Jeff's birthday celebrated on college campus

This past Thursday Jeff turned 45 and the day did not just slip by. Jeff chaperoned Abby and her friends, Ali and Kendal to Stevens Point that day. Although they kept the special day secret from the tour guide, they did manage to do it up right at dinner that night. They went to TGIFridays in LaCrosse and let the wait staff know it was his birthday so the entire restaurant sang to him. The girls excused themselves to the bathroom where they blew up balloons and spilled them over Jeff to add to the celebration. Also, every 2 minutes during their restaurant stay, the girls presented Jeff with a $100 Grand candy bar (Jeff's favorite).


Ali, Kendal and Abby had a great time of course. They loved both campuses, but favored LaCrosse over Stevens Point. Jeff found a really neat hotel in LaCrosse that was cabin-themed and had bunk beds (see link at right)! The girls, all in the king-size bed, stayed up til 3:30am talking while Jeff snoozed in the top bunk. I think he enjoyed the road trip overall, plus it was a pretty time just to be outdoors.

So while Jeff and Abby were off with all the campus co-eds, Bryn went to Madison to play with her Wind Symphony band (from the high school) for the Music Educators conference. Apparently, it's quite an honor to be chosen to play there. I was thinking about going, but the more I checked into it, it didn't sound like it was for the general public.


So Paige and I had Thursday to ourselves (I took off Thursday instead of Friday last week) so we went Halloween shopping to complete her vampire costume (she wanted to be something scary this year) and get some extra decorating stuff for the house. We had fun with the spider web stuff. Trick or Treat is Wednesday night!

Abby received acceptance letters from Green Bay and Eau Claire this week. I'd like her to narrow down choices before we send in housing money...

Bryn was mentioned in the news again for Cross Country (see link at right). She was disappointed with the coach's comments because she did work really hard and did run over the summer to prepare. Last Wednesday was the team season wrap-up: a 10-mile run.

end of Cross Country

Paige finished up her season last week with her banquet mentioned in my last entry and Bryn finished hers Saturday placing 40th at Sectionals which wasn't high enough to get her to State. Needless to say, Bryn was disappointed. She ran hard, but the course was very hilly aggravating her feet and knees. No more practices, but the team gets together for a season-end 10-mile-run on Wednesday. Her banquet will be held in November as her coach has a vacation planned.


Paige wants an iPod so badly she's constantly asking us for ways to make money. She doesn't like that our suggestions involve working. I think she's resolved to wait until Christmas. And Paige is constantly making movies but combining pictures, transitions, movie clips and songs. Need a lot of computer power to keep that hobby up!

Bryn had a band concert this past Thursday that I was able to enjoy while Jeff accompanied Paige to a 4-H meeting. Funny to see that she is now not the tallest in her trombone section - the boys have finally sprouted up!

And Bryn received great news at her ortho appointment last week. Da da-da da!! A tentative date has been set for getting her braces off: Dec 27th!!! She's very excited.

Abby is still the social butterfly. We rely on others to pass along word of her whereabouts.

She's getting sentimental about attending her last ever football game... last ever soccer game...

Abby had her first in a series of monthly meetings at Linden Grove (nursing home) last Saturday. The meetings invite Brownie Girl Scouts to the nursing home for an activity with the residents that Abby and fellow Girl Scout, Dana, have planned. It's all toward earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. The event went better than we expected. The Brownies paraded through the halls in their costumes, we awarded prizes for different costumer categories, then we painted pumpkins with the residents.


Abby had band auditions last week to determine if she would play with the Concert or Symphonic band, and then which chair. Her band teacher jokingly told us that either Abby or her boyfriend Alex would need to be downgraded to Concert band this year. Can't have all that giddiness going on. Lucky for Abby, they are indeed placed both in the same band (Symphonic) and Abby sits right in front of Alex. Awww...

Abby just received an acceptance letter from UW-Stevens Point. She was very happy. Today she finally finished her application to Marquette. Jeff is taking Abby and her friend Ali to Stevens Point and LaCrosse this coming Thursday and Friday as they have off school for teacher's convention.

We were invited for a cookout at Kristin's tonight. We got to see how big Lucy is getting. And the progress on the basement. And Bella being shy.

Bought our pumpkins and put out decorations over the weekend. Bought candy too, but that seems to disappear rather quickly...

My First Entry

I think the fall school rush has settled. Ah! The sign of relief!

Jeff and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary amidst the high school Homecoming and a Packers game. Also my work seems to have given me a breather after 2 months of extra hours. I'm thankful.

Here's Abby and her boyfriend, Alex, on their way to Homecoming last weekend. Homecoming had a jungle theme and Abby borrowed this zebra dress. With a lot of help from her friend, Kendal's, mom Abby's now has a flashy red belt and was altered to fit her perfectly. Abby is recovering from a very busy Homecoming week last week playing Powderpuff football against the junior girls and winning! She decorated the high school very early Saturday morning and then danced the night away.


Bryn is doing great on Cross Country! She runs in Sectionals this Saturday and is hoping to qualify for State. She's the #1 varsity runner at the high school! (I'll get her picture up tomorrow.)


Paige just finished her Cross Country season at the middle school and was honored for being one of the four most consistent top runners on her team. Paige just tested for her high green belt last Saturday for Tae Kwon Do - if she passes she will begin sparring (fighting with an opponent).