boat on the bells. She kept messing up in the same spot every time. She also learned that song at piano and messed up in the exact same spot. Last night she went back and forth between the bells and the keyboard. All of a sudden she got it-on both instruments. It was really something to see her work it out. She was so excited. Then she tried to play the bells and the keyboard at the same time. I stopped her because I thought she might hurt herself!!
Well-off to the shower and a little steam and solitude.

Update #3

My last update is about my Chrissy. She is now a big 3rd grader. She just turned 8 and has a semi-loose tooth. She has only lost two teeth so far and she is very disappointed that none of her other baby teeth want to come out. The semi-loose one appears to have tightened back up so I don't think it was really loose. She was very late getting her teeth.
She is playing soccer this year and she is really pretty good. She moved up to the 8/9 division and the field is a lot bigger. Those little legs of hers move pretty quick.
No musical instruments for her. Third grade has chorus and then they only do a Christmas show. She is reading the first Harry Potter book. It is a fifth grade book but she is making progress with it. Maggie is helping her. It is a 13 point AR book so she is really working hard to get through it.

Now you are up to date with the girls and their activities. Don is working at the local diner making breakfast for the Madison locals. I am still working at Giant Eagle and hoping to hit the Mega Millions so I can retire. It is a nice thought but I'll probably have to work until I'm 80!!

Update #2

Big Al is in 5th grade and is having a very musical year. She is in the 5thgrade chorus which requires her to give up one recess. She already has music twice a week and one of those classes is with the recorder. On Fridays she has her drum lessons for 5th grade band. She is learning to play the bells right now and will start with the snare drum in January. Again she has to give up a recess. She is also continuing with her piano lessons that she started this summer. Her piano teacher says she has great potential.

Allie also is a member of science club and is playing soccer. She is one busy young lady! Allie complains that she has too much to do but soccer ends next Saturday and piano is only a half hour a week. I said she still has plenty of time to play outside.

Update #1

Maggie started 7th grade this year. She is still playing trumpet and is 4th chair. She is also an Oompaa Loompaa in the middle school's production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She is also taking algebra 1 for HS credit and an enriched language arts class.
Maggie chose to help coach Chrissy's soccer team this year instead of playing. The field for her age group is just too big!
Maggie is babysitting more now. She likes the pocket money. I think I owe her money but I gave birth to her so she still owes me!!

I'm Back

It has been a while but I am back online. When things get tight, some things have to be put on hold. We got our internet back yesterday so I can now continue to update the world on the comings and goings of The Ohio 5!!
Since my last blog we have had 2 birthdays (mine and Chrissy's); the start of the new school year (7th,5th and 3rd grades); and a new job (Don).
Because I have to get ready for work right now, I will fill all of you in over the next few blogs.

GO RED SOX!!