election night

This is a big night.
It's almost 11pm and we are still following the returns for the presidential election.
By all accounts, Hillary Clinton should have had this won early in the evening. Everyone is beyond shocked that it wasn't a slam-dunk. There have been so many sound bytes and spins this whole election cycle. Who do you believe?
But what I would love to blog about right now is the fact that my husband is an election junkie. World Series? Super Bowl? Tonys? Oscars? Those hold no candle to how much an election night means to Jack.
Jack loves a good political race, win or lose. Jack knows more about our government and elections than most elected officials.
I think it started when Jack got tickets for his family to attend the Republican Convention in 1972.
Even if it was for the Democratic convention, I wouldn't love him less. Insert smiley face here.
I love Jack's passion for our country and his knowledge of our government.
Oh. My. Goodness.
What a night. No matter what happens tonight, history has been made. First female president or an outsider president.
God bless America!

Out of the Rut Weekend

It has been a great weekend.
Jack and I got a burst of energy on Saturday and decided to clean out our front hall closet. We emptied the entire closet, scrubbed it out and got rid of the spider webs.  We could not believe the things we found! Wayne and Sally's backpacks from grade school, hot packs for keeping hands warm that expired in 2006, a George Burns doll, an game ball from Wayne's Little League days... it was amazing. We got rid of lots of stuff and now we actually have room to hang up visitors' coats. It was four hours well spent.

we took everything out of closet. I have no idea how it all fit

Wayne memorabilia

After that productive day, we had a fun dinner with our old (young) neighbors, Joe and Michele. We made it an early dinner, as in 4:30, so that we could get in a good visit before the Cubs game. Joe and Michele are huge Cubs fans and we wanted them to have their full attention for the historic game. After dinner, we went back to Michele and Joe's and watched the game with them and their four kids. So much fun. It was great to experience this momentous event with this family. Only thing that would have made it better is if they still lived next door.

cute Cub fans

On Sunday, Jack and I accompanied Jenny and Abbie to the Holocaust Museum. Abbie is doing a novel study in 5th grade and learning about the Holocaust and that era. She was interested to know more. She is such a kind-hearted, caring, feeling kind of girl and the stories she has read about the Holocaust have made a huge impact on her. Our family field trip was a success. We all benefited.One of the best parts was the videos of survivors' personal stories. So moving, so incredible, so impactful. Also, I would like to return to this museum and spend more time at the new exhibit for 8-12 year olds. It's all about bullying and being an upstander rather than a bystander when you see some one not being treated fairly.

Upstander Abbie

amazing

I started this post on Sunday night. It's now Wednesday night and I am just getting back to it!
It's been a busy week so far with two IEP meetings. Jack has been in Nashville and I am getting ready to head out and pick him up from the airport. The second World Series game is on in the kitchen, with the Cubs leading 4-0 in the 6th. They lost the first game last night, but no one is hitting the panic button. I don't want to be a fair weather fan and pretend that I am a huge Cubs fan because I am not, but it's very exciting for all my friends and relatives that have waited a long time  for this. I am all in for the Cubs. Go Cubs Go!

I love a nice long weekend

There's nothing quite like Columbus Day weekend. It comes at just the right time in the school year, about six weeks in and everyone is ready for a little break in the action. This year I also have an Institute Day tacked on. Tomorrow I am going to a day long training about narrative language assessments (which I can totally use with my ED kiddos). It will be long, but it will be different and I will look forward to being back in the classroom on Wednesday.
This holiday weekend was extra special because Jack and I watched Ellie while Matt and Sally went to Napa to celebrate Matt's 30th (which was October 2). It could not have gone any better! Ellie is so easy and so sweet and we could sit and admire her for hours on end. Ellie arrived on Friday morning after she and Matt dropped off Sally at work. I only had to work 1/2 day in the pm so I was around all morning. We enjoyed visiting with Matt, our super great son-in-law, and he was patient listening to our stories and hanging out with us. At 10 am, while Ellie was down for her morning nap, Jack and Matt picked up Sally from work and they headed straight to the airport. How fun is that???
We did not do anything too extraordinary with Ellie. At 13 months, she is just as happy sitting on Grandpa Jack's lap and reading books, or going to Kramer's (Friday night)  or Kirschbaum's (Saturday morning). We also went to Nina's soccer game on Saturday morning. It was the most beautiful weather, as was the rest of the weekend. Abbie and Nina came back to our house with us (a long overdue visit) and later Jenny and Charley came to pick them up for a sleepover at Jenny's.
We loved visiting with Abbie and Nina. Ellie loves them so much and they are so good with her. Abbie and Nina are so mature! It is kinda crazy. We had a ball playing Kids Charades and then asking/answering questions from our question box. One of the best? Who is your most unusual relative? Abbie answered, "It has to be you, Jack. Being unusual isn't bad. It can be very good. You are unusual because when anyone is with you, you just make them want to burst out laughing. You are so funny". Love it!

On Sunday, we had to take Ellie to Bob and Mary's. Jack and I decided that Matt and Sally need to take longer trips so we can have Ellie with us for longer periods of time!
One of the highlights of Sunday evening was a facetime call with Wayne and Julie to catch up. Always good for my soul to talk to the kids.
Also this weekend we were finishing up the whole Hurricane Matthew situation. Bucky is still in Florida and did not evacuate with Paul to Pensacola. We were worried about Bucky, but were thrilled that he did not get much damage and any power outages. Praise God!!

Kirschbaum's cookie #1 of the weekend

first thing in the morning cuddles

Hey, these cookies are little!

what's that you say, Grandpa Jack?

Happy Birthday to Marie

Today would have been my mother-in-law's 88th birthday. God bless her. Marie was a woman of grace, style, compassion and  she was all about her family. She was loved and respected by her husband, children, grandchildren and especially her daughters-in-law (Marie was a role model to Sue and me). Thank God for this woman of faith. We miss her everyday.

Downtown Sue and Marie, mid 1980s

End of September already?

I think it's a function of growing older (notice I said older, not old), but the months fly by now. I still am finding it to be a strange time of life. How the heck did I get to be this age???
Some of the September highlights, in addition to the fabulous Labor Day party...
- I am getting settled in my new "school" and by school I mean church and by church I mean building. It has been quite a transition. My new classroom is smaller and hotter than any of my past classrooms, but interestingly enough, I am growing to love the new digs. Looking past the sweltering conditions of the classroom for the first four weeks of this school year, I am finding the new space to be quite zen. Private, calm, spartan, uncomplicated. Bloom where you are planted, as the saying goes. It certainly helps that my boss, Eileen, always makes sure that we have all the tools we need to get the job done. I know that the heat in our classroom bothered her more than it bothered me, even though she is not in our classroom on a daily basis. Eileen cares that much about her team. She even bought a new window air conditioner for our classroom. It should arrive later this week and of course, the temperatures are now in the 60s. That's ok because we have a three year lease and even if we don't need the AC now, we will for sure in the future.

the view of my room as I unlock the door each morning

- Ellie attended her first Hillsdale County Fair this past Sunday. It was super sweet to have Ellie and Sally with us (Matt was out of town on business and Wayne and Julie were in Nashville visiting friends). We did a day trip and Ellie was a trooper. It was pretty much a dream come true for Jack to be on his college campus and then at "his" Fair with his GRANDDAUGHTER. Wow.

Ellie wasn't sure about Winston Churchill

Ellie, here is the yearbook office

this year's photo button

God is so good.

Labor Day 2016

I am only a week late in posting about our outstanding Labor Day with our dear friends. Mark and Cathy have hosted a party on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend for 20 plus years and it is always a great time. Sure, there's incredible food (Peter Luger steaks flown in from New York, Cathy's famous bean casserole) and drink (best of the best wine and champagne), but even better, there are amazing people. I think back to those early years when the kids were in grade school and it does not seem that long ago. Now, those grade schoolers are in their late 20s and early 30s, married with kids of their own. The third generation of Labor Day party goers is expanding every year. For example, last year, Mark and Cath had 4 grandchildren (Mason, Lila, Savannah and Casey) and this year they had 7! Kai and twins Max and Mia joined the crew. Last year, Ellie came home from the NICU on the same day as the party, so this was her first year, too. Who knows how many more kids there will be at next year's party? God is so good.

Adam and Mark, bringing out the steaks

Julie, Mark and Gordon

Ellie with Uncle Wayne and Aunt Julie

love!

A milestone!

Two years ago I bought a pair of sandals at Nordstrom, based mostly on Sally's advice. I love them, but have never been able to put them on by myself because they have 2 side buckles on each sandal. Because of my hip issues, I have only been able to wear them if Jack was home to buckle them for me. True story. 

Well, this morning I decided to wear them and thought I'd try to put them on by myself. 

Success!!! So thrilled!