Gramma's Here!

Gramma Reese came to visit us this weekend for Meg's Confirmation! We have so enjoyed her visit--one that is too short as she is going home tomorrow afternoon. In great Gramma fashion, she even made us meatballs (with Will's help!) for our freezer. NOTHING could be better than that. Will wrote the recipe down in my cookbook so that we will finally be able to make them on our own. We had to hear the story again of how Grandpop ate Will's mini-meatball a few years ago. Scarred the kid for life, I'm afraid! We wish that Grandpop could have come to visit, too. Thankfully, we got to spend good time with him before Will's first communion.

Thank you, Gramma, for coming to visit! We absolutely love having family here. We miss y'all so much! So please, come visit when you can!!! PLEASE!! :-) Am I begging?!?!? YES!

Will's 3rd Grade Field Trip

The Third Graders at our school headed out to the Pioneer Farm last week. Thanks to a kind neighbor who kept Ellen Claire, I was able to go as a chaperone. I completely enjoyed spending the time with Will. As the sandwiched kid between 2 high-demand sisters, Will doesn't get much one on one attention. So Jack and I both really enjoy anytime that we can get with him by ourselves.The kids made candles, got a lesson on furs and local animals, then searched for herbs and plants that the 1857 pioneers would have used for food and medicine. They also learned that pioneer children would have been responsible for making all the candles for an entire year and that it would have been wasteful to have candles the size and widths that we have today. They all thought that would be a great chore to have. But of course, they only had to make one candle!

All in all, it was a fun way to spend a very cold fall day. Beats the classroom!

Will's 9th Birthday Party!

Will's 9th birthday has been a blast! It started this week on Tuesday the 16th with a new bike, a new football, a new Gameboy DS game and new clothes. Will was Star Student this week in his class which comes with priveledges such as filling the estimation jar (with 277 candy corn, thank you very much) and getting to have lunch with his teacher.

We had a spend the night party last night to top off the week! It's Will's first sleepover to host ever and he's been fit to be tied. We had 7 boys over for the local rivalry football game between Oswego East Wolves and the Oswego Panthers. Meg and the cheerleaders went up into their stunts and sang "Happy Birthday" to Will in between quarters. It was so cute! Will's friends were QUITE impressed that the cheerleaders were singing to him. Too bad he's not in high school!

However, it was COLD, WINDY and DRIZZLY. The boys were more interested in playing tackle this, that and the other during the game, so we cut our losses and went home to play the Wii and watch Return of the Jedi. I called lights out and quiet at 12:30; Jack heard them as late as 2:10am and Will says he and a few others made it to 3am.

They were out playing flag football by 8:15 this morning (and that was 45 minutes after they TRIED to go out). And considering they had been up since 5:30am, that was mid-day for them! We had a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon, a few more Wii games and football--and now my house is destroyed but quiet! It was a great time with great boys, who, even if they were rough and tumble, were easier than girls :-)



Now Meg's off to cheer camp, we have a laser tag birthday party at noon and a soccer game at 5! No rest for the weary today...but there is one happy birthday boy as a result and that makes it worth it.

Meg's First Homecoming

Homecoming was quite an experience for ALL of us this weekend! The Oswego East Wolves lost their football game, but the dance was what Meg was all excited for anyway. Meg and her BFF Sarah spent many a minute planning, shopping and just laughing over it all. They all met at our house for pictures--and their parents (see the paparazzi picture), too. Meg's date Kevin, Sarah's date Reed and their friend Jimmy were such good sports to get all dressed up and with flowers, too! Kevin was so kind and brought me flowers for letting Meg go to the dance with him. I thanked him but said he really needed to be thanking Jack as he is not too keen on his baby growing up, having a boyfriend and going to dances! He keeps thinking it's going to be great to have her in college, but he's fooling only himself :-)

All in all, the kids had a great time--it was hot, the girls had sore feet and the most fun they had was afterwards at Chili's...the typical teen experience!

Jack's First Race

Jack ran his first 5K this weekend and started our big Homecoming day off right! His goal was to finish the 3+ miles in under 30 minutes...and look at his time! We were so very proud of him and got to cheer him along the route. It was a good surprise to him to see us around the 1.5 mile mark. Will even ran out to give him "fives." He learned a few good race lessons--he let the pack dictate his pace and that was too fast for what he needed for the homestretch, it shouldn't be 90 degrees in October for all these runs and that just because there are pretty girls in front of you, you shouldn't kill yourself to keep up with them! I second that last one :-) His next race will be the 10K Hobbler Gobbler in November.

ELLEN CLAIRE IS 3!!!!!!

Today is ECP's 3rd birthday! We had her non-party birthday party that turned into a party on Sunday morning. Her best friend Victoria was there, along with her friends Emily, Jillian, Lauren, Oscar and of course Will and Meg. Her honored guests were Nana and Pop Pop as they have made each of her big days--from being born in Atlanta to all 3 celebrations in Chicago. We also welcomed Mr. Matt, a great friend of our family who we've "adopted"! The theme was...Dora the Explorer :-) Fun was had by all, but most especially Ellen Claire--who got tired of her big brother's help and pretty much told him to back off. She "read" her own card---"It's my birthday, it's my birthday it's MYYYYYY Birthday!" Isn't that what every card should say?!? She's completely enjoyed her birthday weekend. Where did three years go? Oh--and it got HOT on us, so we had to change party dresses. It was in the mid-80's, if you can believe it!

Pop Pop and Nana visit Chicago!

Nana and Pop Pop spent the past few days with us (and the days really were too few!) to celebrate ECP's birthday. I think that my daddy has had more Dora than he knew was out there, but he made such sweet memories for Ellen Claire. We try to do something different each visit so this time we went to the Arboretum with Ellen Claire and to see Wicked with Meg. Will had a soccer game and Meg a football game so Mama and Daddy got to see him play and her cheer. It was a busy weekend, but SUCH a good time. We miss them already--and they are just now landing in Atlanta! If you haven't ever tracked a flight in progress, it's pretty cool. Go to usa.com and click on the travel option and then the flight tracker. It shows you right where a flight is in the air! Looks like they're circling Atlanta...shock!