It's getting good now!

The classes are moving along, I'm finally in the actual education classes and I've never been more excited! I learned more in the first week of my Exceptionalities class than many semesters put together!

The reality of me becoming a teacher is setting in and I have a inner excitement that I hope you all experience at some point in your life, it's a wonderful feeling!

A Year in Sports, holidays, birthdays, oh heck just another year

It is definitely not my intention to blog just once a year, in fact, I have established severe penalties and punishments that I will have to endure if I do NOT post more often.

I have a HORRIBLE memory and one of the reasons I began blogging was so I'd have a reference of when I met people, when we "did this" or "did that" or what year we took that trip.

Some highlights from this last year, 2010/2011 are:

Getting married
Going to Vegas
Tony graduating
Tony and Dillon entering college
Katie moving to Arizona
Katie moving to Oregon
Katie moving back to Arizona
Katie attending ASU
Christmas at Andrea's
Tori visiting (icing face!)
Me becoming a senior
Terry becoming a freshman
Brendan playing football, basketball and baseball
Eric playing football, basketball, baseball and then basketball again
Eric playing the guitar
Brendan playing the drums
Camping with Amy and the girls
Rock on the Range with M & M
Missed trip to St. Louis
OAA tests
Trista's wedding
Holiday Dinner with Rexroth Ladies
Shakespeare Festival
Singing at the holiday social event
Gladiator football
Monster's hockey
Aeros Baseball
Pancake breakfasts
School carnivals
Becoming a United Way volunteer
2 Funerals
Eric working at the Ethnic fair
Terry's non surgery
Mom moving here
Tornado


Well, now I see why I don't get to post more often!

I love my life the way it is, crazy and busy!

A year??!!??? I am ashamed

It has been well over a year since I've posted something, ANYTHING on here? If something magically appeared when I THOUGHT about writing, this blog would have closed down the internet servers all over the world! But, obviously, that doesn't happen, so I'll have to make a much better effort at writing more often.

I mean REALLY! It's not like I work full time, go to school, received certification as an office software specialist, keep up with two little boys and a college aged daughter, was recently married, took a honeymoon, moved a man from one city to another, dealt with two deaths and every day life or anything like that!! (giggle)

It all comes down to the music

I feel like I'm visiting an old friend I haven't seen for years. I'm excited but hopeful that the years haven't changed anything between us. Blogging, I want to be close again.

On my way home from Cleveland last night, I turned the Shinedown CD off for a little while to let the radio stations scan a bit. I heard the familiar voice of Casey Kasem announcing the countdown would continue in just a moment. I remember driving to Wooster years ago and was lucky enough to find a countdown to listen to even in all these corn fields. Must have been a clear night, we only get 3 stations "out here" and none of them are top 40! I don't know many of the top 40 songs anymore, the music I listen to is not "top 40" material...well, not most of it.... But wait?? Does Casey even still do countdowns?? Well I guess so since he's on huh?? The music started again and Mr. Kasem started to describe the new song from Boz Scaggs....HUH??? Boz Scaggs is top 40 now??? What is going on with this world??? Will NO ONE say no to a comeback?? Ok, wait, this song is familiar...yes, I know this song!! Theresa, you nut, this is an old song from an old group on a show that you KNOW Ryan Seacrest took over....

Well, it DID take a few minutes to sink in...hey! It was late! It turned out to be a re-cast of the March 19, 1977 show and I listened until the static drowned out the songs. I heard Leo Sayer, and Denice Williams and Olivia Newton John and even Barry Manilow! The Eagles had TWO hits and, well, I can't even remember them all. I had a VERY hard time believing some of these songs were really that old! But I don't think Casey would lie to me.

I enjoyed it and will even admit to singing along.

FUN FALL FOOTBALL FACTS

Here they are...see if you can sense the pride coming from every letter of every word in every......

Tony is the starting center for the Wooster Generals. He's a junior. Football runs through his veins. I hugged him last Friday.



Brendan has coach Wade again and is thrilled! They have the ability to go undefeated again. But we don't keep score...laugh.



Eric is making his gridiron debut. The yellow team looks GREAT! He's the smallest on the team and doesn't even know it!

A carnie made me happy

We went to the county fair this weekend and a man with a large scale and loud microphone caught my attention. I told him to guess my age and he said 34. I picked a soft, orange dog. He told me to keep doing what i was doing when I told him I just turned 40. :-D

SOMEBODY STOP THE CORN!

I know I am not alone when I say summer goes too fast. There are millions of school aged kids that would raise a milk carton to that! But I watch the corn grow here and wonder what I'm doing with my summer.

I have the usual parties and weddings and of course swimming and concerts, but I had a vacation planned and concerts and science centers and zoos! I haven't done ANY of that yet!

When the farmers are spraying and I'm cursing the smell of my town I KNOW I have plenty of time! Now I can't see past the fields at the stop signs and I just want to say ALRIGHT! Before I know it, the cobs will be visible and the bulky coats will be taken out! I get the hint and I'll get busy!!

I don't even have classes to blame this on this year. I know what it is! Its not been summer weather for a good stretch of time! That's it! We had so much rain that it seems like spring and I'm WAY ahead of schedule! Well that's where the corn comes in. They are like a smack of reality right in the middle of my still ghostly white forhead!

This weekend I get camping/partying/boating/family gathering all in one, that should make me feel like I'm closer to being caught up! Yeah, see me after this weekend!

GREAT WEEKEND!!

Temperature and plan wise, the weekend ended up great!! Eric had a friend come over to play for the first time in his little life and everyone was ok! Then he went to that same friend's birthday party and asked me not to stay! HMPF! Oh, really that was ok since that gave me and Brendan the chance to find Chewy a brother at the park. Here's some pics.























We went to ride bikes Saturday and had tons of fun together:

We've gone green

Behavior is a major thing with me and my kids. I expect good behavior 100% of the time and they give me 75%. Ok, I can live with that. Behavior in school is a little different. There's no bargaining there. I want to hear that they were "on green" every day!

The schools have a system now that rates the children's behavior. They are on green for good behavior, yellow if there's just a small instance, blue will cancel recess and red is a ticket straight to the principal's office. If a student stays on green all month, they are invited to be announced at the Green Assembly. I love to hear the stories about one cheering for the other when their name is called.

Brendan does really well. He has mostly green and is proud to tell me that first thing when I aske how his day was. There was a time, though, that keeping it green was not so easy. I think that once you get branded a "shouter outer" it's hard to shake that label. He did though, and the days of yellow (it never got any worse than that) are long gone! :-)

Eric, in his half-day kindergarten world, has never had anything but green. His teacher thinks he's the cat's meow. Talks sometimes, and has to be told to stop hugging the other kids, but for the most part, his behavior is most desirable! In fact, that's what lead to this:

WOOOHOOOO!!!!

The "BIG SNOW" of 2008

Well, here is the sights of today. This has literally closed our city. Lots of cities actually! It has cancelled our plans and predicted our day.

I love summer

As I slowly awake
The sunshine, through my eyelids, it starts to seep
Oh wait, that's NOT a mower
It's a damned SNOW BLOWER!
I'm going back to sleep

TATS

They never flinched. Not even when I had to scrub with the wash cloth to get them off!! ha ha






Oh...and just so you know...Eric's arm band goes all the way around!! YEAH!! WOOOOO!!! He's the man!!! YEAH!

Don't tell them you saw it here!!

They are so loving, and cuddly and sweet sometimes! And rugged and strong and manly ALL the other times!!!!


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Are you ready for some football??????

Entrance fee...$30
Coaches gift...$20
Bragging about the defensive MVP...priceless

Before and after styles

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Christmas all wrapped up in one neat little blog

I love this picture, it looks like an old one. Almost Christmas Story-ish huh? It was this year, downtown. Santa flies into Wooster and lands on the roof of the fancy shmancy art store and the firemen put the ladder truck up to get him down. What? That's not the usual arrival?? You're kidding me!!

Anyhow, the people dressed as pineapple roaming the streets giving out balloons keeps the "good old fashioned Christmas traditions" alive...wait...huh?
























This one was taken this week actually!! They had a snow day, then a 60 degree day and today...ICE STORM! Woot, Ohio
Awww, I love this picture. We did a darn good job on that gingerbread house. Such a good job that no one was allowed to eat it, so it got hard, and after Christmas was over..was thrown away. Yeah, I'm proud. (The icing wasn't very tasty anyhow)























Brendan's head can be seen JUST above the row of snowmen...yeah, he blends in..lol
His class made about a hundred and a half sock snowmen and took them to the Akron Children's hospital to pass out. He was so hyped. They were so cute....and so were the snowmen *wink*




For some reason, this is one of the only pictures I got of them opening presents this year. Eric was ESTATIC to see he was given a Star Wars ship. Aww, there's Aunt Ruth in the front of the picture. I wish I got to see her and Kitty more often. (Hi Kitty!!)


OMG!! I think I reached maximum blog space!! That's a first!

up next..T ball

Eric played T ball. Coach Chico is great with the kids. All 500 of them. No, no, there weren't that many, but boy it seemed like it! I think baseball might be Eric's sport. Which is sort of funny since he started off such a clumsy kid!! lol, awww, my baby....

(don't roll your eyes! he really is my baby and vows to stay my baby!!)

more sports post

Baseball picture of Brendan..this isn't on here already is it? Well, it doesn't matter. I'm on such a roll, I'm not turning back now!

Baseball was a great time for Brendan. He finally got to do something alone (without little brother) I'm having a hard time letting them do things seperately. I know they SHOULD, don't preach to me (no really I appreciate the advice) but I am so afraid one will be jealous/mad/envious/emotionally distraught...sigh...ok. I just don't know what/when is best to let them go on their own. Heck, I still haven't let Katie go!! and she's 18 now you know!!

Baseball Theresa...baseball...ok. I love sports, I love summertime. This was an awesome chance to sit in the sun and cheer my big guy on.

He was so good at it too! (I know, you are trying to act shocked) Good Job Brendan! Good job. :-)

bball boys

Here is big brother giving little bro tips.

Brendan and Eric both loved playing basketball this year. Eric didn't mind that he couldn't throw as high as the (lowered) hoops and that during the last game, which was kids against the parents, I lifted him up to the hoop several times.

I can't wait to take them to a professional game....I'm so glad they are into sports

Bragging rights

just a note here. I began this blog entry over a year ago and apparently never finished it. That is the ONLY reason I can think of for not publishing...so here you are, a year late....


Ok, I have used the "in labor with you for 19 hours" phrase for only a few things. I know I was responsible for having Katie and if she was asked to be born, her name would be Julian Lennon, or Mrs. George Harrison...but I am going to take some of the credit here and use my "brag free" card.

We have known for some time that Katie is different. She is overly conscious and overly caring and overly worried that if someone doesn't do something, the world is going to self destruct and we are all going to float through space looking at each other with a "what happened" sort of face. While knowing darned well what happened.

So her immediate plans are to start with local residents and gather them in a place that will have information from agencies willing to help them fight the poverty status they've attained. While this will not save the town, I think it's a HUGE step toward showing people that there is help and people who care about them.

We will feed them a "modest" meal and raffle off gift cards and just make them feel like there's hope, and all because Katie had this idea......

letting 2007 go

I have about 5 minutes and about 15 blogs. We'll see how that goes.

Firstly, I want to describe a conversation between a 6 year old and his 8 year old brother as they sit in front of the television discussing whose smarter.

8 yo: No, I am smarter because I am older
6 yo: No you are not, I am
8 yo: You don't even know division
6 yo: Yes I do!
8 yo: Ok, when would you use division?
6 yo: When you want to see far!

I swear to you, I looked at them, hardly able to stop myself from exploding and he WINKS at me!! He was playing his older sibling and got him!

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At Christmas, my cousin Kitty (who has always been more like an aunt to us) told me that she checks this blog regularly. I was glad to learn of the connection. We don't live close and it feels good to know she can look into my life and its events now and then. Hi Kitty!!

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Speaking of Christmas, it was very nice! They usually are (with the exception of one in my life) but this year was calm and it seems like I was way ahead of myself and more prepared. I don't know why all of a sudden I'd be on top of things, but ok!

Here is a picture from christmas morning.
(i will add the pic when blogger decides to let me..lol)


They look...anxious! lol, that's the only word I can come up with!

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time on my side

Well, here is the Christmas break and just as promised, I'm going to get totally caught up with my blogging!! BAHAHAHA, ok, I almost said that without laughing.

But I do promise to at least keep it MORE up to date. Next semester is looking better already. I have one in-the-classroom class and one online, so I SHOULD have a little more time to jot something down here.

*Insert disclaimer about not being held liable (or unreliable) if this does not happen*

Anyhow, I'm certain I'll never remember everything (looking at last blog to see where I left off....wow....ok....now looking through pictures for a spark to ignite the darkened corner that has become my memory....ok...yeah, oh yeah, I emember that!!)

Ok, I'm going to start WAY back with this spider web. It was there one day when we went to take the trash out and helped the boys appreciate spiders just a little more. Ok, they are just totally freaked out by them now instead of hysterical when they see one or a web. Unless it's actually a web IN the house, then they are still hysterical.
I just thought it was amazing, the work and time it took to build it. It was gone the next day.

catching up!

I'm not saying that you all (all 2 of you) have been replaced, but I do want to let you know that I've taken on some extra activties at school and work and it's not only taking up what little "free" time I had, but also alot of my creativity and dedication. Let's see if I can muster up a little to entertain and inform you once again. lol.

The school year started like any other...ok that sounds like a horror story! lol, just look at the pics of my incredibly intelligent and good looking kids and know that my baby going to kindergarten and my booshki becoming a senior ALONG with my pumpkin starting second grade took its toll on me. I forced myself out of the fetal position that warm morning to snap these pics, drop them off and cry myself back home.

On this, the day of my anniversary....

I realized lately that I very seriously miss blogging. I miss the outlet and the joy it gave me to write. I miss the people's comments and I miss the people. I am a little shocked to see that I've been a member of this community for 3 years this month! Alot has happened in those 3 years.

Recently, a friend told me that he went back to read the "earlier" stuff. That would be the posts before he and I met. That urged me to go back and re-read them too. I enjoyed the HECK out of it!

So I decided to let my sons see it. I showed them the posts that they were in and my seven year old doesn't like me anymore. He saw the missing teeth post and moaned and groaned, but it wasn't until we came across last year's crazy hair day post that he smacked his forhead and begged me to "take that off of there!" He pointed out that all of Eric's pictures were "normal." So being the rational, fair mom that I am, I am going to do the right thing.

Yes, I'm going to post a funny picture of Eric. enjoy.

Mum's the word

Well, I know it's WAYYY past Mother's Day but there are some things about this year I want to share/remember so I'm doing a belated Mother's Day post.

Really, this year, I celebrated a Mother's Weekend! It started with an Akron Aero's game.









We ate meals out and even had time to fit the park in. (Brendan is NOT flipping me off..lol, he was snapping and they were singing.)





I got so many nice presents too.



I don't know how well you can see all the things in here...let me tell you. There is a jar with beautiful wild flowers from Katie, A card, plant and necklace from Eric, and a homemade vase and flower from Brendan.

The next day we went to Tennessee Kiddie Park. Brendan asks that I leave the "kiddie" part out. The boys had such a great time there!



Thanks Katie, Brendan, Eric and Terry for making that weekend so special!

RUNNNN!!!!

Ok, I am not claiming an order to the next couple of posts.

I figure I better get something on here before the summer session begins and I'm crazy busy AGAIN! (yes, I know I told some of you that I wasn't going to take summer classes, but you know, things change!)

Brendan is in baseball now. (We are still trying to figure out how to get Eric in) and he is awesome!






Well of course i'm biased!! But he really is doing well. I'm very proud of him. They don't keep score during these games because it's very fair and encouraging to ALL players, but IF they were keeping score, I think our team won! lol

front row seats on the 50 front yard line!

Tammy and Terry FINALLY visited Wooster! It was such a good time! I used to live across the street from them and spent a WHOLE lot of time at their house. Sometimes, if I saw their door open (or closed..lol) I'd go over and just be there. Sometimes for no reason at all except to talk. Ahhh, those were the days. I babysat their kids and dated Tammy's brother..ha ha!!

Boy I miss them. I was thrilled when they walked in the door. Taylor (their grand daughter!!) was so grown up, oh my goodness. I looked at pictures, we cooked out, and even got into a football game in the front yard!

I hope it's not another 8 years before they visit again! :-)

It sprung

This is what I saw when I looked out my window this morning.

I'M SO HAPPY! There's something about a warm, blue-skied spring morning to put you in a frame of mind that has been missing.

still here

I wonder if anyone still reads this. No matter. I will again write in here for the reason I started it in the first place. To get feelings out. To makes sense of things. To remember things. To try and forget things.

So many things changed over the last couple of months. It wasn't easy but I made it through. If you know me at all, you SHOULD be proud of me right now. Change is not easy for me. I hit emotional rock bottom and have climbed back up. There are scars and there might be for some time. I learned that people have a very hard time seeing the difference between mad and SAD and then I learned that some people just don't care about either.

On the resolution, it's going well and that helps the other.

Eric tells me all the time that I am his hero and that makes me happier than I could ever explain. His sense of humor is developing almost as fast as his speech is improving and I'm thrilled about both.

Brendan is very emotional. He gets frustrated and cries and I can't help but wonder if it's what's going on, or his age, or what. We will work this out, he responds to calm conversation. I hope that's what I'm supposed to do.

Katie is my savior. I know she gets angry with me and I can take that. She is really going through alot and I try not to add anything to it. She brought up her grades, she helped the varsity cheerleaders of Wooster High win first place at the Waynedale competition. She is going to prom. It's all very impressive. I hope she is as impressed with herself as I am with her. I know she's not...but she SHOULD be.

I found out a friend that lives very far away may be coming to visit in August. I almost cry every time I think about it. She is one of those friends that help you no matter what you've gotten yourself into. She is so smart and knows what to say every time. She picks you up, she makes you feel better, she inspires..yes inspires. She makes ya laugh, she makes you think and I've never EVER met her. I can't wait to hug her and thank her in person, for all she has done for me.

I reconnected with a friend that I feared I lost forever. I met her over 24 years ago and I hope that she knows that I'll always be here for her.

School is....school. The semester will end soon and I'm taking the summer off. I want to be done NOW. I want to move on and do new and YES, make changes. wow.

75 degrees here today. It's about freakin time. It helps.

I guess when the subject turns to the weather, you know it's time to end the conversation.

Bye for now.

know this?

"Save Me" by Damage Plan

Save me from myself
I call out But no one hears my plea
Burn my candle fast from both ends Nightmares grow from dreams
You don't know, you can't see through my eyes
So you don't know me
You don't know whats going through my mind
But can you help me
Save me from myself if you ever really cared
Save me from myself, tell me you're not scared
Intensity that grows within me
Reflections of my pain
I'll create or I'll destroy
But either way it's always in my veins
You don't know, you can't see through my eyes
So you don't know me
You don't know whats going through my mind
But can you help me
Save me from myself if you ever really cared
Save me from myself, tell me you're not scared
Save me... from me...

jumping on the Phil bandwagon

That Phil, some love him, some hate him. I just decided to take him for his expertise and I hope I don't regret it. For years he's been trying to help people and aspects in their life. For the most part (from what I can remember anyhow) I wasn't particularly impressed with his knowledge. Today he changed my way of thinking.

He saw his shadow and that means spring is near.

Thank you Phil.

Is the Pittsburgh Steeler's coaching outlook Grimm?....I HOPE SO!

When I got the text last night from my friend/fellow sports fanatic/co-commissioner of the "Some Football" fantasy league, that Bill Cowher was leaving I was sad, proud, reflective and that was about it since I was on my way into work. BUT only because I don't like change. I know he did great things with the Steelers, he had MAJOR accomplishments! Unmatched accomplishments! Those alone are reason enough to not want to see him leave, but personally I am struggling with change. I ALWAYS struggle with change though. But ok, let Bill spend time with his family he deserves that, THEY deserve that. His intention as the second coach the Steelers have had in MY lifetime was to "put another superbowl trophy in the case" and he did that.

I just want to put into writing right now, that of the so far mentioned, I would like to see Grimm take a shot at head coach of the best football team in the country.

Ok, let me have it.

oh alright!!!! sheesh!!!!

Ok, so that week went REALLY fast!! No, I didn't get to blog bunches like I promised, but I have someone to blame some of it on.

Anyhow. The Christmas thing is over. End of thought.

The New Year looks promising and clean, and new. (shuddap) But don't they always? Everyone full of shi...umm..hope. Everyone vowing (resolving) to do things better, and different and to their fullest potential and make this the best darn year EVER!! It's a very inspiring time. Lost my train of thought.

What I overheard during Christmas. "WOW A NEW BIKE! Mom, we need to take the training wheels off!" "Ok Brendan, as soon as you learn how to ride a two wheeler, they'll come off." "But Mom, how will I learn to ride a two wheeler with the training wheels on?" Ok, we live on a hill. You know what I'm doing the first nice day of this spring? Yes, that's right, that whippersnapper is gonna learn how to ride a two wheeler!!

He lost his second top front tooth right before the Christmas break. Behold that which did NOT complain about singing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth."



Eric, my darling little boy who tells me things like "I will always be your baby Momma" and "Mom, you are my angel."



The child who loves babies, baby dolls and small animals so much he cries sometimes when he doesn't have one near him, was overheard telling his brother, who was following him up the stairs, "smell my butt." and he didn't even end it with "and I'll pray for you."

Well, I think I'm ready to admit that I AM a seasonal blogger. It's not my fault though, its out of my control most times. I have had plenty to blog about too. Lost teeth, Christmas programs, jokes, you name it and I probably have thought about blogging it lately!!

Ok, I know you can see right through me. This really IS a generic post just so the emails can stop. "Hey, you gonna blog or what?" "Why do I keep coming here knowing there isn't going to be anything new" ok ok...here is the blanket blog to end the complaints.

Within a few weeks you'll be begging me to stop blogging!! I GARE OWN TEE IT!

Priority change

My post for today was supposed to be a video code for Christmas Waltz. Particularly, Harry Connick Jr's version. Yeah, I know, it's a stretch for me. But after hearing it several times, I'm really into it!!

I tried several video code sites which I've never had much luck with. I thought I'd give YOU TUBE a try because I have found such great things on there (who hasn't?) but I was not expecting to find what I did there.

JACEY is a 10 year old girl fighting Lukemia with all the humor and strength inside of her. This video is a campaign to collect hugs for her.

This post is my hug to her. I don't know where she lives, I doubt she'll ever see this, but if she could feel my admiration, concern and support for her, I'm sure it would be in the form of a great big smashy sort of hug.

I hope she continues to get better.

OHIO CARDINAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!!

I haven't seen the local paper and I didn't see it in the High school's morning announcements for today, so let me be the one to tell you that...

WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL'S VARSITY CHEERLEADERS TOOK FIRST PLACE AT THE OCC COMPETITIONS YESTERDAY!!!








They did so great, they deserved above 1st!

There was alot of drama, and nonsense this year and it's so nice to see that the ladies, and their coach, Duper, was able to stay focused on what was important, and that was doing what it took to show how hard work, dedication and spirit can get you to FIRST PLACE!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS WHS VARSITY SQUAD!!!



GREAT JOB KATIE!! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! YAY GENERALS!!!!

MY HEROES!!

Yeah, so these are the pictures from Halloween that never made it to the blog before it's almost Thanksgiving. I can one up that....I still have to get the rest of the decorations out of my front yard!!! (no, it's not just pumpkins either!! sigh) But here are my heroes, SuperBrendanman and CommandoEric.