Karl and Liz (Pedro and Miss Muffet) at our pre-Halloween party. (Sorry this is old news!)

Jen and Robbie (Ballywood and Indie)

Jared and Kelli (60's aerobic instructors)

Tomorrow is Halloween.
I love Halloween!
I hate Halloween!

I do love the fun of seeing people use their imagination and come up with clever costumes. Who doesn't like to escape once in a while and be somebody else? I love seeing "proper" people look goofy. I love seeing witches (nice ones), goblins, ghosts, pirates, clowns, etc. sitting next to me at a stoplight, or waiting on customers at a grocery store or bank. I love homemade root beer bubbling with dry ice and eating puffy glazed donuts. I even love our costume parade at school as we wind our way through each and every classroom.

I hate giving out trick-or-treat candy to people carrying giant pillow cases (and who usually never say thanks). I hate hearing the door bell ring late at night. I hate finding pumpkins smashed on the side walk. I hate my hair after taking off a wig, or the stain on my face when the extra makeup is removed. I hate taking down holiday decorations.

Tomorrow is Halloween and it will be a LONG day at school. Hopefully, I will focus on the things I love and not on the extra energy my students will be bringing and the chaos and clutter of class parties.

I love all these people and their willingness to "let their hair down".

Melissa and Michelle (Diet Coke and Miss Viking)
Ken (the nerd)

The three witche (JoAnn, Linda, and Katie)


Liz, Madison, and Ally (Miss Muffet, Nice little witch, and Lucy)

Andrew and Irene (the construction worker and Raggedy Ann)

Chris and Robbie (Rapunzel and Indianna Jones)

David and Linda (goofy man and head witch)

Our Crazy Family

Little Maddie, (the cute witch and why I love Halloween more than I hate it!)

Reflections from a tired teacher....

Tonight as I was sitting in my e-mints computer class I looked down and noticed that I had on blue socks with my black pants. Maybe I shouldn't get dressed in the dark anymore! On a brighter note, a cute teacher in my class named Joan just returned from California where she won over $30,000 on The Price Is Right. The show will be aired on January 5th. Can we trade places?

Family Newsletter

October 26. 2008
Dear Family,
Happy Halloween! Before you know it, another fall holiday will be over, packed up, and put away, with only good memories, fun photos, and some leftover trick-or-treat candy remaining. Don’t you think Madison looks cute inside their family pumpkin? (Yes, she did need a bath afterwards!) Maybe we love Halloween because it brings out the “kid” in all of us. I hope everyone has a fun Halloween evening and that whatever you do that night- going out “trick or treating”, partying with friends, answering the door to pass out candy, or having a quiet evening alone, you know that we are thinking of you!

We will be having a wild and crazy day at school. Our costume parade starts at 9:30 a.m. What were they thinking???? Since the students will be quite hyper we have planned fun activities for the whole day, including a rotation to each of the four third grade classes to do different activities. At least we will have variety in all the madness and thank goodness it is a short school day!

Heidi and Ovidiu are dressing up as Dog, the bounty hunter, and his wife. Liz and Karl will probably be Miss Muffet and the hungry spider. Madison has her cute ballerina witch costume that Liz made. Michelle will be reprising her role as Olga, the Viking. Robbie has his Indiana Jones role practiced and polished up. Katie and I will be witches (I’ll probably be feeling like one by about 10:00 a.m. anyway!) I’m not sure if Andrew will be in costume. (Do mechanical engineers act crazy at work?) I think Irene made him a costume, but I haven’t seen it yet. Ken

will be dressed in his boring-every-day-work clothes. At least he dressed up as a nerd for our party (even if Nate Bean accused him of dressing normal. Ha, Ha!)

Madison is doing well after her little surgery to get tubes in her ears. (It was probably harder on Liz than it was for Maddie.) She seems to be adjusting well. Let’s hope the ear infections will be a thing of the past!
I found this fun picture on a blog and thought I’d pass it along. I don’t know who took it so I can’t give proper credit, but I like it.
Have a great week! We love you all!!!
Love,
Mom (JoAnn)

P.S. Travis is in Japan and it sounds like he is having a great time. Marcia just spent time back in Washington D.C. with Monica and family.

P.S. Brett, we will be seeing you soon!

My advice today comes from a quote by Robert Brault. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Thanks, Monica, I "borrowed" your quote!

I finally did it!

My dream of becoming a real blogger is finally happening. I have a LOT to learn about this whole process (thanks, Liz!), but I am excited to try. Hopefully, I can share news and updates, keep everyone posted on family events, and pass along fun ideas I stumble across. Wish me luck (I'll probably need it)!