We're voting tonight!!!

We're taking the kids to the library tonight and voting early for the first time in our lives. I think this is probably the most important election in my life and I feel very, very, VERY strongly that we need the change that Barack Obama will bring to the White House. Our economy is on the verge of probably the worst depression since the Great Depression, our dollar is at historic lows, inflation is out of control, and we've got to do something to stop the bleeding of $10 Billion per month for the war in Iraq. I honestly think we'll be better off with either candidate than we were with George W. Bush, but I just feel like our family will be better off with a Democrat in the office, so I'm voting for Barack. Missy doesn't follow politics as closely as I do and doesn't feel as strongly as I do, so she may not agree with me and that's fine. I know she likes Sarah Palin, so she may vote for McCain. Either way, we hope to teach the kids that voting is an important part of Democracy by taking them with us and letting them watch us vote.

Whew! What a weekend!

I worked non-stop from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening and I think I got more yard work done this weekend than ever before, so I wanted to capture it so I don't forget how much I can do if I set my mind to it! Here's what I did this weekend:

• Cleaned all of the leaves out of the pool in preparation for closing in tomorrow
  
• Went to Home Depot with Mike Coomes to rent an aerator
  
• Went to Rural King to get some straw
  
• Cut the grass (Missy trimmed)
  
• Coached Jack's game at noon on Saturday
  
• Aerated the whole yard
  
• Over-seeded the whole yard
  
• Used the aerator to till up the dirt behind the pool by the new vinyl fence
  
• Raked the dirt to loosen it up
  
• Spread seeds over the dirt
  
• Spread straw over the seeds
  
• Watered the seeds twice each day
  
• Winterized the jet ski and took it to Blake's for winter storage
  
• Cleaned up all the leaves behind the house
  
• Tried to fix the leaking faucet behind the house but couldn't so I tightened it which seemed to help
  
• Trimmed all the bushes around the house and tried to remove most of the leaves so they wouldn't fall off into the landscaping rocks
  
• Trimmed the little evergreen tree in the back (first time I've ever trimmed it!)
  
• Cut down the annual landscaping behind the pool
  
• Went to Home Depot and bought the tools I needed to fix the roof
  
• Fixed 4 broken shingles on the roof from the hurricane Ike wind storm (that was FREEKIN SCARY!!!)
  

Maybe this will be the worst thing he ever telIs me...

My son is totally in love with this girl in his class named Ella! That's literally all he talked about this past weekend. He kept saying he wanted to go to school so he could see her and play with her and KISS HER!!! It was very funny and cute. But the best thing he said was when we were riding in my truck on the way to T-Time to play golf. We were talking about her and he said, "Dad, I have to tell you something, but it's very bad…" So I said, "Uh-oh, what is it???" And then he said, "No, never mind, I can't tell you – it's too bad…" So I said, "It's OK buddy, I won't get mad at you." And he said, "No way Dad. I can't tell you this - you'll get mad!" So I kept trying and trying to talk him into telling me and he just wouldn't budge. Finally, he said, "OK, if I tell you, will you promise to not tell Mommy???" I said, "Yes, I promise I won't tell Mommy." So he said, "OK, here it is…"


"Ella… is beautiful TO MY EYES!!!"


Is that great or what???

Chillin at the Jameson Inn courtesy of Hurrican Ike

We went camping this weekend and got up early Sunday morning and checked the weather forecast b/c we knew there was a possibility of rain today and Missy said there were some storms coming right at us, so we packed up as quickly as we could and got the heck out of there! It was VERY windy driving home and the camper was getting blown all over the road but we made it home safe and sound. About 30 min. later, the wind really picked up and started blowing like crazy. Our power went out shortly after that. We didn't think much about it and figured it would be back on in a few hours, so we went out to eat at Logan's for Lori's birthday. We got home about 7:00pm and the power was still out, so we decided to get a hotel for the night. We packed all our stuff up and headed out to find a place to stay. We eventually found a place at the Jameson Inn on GRR. It's a very nice room and we got the RC rate of $69, so it's not too bad. The kids were kind'of excited about the whole thing, but a little scared by the darkness at home before we left. We were FINALLY able to watch the news and see what was going on with hurricane Ike and the strong winds from today and to our amazement, there are an estimated 40,000 people without power in Evansville today, so it might be a LONG TIME before we get our power back. They said the crews are going to be working around the clock this week, but it might be Wed. or Thurs. before everyone has power again. It should be an interesting week!

“Is that your little helper?”

Well, it finally happened… I've thought about this many times since Jack was born and really couldn't understand why it has never happened to me. Maybe it was a thing of the past and something that just isn't "in vogue" today... Maybe I always seem too stressed-out or rushed and people don't feel like they can approach me… Maybe Dad was just a more charismatic guy that people liked to talk to… Maybe people just aren't as friendly as they used to be… I remember it happening to Dad almost every time he took us somewhere. I remember it happening to Dad EVERY SINGLE TIME he took us to Kuesters Hardward on South Weinbach by East Side Marine. Someone would always ask Dad if Greg and I were his little helpers and he would smile real big, look down at us, pat us on the head or rub our shoulders and say, "Yep, they're my little helpers." It always made me feel so good that Dad actually thought we were helping him when, Lord knows, it was usually just the opposite! Well, tonight, Jack and I went to Sam's to pick up some things for Missy and as we were checking out, Jack was helping me take the items out of the cart and put them on the conveyor belt. All of a sudden, I heard someone behind me say, "Is that your little helper?" It took me a few seconds to realize they were talking to me and when I turned around, there was about a 70 year old man smiling at me and waiting for me to answer him. I said with great pride and a huge smile on my face, "Yep, that's my little helper!!!"

What a difference a day makes!

Today was MUCH better. I was so afraid he wouldn't try again today but was up and ready and excited. Yesterday, I called the bus driver and told him he needed to sit up front and that he was lost. The bus driver told me that he makes 2 stops...the first one is for the older kids (that's the one Jack got off at yesterday) and then the second one for Kindergarteners, 1st and 2nd graders so Jack got off at the wrong spot. I told him if Jack hadn't been in the back of the bus with the big kids then he wouldn't have followed them out! I told Jack all that and then we went down the street last night and knocked on some doors and introduced Jack to a couple little kids that ride the bus so he would know someone. So, this morning, he was ready to go and we waited at the end of the driveway. I was praying he wouldn't start crying and say NO! As I got him on the bus, the driver had saved the front row for him and he said "Is this right Mommy?" I said yes. I then met him at school and saw them stop at the 1st stop and then pull up to the 2nd stop and I waited right there. He came running full speed off the bus yelling "Mommy, I did it!". I was so relieved and proud of him. I told him to now take me to his class since I won't be there tomorrow. He slowly walked in that direction looking at every door and when he found the Kindergarten area, he got so excited and started giggling. He was so proud of himself and it made my day!

When I picked him up today, he said "Mom, you need to just go straight to work tomorrow and tell Grandma not to meet me at school!". He's all grown up now!

Jack started Kindergarten today! :-(

Well, the day started off great. Jack was so excited. He looked adorable. Jeff and I both stayed home to get him on the bus. We waited on the front porch until we saw the bus and then he went to the driveway and waited to get on. I swear, 10 minutes before the bus got there, he looked so old and big and then immediately looked so little. I had told him that he would be sitting in the front of the bus and the bus driver would talk to him when he got on. Well, Jeff and I stood up by the garage and he got on. The bus driver just said HI and then Jack started walking and had to go all the way to the back. Not a big deal but I felt like he was not prepared for that and searching for a seat. I immediately started crying. I immediately jumped in the van to get to school to take pics of him getting off the bus and going to class. Yesterday at orientation, his teacher told us where the bus would drop them off and it was right by the Kindergarten classrooms. We practiced the route so he'd know where to go. Well, I barely got to the school in time to take pics of him getting off the bus. I couldn't even get up to the bus before it stopped and opened its door. Unfortunately, it stopped at a different door further away from the Kindergarten classes. So, I took some pics from further away and then went in the door that we thought Jack would go in. I waited for a while and then started headed towards the direction that Jack came in. As I was walking that way, Jack came around the corner holding a teachers hand crying his eyes out. He didn't even see me and I figured he was just missing us or something. So, I went up to them and he just looked at me. The teacher said he got off the bus and got confused following the other kids (since he was one of the last ones off). He started to cry and went up to her and said "I'm lost and I'm in Mrs. Faulkenberg's class." When she told me that (and as I sit here and type this) I immediately started to tear up. We just talked to Jack and the teacher told him he did such a great job. We got to the Kindergarten area and she told Jack her name and said she'd come back and visit him later. When we finally got to his classroom, his teacher just looked and me and I told her what happened. This whole time, Jack isn't saying anything and just crying a little. His teacher told him he did the right thing and that now that he's had a tour of the school, he's ready to have fun in her class. He picked out his seat and I asked the little boy next to him his name (Ethan) and introduced Jack to him. He was trying hard not to cry but was just shrugging his shoulders from crying. He sat down and I said "can I take your picture?" He looked up at me and tried to smile. I told him I had to leave and hugged him and said I'd be back soon. He just sat there very quiet and never said a word and tried not to cry. My heart was breaking for him. I cannot stop crying here at work. I cannot wait to get back and get him. I prayed that the first day of everything would go off without a hitch. I'm a little worried about tomorrow now...