friend party and Halloween

Let's start with the trees finally changing color.  We should be done with changing here, but because it was so warm until mid October, the trees have held their color.  This is the neighbor's tree about a week ago.

Sis 'suckered' me and got me to feel sorry for her about never getting to have her birthday at a party place because she was taken into care before her party or her mom refused to let her dad have the party (the story changes every time she tells it).  So I did something I said I would never do- I scheduled a party at the skating place.  Hugely expensive and more importantly, sis does not know party equiette- you make a list of the people you want to invite.  if those people can't come, you don't go around telling people that they can now come- it just is what it is.  She kept trying to change the list of invitees after the invites were out.  Half the kids did not come, but she still had a good time.  And this is the important thing.  She also learned that you don't tell your friends that your mom can pick kids up or drop them off after the party unless you talk to mom first. 

Rocket had a friend join him at the skating place and they played laser tag and video games all night.  they were happy not to be with all the girls.

Happy boys.

 

Pizza and cake with friends.

Skating - loving the time out.

buddies

 

Wednesday was Halloween.  Rocket was carrying the soda for the class party like a boombox from the 80s.  Yes, it is dark in the morning while we stand at the bus stop.  the time changes this weekend and it will be light for a little while in the morning, but WINTER is coming.  I hate it being dark so much.

Getting ready to trick or treat.  Rocket is a soccer player- you can see him in the background.  One of the friends is a T.Rex (they came and had dinner with us and their mom took the kids out trick or treating).

the neighborhood kids, minus 5 kids (2 families) who were not ready.  Sis is the one in the white wig and the white mask.  Rocket is Messi.

Pablo eating doggie treats on the porch while I handed out candy.

Our pumpkins in the rain- yep it rained all evening.

this tree (yesterday) - the little new branches look like little birds flying up from the tree.

See how much more the trees have changed since last weekend? 

 

Next weekend, I am taking the kids to Hocking Hills for the weekend.  I think the colors are going to be awesome.  I thought originally when I booked the trip that the trees would be bare by the time the trip came around, but NOOOOOOO.

 

So excited.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

apple picking and pumpkin patch

On Friday night, I got an email that Rocket's final soccer game of the regular season was cancelled.  The other team forfeit as they did not have enough players to field a team.  So I made a spontaneous decision to drive the kids out to an apple orchard and pick some apples on Saturday.  This is also known as MOMMA gets to do something besides sit in the house alone while the kids run in and out the door while playing the neighborhood.

 

So sis had her dance class, then we came home, she changed, I fed them both a snack and I packed lunch for the 90 minute drive out to the orchard. 

The day was cool and windy- a perfect fall day.

At the top of the orchard is this hill that overlooks the entire area.  I don't think sis had ever seen so much empty space.   We talked about our weekend away (coming in 2 weeks) being over in the area far in the distance.  

We decided this hill was perfect for sledding in the winter.

On the way home, I took the kids to a pumpkin patch- some treats before (note to self- sis can not handle this much sugar without become very mean and nasty and defiant- limit her sugar at all times).

The name of the pumpkin farm.  We picked our pumpkins, rode the hayride and walked through the corn maze.  A good way to spend the afternoon.

Hayride- and the boy being silly.

The sunflowers - we had 2 nights of frost so they were very droopy.

finding our way out of the corn maze.

goofy kids

Sunday, we celebrated sis' birthday. Her birthday is actually in 2 days, but this was time the family could celebrate.  Her brother and her former foster mom came to celebrate with us.  It was a good time.

yummy cake- just huge issues with it falling apart while I was spreading the frosting on it. 

sis and her brother.

presents.

 

 

We have the kid birthday tomorrow- at the skating place.  I am never doing this type of party again- only 8 girls were invited and I have definite responses from 2 of them if they are coming or not.  I am over people not RSVPing to parties or even saying they are coming and then asking if the other kids (who don't play with my kids, aren't friends with my kids, etc) can be left at the party too.

 

 

In any case, it is a week of parties here and I will be happy to get to the weekend.  The boy has at least one 1 soccer game- for the end of the year tournament.  If his team wins that game on Saturday, then they automatically qualify for the state tournament (same weekend we are away for the weekend trip) and he also has to play a game on Sunday (at least one game).  if they win the first game on Sunday, then they play the afternoon game to determine the league champion. 

 

I am not sure what I am hoping for an outcome, other than the boys playing their best for the whole game.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

13 years old!!!

The boy turns 13 today.  I guess I can not call the boy any more.  I think he will have to be the young man for the next few years.  He is growing up way too fast!!!  He is such a great young man, kind, considerate, thoughtful.  He might not talk much, but he is a deep thinker.

 

 

Birthday party with the family on Sunday.  He made the cheese cake- it was delicious.

coming into the office this morning after waking up and getting a call from Mam so she could sing to him.

 

Wrapped birthday present was almost an enticement to wake up all the way. Pablo was more interested in the doggie Frisbee.

Soccer nets for the front yard when he is playing/practicing with friends.

Caught!!!  I have captured the elusive 13 year old male of the species. 

 

He looks so thrilled.

 

I am taking the kids out for breakfast this morning to celebrate- one of the advantages of having a birthday in the summer.  Sis will get to go out for dinner on her actual birthday since her birthday is during the school year.

 

More pictures to come this week as he has a friend party tomorrow evening

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Yikes- time has gotten away from me

So- apparently I am loosing track of time.  So back to January- the super moon

SNOW!!!  Rocket was so happy

as was the dog.

Frisbee in the snow is awesome!

goodies arrived from Austria.  We miss you Lukas. 

Me in San Diego with a work colleague who I have worked with since 2008 and who I have not seen since 2012.  We are some crazy girls at 11 pm at night (1:00 am in the morning to my body)

the next day, in the office parking lot. 

the last day- at the beach for dinner and drinks.  I love the water.

See- me at the beach.  this is right after I talked to Rocket.

Sunset at the beach

Full dark at the beach.  it was pretty cool- just to the left of me was a soccer team practicing on the beach.  I guess that is a way to get the boys to work- let them run on the beach too.

After I got back, it was pretty boring around here- I got sick, I had my birthday and life went on.

Last week, Rocket had a day off school and we went to the place (that is the name) and played video games, laser tag and ate pizza with friends.  Ok- the boys did all the games and mommas talked.

we had some more snow and ice.  Actually this was .25inches of snow and a sprinkle of ice.  Rocket had the day off school because of this.

Rocket has decided he wants to bake- these are some hand fruit pies that he made and coated with powdered sugar (castor sugar).  they were yummy

There was some basketball again this year.  They did not win a single game.  It was a hard year.

The cheese cake that Rocket made me for me.

YUMMMMMMMM.  He is in charge of making my birthday cakes from now on.

a picture of the boys at the place- most of the basketball team plus a few more friends.

This sunday was scout honor court- the boys as the ceremony started.

Lulu's birthday!

The flooding down at the river.  this is the park we usually go to - everything is underwater.  the river is at 60 ft which is well above flood stage.  I think flood stage starts at 48 feet, but I am not sure.  this is the worst flooding in 20 years.  After snow, we have weeks of rain (it feels like), but the reality is that we a week of significant rain, over 5 inches of rain in 2 days.  that caused the flooding. 

Here is the Big Mac bridge and the flooding. 

We might go down to look at the flooding in the next day or 2- these pictures are from the local news website. 

 

thankfully we are 15 minutes drive from these areas.  But, we have some water leaking into our basement.  not a lot, just enough to wet the edges of the carpet.