Snow Day>> that's right people!!

You heard it, the first official SNOW day of the year. It's a teacher's second favorite day of the year with the last day of school being the best!

Not sure why school was called off but I am wondering if those meteorologists aren't getting a kick back from the teacher's unions. You know kind of like the Blagoveich scandal. Who will pay the most for a a really nasty forecast??

Thanks a lot to those meteorologists who did predict tons of ice when in actuality we got very little.

I did manage to just about finish my shopping, do about 10 loads of laundry and bake cookies! Yippee!

Adam's Birthday part 1 & 2

Adam has a December birthday which if you ask me should be outlawed. It's really not fair because you get lumped all in there with Christmas. I've tried to convince him for the last two years to pick a different month to celebrate it but he says that would be cheating. SO I can't really argue with that logic. But I do have him convinced to celebrate it a week or two earlier than his actual birthday.

Last Sunday, December 7th, we went to dinner at Happy Joes with the Nixon grandparents. That is our normal family tradition. Adam received boots and money and a nerf gun blaster. We also gave him Kung Fu Panda the movie and XBox game. Then yesterday he had his friends over for his kid birthday party. I had a scavenger hunt and a treasure hunt all planned for them along with pizza, cake and Kung Fu Panda viewing. The party was a big success.

Adam's actually birthday is the 18th when we plan to go to Culvers, his favorite restaurant. Then on The 20th we are having the Geiler grandparents, great grandparents, and other extended family over for pizza and games to celebrate Adam and his cousin Nick's birthdays. So Adam actually gets a 4 part birthday. But I think it's only fair for December babies.







(note the Christmas tree in the bcakground, it did get put up)

Holy crap it's mid December already.........

When did this happen? How did December sweep in and already get to the 11th? Wow, I need to get in gear. My OCD side is starting to really panic/FREAK out. I still haven't gotten our Christmas newsletter/card started let alone printed, addressed, and mailed. (New Years newsletters are okay right?) I have not wrapped ONE gift yet. (Gifts stuffed in Target bags are just fine under the tree, RIGHT?) I'm still not finished shopping. (Is there anyone that I won't see until after Christmas?) And to top it all off we still haven't put up a tree or decorated other than to put some crappy icicle lights on the house. Just talking about how behind I am is making my skin crawl.

OKAY< that's it tomorrow evening we WILL put up the tree and the other decorations. I have pretty good coupon for JC Penney that's only good on Saturday so hopefully that will help finish off the shopping. We are having Adam's birthday party Sunday afternoon so that is yet another thing to check off my ever growing to do list.

Did I mention that I also have to give a final exam at school and then grade it plus an essay that I assigned. too, much, can't breathe, need a chill pill..... (do they really make chill pills and where can I get one?)


There, I feel a little better now, time to watch ER. (yes it's really terrible this season but it's the last and i have been a loyal fan for 15 years so i must watch)

Thanksgiving came and went

I forgot to blog about Thanksgiving. So here goes, it was fine. I cooked my turkey and stuffing and they were really good. It was tight in my house with 20 people though and everyone wanting to be in the kitchen at the exact time I was putting out the food. My turkey was finished by 2:30 but my mom's turkey breast wasn't finished until about 3:30 so there was a little lapse in time in which I felt like the rest of the food was getting cold while she ran home to get her turkey breast. Then when I said time to eat, everyone was kind of hem hawing around not wanting to be the first to eat. Bob said I sort of got a little stressed out about it :) He said he felt like it was D-Day and I was yelling go, eat, sit. WHATEVER!! But after that things settled down while everyone ate. The food was delicious! We had another little glitch when cleaning up. I was running the garbage disposal and it shook the pipe loose on the drain and caused water to pour out from under the sink AND drip down the basement wall in the utility room. Thankfully we were able to catch it in time and fix without too much damage and mess.

The rest of the evening we played charades and ate pie. All in all it was a nice day. Don't know if I will want to do it again next year but we'll see.

Shopping Fever

I'm in the groove now. The shopping groove that is. Every year it starts with me having no idea what to get the kids or my parents or anybody for that matter but then some how I end up thinking up 100 different ideas for each person. I have hit the stride now. I know what I want to get and where to find it my only problem is having the money to get it. It is only 29 days till Christmas. Tick Tick, time's a wasting.

Adam's birthday is also this month. BUT>>>> first it's Thanksgiving. At my house this year for 20 people. Am I crazy or what?? YEP, that's what my husband keeps saying. So I say to all you readers, Happy Thanksgiving. It seems like there isn't much to be thankful about with the economy and the war etc but I know just looking around the table on Thanksgiving, I'll find 2 or 3 or 20 things to be thankful for.

Lot's of Gas

Can anyone believe how low the gas prices are now? I just drove by the QT up the street and gas costs $1.33 per gallon. I filled up last week when it was $1.69 a gallon and only spent a little over $30.00. I never thought I would see gas this low in my lifetime again. What a crazy world!!!!!



Picture taken with camera phone and then touched up using picnik.

But seriously

These first two weeks of November have literally just flown by. I mean I can't quite believe that it is Nov. 14th already. I have been really busy at work trying to be super teacher. Staying late, thinking up super cool assignments that kids will actually WANT to do, volunteering for committees, going to workshops, its EXSHAUSTING!

Anyway, we've also been shuffling kids back and forth to sporting events, the end of one season the beginning of another. Basketball starts next week so that will be another night of practices and games. We've got something every night of the week.

And then I have to start Christmas shopping. Have I mentioned how much I HATE doing that?? UGH,UGH,UGH, buying a bunch of stuff that will be broke, lost, or stained by Easter is just not my idea of a good time. Plus I have been spoiled by all this great weather we are having so this gloomy, rainy, weekend does not sit well with me. And is it just me or does everyone else HATE Daylight savings time?? For mom's it's not an extra hour of sleep, it's just a day that starts extra early. Like instead of kids getting up at 8am on Sunday they got up at 7. And yes, techinically my kids can take care of themselves but will they>> NO!! I always hear the fights over the TV or the calls of there's nothing to eat. SO FUN! Then there's that lingering feeling that I should be in bed at 7pm because it looks like midnight. I am all thrown off.......

And on top of ALL that, I really, honestly think I need glasses. We just got a new 50 inch TV and yes it's awesome but it looks blurry to me. I used to think our old 27in looked blurry but thought it was just too far away to see. NOPE, it's me. I am getting old. I give myself a headache watching it too much. I can see fine up close, it's far away that gives me problems. Does that make me near sighted or far sighted?!? IDK!

So much for my rant. It's 6:30 and feels like 9:30, there is nothing on TV on Friday nights, it's rainy so I don't want to shop and I am bored. hmpf.....

too...busy.. to blog..

nuff said, whew!

Halloween Bliss

Another fine Halloween was had by all at the Geiler grandparent's house. Mom made her famous stuffed pepper soup and white chicken chili. It was a perfect night, temps in the 60's, glowing fire in the pit, roasting marshmallows and hotdogs, candy, kids, there's nothing better.

But alas, October is over. Now begins the countdown to Christmas, BAH HUMBUG! Adam made out his Christmas list today and is already wanting to make a paper chain to mark off the days till the big day. Yuck, too soon.... The older I get the more I can't stand Christmas.

Here are the Halloween pics

Adam the WWII soldier

Bandit the devil dog (sitting on my dad's lap)

Hannah the nerd.

Justin was too cool to trick or treat.

A new season, a new sport~ HOCKEY

Yep, that's right, Fall is here and so is the latest sports season, Hockey. No not for the St. Louis Blues, sure they play, but I'm talking about the Affton School Hockey League. It is a floor hockey league for kids in grades 1-12. Justin starting in 1st grade, Hannah has played for 3 years now and Adam is also in his third season.

The first games of the season were held on Saturday. Justin and Hannah play on the same team it's called the Stealth. They won 7-2 with Hannah scoring a goal!! It was great because she is the only girl on the team and she feels a little intimadated by all the boys. So we were totally psyched about it! Adam's team, coached by Bob, lost 5-1. The Mohawks are probably going to have a re-builing year as they moved up to the midget division and they are now the youngest team in the division. It's a fun sport thought, fast paced, short games lasting about 40 minutes.

Both Bob and I played when we younger too. The league has been around for 30 years. We can't wait till next week to see how they play.

They say it's MY birthday

Well I'm 36, I don't think there is really much more to say. BLAH!!

Bob took me to brunch at the Bevo Mill on Sunday (which was the day of my actual birthday.) It was pretty good, I love German food so I enjoyed the saurbraten, red cabbage, and potato pancakes. The breakfast stuff was so-so but it was just the two of us so that was enjoyable. He gave me a box of dark chocolate covered molasses puffs from the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company. They are my favorite candy!! I won't even share with anyone! He also washed, vacuumed and armor all ed my mini van for me which was exactly what I wanted. Then he had to go to work from 3-11 which is a crappy shift. But my mom barbecued steaks and baked potatoes, YUM-O! My parents gave me some cash to buy my own gift/pay bills. My sweet grandma sent me $20, kind made me feel ten years old but it was the thought! And that's about it folks.


sweet goodness

More Freakin Pink Eye

I can't even fathom how I have come to get pink eye again but yes as of 2:30pm today I was diagnosed with it. I have the pain, the swelling, the gunk flowing from my eye you know how it goes. Seems like only yesterday (or 4 months agobased on this post) that I got rid of my last case of it and now here it is again!! I mean I wash my hands and I keep germex in my purse, the car, the table next to the front door and in my classroom so WHAT'S UP???

Man does this hurt!

Affton Cougars Football 2008

These kids played great all season long and they are definitely champions in my book.

Justin is wearing #72..

Hockey Fight

Adam had a little accident at hockey practice Monday night that required an emergency trip to the dentist.

see what I mean (pic taken with my camera phone, not great quality)





All better now with a cap on the tooth, he won't let me take his picture of the new tooth for some reason, he says it's no one's business but his. Too bad Adam, mom can't let that slip by without posting!


(no it wasn't a fight, someone shot a hard puck and hit him in the mouth, just glad I wasn't there to see the initial reaction)

Sparky got a haircut!

Isn't he handsome!!

Happy Birthday Justin

Justin turned 14 on October 12th and I really can't believe how quickly the years have gone by. This year he actually asked for clothes for his birthday, I mean CLOTHES!! Good God, he's a teenager through and through! So that's what he got, new jeans, and hoodies, and sports team shirts. He also got NFL Madden 09 for XBOX and has been playing it non-stop. We went to Red Robin for his birthday. Tomorrow night he and his friends are going to a Haunted House then having a bonfire in our backyard and spending the night. Hannah camping with her friend Kelly and her family so I thought this would be the perfect weekend for his party. Tomorrow morning is his last football game of the season and I WILL take pictures and post them ASAP. I haven't taken many pics lately because our camera is on the fritz but I AM going to get football pics.

I came across some old baby photos of Justin that I thought I would post because they sure bought a lump to my throat when I thought of how quickly he will be grown up.


Newborn Justin


Justin at age 5


Justin at age 11


Justin today.

7lbs 2oz. when he was born 14 years ago now at 6 ft tall and 200+ pounds, on his way to becoming a man.......... so proud of who he has become!

-2

Down another 2 lbs. Not bad. I keep trying.

So much to say so little time

I can't believe it is mid October already. I was hoping October would linger for a while but NOPE it is flying by. I am going to attempt to do some major catching up in the next few posts. WHEW!

But, don't you just LOVE this weather!! UGH I wish it would stay this way with highs in the mid 60's and lows in the 40's for a long time instead of just a few weeks. The leaves are starting to turn, it's so pretty on our street.

October Bliss

Can't believe it's October already. Seems like I was just posting about it being labor day and boom we are 7 weeks into the new school year. October is my favorite month of the year. WHY?
Justin's birthday (10/12 he will be 14), my birthday (10/19), my dad's birthday (10/24) and Halloween, my favorite holiday of the year.

And mother nature sure has provided some awesome fall weather to ring in October. It's been cool, sunny and wonderful. Yesterday I took Justin to his football game and even got a little sunburned, but it was a great game with the Cougars winning 39-18 and Justin doing a fantastic job at center all game!

The leaves are just starting to change, ahhhhhhh FALL!

-3

Nothing more to say, after a two week hiatus from weighing, I lost 3 pounds.

No Big Deal!