Back to School Today!!!!

Yeah! It was back to school for the kids today. Hurray!!!! for me! They were excited too I think. The routine for all of us is a good thing.

So I worked on laundry and making doctor's appointments and working on things for DI. DI starts in full swing this week with weekly meetings and lots of hard work. Each of the three teams needs two parent volunteers and one appraiser. The appraiser position is usually more difficult to fill since that person is committed to a day long training and then the day long tournament. Really only two full days work compared to the 3 months our kids put in. Ranting a little am I??? Anyway my friend Kathryn who used to be our DI coordinator at the school offered last year to be an appraiser for us this year. Another friend offered up another appraiser from their school that wanted to participate. So that left me with a third. I was stressing about it last night already... who would do it. I thought long and hard and went through many options and came up with one. Meghan's teacher at Centennial. He is a great guy and loves the theatre arts and I just knew he would be great at it. But I didn't want to ask. Why??? Cause he is busy with his class all week long and I don't know. Chris talked me into it and I emailed him at noon today. He just emailed back and after consulting with his lawyers, accountants and PR department he accepted my offer!!!!! YEAH~!

So with that stress gone I can focus on other things. Like learning to knit socks. LOL

Sunday...BRRR it's cold out!

This morning we had Ryan's preschool church program. He was a mouse. He was not thrilled apparently about that...














Later with Candy cane in his mouth, things were a different story.

Also here is Meghan before her choir concert.




This afternoon we are taking the girls and their friends Lauren and Jaye to go see Miracle on 34th Street at the community theatre. The boys are going with Lhonda and Bob to Noelle's church program. Maybe she will sing better than Ryan.

We were planning on getting them all dressed up to go see Santa tonight and then drive around and see the lights, but with the windchill being as low as it is I think we will stay in and go on Christmas Eve in the morning. BRRRRR!

And Katie has finished the 2nd Harry Potter book and is on book 3! Yeah Katie!

A Very Busy Weekend

This past weekend seemed to fly by and here it is Wednesday already and I forgot to update our blog.

Thanksgiving was great, I went to work at 10:45 and was home by 4:15. I think we made some good money, we shall see when payday rolls around, but I think we faired well. All except for when I cracked my elbow on the window frame in the bar while trying to get by a table. It was the size of a goose egg by the time I got home and took about 2 hours after taking some drugs for me to be able to move it a bit. Thankfully by the next day if felt much better. Being Black Friday and all, I had shopping to do.

Dinner was great, Hornbacher's did an awesome job of cooking our feast. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Friday I went to Joann Fabrics at 6. Next year I know to grab a number to get my fabric cut as soon as I walk in the store. I did wait an hour to get my fleece cut, but at $2.99 a yd, it was worth it. I am going to make those fleece blankets to donate to Project Linus this year. After that I went over to Gymboree to get clothes for the boys for next year. They offer 30% of the store till noon. I also had a 20% off coupon and then another 5% off with my Visa. If I buy sale items only, I make a killing on clothes for the next year. Then I went to Gap for some sweaters for me and was home by 10. Chris did go out to Best Buy to get new phones for the house and then take the older three to Madascar 2. They loved it.

Saturday night we went to the wedding of my friend Nikki. I met Nikki through the Country Club and she has helped me out a lot over the last couple of years. Watching my kids, and just being a great friend. The girls and I left early for the wedding while Chris waited for the babysitter to show up. At the last minute Ryan decided he wanted to come too, so we got him all spiffed up and he was thrilled to come. The wedding was great and Nikki looked beautiful. The reception was held at the Radisson. They had a photo booth for people to use. You got a copy of your pictures and then another to make a scrapbook page for the bride and groom. If they would have had that when I got married, I totally would have done that. It was really cool. We stayed till about 10:30 when Ryan petered out. He did have a great time though. Loved the punch and the meatballs and laughing at my friends. He was dying to dance but then he got surrounded by the bridesmaids and the bride and just stood there scared. The girls had fun dancing too.

Nikki and Blake Heinz

Coming into the reception

Nikki and Ryan

Most of our family


The girls dancing. For some reason Meghan has NO rhythm


Sunday I had a going away party to attend. My friend Drew who has worked at the Country Club for about 4-5 years now is leaving the end of December to go to Grand Forks for a masters program in nursing. We are very excited for him and wanted to have a party before he left. So we gathered at Tailgators for some drinks and fun. Judee and Kyle decoupaged a old tray for him with photos provided from me and then we all signed it. I also gave him some Almond M&M's, his and my favorite and some Fiber One poptarts that he still hasn't convinced me to try. We will miss him but we are happy for his new venture.
Drew's tray



Drew opening his presents

Drew and his M&M's

Judee and Kyle


Jason, Tara and Aaron

Johnny D - this man could make shoe leather taste good!


That's about it I guess. Xmas cards are almost ready to go out. As soon as Chris finishes printing my letter. He is always the delay in my life. The girls will be shopping at the Holiday Shop at school soon and they are excited for that. Anyway... another day.

Meghan

Meghan had her 10 year check-up today. It went well, she is healthy although a little ticked as I told her she was only getting the flu shot and she ended up with a Hep A booster as well. She weight and height are good. Dr. Lien did request to see her in a year rather than 2 because she has a slight curve to the right in her spine. This could of course could lead to scoliosis, but could also work it's way out. Kind of freaked me out for a second, but I am sure she will be fine.

All the kids got their flu shots today and none cried. The boys however are milking their owies! "Ow!" Aaron keeps saying as he grabs his leg. Schmuck!

Harry Potter Rules in this house!

Well we are trying to recover this morning from Meghan's Harry Potter sleepover for her 10th birthday which is Monday. I was gone most of the day for DI training in Hunter, ND but Chris and the kids worked the whole day getting things together. Chris dressed up as Professor Snape and I dressed as Professor McGonagal. Thankfully the weather was still beautiful so they played outside a bit on the trampoline.

We had pizza and then sent the kids on a scavenger hunt to find Meghan's big birthday present from us. We had gotten her all the Harry Potter books and wrapped them in brown paper and then hide them all over the place. Each had a clue to the next and some of the clues were tricky to read. One they had to use a mirror to read because it was backwards, another they had to use a marker to color on because the clue was written on white paper with white crayon. Anyway they were all found and the last clue led them to the their Potions class with Professor Snape.

The kids did about 4-5 potions, experiments including making lightning in their mouths with Wint-o-green Lifesavers and making a volcano with a balloon. Afterwards they played the Harry Potter DVD game and hide and go seek in the dark. Ryan and Aaron got so much attention and they loved it.

The party was not without tears of course and over the course of the evening 4/8 of them cried, including the birthday girl, but it was her party so why not.

I think they slept last night but I don't know as I put my earplugs in at 12. They were up though and on the trampoline at 6:30. Not sure the neighbors were thrilled, but oh well.

I have 3 extra pairs of socks and a headband left at our house. Overall it was a great party. Happy 10th Birthday Meghan!

Reading the backwards clue

Professor Snape

Snape's special potion

Making a volcano

The Birthday girl

Sneak Peek...

Here is a sneak peek at what the kids will be for Halloween! They had a Halloween party they attended on Sunday. Ryan will be a frog when he goes trick or treating though.

Ryan is a convict

Meghan is Hermione from Harry Potter

Katie is a pop star diva

Done!

It's official! The costumes are done. Well, Ok I still have to figure out how to do the frog feet for Ryan's costume, but over all they are done. The girls and Ryan went to a Halloween party today and WOW! Their costumes were killer if I do say so myself.

Next on task is getting ready for Meghan's Harry Potter Party on Sat night. And just to make sure I am completely out of my mind I am leaving Chris for the day and going to Team Manager training for DI. That means I am entrusting him to get the house clean and decorated for the party. What am I thinking?????

And it's off to Houston he goes...

I guess I should have expected a business trip to pop up soon. They always do, especially this time of year because it is our busiest for the family.

So Chris calls this morning and tells me he has to go to Houston on Sunday till Weds. Well oh joy! So here are the things I had to cover.

1. Family pictures. They were rescheduled from last weekend because of the rain for Sunday at 4. The last flight out of Fargo to Minneapolis and onto Houston is at 4:30. SO I call Noelle, she has nothing till the 26th. Well then there is the issue of the weather and how many times are we going to reschedule. She is booked Thurs and Fri next week. I call Chris, he says pull the kids out of school either tomorrow or Fri and get them done. Noelle is booked those days till 3. I work at 5. Since it is 1 1/2 hrs to Crookston not feasible. So we are now pulling them out of school on Thurs for the day, pictures in Crookston at 11 and Chris rescheduled his 1:30 mtg. UGH!

2. Find babysitter for Tues Night and Weds Night - our college age babysitter has band till 6. I work at 5. HMMMM!

3. Ask our kind neighbors to take Meghan and Lauren to choir on Tues morning instead of Chris driving. and beg them to cover from 5-6 on Weds or until our babysitter arrives. Of course at this point we don't know if she can babysit. lol

4. Reschedule my nails from Monday night to Sat morning.

But lucky for us there is no church for the girls on Weds night, so I don't have to worry about getting them to church and just have to adjust to a little more driving around for the kids.

On the plus side - costumes are going well. Katie's is done, Meghan's is done, I just have to put the fringe on her scarf, Chris's is done - needs buttons I guess, Ryan's costume for preschool is done, his trick or treating one is almost done. SO that leaves mine and Aaron's. Yeah! Go Jen!

The DI meeting went well and I will be picking up the registration forms on Friday and hopefully getting the teams formed over the weekend. I am going to Michael's today for parchment paper to create Meghan's birthday party invites for her Harry Potter party on Nov 1st. I may make it till then. HAHA!

Cheers!