Holidays with Friends

I hate to tell you how long it's been since I've been to an "all grown ups" party. It may have been back BK (before kids) and then, I don't think we were really grown ups! (I don't count work parties!) We had a blast at a party for band volunteers last night! The K's hosted, and their home was beautiful for the holidays. We visited and laughed and ate. I could go for more "grown up" parties like this one!

An Extra Day of Break!

God blessed us with 8-10 inches of snow, and a snow day that means an extra day of break for the kids! We spent the whole day baking cookies and making chocolates! We had a few friends who were able to trudge through the snow to join us for the fun... but we decided not to try to venture out on the roads.... There's a LOT of snow out there!

Merry Tuba Christmas

My sister is a star....

This morning she and Phil (I don't know Phil - but he's a fellow tubist) were on WHMI promoting an event that is taking place in Howell this weekend. My sister is an avid tubist, and a member of the Michigan 5th, a Civil War re-enactment band.

Here's the link to listen to their bit this morning:

http://whmi.com/files/mp3soundfiles/MerryTubaXmas121708.mp3

And I lifted the photo from their site of Jen and Phil in the studio!

Here's the promo bit from their website:

MERRY TUBA CHRISTMAS

Howell's 3rd annual "Merry Tuba Christmas" is coming up this Saturday at 1:30pm in the downtown amphitheater. Approximately 100 tubists from across the region will join together to carol passersby with holiday tunes "tuba-style". Phil Bertolini and Jennie Ross will be two of them and they joined us in the studio on Wednesday. Click Here to hear the Merry Tuba duet!

Skate with Santa

The girls skated in the annual Holiday Exhibition at our arena, and then we all did open skate with Santa! E's friend N came, and she taught him the basics of ice dancing - he caught on pretty quickly!

Skate Fest 2008

The girls had a great showing at our home club's annual competition this weekend! The great on-ice shots were taken by our friend, and figure skating judge - Don Korte! The girls medalled in all of their events, which was very exciting! E was especially surprised by her Gold in her Short Program. Surprisingly, between them, although they earned lots of medals -not a single bronze! We thought that an odd bit of trivia!

Me - November 30th

In all the madness, I did remember to snap a photo of just myself at the Gingerbread Building - since it was ALSO November 30th, and the day to take my Once A Month Me photo.... I am almost done here with my year of photos. Just one more to take on December 31st, and then I guess I'll be scrapbooking all these photos - Cara? You started me on this crazy project - you gonna help me finish?

Gingerbread Houses

A semi-annual tradition - on our way home from visiting in Ohio in the holiday season, we stop at Dobo's Delights to build Gingerbread Houses! It's loads of fun, and is really great for entertaining kids who range in age from 5-15... not to mention the grown-ups! I'm not sure what they like more, building the houses, or snacking on the building materials!!

Self Portraits over Turkey Weekend

I got a little crazy with the camera at Gingerbread House building and snapped several self-portraits of me, J, E, A and my longtime friend S....

So, there you have it!

Family at Thanksgiving

A is Thankful for...

Olives... and she ate way more than one per finger!

BTW... don't her eyes look bluer than blue in her new contacts? And no, they are NOT colored!

Happy Thanksgiving

I've spent my morning baking Apple Pies! Heading to my parents in about an hour to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast - capped off with some homemade pie! If you are interested in my recipe - I posted it last November - here's the link.

So - I started this post this morning when the pies were in the oven - but then got distracted into the hustle and bustle of getting ready to go - and left it sitting here all day.

I wanted to do a list of what I am grateful for - so before the day is completely over - here goes my list:

- I'm thankful for this blog - I completely let the 1st anniversary of posting pass me by - it was the 16th of this month... I can't believe I've kept this fairly regularly updated for a year. I guess my experiment was successful!

- I'm thankful for my family - even when they are in my way in the kitchen when I'm baking pies! Actually, they were a big help in the pie department today!

- I'm thankful for J, my husband. I love him more today than I did 18 years ago when I said I Do.... and I wouldn't have thought that possible... because I was pretty well smitten back then!

- I'm thankful for E and A, my wonderful daughters, who make me laugh far more often than any other emotion - and I'm grateful that we have been able to remain close, even through these teenage years.

- I'm thankful for my parents, who we visited today. My dad's health issues loom larger and larger, but he is certainly an example of how to keep going, and how to approach even the worst times in life with a sense of humor. My mom -- I'm so thankful to have such a great relationship with her, and can only hope that E & A and I have as great a relationship throughout their adulthood.

- I'm thankful for John's parents, who we missed today! I'm so grateful to have "in-laws" that I truly love!

- I'm thankful for my huge family - who was pretty scattered this Thanksgiving - but whom we will see several times in the coming holiday season - I have the greatest siblings, and the cutest and smartest nieces and nephews ever!!

- I'm thankful for our home - our little ranch that was just supposed to be our "starter" home - which looks like it will be our "finisher" as well! It brought us into a community where we have made great friends, whom I am also very thankful for.. (Posse, you know who I mean!)

- I'm thankful for John's job, which is not dependent upon the auto industry - which is in such dire straights, and I pray for all those whose jobs are in jeopardy this year.

I could probably think of lots more - but it's late, and this hits the big ones.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Twilightopia

When I should have been tucked in my bed... when E should have been tucked in her bed, because she still has an early morning at school tomorrow (well, I guess today at this point!), we were at the theater, along with every other teenaged girl in the metro area!!

That's right, we were at the midnight premier of Twilight... and we had no trouble staying awake, and I'd even say it was worth the $9.50 a ticket!

The film adaptation is very true to the book, and although some details are cut (how could they not!) the flow of the story is not affected. It's already set up for the sequel. Twilight fans will not be disappointed - I wasn't!

I do have to say, though, that the actor that plays Edward Cullen reminds me JUST ENOUGH of my nephew TIII that I had trouble mooning over Edward... but my daughter was able to set aside images of her cousin and see Edward for Edward!

In analyzing the 2am crowd post-movie - I would guess it was 80% teen girls, 5% moms, and 15% boys - most of whom I'm guessing were dragged there by girlfriends! While there was lots of giggling and carrying on during the trailers - once the movie started - the theater became hushed - and only erupted a couple of times during the movie - usually in appreciation for a kissing scene!

If you haven't read the books - I recommend you do - and then take yourself out to see the movie - you won't regret it!

MOP - MVP - Whatever you call it - a proud moment!!

Tonight was the Fall Sports Banquet. (Well, they call it a banquet, but it's more of a snack and an awards ceremony!) Each of the Fall teams are recognized for their seasons, and each team selects a "Most Valuable Player" - or in the case of the Dance Teams - a "Most Outstanding Performer". We were so proud tonight when E was selected the "MVP" of the JV Dance Team for the Fall Football Season! Here she is showing off her medal! She was also recognized as a Student Athlete for having a GPA above 3.0 - this gains you a t-shirt (which I didn't take a photo of!).
Finally, a shot of the back of her Varsity Jacket (earned for Marching Band - but notice that there is a space on the bottom... hoping to fill that in with Dance eventually!) You can't really see it in the shot of the front - but she also has figure skates embroidered on her jacket!

My how time flies....

How many of you remember this young skater? These are photos of E in her very first Ice Show, after she'd been skating about a year. I looked for photos of her first skating lesson - but was reminded that J took her to those early "Parent/Tot" classes, because he could skate, and at the time, I could not! He is not the family photographer - and I was not an OCD scrapbooker! So, this is the best I could come up with!



That sweet little tot, who marched around the ice grew up into this young lady, who just got her first job teaching Learn To Skate! This time, even though I couldn't be there - I did get my non-photographer husband to take the camera to get some photos ... I think he did a great job, and she didn't even know he was taking them until after they got home! (We're guessing the other parents probably thought he was the parent of a tot out there!!)


Her favorite quote from the youngest "Snowplow Sam" skating class that she taught first was "This ice is really slippery"! She had a great time, and will be a wonderful teacher to these kids!

I got my sticker.... how about you?

Go on out and vote today! I republish here, an essay that was forwarded in an email to me a few weeks back - I do not know the source, and I was unable to bring over the photos successfully - but the message is still powerful. Wouldn't you know that this is the exact era of history my daughter has just been studying in her US History class?

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago. Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic'.

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because--why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels'. It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party, remember to vote.

History is being made.

Halloween Party

Both girls had a 1/2 day for Halloween, as it was the end of the card marking. E got the brilliant idea that we should host a party for she and A and their "closest" friends! I think in the end we had close to 20 HS and MS kids at the house all afternoon and evening... and while some might think I was crazy to agree to this... I can tell you that all the kids had a great time, and so did I! I was able to "infiltrate" the party, by posing as a photographer... and pretty soon I was laughing as hard as the kids. By the end of the night, I was thanking them all for letting me "play" with them.

I took over 300 photos - and then the photo scavengers added more to take me up to over 400 photos of this party! I just picked one representative photo of each activity to share with all of you!

Things got off to a slow start - we fed everyone pizza and salad for lunch, and then the HS kids all disappeared to the basement to watch a movie (yes, it was a bit cozy down there!) The MS kids decided to record a video (which will probably be making an appearance on A's youtube account sometime soon). They hosted the "Reekus and Smelly" talk show, and I'm not sure how, but they convinced several of the HS students to come up from the movie and be their "guests". I didn't take photos of this - but, I'm sure I'll be able to link the video in soon!


When the movie ended, I enlisted one of E's friends to motivate everyone to come upstairs and go outside (it was an absolutely GORGEOUS October day) and everyone played the "eat a donut off a string" game. Here's A, being fairly successful with her donut!



Then the MS kids kept things rolling by taking the galvanized tub and washing and filling it for apple bobbing. Once two of the HS guys carried the full tub into the backyard - it was bobbing time! It took E a few tries - but she finally got her apple!


The next activity was completely spontaneous. One of the guys was dressed as Darth Vader, and one of the gals (who just lives 2 doors down) thought that they ought to have toy light sabers - so off she went to "borrow" her brother's. Pretty soon the backyard was filled with 15 and 16 year old boys having highly choreographed, and acrobatic light saber battles! We all laughed ourselves silly!


Next up was the "Balloon Battle". Two teams - one orange and one black, battled to see who could keep from having their balloons popped! This took place on the circle in front of our house, and drew many of our neighbors out to watch - especially as the first trick-or-treaters were starting to arrive!


The whole gang poses for a photo, before once again dividing into two teams (Team Edward and Team Jacob.... we have a group a little obsessed with Twilight!) and heading out for the Trick-or-treat photo scavenger hunt! They all had a great time with this, as did the neighbors who dug up raisins and warned them "don't eat these", and posed for all sorts of pictures! My favorites are each teams photo that fulfilled the requirement "Take a photo at a house with scary decorations"! They each found different houses, and took great photos!

Team EdwardTeam Jacob

Me - October 31

Here I am - at the party E planned for a group of about 15 high schoolers, and 4 middle schoolers. I was documenting the event, when E took the camera from me, and turned it on me! I said "Yay - I need a picture - it's the last day of the month". However, I see that I never actually curled my hair!! Oh well.

Halloween was a beautiful day! The kids all had a 1/2 day for the end of the card-marking - and E and A and the gang had a great time eating donuts on a string, bobbing for apples, having a balloon battle, having Light Saber Battles (this was just the guys), and winding up the night with a spirited Halloween Trick 0r Treat Photo Scavenger hunt, that the whole neighborhood had fun helping them complete! I'll post some of those photos next!

I am a ROCKIN' Halloween Mom

I'm just sayin'....

I've spent since this past Sunday working on this year's Halloween masterpeice at the request of my youngest daughter - who has been in a Halloween appliance phase since 4th grade...

Here she is as a washing machine in Fourth Grade:
At the end of 4th grade, she was in a production of Pinnochio. She talked us into letting her keep the block costume with "I'll turn it into a halloween costume!" So, for 5th grade, she opted to be a microwave oven:
Sixth grade was rough - it was her older sister's first year of High School and Marching Band, and Halloween got here without much opportunity for us to create a new masterpiece - but that was OK - A just got out the microwave costume again!!


But - 2 years as a microwave was more than enough... Plus - she wanted to attend the Middle School Halloween Dance (Which starts in less than an hour - thus my push to get this finished today!), and she wanted a killer costume for the contest. SO... she commissioned me to create for her a toast in a toaster costume! I think it turned out really really cool!! If you look really closely - you'll see that the toaster is just the microwave, repurposed into a toaster!


Happy Halloween All!!

A Sings "Journey to the Past" from Anastasia

A was asked to sing at the Choir concert last night... technically, she is not in choir, although she would love to be! Because both Band and Choir are full year electives, and the 7th grade schedule only allows 1.5 years of electives - she had to make a difficult choice! We encouraged her to stick with band, as there is nothing outside of school for her to do to keep that up - but we provide her with lots of singing opportunities outside of school!

Making a long story short - A has Drama for her .5 year elective (surprised? LOL) and the Choir teacher and the Drama teacher are one and the same. One day in class, A glanced at the piano and saw this song out, and remarked to the teacher "I worked on that song with my voice teacher last year!" Next thing you know, she's auditioning after school, and being asked to sing at last night's concert! (The theme of the concert was "Journeys")

If you are a grandparent or an aunt or uncle - I advise you to get your tissues ready now!!

Hairspray - Skating - 09 Ice Show Tryout

I'm happy to report that with this tryout, A was awarded her first ever Cold Spot Solo! We are so proud of her!! E was unable to tryout in person, due to a Marching Band competition, so she submitted the video from last year's ice show tryout. She was once again awarded a Cold Spot Solo.

Long Progam - EGL Regionals 2009

E and I have been in Midland this weekend, so she could skate at Regionals today. We were all happy with the performance she put out, but not as happy with the result. We didn't expect her to win - but we did expect to be up a couple of placements from where she finished. Final result - finished 10th - but She got a 2nd and a 7th place ordinal! (She calls the one that gave her 2nd the "crazy judge") - but the one that put her into 7th was more in line with what we observed in watching the flight - but ah well - this is figure skating! Sometimes you place higher than you expect, and sometimes lower! We still had a great time, and had a yummy Frankenmuth Chicken Dinner (Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner) on our way home!!

Meet Rosie...

Affectionately named after the robot maid on the Jetsons, here's the newest member of my cleaning staff (cough, cough)!

Looking through the Costco catalog one night, I offhandedly mentioned to John that I thought that the Roomba was a great concept for cleaning challenged folks like myself that hate pulling out the vacuum.

Little did I know what sort of seed I had planted! I came home late the next evening, and while sitting and visiting with friends that had come back to watch some skating videos with us, I hear a very strange noise in the dining room... sure enough, my crazy husband had gone right out, and for no particular occasion, brought home Rosie!

I have become a HUGE fan of Rosie the Roomba - and my floors have NEVER been this consistently clean. She goes off every day at 11am and does the dining room and the kitchen. About twice a week, I red up the dog's toys and set her to work in the living room, and about once a week, we send her down the hall.

She fits under the couches - so even the dust bunnies have no refuge!! The first few times in the living room, I was astounded at the amount of pet hair, because Mo doesn't really seem to shed a lot (not like other dogs where fur comes off in your hand while you are petting them!). Clearly she was shedding a lot more than I thought!

I haven't been brave enough to let her loose in the girl's bedrooms... and bathrooms have too many nooks and crannys - but still - it's saving me MASSIVE time in vacuuming (oh, who am I kidding - I was TERRIBLE at regular vacuuming) - it's not saving me time - it's gifting me with a pet hair free (almost) environment!

Mo is even getting accustomed to her schedule (not that she'll stay in the same room with it!)

It's amazing how motivated everyone is to keep the rest of the house neat when the floors are clean!

Now... if only I could figure out how to get it to clean my bathrooms!!!

Me - September 30

OK - Actually this was snapped 10/1. YES, I had my reminder buzz me about 20 times on 9/30 - but I didn't ever fix my hair after my shower.... and because apparently I'm not capable of sticking to the "Let's keep this real" portion of the assignment - I put off snapping a pic until 10/1 when I DID fix my hair. Anyway - note the sweater - It's officially getting a lot cooler around here! I need to study more on my SLR - I thought I had the settings such that with the ambient light from the front window, I'd get a clear shot. While the shot is acceptable - it's a bit grainy. Youngest daughter A agreed to stand on a chair and operate the camera for me.

Homecoming - the photo session...

The final result - the primping paid off - aren't they all just beautiful?

Check them out with their handsome dates!!

I'm a tad bit partial to this one....
and doesn't this pic remind you of her Aunt Margie?

E and her date J sharing a laugh!

I had the hardest time convincing J he should smile and show his teeth!
(I've seen them, they are nice and straight - not sure why he wants to hide them!)

Didn't J do an awesome job in finding a shirt that matched E's dress?
They look fabulous together!

This is the fab five...

And this is all the gorgeous gals!!

The whole gang - guys and gals!

When one of your best friends just happens to be a boy - your date (and his) both have to excuse you while your mom's decide that they need a shot of the best buds together!!
I'm taking bets that when we get this shot next year - he'll be a lot taller than she is -
even in her 3 inch heels!!

The gang all huddles up to discuss the evenings plans...
I like this shot because you can see how cool the back of E's dress is!!

We couldn't resist - one of the moms laid down in the middle of the huddle to get this cool shot! Too bad I forgot to turn on the flash - so it's kind of hard to see all their faces!

Primping for Homecoming

The weather was so beautiful for our homecoming, it resulted in a HUGE crowd at the game, and stellar sales at the Band Booster Concession stand - which I was in charge of! Consequently, there are no photos of the homecoming game... and I, being a very irresponsible scrapbooker, forgot to take my camera with me to the parade and pep rally.... whoops!

BUT... I did do a good job documenting on Saturday all of the beautification process!!

The 3 stooges get pedi's together early Sat am!

Pretty Feet!

Pedi's sometimes TICKLE!

On to mani's - too bad they don't have 3 mani stations in a row!

The nail dryer doesn't stop them from engaging in deep conversation!

Oops - I've been caught!

We have to do some pretty strange things to become beautiful! - 1st the mohawk!

I'm not sure WHAT you call this look - besides SCARY!

Starting to come together!!

Beautimous!

Cascades of Curls!!