Ju’s blog

Wow- October is almost over already.  It’s been crazy-good-busy.  Last year I didn’t volunteer in the classroom hardly at all, and this year I think I’ve overcompensated a little.  It’s all been good, but today I was in charge of two Harvest parties- one for each kid.  The problem was that they both started about the same time.  But, I think we actually pulled it all off, with the help of some great moms.  Both kids said the parties were fun.  I had a frisbee pumpkin toss, and a creature toss for the first graders and then we had cookies to frost, and two crafts, so it was busy, busy and fun.  But, I have to say the fourth grade party was really fun to put together.  I organized it all, but then a couple other moms had to pull it off while I was with the first graders.  We don’t have school for the rest of this week because of a teacher conference, and last week we figured out that Jamison’s teachers’ birthday is this weekend, so today was the day for a birthday party too.  I got the games from familyfun.com.  First they played a ring-around-the-pumpkin game where they had to toss a hula hoop around one of three pumpkins.  Then there was a scarecrow relay, which was actually called Mr. Bones relay, but I figured skeletons may have been a little too Halloweenish.  Each person ran to a bag full of paper scarecrow parts, grabbed one and brought it back to the table.  Then the next person went and got another piece.  The first team to complete the scarecrow won.  The third game was using a straw and suction to move construction paper pumpkins and bats one-by-one to a bowl.  Then the birthday party started.  I learned that Jamison’s teacher likes to geocache so we set up a cache that contained his present.  He had the gps, and took the whole class on the adventure.  It led them to two pumpkins set up outside the office modular, so they looked like decorations.   I had cut out the bottom of one of the pumpkins and scooped out the seeds and put his gift card in it.  I stumped them for a couple minutes and they all thought it was pretty cool.  Then they headed back inside for birthday cake.  I was kinda excited to find someone that even knew what geocaching was. 
And tonight I’m tired.  I stayed up way too late working on party planning.  But, I do love it.

As for all the other stuff that’s been going on…

My Grammy turned 99 years old last Thursday.  Probably about 20 people came to my mom’s house throughout the day to wish her a happy day.  She had a great day I think.  But, she was exhausted by the end.  At 99 it’s such a day to day thing, whether she’ll feel good or bad, be happy or depressed.  It was a good day.

Jayden has one more flag football game and then his season is done.  It’s been really fun to watch him play.  Their team has improved a lot this year- they have even caught a couple passes.   I never realized it was so hard to throw and catch until I watched first and second graders trying to get it done.  A couple weeks ago he was losing his enthusiasm for practice because as he told me, “when you signed me up, it was summer.”  Apparently he’s a fair weather football player.

The Ducks- oh it’s a good year to be a Duck fan.  Go Ducks!!!

Jim starts his new job Thursday as an HR consultant.  We’re kind of excited to learn what work will be like, but I admit I’m kind of sad that we can’t just play for well…forever.

In a week and a half I’m flying with five girlfriends to New Jersey/New York, to stay with another girlfriend.  While there our plans include:
Going to the Today Show (Friday, Nov. 9th)- look for U of O and birthday signs
Seeing the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
The NYC Chocolate Show
Museum of Modern Art
Ground Zero
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
Central Park
Celebrating a birthday
We get to go see our newly pregnant friend and just enjoy being together with girlfriends for 5 days!!!

We’re fully immersed in Cub Scouts now with Jamison being a Webelo, and Jayden is a Tiger Cub.  (Jim is committee chairperson and I’m the pack secretary) 

I guess that’s it off the top of my head, whew, time is flying by.