It certainly has been a busy three weeks! For one, I was getting ready for a trip to Orlando, Florida with Tom. He was asked to present a paper at a conference last week at Disneyland. He wanted all of us to come along, but with school in session, it is a bit too hard to pull the kids out for a week. However, we did decide to take Scott with us since he would only be missing 4 days. Ha! With all the homework he had to make up, as well as working on homework/studying during the trip, you would have thought we had been gone for several months! Thank goodness for computer access. Right before we left for vacation, we had SCott's teacher conferences. Unfortunately, most of his teachers were completely booked by the time I checked the online computer access after getting home from work. We did manage to meet with two of his teachers who gave us assignments to work on while Scott was gone. And we decided to move Scott out of the 9th grade Algebra class and into the regular algebra program(he is in 7th grade). Tom and I just think the class moves way too fast, and we want Scott to have a strong grasp of the math rather than just race through the program. They tried to do the same to Allison, but she did just fine in her math classes by waiting one year. Of course, Scott is now complaining that the new math class is too slow and they are reviewing information he already knows, but I told him he could use a break in his homework load! And so can we! He should have no problem completing the 9th grade Algebra class next year in the 8th grade like Allison.

I wanted to leave for Florida on a Friday, but we decided to use the free day to pack, cut the lawn and meet with Scott's teachers. I also had to deliver food items to work that Allison sold as a fund raiser for her Field Hockey team. Tom and I had Friday off, as well as Scott since his school was having parent teacher conferences. It gave him time to start on his homework, as well as scheduling a computer play date with one of his classmates at our house. And in the afternoon, Tom and I enjoyed one of Allison's Field Hockey games, although they lost to a very tough team(but not by much!). Allison has been extremely busy. She also had two other games that week, piano lesson, attended the National Honor Society Induction ceremony for new members, and attended a GS council meeting, not to mention keeping up with school.

That was the main reason we had to leave Allison home. She had about the same schedule, plus work. We were very proud of her as she has never had to stay by herself for such a long time. She got herself to school, work and field hockey, plus took care of the house and the pets. We did get that dreaded phone call -at least we got a phone call-from Allison asking if she could host a sleepover pasta party for the entire Field Hockey team on their last game night! I think there is about 20 girls on the team. Tom and I just couldn't imagine all those girls in our house with no parental supervision. Allison then asked if they could just have the dinner at our house, but again, Tom and I did not want to be the parents responsible if something went wrong. And I was a bit curious why no one else on the team did not offer their house, even for a dinner. Or why the girls couldn't just go out for dinner. Tom and I were afraid that the girls on the team may have been trying to take advantage of Allison. Who knows, but we do know that Allison is a very responsible girl. And there was no party.

Meanwhile, the rest of us headed down to Florida. We drove since the airfare was so high. We arrived in Orlando on Sunday afternoon. After Tom checked into his conference, we toured our hotel. We stayed at the Disneyland Dolphin and Swan. We wandered over to the Disney Boardwalk next door and Scott took a quick swim in the nearby Disney Yacht and Beach resort(he had to try out the pirate slide). On Monday we all headed over to Epcot center to enjoy the Food and Wine festival. Each country had extra food booths but they charged around $3-$5 per sample. We decided to try food items we hadn't eaten before, but Tom and I did break down in Germany and had a bratwurst on a pretzel roll. Yum! Scott especially enjoyed his samples of escargot in France! And Tom and I shared a beer during the Air Supply concert in the evening(I'm all out of love). Plus we hit all the rides and Tom and Scott tried Mission Space for the first time. Tom said if the ride was any longer he would have barfed. We were sad though that the Test Drive ride was being remodeled and we missed CAptain EO(but we did catch that show in LA last year). WE also tried a new activity with Scott using a cell phone solving several Phineas and Ferb detective stories throughout the park-basically a scavenger hunt.

On Tuesday Tom was off to his conference and SCott and I visited Seaworld. We enjoyed feeding the dolphins and the sting rays and watching all 6 shamus splash and jump in their show. We just stayed half a day and then headed over to the Sea World water park. Thank goodness it was plenty warm down in Florida. We could have done without the humidity though.

Weds Scott and I took the transport boat over to Disney Studios. We have never been to that park so we thought we'd try something new. It is similar to the Disney CAlifornia Adventure in LA. They have some similar rides. Tom was busy presenting his paper at the conference. Scott and I had a wonderful time discovering this new park. I was just a bit annoyed that the Backlot tour was closed for remodeling. Now I know what they do on the off season. Scott loved the rock n roll Aerosmith roller coaster and the Twilight Tower of Terror. He said the ride was different than the one in LA. And I loved the Star Tours ride(they have 33 different videos so the ride is never the same I guess until ride number 34). And I wore my Neil Diamond tshirt and everyone kept asking me about the concert. 

Thursday we checked out of the hotel and traveled to Tampa to visit Busch Gardens. We have passes to Busch and Seaworld so we wanted to take advantage of our membership. I was looking forward to participating in the Howl O Scream haunted houses on Thursday night, but Tampa charges extra for their Halloween program after park hours. Tom did not feel like spending another hundred bucks especially since Scott gets terrified and won't even go through the haunted houses. So no haunted houses for me this year. Poop. But we had fun at the park. And Tom and SCott got to try out the brand new magnetic accelerated Cheetah Hunt roller coaster. Twice. And we watched the park vets work on a small antelope that was brought in from the field that was not doing well in their brand new clinic. We also enjoyed watching the elephants eat their way through a food obstacle course. Did not know elephants ate bananas and coconuts.

We stopped in for dinner at the Taco Bus highlighted on Food Network's show,  Diner, Dives and Drive ins. And then drove down to Venice to visit with Tom's parents. Friday we spent the day bike riding along the intercoastal bike path and enjoyed spotting the gopher tortoises. We rode down to Casperson Beach and were pleasantly surprised to see that the Red Tide had moved away. The week before most of the beaches were closed with lots of dead fish. But on Friday the water was warm, clear and Scott and I had a great time swimming and picking up shells and shark teeth. Tom enjoyed reading his book sitting on the new covered picnic tables. And we were all happy to see the new showers and facilities installed at the beach. They even embedded shark teeth in the new sidewalks! And Friday night we had dinner at Pops with Tom's parents at Nokomis beach. I also had time to visit the family at the local cemetery and drove by my parent's house for a quick check. I was just sad to hear that the dolphin Mooch died who used to beg for food scraps on the boats that traveled through the intercoastal waters near the Nokomis beach. Probably too many cheeseburgers.

Saturday we had to head home. Our drive was delayed through the Orlando area as the police shut down a section of I-4 to escort some debutant or politician-probably to Disney World. Tom would have loved to have made the entire drive in one day and night, but I needed a break, so we stopped along the way in North Carolina. By 3pm on Sunday, we were back in Baltimore. Plenty of time to unload the car and do even more laundry! Allison was off to GS choir practice. 

This week Scott has been busy catching up with his schoolwork. And Congratulations to Scott. He finally finished his Second Class Rank in Boy Scouts after his scout interview. He also had a great check up at the dentist! No cavaties. Allison had her first Regional Field Hockey game and they won. ON to the semifinals.

As you may have heard, we are having a small Noreaster/Hurricane/Tropical Storm next week. School has already been closed. I still kept my original plans of having the neighbors over for a small Halloween party Saturday night however. So on Friday I headed out for some party supplies. That was when it was announced that we were under a State of Emergency. The lines got a lot longer and everything was flying off the shelves including batteries, water and toilet paper!  The gas lines were long too. They sold out of ice and propane gas by Saturday afternoon. The kids were told to bring home all their books in case they get stuck for a week or so out of school.

Our party was a lot of fun on Saturday night. We enjoyed chili, brats and Koegel vienna hot dogs from Michigan. But the highlight of the evening were the games. I had a request to repeat the Pictionary game. Last year we had to guess Scary Movie titles. This year I had them guessing scary Musicals. Although some people think Musicals themselves are scary. It is hysterical watching people figure out how to draw titles of the Broadway shows. Most of my guests did not or could not believe that some of the shows were actually musicals-like Titanic. After recuperating from that activity, I had them play the Taboo game where they have to get their team to guess a word without using key phrases listed on the cards. That was even tougher than the pictionary game! Especially after a few beers or glasses of wine!  It was a lot of fun and easy to put together. I did not put up as many Halloween decorations though since the news is recommending everything be put away for the storm. At least the spiderwebs won't blow away. And I had less help since Scott and Tom went off on a 10 mile Boy Scout hike. And Allison had to work and then went off to her own Halloween party Saturday night. She also had an early start with her piano lesson in the morning, followed by volunteering at a kid's neighborhood Halloween parade passing out candy with her Field Hockey team.  She also put in some National Honor Society volunteer hours on Friday when we both volunteered at a Haunted Hay Ride. haunted house and served up Allison's head when she poked through a hole in a table after I pulled a cover off her. I guess we did  a pretty good job with our skit as they asked us back on Saturday night. But we had other plans. I did try to get my girl scouts to join me but no luck. They all were involved in band and had football games to attend.

I did pick up my girl scout cookies this week however. I also found out that my poor cookie mom who is going in for brain surgery next week got in a car accident last week. She broke her hand and was bruised and burned from the airbags. Poor baby. So now I am taking over cookie sales and distribution.

And our Sunday schedule was changed all around. Tom and I were supposed to enjoy a Temptations concert at Charlestown Sunday afternoon with our neighbors. It was cancelled due to the hurricane. Allison was called into work to help out with a Halloween party, so I took Scott and a neighbor friend and we all went rollerblading too. Afterwards I dropped Scott and his friend off at a neighborhood kids party(like I used to have). Sounds like the same challenges I have had-54 kids in one house and someone got hit in the head and needed stitches when a toy was thrown. Glad those days are over for me! We adults were actually invited, but Tom and I opted out. Glad we did.

I also attempted several times to early vote, but the wait was over 2 hours on SAturday and Sunday. They are closing the early polls after tomorrow. Guess I have to wait until Election DAy. 

So I hope we are not out of power for too many days. Tom and I will still have to work, if we can get there. They may even postpone Halloween. We had to run out to Home Depot to buy spray paint so Allison can turn herself into a Lego block for the Kindergartners Halloween party(when ever that will be). She seems to be enjoying her internship-she has been teaching the class lessons at least once a week. They especially enjoyed her lesson on the bat, Stella Luna. Well, we are off to fill out college applications before the power goes out from Frankenstorm!

Enjoy the photos-Halloween in Disney, The Dolphin Hotel at Disney, Air Supply at Epcot, Sea World, RocknRoll Rollercoaster by Aerosmith at Disney Studios and Cheetah Hunt rollercoaster at Busch Gardens. Casperson Beach(new facilities), Gopher Tortoise on the bike ride and Allison in the Haunted House.