Six and a half

Six and a half is such a fun age to be. I think of all the family reunion attendees, Ben had the most fun. What boy wouldn't? He had plenty of woods to run around in. Plenty of Uncles & cousins to play with, more food, cookies and soda (or Pop as we call it) than any Six and a half year old boy could possibly eat, and grandma and aunts who just couldn't do enough for him. Yes, Ben was loving life at the reunion.
Ben loved the wax teeth brigade. That was his first experience with that. He got the act down quite well don't you think?

Ben was my walking buddy every day he was there. We walked "around the block" 2 miles everyday. One day we picked roadside flowers and I showed him how to make "forest crowns" He proudly wore his and we deemed him "King of the Pines" There was quiet time too. He concentrated intensely to put his first model together. He was thrilled when his BIG cousin, Pat helped. He was so proud.
Ben even tried to show us tricks. Like balancing a ball of his Grandpa Moe's head while Grandpa tied his shoes.
Oh to have a boy so small again! I tried to talk his mom and grandmom into letting me squeeze him into my suitcase and bring him back home with me. His mom was all for it, but for once, Grandma said no.
I guess I will just have to be happy with our yearly visits, talks on the phone and Where's George tracking expeditions. I just wish he wouldn't grow up as fast as my boys did. I think Peter Pan had the right idea.

:J 

This is the Family I Married Into

I sometimes question things I have done in my past. Truth or Dare games, bellyflops for cokes, skipping school to clean horse stalls. And now this, the family I married into, or at least most of them. Sad to say I bore one of these people, he is my flesh & blood. This is what we do for fun at a family reunion in Wisconsin. We dress the old people, the babies and a few others who may have had a drink or two, in ridiculous wax mouths and take group pictures.
I could blame alcohol, but most of them don't even drink. I can't blame genetics as a few of them aren't related by blood. So it must be something about spending time in the woods of Wisconsin with 30 members of your immediate family for more than a few days. It does something to your sanity.

Family traditions continue on, lets hope it's the last we see of the wax lips.

PS Mine is the one in the brown jacket on the right side. Right in front of the little one who is attending the first reunion he will remember. He probably thinks this side of the family is a little wierd and will kick and scream not to go back to the woods to visit them.
Some days I wonder.

:J 

Patrick Learns Patience

He was the one who didn't like little kids. They are too noisy, too demanding and too messy. What did he think he was at that age? He says he doesn't want to have children. But if he does, he says he is only having one. That was until he met Ben.
Ben & Patrick have always hit it off. Patrick doesn't know it, but Ben is him, when he was Ben's age. Smart, funny and very inquisitive. ALL BOY! Ben is Patrick's 2nd cousin, son of Patrick's cousin, Sarah. Ben is also quite taken with Patrick. He warmed up to Patrick quicker than he did any of the other cousins the first time they met.
One day while I was shopping with Ben & his mother, we found a snap together helicopter model that Ben just had to have. He had never put together a model, but I knew he could do this one with a little help. So in the cart it went.
The model went untouched for a few days when suddenly in the middle of the family reunion, Ben decided he wanted to put it together. Patiently he asked everyone to help him. "No, not now" "Wait til everyone else leaves" "The little ones will ruin it" were several of the answers he got from us adults not wanting to leave our fun.
That's where Patrick came in. "Come on Ben, we'll go in the house and do it."
So this is where I found them, at the table, intently working, Patrick's hands quideing Ben's.

It's one of those moments when I realized my little boy was grown up. He does have patience with little ones, he will be okay as a dad. Not once did he raise his voice in frustration, as a matter of fact he barely spoke above a whisper. Quietly and patiently explaining to Ben how to put the model together, step by step, letting Ben do the work., telling him how well he was doing with this model. I wanted to hug him so much right then. Tell him he was also doing a great job! Just when I thought it wasn't possible, he does show me he is maturing.
Then not an hour later, I caught him back being Pat, as he and his brother roughhoused with Ben the way their uncles did them when they were that age. "Holding you ransom by your toes!" or "We'll pull you apart and eat your ribs!"

Boys will be boys. From one generation to another family traditions continue. It's just too bad sometimes that little boys have to grow up. But when they do, it's good to know there's still a little boy left inside them.

:J 

Football, Fundraising and Mind Wandering

It's been a busy day for me. I was up and at it early this am. The morning was a cool one, which makes it hard for me to go to work. I love fall weather. Usually I take that first cool morning off work, just to stay home, sit on the deck and enjoy the day. But today didn't allow that, it was too busy to call in sick.
I am about caught up at work from my "vacation". Tomorrow is file and attendance day. I need to get some records ready to send downtown to get microfiched. That will give me tons more room in the vault.
I had a football game to work tonite. Had three great helpers. Cheyenna is an old (Ha! she's a baby) buddy of mine, we help each other out on various projects, Doug who is a newbie and Tish, who is older, but new to our school. We had a blast. I blew Doug's mind when I asked him where he went to college and he said, "Grand Valley U" and I replied, "Michigan!" He was awestruck, surprised I knew that. I had to confess it's where my best friend went to college. I asked him if he knew what the old college letters GVSC (Grand Valley State College) stood for. "Give Virgins Second Chances" He said no he had never heard that. He's a great kid and signed up to volunteer more! YIPPEEE!
Our team didn't have so much fun, they lost 18-14. Poor guys, just can't seem to win a game. They are young, JV team, so they have time yet. I missed the whole second half as I have to take the money to the bank.
After that I ran by Chik-fil-a, the girls soccer team was having a fundraiser there. Since Cheyenna's future husband, and my other son, JW, is the coach. I felt I had to support him. That and I wanted to see him dressed as the Cow!!! What a hoot! They had a great turn out so I hope they made lots of money.
Grey's Anatomy did not disappoint tonite. WARNING! Do not read further if you don't want to know what happened.
My heart broke for the man who was quarentined and lost his wife. Miranda did an awesome job with him. I was sobbing!
McDreamy is an ass. I am so not liking him. Maybe because I love Finn, he seems like such a great guy, wonder what's lurking in his past.
Did your heart not break for Izzy? Anyone who has loved and lost felt her grief. I balled like a baby for her too.
George, oh George, you are still such a backward farmboy. I gotta love ya!
Okay, am I the only one who sees this, my prediction, look for an Alison/Alex pair up! I'm telling you it's gonna happen! But I also see Alex/Izzy coming back together, to really put a twist in things. We'll have to see what happens. I love that show!
It's midnite at the Western Gate, and tomorrow is an early day. Which means off early, which means I'm heading to Michael's to see about Cricut cartridges. I have vacation money left, so I think I might spring for two cartridges!
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much,
:J

I'm Baaaaack!

What a trip it was, it was a trip! Took tons of pictures, hugged lots of people, counted turkeys and deer, shopped til I dropped, scrapped my heart out, traveled miles of country roads and ate way too much food! I loved every minute! I don't even know where to start to tell you about it all.
Plane trip days were panicky, I worried about the boys flying too and from, but as usual I worried for nothing. My sister gave me a scare when she called and said Patrick wasn't at the airport when she went to pick him up, but it was all for naught. His plane was just delayed! I wish she would have checked that before she called! I was in the middle of shopping when she called and had no access to computers, tv or even my hubby to check to see if all was okay. So that was a panicky moment!
I love small little towns. They are so clean and landscaped, at least the ones I went through are. I told DH we really need to go visit Wisconsin in mid-February, so that I can experience the cold blowy snow again and remember why I moved south. The pull to move back there was so strong this time.
It was good to see family again. The little ones have grown so much! It was good to see my boys become kids again with the little ones. Patrick helped his second cousin Ben put his first model together. They did a helicopter. I'll have to post a pic later of that! Ben loved my boys, Kevin played football with Ben, every one chased each other thru the Pine trees.
I must get going, it's back to the land of data and students. More later, after I unload the camera!

:J

My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready to GO!

Alot has come together in the last 24 hours. The bags are packed. The golf clubs cased. The nuts shipped, and the boys know what they are doing. Or so they are telling mom.
DH and I sat down again with DS3, the virgin flyer, on what to do and how to get to the plane on time. Thankfully, my sister will be here to get him up and to the airport. We've gone over the check in process, what to put in your bag and what NOT to carry. He knows that no matter how funny he thinks it may be, pretending to talk foreign languages while looking crazed is not a good idea in an airport. Nor should he say words that may lead authorities to handcuff him and haul him to jail, for his parents to hear his name on the nightly news. He has been told he will rot there if he does! I realized the conversation was sinking in when he asked if it would be okay to take a book.
We are all excited, can't wait to get to the woods with family. Can't wait to count our blessings one by one in person. Hug, kiss, laugh, eat, drink, snuggle, and just be relatives. What will be the big "cousin's secret" this year? Every year the younger generation gets together to catch up with each other and they tell "cousin secrets" Happy secrets, sad secrets, dreams and wishes, they are all shared one night real late around the campfire after the older adults have gone to bed. It used to be a kid thing, but now our youngest kid is 19 and another generation will be telling cousin secrets around a campfire in a few years.
We are so blessed with this family. So many good times and some sad. This will be our first reunion without Rick's brother, Steve. He died in February of complications from Parkinsons. Our reunion this year is dedicated to his memory, on his 55th birthday. Steve loved a good time, and I know he will be smiling down on us.
So blessed. Good family, good times, in a good place. I will be sure to thank MIL & FIL for all they have blessed me with. Especially a good husband, I will let them know again, they have done well.
I feel like a kid on Christmas eve, I can hardly wait.
I will miss you all, count your blessings, tell everyone how special they are to you. Live like there is no tomorrow, Love each other.
:J

Getting Down to the Wire

First of all, I have to say GO FSU! It was so nice to see them beat Miami last night! GO NOLES!

Enuf of that. It's crunch time. It's have you packed this? Did you order your mom's pecans?
Do you know your brother's flight number and what time he gets in? Does he know yours?
I feel like the ringmaster at the circus. DH needs to order pecans for his mom, 6 pounds of pecans. She uses them to bake cookies for the church bazaar and gives 3 pounds to friends. It's his mom, he works just around the corner from the pecan place. He can do this. Has he yet? NO! One day left to order the pecans.
I took 3 phone calls from my middle son today while I was at work. When is Patrick's flight? That was call one. We have that squared away. Call two was, "Who is paying for Patrick's third of the rental car?" Okay answered that one. Call three, "Can I get directions from the airport to Grandpa & Grandma's?" How would I know this? I have never flown into Milwaukee! "Call your grandfather" was my answer.
MY clothes are ready. Tomorrow night I will do ONE load of laundry, then I will place everything in the suitcase. DH still has to get clothes ready for my approval. (If he had his way it would be all ratty shirts and greasy pants) Which is fine for most of his time. But he does have to have clothes in case we come out of the woods for something.
My only quandry is what scrapbooking stuff to take that won't raise the eyebrows of airport security. And, do I need to go buy a bigger bag to fit all of it in? LOL! I guess if DH is taking his golf clubs, I should be allowed a bag the same size of scrappin' stuff, right?
Why did it seem so much simpler when I had three small boys, packed it all myself, and loaded them in a van for a 22 hour trip?
Back to packing.
:J

Counting Days, Counting Blessings

It's no long weeks, but days till our big trip to God's Country. I remember our first visit to my in-laws house in the woods. We left the interstate about 45 minutes from their house and almost immediately smelled the pine scent. From then on, that was the signal to my sons that we were almost to Grandpa & Grandma's house.
Nothing changes there, life is at a standstill. No new superstores, no traffic, billboards or unsightly hurricane debris piles, sitting on the side of the road. If we are lucky, and we usually are, we will get to see the Amish go by in their buggies. If we aren't, Grandpa will always take us to the Amish bakery, for treats to eat.
I think we are the first to arrive, followed by the Colorado family, then my boys on Friday and Rick's sister from Sheboygan. On Saturday the cousins come, just for the day. I feel like a kid at Christmas, I am so excited about this trip. Our family always has such fun, just hanging together. I know I will come home 10 lbs heavier and with new recipes we love.
I can't wait to walk around the block every morning, of course their block is over a mile long. But that's okay, I can do it! Cool air, no humidity, walking that mile will be a breeze! Of course in the evening we will all pile in the car to go deer hunting. Wait! before you think I am a Bambi Killer, let me explain. Our family tradition is to pile in the car after dinner and drive around til dark looking for deer. Just to see them, nibbling on their evening meal of grass and clover. The Deer Hunt continues every time we get in the car, wether it is 8 am or 8 pm. We are always looking for deer. Besides, when you hunt deer, you have to be quiet, which is a great activity for the little ones! I will be sure to have my camera with me to nab a few shots. Which will be the only shots I take.
Our family is blessed with such a wonderful place to come home to. We never take for granted the quietness of the woods, the smell of the pines or the sight of a deer. God has blessed us richly. Every day.

:J

You Have Been Replaced!

All my friends know the adventures I have had with my youngest son these past few weeks. Like true friends, they flung poo at him for his deeds. Last night I got him good.
To begin, my friends, Doyle & Elaine, needed to go car shopping since Elaine was rear ended a few weeks ago minutes after leaving my office. So yesterday Doyle calls me and asks if I would mind picking up their son, Bryan, after football practice and keeping him here till they were done. No problem.
Well I was not prepared to feed the boy at the house, so I asked him if he'd like to go to Sonny's BBQ, where my youngest son works. Sure! So arrangements were made for DH to meet us there.
Bryan & I walked in together and DS was there, "how many at your table? he asked" It is not unusual for us to all go and meet 12 football friends at Sonny's. "Just 3" I replied.
After he seated us and found out the third was DH, he looked at Bryan and asked, "Why are YOU eating with MY parents?" Before Bryan could answer I teased, "I've traded you in"
"Bryan is a good kid, respects my scrapbooking supplies and answers all my questions about school and his life" "Gotta love a kid like that" So all night long we bantered back and forth as he took our order, and delivered our meal. I think he got the message. I also think he was a bit jealous. When he got home he asked, "So where's the angel child" "oh I said, he did his homework, watched some tv and went to bed" and I thought Pat's eyes were going to come out of his sockets. That's when DH spoiled my fun and said, "his parents picked him up"
Oh well, life goes on, fun while it lasted.
:J

Random Wonderings

I am all over tonite, lots of thoughts, and no thoughts. So here it goes.
Thank all those who flung poo at the DS. Wanna know something? My missing scissors mysteriously were found, in his room, today while I was at work. A M A Z I N G! and who said a little mommy tantrum is not good for the soul.
Thank goodness Ernesto was nothing more than a good rainstorm. We had bunches of lightning and rain tonite, no relation to Ernesto. It will be good for the green grass and flowers.
We watched "Madea's Family Reunion" Great Flick! I love that Tyler Perry, he is talented. I am amazed that he got Lynn Whitfield, Cecily Tyson and Maya Angelou all in the same movie. The later two give amazing speeches on family and love.
Speaking of Family Reunions, 5 days and a wake up til we fly to ours. I am like a kid at Christmas I am so excited! We will visit with DH's family the first weekend, Watch the Packer/Bear game with the entire family! then visit Lambeau Field on Monday with his dad and our two younger sons. Then chill out all week before heading to my brothers house for two days. We will attend a Chicago Cubs game with him, also taking my FIL. But I am so excited as some old dear friends are having their family reunion that weekend. It is a Moore (my family) tradition to crash the Williams (their family) reunion. I haven't seen my friend Vaughn in 20 years! He lives in Alaska, and is my dad's godson. I was Vaughn's 5th birthday present, born 2 days before his 5th birthday. He is like my big brother and I can't wait for him to meet DH. His mom is the last living best friend of my mom's. Auntie Mary was the school librarian, and my mom was the school secretary. Mary lived just across the alley from us and still does! Her husband was killed on a train when Vaughn was little, so my parents helped raise him too. He had a dog, Shadow, that followed us everywhere, EVERYWHERE!
I love being with family, it really is the best vacation!
Done Wondering for now,

:J

Why I Scrap

I had posted the first page of this 2 page LO I did for a CJ on the Monkey board. Someone remarked they would like to see the second page. I'm not one for doing this normally, I think CJ's should be a surprise to the owner first. So Peggy, don't read farther if you don't want to know! But, for everyone else, here is page two.


My journaling reads, "Scrapbooking started for me as an "add on" to another hobby I have, genealogy. My mother worked many years on our family genealogy, on both her family and my dad's. I would sit fascinated when ever the relatives would gather to talk about old times and family. I loved to help her track through cemetaries, old pictures, and family history for few years before I left home. (awful sentence I know!) It was our hobby together.
She left me many pages of information and photos, and scrapbooking has helped me stay close to her now that she is gone. Scrapbooking is my gift to her, and her grandchildren, my sons, just as her and my dad's stories were their gift to me.
I remember her telling me her genealogy group traveling in the early 1990's to a scrapbooking store many miles away and spending the day. Mom was excited about all the colored papers, pens and scissors she saw there. A few years after she died I came across some a few supplies she bought that day, pens, templetes and some plain colored cardstock. If only she could see my room and the supplies I have accummalated.
I know together we would have had many great times preserving family history together. I hope that one day my sons and families understand the bond that has been shared in our family. The papers, the ribbons, embellishments, fonts and flowers and all that goes into a page are fun to add. But to me, even with all that, it is still about the pictures telling their story. It is about passing on the stories of our lives."
So that's it, now you know. Why do you scrap?
Wondering,
:J 

Here We Go AGAIN!

The Weather Channel has joined ESPN and the NFL channel as the most watched stations on the TV. At 10 after the hour we check TWC for our "Update from the Tropics", watching as Ernesto develops and makes his path.
A hurricane in the gulf always makes life interesting here on the coast. At our weekly trek this morning to the base for groceries, activity was busy. In the commissary, carts of water, batteries and staple food items were piled in carts. The commissary itself was busier than normal. The base gas station was also busy, the guy ahead of us filled up 3 five gallon gas cans. We have all learned from Ivan, Katrina, Dennis and their cousins. Be prepared if you are staying. Leave early if you are going.
It's understood in our household that a Category 2 or stronger hurricane will see me in the car headed to safe ground. My husband and son see it differently than I do. It must be a man thing. Two days before local landfall, I will pack the car, load the dog, say my good byes and leave them to fend here. It's not that I don't like storms, they fascinate me. But I deeply respect the power they have and know that I am no match for them.
So what will I do if Ernesto makes his way here? I tease and say I am headed for my in laws in Wisconsin. But in reality I will probably stay as close as I can out of harms way. I watched the destruction of Ivan from my son's apartment in Tallahassee. I worried for a few days until I got through to home. The sight of the I10 bridge in pieces made me wonder if I ever would get home.
Hurricanes are not to be taken lightly, the past few years have taught all of us in Florida and the Gulf Coast that. Recovery is still not finished for many of us. People ask how we can tolerate what we go through, where do we find the will to go on. Some of us don't. We move away, far inland. Those of us who stay, and those of us who return, think even with what we go through, it's still a small price to pay to live in Paradise.
Stay Safe,
:J

Something Childish Again

I got a day off work today thanks to my DD, (Darlin' Doc). I woke up night before last with a bit of pain in my ear. It felt like I had been sleeping on my ear wrong. I rolled over, and went right back to sleep. Yesterday while at work, I noticed I was dizzy, so I made a Dr. appt. Ear Iinfections and dizzyness are nothing new to me. But I have had more of them since I turned forty than I had the first 40 years of my life.
It was cute when they first started. I was working in a PreK classroom and had 3 in one year. The doctors talked about putting tubes in my ears, and DH teased me about regressing to my childhood like the kids I worked with. The ear infections were cured for the year and talk of tubes disappeared too. Now every year since, as soon as football season starts, I get an ear infeections. No pain, just pressure and dizziness. It must be something in the air, pollen maybe. All I know is this has to stop. When I go in October for my annual checkup, we are going to revisit this earache stuff. Tubes, Tonsils, I don't care, but these ear infections have to go!
Thanks for listening,

:J

So Today May Have Been a Better Day

It didn't start out so hot. I cried all the way to work, fumed all day and prayed. DS2 informed me as I was walking out the door for work that he "wants to take a semester off". Not the end of the world, but not the news a mom wants to hear from her child.
We, as a society, place a huge emphasis on a college education. Not everyone has to have a college education, I'm not saying that. I work in vocational education. I know the demand for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, nurses and mechanics. I guess it is different when your child who was devastated at his first B in 8th grade, now wants to "take a semester off" Just pray he goes back.
It was a busy day today, with lots of little interuptions. The lack of communication continues, and frustrates me know end. I think every sports schedule this fall, except one has had major last minute changes, something I have never had in the 6 years of being the Athletic secretary. But I am rolling with the punches.
I am finally to the point that I can start filing. Plus I get a new student assistant on Monday, I didn't even have to ask for one!
Tomorrow is the first home football game of the season, it's 9th grade, so should run smoothly.
AND I had a talk with that DDS2 (damdarlingson) when he got home from work this evening. Told him I was disappointed, and asked him to take just one or two classes to stay in the practice. He said he would do that.
AND my back doesn't hurt quite as much, I walked my mile & a half this afternoon, and even tho I had to look a little harder today, I did have blessings and it was a better day after all.

:J

Wonderings & Blitherings

I'm in one of those moods. I guess it's because I don't feel well, I've been so swamped at work and I haven't had much ME time. So I'm unloading, if you care.
First off, I have to say something about lack of communication. It frustrates me. I don't like not knowing, not that I want to know everything, but if I have to deal with the public and answer their questions, it would be nice to know what to tell them. I don't like not knowing the answers because it makes me look like an idiot and it makes it look like my employer unorganized. I don't like finding out two days before an event that things have changed and people have known for over a week, but didn't let us know so we could adjust.
I guess that's my politically correct way of saying "Why didn't you let us know you changed the game from an away game to a home game?" "Do you think it's going to run itself?" "Are you not going to charge admission or have a concession stand??" "Can you think outside the lines of the playing field?"
There that feels better.
Is anyone still reading? Okay I will write a good thing. I sent my deposit off for the cruise I am going on in May. I am looking sooooo foward to this. I'm going with a great group of women whom I have never met IRL, but feel I've known forever. Creative women, fun women, been there done that, what's next women. GAWD this is going to be a riot! We will probably all come home with monkey tails tattooed on our rears. But ya know what? I don't care! I've done my job here on earth, it's time for me to have fun!
Which brings me to Blithering number two. I love the men in my life, I really do. But some times I wonder. Do they know we women just sit back and silently chuckle at their idiocy? Sometimes I swear! I don't even know where to start. Sometimes I am so frustrated with them I can't even type. I have to stop thinking about this and go back to something else, my blood pressure is rising.
I guess with men and with life in general, you have to take the good with the bad, sift through it and sometimes dig deep to find the good stuff and keep that. It's what being a family and a community is all about. Sometimes you feel good, sometimes ya don't, sometimes you are on top of the world and sometimes you feel like the wallpaper on the wall. Life isn't always a bowl of cherries and anyone who claims it is, is lying to you. Learn not to take it so personal, so seriously, pick yourself up and dust yourself off, and get ready for another day. That way it can always get better.
Okay I think I am back to my confused state of life and can go on about my day. Thanks for listening, if you did.

:J

It's Always a Good Day!

Whenever two or more of my boys are here, it's a great day at the Western Gate. Having DS2 here from Tallahassee has been a treat. I love listening to the boys do their brother stuff together. The challenges, the comments, discussions and yes, even the picking & namecalling. Although now it is very good natured, not like it was when they were younger.
DS3 took off work early yesterday to come home and spend time with his big brother, only to find out big brother had made dinner plans with friends. That left poor Patrick home with Mom & Dad, and although I cooked him a huge steak dinner, I could tell he was disappointed that he wasn't invited to go with Kevin. Some things never change!
This morning was great, we watched the Packer game on TV. I made them my special occasion hash brown casserole and we had a great morning. Before Kevin went to lay down for a nap, and Patrick left for work, they harassed me for saving the sausage grease for the dog and for cooking him his own egg. But like I told them, he (the dog) is my most obedient child, loves me unconditionally, comes to my defense EVERY time, and never sasses me!
This afternoon when Kevin & Erica pack to leave will come to soon. I want to go wake them both up and tell them I don't want to waste a second they are here.
In a few weeks we all will fly to Wisconsin for the family reunion. It will be Erica's first big meeting of the whole family. We have prepped her on what to do and not do. She knows she has to take a turn washing dishes at least once during her visit or she will be talked about for eternity. We just can't convince her to put on that Bears tshirt for the Bear/Packer game. Smart girl, I think we should keep her!

:J

Chow Down

Last night was that annual tradition in Southern High School Football, the ChowDown. A ChowDown is held usually the week before the first football game of the season. It's usually held in the High School cafeteria or gym with all the coaches, players and parents gorging themselves on food. "Parents bring enough food to feed your family and 3 hungry football players", is how our invites read. It's an evening to meet other parents, the coaches, boosters and the players. A good time will be had by all.
Last night I got the job of tea pouring. Me, alone, for 105 players and coaches, parents, siblings, coaches wives and boosters. If it had not been for two lovely little elementary school girls who iced the cups for me, I would still be there this morning. Thanks girls!
It amazes me still after raising 3 boys, how much food a boy can eat. They came by me with plates piled 6 inches high with food, and another plate piled high with deserts. Most of the boys with plates piled high were the scrawny kids. I don't know where they put all that food!
The Food! OMG! One mom brought an eleven pound roast that was out of this world! A large pan of mostacolli (sp?) went almost untouched and it was delish! I snagged that for leftovers after. There was enough fried chicken to feed an army, homemade lasagne, stroganoff, steak (yes someone brought steak!) veggies and salads of all kinds, a 10 foot sub and 4 sub platter trays, two different types of chili, beef stew, and every kind of roll and dessert you can imiagine. As you can imiagine, the food was awesome and we got stuffed!
It was hard to hear the speakers, but I fault that with coaches who didn't control the boys or parents not controling their children. That was kind of rude I thought. Why is it when a parent gets in a crowd of people and kids are acting up, most of these parents sat idly by and let their children talk and be rude while ADULTS were speaking. It made me glad mine had graduated, he would have NOT been able to act that way!
I hope every parent in attendance signed up to volunteer for concession just one game! I hope they bought an ad for the program. Finally, if nothing else I hope they joined the Quarterback Club! High School is the best time to be involved with your kids, know what they are doing and know the parents and kids they are running with!
Have a wondermous day!

:J

Mundane Monday

There's nothing exciting going on here at the Western Gate. It's just another Monday, not the first day of school, nothing to look forward to, just another day. I scrapped a bit this past weekend, mostly heritage photos, which always gets me thinking about the lives my ancestors led. What would they have been doing at my age?
My mother at 45 had two young children. I was 7 and my brother 5. I can't imagine! How did she do it? At that time she was a stay at home Mom, and our house was spotless. Mom usually took an hour off a day to sit with her neighborhood friends in the kitchen for coffee. Mom didn't drive, so she had to wait for my Dad to take her to "town" for groceries and shopping. A big exciting day meant a trip to the "City" 20 miles away for shopping at smart!
My maternal grandmother had passed away by the time she would have been 45. She didn't get to see her daughters grow up or to know any of her 4 grandchildren. She died at age 32 while having an operation. She was a pretty woman, I wish I could have known her.
My paternal grandmother was a simple farm wife. She and my grandfather farmed and raised 4 children. Her house was simple, with no running water or indoor plumbing. She had a garden she tended every day, a house she kept spotless, laundry she did by hand and didn't drive or ever leave the county she was born in. She walked 7 miles one way every day to take her husband's lunch to him at the family dairy. Her excitement for the week was going into town on Saturday for items they needed, not wanted.
So while I think my life is mundane, my ancestors one or two generations before me would probably be flabbergasted at a simple day in my life. I travel more in one day then they probably did in a week. I have modern conveniences to help me with my mundane chores and still I gripe about not having enough time to do them. If I don't feel like cooking there is a plethora of places I can go to to eat or even have delivered. Yet sometimes I sit back and wonder, which of us really had it all?
I'd like to trade, if only for a day.

:J

One Month, but I'm NOT Counting!

One month from today I will be in America's Dairyland. Home of the Cheeseheads, more importantly, HOME! Alright, I wasn't born or raised there, but my hubby was, and since we have been married I love going there.
Actually I could almost be a cheesehead. I grew up 30 miles south of the Southern Cheesehead border. The area I grew up in looks like the Dairy State. Most of the people talk like the cheeseheads. Some of the old locals in my hometown are even smart and cheer for the right football team, the Green Bay Packers!
But one month from today, one month from right this minute, I will be sitting on my in laws huge screened porch, enjoying the peace & quiet, listening to the woods go to sleep for the night. I love visiting my in laws. It's so far out in the country, in the woods. It might be hours before a car passes by. The evening excitement is to get in the car after supper and drive around looking for and counting deer as they come out of the woods for their evening meal. We look until our eyes hurt from straining in the dark to see them. If we are lucky enough, we end up close enough to town to go to the drive in for Ice Cream.
Life is so much slower there. Days blissfully pass by, until the last few days of our vacation, when they go so quickly, as if to catch us back up to the hurried pace we usually live at.
One month from today, but I'm not counting!

:J

Back to School!

School starts this week for Kiddies in our county. Kids in the neighboring county went back last week. In honor of the occasion, I made this journal to donate to my MIL's church bazaar. I have to admit, I cheated and used a Paper Pizzazz Almost Done kit.


I always loved the first day of school. New challenges, new friends, sometimes even a new school. The smell of chalk and freshly waxed floors, a clean notebook and a new desk with your name on it. I think the first thing I did was to open my reading book and see what new stories we would be reading. I loved a good story, still do.
Some things were always the same. Same bus stop, same driver, every year. Same cafeteria food. I had the same elementary principal, art teacher and music teacher every year.
We didn't have computers, or even tv. I remember when something important would be on TV we would all crowd into the music room and watch it. EVERYONE, the whole school! It wasn't a big TV either, just a small TV on a roll cart. But it was color!
I hope everyone has a good first day this year and a good school year too! Study Hard! Meet the challenge! READ everyday!

:J