Since I am writing to all of you, I must have survived the week with Tom in San Jose(just barely). I only had to be about 10 different places at once. The kids are 1/2 way through their first semester so they sent out grades(just in case someone is failing something). So far so good but I am still having issues with Scott's teachers and spent many a morning emailing the school principal. I am working(again) on the issue of the teacher's providing a few study guides to the kids for their big tests so we parents can have some idea on how to help them review. It worked out last year so I am hoping for the best this year. Allison was a bit upset when she discovered one of her teachers had marked several of her assignments as missing(they weren't), but of course it pulled her grade down. After lots of emailing, looks like we got it straightened out. We also had some minor technical glitches that we had to work out on our own without Dad's help. Allison needed a movie clip for her confirmation weekend presentation(thank goodness for Blockbuster). She also needed to download a computerized scrapbook she had been working on for her child development class. She had a bit of a panic attack when we could not locate a zip drive for her to transfer the data to school. Glad I remembered to buy a few extra at the beginning of the school year. I also had her start the sample tests for the PSAT this coming week.
Along with the schoolwork we've had a lot of evening activities. Allison had two Field Hockey games this week. On Friday she played the whole game since the other goalie was off for the weekend celebrating her Bday. I don't think the ball ever came near Allison though and the girls won 10-0. Usually the score is around 2-0. She also had another Field Hockey pasta party/tie dye/ice cream sunday event on Thursday night. That was right after I picked her up from school along with her Field Hockey fundraiser food items that I have to deliver to my coworkers on Monday. Meanwhile I had to feed Scott and myself after I picked him up from school, then go back and pick up Allison from her (you know what)party so I could get back to Scott's school in time for a meeting to discuss the upcoming weeklong outdoor camp that I am also going to attend. And the meeting ran late since the powder puff parents were panicking about their kids going off on their first "sleepover" in the wilderness(with great cabins and 3 terrific meals each day). The main reason I signed up as a chaperone was to fulfill all our volunteer hours at once. So I snuck out of that meeting so I could get Allison to her piano lesson. And I even missed my dinner out with my Dragon Boat teammembers. Not only that but Scott missed gymnastics. Can you imagine! I suppose I could have asked one of the neighbors to help out, but it just seemed a bit too crazy.
It was a week of meetings. Allison had a pre retreat meeting on Tuesday night at church. And I had a GS Leader meeting on WEds night. It made for long nights and a bit difficult to squeeze in the homework. Scott finished up his altar server training this past week so I guess he is good to go. His first mass is scheduled in Nov.
Allison went away for the weekend to finally help out with the Confirmation retreat. She had a terrific time. Unfortunately she could not ride up with the other staff members to the conference hall since she had a Field Hockey game right when they were leaving, so I had to drive her up myself on Friday night. Scott ended up having a playdate at a neighbors house while I drove her up(about 2 hrs total driving time for me). Fortunately she was able to return with the staff on Sunday afternoon and when they got back they all went out for lunch. Allison said all her presentations went well, even one that she was asked to step in and cover and she had to make up the lines. I really liked her main presentation on Belonging-she and her partner worked in the story of The Ugly Duckling and they had the kids act out scenes. She has been working on this project since last Spring. She really enjoyed the whole event, hanging out with the other teens and even the 8th graders and she is already looking forward to next year's retreat.
Scott had his own busy weekend of fun. He had two birthday partys to attend. One was a Laser tag party and the other was his best friend Sammy's bday party at Medieval Times. Medieval times is an indoor dinner show with Knights and Kings and Queens, Magicians, live horses and jousting and sword fights. Food is all served without utensils(hands only) and each section of the arena gets to cheer on their own knight. Scott had a great time. I last had the kids there when my girl scouts bridged to Cadettes in 7th grade. They usually have specials on the tickets to get people in. So a rough weekend for Scott. Not only that, but we left him at the neighbors (again) on Saturday night-this time with a babysitter so Tom and I could go out to dinner with the parents. I had thought Scott was going to have another sleepover at Sammy's house after the party, but Sammy's mom was a little wiped out with pneumonia. So Scott spent another evening at the neighbors while we joined the parents at a local restaurant for dinner and to listen to a band which apparently consists of members of our neighborhood. The band leader is also our neighborhood association leader, along with his brother and 3 other guys(doctors) and one lady for good measure all from our neighborhood. They are all in their 50s+ and I hear from the band leaders wife that they no longer practice in the garage, but have moved down to the basement. They played a lot of James Taylor and the Beatles in honor of John Lennon's(would have been)70th birthday on Saturday. Tom of course thought it was all too loud for the small space. And it was loud which made it difficult to chat with our neighbors. I did get a few words in with the band leader's wife who sat right next to me. We were chatting about high schools and colleges-her college -aged daughter had also joined us. Her daughter was also a girl scout and we talked about her gold award and the newest changes in girl scouting. I didn't know we had so many talented people in our neighborhood!
Before we left for the evening though, Tom and I were enjoying an excellent MSU vs Uof M football game. Excellent of course for us MSUers. My flag is proudly waving in front of the house even as I type. Apparently MSU has not beaten Uof M 3 years in a row since 1965. Hey what is up with the map of Michigan and the Paul Bunyan statue? We also enjoyed watching our Ravens football team win Sunday(again) and Tom is very excited that hockey season has started-a great start for the Wings. I also tried to take some time and get my hair cut this weekend, but the girl that cuts my hair no longer works weekends. I need a haircut since our gala is coming up at work next weekend. Since I couldn't get my hair cut, I decided to spend my time dress shopping. I had as much success as I had last spring-nothing. The dress collection pretty much looked like everything I saw this spring, but less. Looks like I will just rely on my old dresses. I just wanted an excuse to buy a new dress. At least I get to wear a new mask as this is a masquerade ball!
I know I should have gotten my hair cut Friday, but instead I opted to take Cookie to the vet. She had a nasty looking ear and it did turn out to be an ear infection-her first, but I am sure not her last. She seems a bit off right now-I am not sure if it is the medicine. She gets drops in her ears twice a day for 10-14 days(just like antibiotics). She is just not her usual perky self. I decided to try and avoid the flu this year and finally got my shot at work. They have an incentive for employees to get their shot by giving out scratch off lottery tickets and raffling prizes each day. I did not luck out with my scratch off.
But I did get some good news about the chocolate cheesecake I donated to the church a few weeks ago for a fundraiser for our sister church in Israel. They actually had a judging contest along with the tasting, and my cheesecake won 2nd Place in the cheesecake category! So many thanks to Mom Seitz since it was her recipe that I used. She used to make this cheesecake for Tom and I. I have never made it myself, but thought this was a good time to try it out. I actually made two-one for us that I took to a neighborhood party and one for the . Everyone was saying how fantastic it was-but I didn't think it was as good as Mom Seitz makes it. I did use chocolate mint cookie crumbs for the base which did give it an extra zing, and then topped it with mint chocolate shavings and a few mint leaves from my garden. My creation even made the weekly newspaper as they listed all the top winners! I had to give it a description/name so since I used Ghiradelli chocolate, it was rightly named the Ghiradelli chocolate mint cheesecake. You can gain about 10lbs just reading this description.
So another extremely hectic week coming up. I am not sure when we will be able to slow down! Kathleen and family
Congrats on your new puppy Stacey and Matt. Thor is adorable. I am sure Cookie and
Thor would be great friends(cousins?).