All American Weekend

We had a great Labor Day weekend, filled with lots of fun things.  It started with the Wayne County Fair.  We decided we would try to go on Saturday.  The day did not look like a good one for exploring – rain, rain, rain.  We waited it out, hoping it would stop.  Late afternoon, it dwindled off, so we loaded up in the truck and headed out  When we got to the fair, we decided the truck was the best idea as the parking lot was full of mud and ruts from the day’s rain. 

We took a picture by the fair entrance,

met friends showing and visited their animals,

    

and strolled around. 

We grabbed food favorites – Ott’s Coffee, gyros, ravioli, kettle corn… and pizza for Angele. 

We saw some of the school art work and 4H projects displayed. 

         

It was a good night without the earlier rain.  I think Angele was a bit overwhelmed with all the people, the lights, the choices…. and the noise of the tractor pull!  But she enjoyed it as well.

The very next day, we headed to Cedar Point.  We met the Michaels up there; Mariah was having her senior pictures taken, and then they were were going to enjoy the park.  Amber and Ava were up there to take the pictures, so we had a fun crew to hang out with.  And Christi was so generous gifting us their free passes for the day! 

We started big this year with Gatekeeper!  Angele was a good sport and jumped right on.  I think it was more than I was ready for to start, but when we came back to it at the end, I enjoyed it more.  From there, we trekked from coaster to coaster trying it out.  We even learned to use the skyride as a means of transportation.  It always has such a great view!

    

Some of the group rode Iron Dragon, Ava’s first coaster!

    

While we waited for them to get off the ride, we sat by the newest ride, Siren’s Curse, Madison sat intrigued by it.  It is a tilt coaster – the track actually tips down and connects to the rest of the track while the cars sit on it.  So, you are pretty much perpendicular to the ground waiting to drop, hoping the track truly did connect.  I had said there was no way I was going on that ride.  But… Madison said, I think I want to try that one.  And I heard myself say, I would do it with you.  So, a group of us got in line and boarded the cars. It was slightly terrifying, but worth the ride!  Maybe in my top 3. 

We also ventured to Maverick, which we had not had a chance to ride the last time we were there.  It was a very fast moving ride.  I think I liked it, but I am not sure. 

Random fun pictures:

    

We had fun on the classic cars

        

and the Cedar Downs Racing Derby.

    

Jeremy and Angele finished the night with Millennium Force, while the girls and I went to Valravn that had just opened back up not long before. 

    

*There was one downspot to the day when we headed to go ride Gemini… Hallowed Weekends had started so all the spooks – people dressed up with intent to scare the park attenders – were out.  Ellie was petrified and quit walking.  Madison and Angele crossed the archway to that area and turned around.  People (not just us) were crying and the spooks were relentless.  We managed to drag everyone to Gemini only to find it was broken down.  We snuck over to Frontierland which was haunt free.  The girls pulled it together when we rode the Mine Ride --- numerous times.  It was not a welcome addition for us, but it was something that we now know about.

It was a good day – filled with new adventures, food, rides, and lots of walking!

The last All American activity was a Guardians baseball game.  Jeremy had 4 tickets from his Velosano ride, so he took the girls.  I stayed home to go grocery shopping and chill.  The night was beautiful for a game.  There was a slightly frantic hour or more where Ellie had a super high blood sugar and only 10 units of insulin in her pump that required a call to the on call nurse who submitted a prescription to a nearby pharmacy that Jeremy had to go to and get supplies from.  It worked out, but it made for a less relaxing evening for everyone.  But she was safe.  Everyone saw the game.  And they made it home.

We were not necessarily rested after our long weekend, but we did have a lot of fun!

The big 5-0

This is Jeremy’s year.  I mean, it is really just another year, but it is a milestone.  Since my sister-in-law did a big shindig for my brother, I felt like I couldn’t be a slacker.  Nate’s was a surprise party, but I didn’t have it in me to pull that off.  So, Jeremy and I talked about whether he would like an open house or just a special family outing.  He said open house might be fun here at our house.  So, I tried to curate a guest list where I invited people closer to him, but didn’t invite the whole church – that is very hard!  I also wanted to invite some friends of his from college, but I figured many wouldn’t be able to come because they lived at a distance.  I started with coney dogs as the main dish, and at the last minute, switched it up to meatball subs – and I am so glad I did… no one wanted leftover hot dogs! 

The girls were so helpful in helping me get everything ready.  Friday night we knocked out slicing vegetables in less than 30 minutes.

And then had a dance party to finish out the night.  Angele was trying to teach the girls the steps to Beat it by Michael Jackson. 

The next day, we did cleaning, moved tables and chairs so they could go outside, and then rerouted them inside when it looked like rain, put up cross net for people.  Jeremy did an excellent job weeding, mowing, and putting up the volleyball net.  I prepped all the other food and showered at the very last minute.   They also went through pictures to put up as a walk down memory lane, and they put up all the decorations. 

Meatball subs, veggies and dip, potato chips and Smith’s French onion dip,

and pies… apple, cherry, and pumpkin made by Steph R, and chocolate pudding and peanut butter made by my mom.  Also, grab and go chocolate chip cookies and rice Krispie treats made by me. 

I have few pictures of the actual people who attended the party.  Greg and Maggie and their kids (Elena and Nora) came from Columbus and someone took their picture with Madison and Ellie.  That was so nice of them to make the trip. 

Mike and Anja and two of their kids also came from Columbus.  Mike was Jeremy’s roommate after college and they are good friends.  I am so glad he took the time to come; it is a long drive. 

Sometime during the party, it was discovered we had a bat in the compost trash can.  Jeremy put his skills to use and rescued it and was entertainment for the kids.

    

We had about 50 people total, so there was a lot of in and out and some just settled in and enjoyed the night.  The kids braved the outdoors between the rain showers. 

All in all it went really well and makes me want to do this kind of thing more often.  It is so nice to just get people together.  In this case, it was to celebrate a really cool guy!

On Sunday, we went to The Barn restaurant in Smithville to celebrate a little more.  While there, we drove past Jeremy’s parents’ old house and it was as if they knew it was his birthday!  It was kind of a neat coincidence. 

 

Here’s to another half century with this fun, history loving, trivia master who does so many things to keep our family going.  I am the stingy drill sergeant who keeps all the things in order while he challenges me to have fun, to be flexible, to spend a little of our hard earned money, to enjoy things a little more.  It helps our kids know balance, and I appreciate it.  Thanks for the gift you are to me as a husband, to our kids as a dad, and to those around you that you give and care for unselfishly.

All the Little Things

The past weeks since school started have had a lot of transitions – transition to school responsibilities, transition to a volleyball schedule with games, transition with another kid in the house, and more.  But we are making it, and things have actually gone really well.

The girls have worked to get to know each other – looking at yearbooks, playing volleyball with neighbors and each other, going out for drinks, riding to and from school together, and more.

Pepper has adjusted with the times – sitting nicely with Madison! and eyeing where Angele went… he has his eye on her a lot… in a good way!

    

Angele is not playing a sport this season although she did play volleyball in France!  So, she has done a nice job blending in at home – she takes Pepper out for short walks after school, helps with the chores, and has time to cook a meal during the week.  (The girls will take this on in the winter in their off season!)  She made a pasta dish for us with noodles, parmesan, oil, bacon, and a raw egg on top.  It had a very good flavor – and looked pretty!  She made us crepes two nights ago.  A very French thing I am sure, but it is just a different name for what we eat called flap jacks.  Call them what you will – they are good!

    

We have tried to introduce her to some things here as well.  She had eaten marshmallows before, but never as a s’more.  I think she enjoyed it.  Corn on the cob was a new treat.  We all loved the corn Chuck and Patty gave us – so good!  The Dariette  for ice cream and some photos in the new big chair.  We also made her waffles with white sauce, but it was not our best effort because I used the wrong type of flour for the white sauce (white whole wheat vs all purpose).  She wasn’t necessarily a fan of the white sauce, but it makes sense because she doesn’t like pudding, and it is the same texture.

         

And we had our first HOME football game.  Ellie had some girls over to get ready.  Angele joined in on the fun – USA was the theme and they went all out – body paint, hair stuff, and more!  There was a lot happening, but they managed to take pictures and eat tacos before heading out.

    

These are things that just happen – eating, hanging out, making food, being together.  And while I don’t think everything needs a picture, these remind me that even in the mundane, life happens, relationships grow, and we have opportunity to find joy.