October Updates

10/31 - We had trick or treating with neighbor friends.   We all met up and walked the kids around the block.  Kasey had been sick and so had one of the neighbor girls.  Landon was General Grievous from Star Wars, and Kasey was Rapunzel.

10/27 - Interesting day.   We got up in the morning.  I went to work out and Greg was holding an indoor batting practice.  Kasey was a little warm, but she was acting pretty normal. I went to pick her up and she came home and got into bed covered up and didn't do anything while I showered and got dressed.  Not normal for Kasey, but i thought she was probably ok.  We all got ready for Kasey's & Landon's soccer games.  Kasey only wanted to eat Apple Sauce and some Apple juice.   She did play in her game, but didn't play like normal.  She yawned more than I've ever seen her and looked like she forgot how to run.   Then we went to Landon's game.  Kasey fell asleep in my lap then in the 3rd quarter she threw up all over me.  Poor girl.  Grandma took us home to clean up.  She got cleaned up some, dressed and started watching Tangled.   She fell asleep about 1:30 and slept for the most part until little after 4pm.     Grammy came over to watch her so I got go watch Landon's baseball game.   When we got home Kasey had 103 temp and was acting sick.  We got her some Motrin,and she started acting like she was feeling better.  She was cheering on the aggies, and ate some applesauce and  a little jello.

Landon on the other hand had a good day.  He got a goal, and played really well in the game. His team won 4-2 which is the first game they have won this season.    In football, he got a 20 yard run, he pulled a flag, and he got a two point conversion.   In his baseball game he got a single and a double, and helped to make a few good defensive plays.  He was pretty excited.

10/23 - We had Landon's parent teacher conference today.  I really liked his teacher.  She had children that had been gifted and talented and she said that she really tries to get the kids to think in different ways which is great.   Landon went from level 7 reading end of kindergarten to 20+ - she said they wouldn't let them test over 20.  Needless to say that's a big improvement and above average for his grade.  He's also developed (highest level) in all of the math areas that they test for in 1st grade.  His teacher really seems to like him.  He can improve in comprehension when reading and handwriting.  He also enjoys school.  This week being Knight of the week he got to be teachers assistant handing things out, turning the smart board on and off, being the mathematician, and getting to pick where he stood in line - he picked by Collin.

10/19 - 10/21 -  Landon got Knight of the Week this week - Go Landon
We picked Landon up from school, packed up and left for College Station.   We went to Ninfas for dinner, and then I stayed at the house while everyone else went out.  I got some work done and got to relax some which was nice.

Friday night we got to College Station and had dinner at Ninfas.  We ended up sitting outside and it was a little cool but ok.  After dinner we took kids back to the house and got them to bed.  Then Greg and Doug went out to Northgate.  Dave and Tracy also came down and joined them at Duddleys.
I ended up working and having a glass of Sangria at the house while they were out.  That night because all of us where at the house, the kids stayed on in our room on a full size blow up mattress.   The kids took turns getting up about every hour.  At one point Landon got up to go to the bathroom and ended up throwing up all over.  He was fine before and after so who knows what it was.
We got up the next morning and had to get 5 adults through one bathroom to get ready and out the door by 8am.  We actually left a little early so that was good.  We headed to our parking spaces and had some breakfast at the car.  Greg had gotten muffins, bananas, and little pastries.   It was early enough that kids and I got to eat and could make it to kids yell practice and walk in.  So we left.
Because it was early it wasn't to crowded.  The kids got to participate in Kids yell practice, and we got to see the team walk in which is always fun.  After that the kids played around some.  There was a McDonalds stand that if you threw a football into the hole you got a bracelet or sunglasses. Landon got the ball in twice his first time to get him and Kasey a bracelet.  

Landon wanted to try kicking a field goal, but it was sponsored by Texas lottery so they wouldn't let kids do it.   So I ended up trying a filed goal.  I didn't do very well.

After that the kids played on the bounce houses for quite a while.  There weren't that many people so kids got to be in short lines.  Kasey had a hard time with a big slide one.  She came down after getting a little ways, but then after she watched a few kids doing it she was able to get up.    They had the most fun on the big race jump thing.

Then we walked up to our seats, got some popcorn and sat down.  Kids did pretty well at the game even though we didn't win.

That night kids were pretty tired to say the least.  they went to bed, I took a shower, and then hung out downstairs with some Sangria and TV.  The boys went out.
We got up the next morning, got a few donuts and headed home.

 10/15-18 - I left to go to a conference at Walt Disney World.  Kind of weird going without the kids, but I was giving a training and representing our group.   I left in the morning.  Dad took me to the airport and traffic was not good, but I got there with enough time.  Got to Orlando and took the magical express to my hotel - Beach Club Resort on Disney World property.   Everyone is super nice there.  I actually spent the afternoon working.  With our conference you could get afternoon or evening tickets to one park for a discount.  I was looking at agenda they gave with room check in and saw that Magic Kingdom had electric light parade and fireworks that night.  I decided I was going to go.  I don't do much by myself, but I went for it.   While it was a little weird being without the kids it was fun.  I got to ride It's a Small World After All, Space mountain, see the great electric parade and amazing fireworks.  I got to go into the haunted mansion.  I got to see new fantasy land and see the Ariel and Belle experiences.   When I was younger and went to Disney world I really wanted to see the Presidents Exhibit.  When we went I was so tired that I fell asleep.  I figured I would go now and see it.  Of course when I tried to go again after the fireworks it had just closed.    I say Disney is pretty magical.

Tuesday was my class, and I had a few meetings.  That night the conference attendees were going to Animal Kingdom.  We had private dinner there, and then they took us to another part of the park for dessert and private roller coaster ride.  We had dessert and rode the roller coaster several times which was fun in the dark.

Wednesday I had some meetings and then we had a showcase to demonstrate.  Of course my key demonstration stopped working at the beginning of the showcase.   I was going to grab dinner with some of the team and work, but then several people were going to downtown Disney.  We ate at a Cuban restaurant   We got to sit outside in great weather with nice view over lake.  We all had Mojitos.  After that we went to an Irish pub and had a few beers.  Fun times.  I got back to hotel a little after 1am. I had to get up for bus ride to airport at 5:30am.   Silly me

Thursday I got back in around lunch time.  Grammy, Gramps and Kasey picked me up from the airport.   We took Gramps to get his car so he could work out. Grammy, Kasey and I went to chocolate Angel for lunch and had a girls lunch.  Kasey got to read the menu because it had pictures.  She got to walk Grammy to the bathroom to show her where it was.  She got to take the credit card up front to pay, and then pick out a cookie.  We had a fun girls lunch.

That night Kasey had a soccer game.  She scored 2 goals, and was really close a few more times.  She was in a mood and didn't really want to play.

10/13 - Another busy Saturday.  I left for the gym at 8, Greg took kids to Kasey's soccer practice at 9.  He dropped Kasey off at the house at 9:45 and took Landon to pre game practice for football.   We went to Landon's football game at 10:30.  He played first half, was quarterback, team scored a touchdown, Landon scored 2 point conversion, and he pulled a flag.   He did well.  We had to leave at half time to get to his soccer game.   Both kids wanted to ride with Grammy and Gramps.
Landon played well in his soccer game.  I yelled at him to much when he was on offense.  He doesn't try to get the ball to the goal.  I talked to the coach later, and he said he asks Landon to stay back and help with defense when certain players are playing defense.  I should just be quiet.  He's trying very hard.  He stopped several goals as goalie, and overall played well.

Then kids ate sandwiches on the way home.   Landon took a really quick shower and got ready for Cub Scouts meeting.  The Den met at Heritage Farm in Plano to learn about how things used to be - they had old school house, house from 1800s, donkey, some sheep and chickens and a bunch of old farm equipment.  Kids thought it was pretty cool.  They also got their Tiger Totem where they will put their beads that they earn this year.  


10/10 - Putting Kasey to bed, she wanted me to blow my cheeks up so she could squish the air out.  I made a funny face and she just laughed.  She asked me to do it like 3 times, and then said one more time.  She kept laughing.  then she said, I want to blink with you for 1 minute.  So she's laying in bed, and I'm leaning over her and we blink together for about 1 minute.  She was laughing so hard.  To bad you can't put children's laughter in a can.  I'd buy some :)   Fun times

Landon got to go to Pumpkin patch for school field trip.  I really wanted to go, but really couldn't get away from work.  He had fun.  He said they got good marks for helping each other.  I think they were helping carry all the lunches.  They got to go on a hay ride, feed goats and a bull, and pick out a pumpkin.  They also got to have a picnic there.   He was pretty excited about it.


10/8 - Landon was off school so Greg brought the kids up to my office to see my new office and have lunch with me.  They had fun, and got to meet some people in the office.

10/7 - We decided to go to breakfast and went up to Cafe Brazil that we go to some.  It was closed so we ended up at Bonnie Ruth's which is good, but very filling.

Kids and I spent some time cleaning up, and Greg was installing new lights and changing out lightbulbs.  We had a fun family day together.

Landon needed to go sell some popcorn for Cub Scouts so he got dressed in his uniform, and we headed out on the block to sell some popcorn.  Before we went I helped him with what to say.  I had him write down 3 points on paper so he could look at it if he got nervous.  He said - Hi my name is Landon, I'm raising money for my cub scout troop, would you like to buy some popcorn.  He did well, but did look at his paper.  Then a few neighbors knew his name, and that threw him off a little what to say.  I was proud of him though.


10/6 - I really wanted to work out since I slept through two work outs this week (I must be tired).   Greg and Landon had to be at football game where Greg was coaching since the other coach had a conflict at 9.  My class was til 9:15 so I asked Grammy and Gramps to come watch Kasey until I could get there.  Of course it was cold that day, and I show up in workout shorts and a thin jacket.  Brilliant.  I think everyone else was ok, and I used Landon's jacket to cover my legs.  Titans won 20 to 0.


Then we had a baseball game that afternoon.  Kids tried hard.  Landon got a double, triple and home run.  He was pretty excited about it.

10/3 - I had brought home a few random small stuffed animals from work and gave them to the kids.  Kasey made them all a family and said they were all boys.  I asked her why there were no girls.  She said none of them had eyelashes and that's how you tell it's a girl.  This is true for dinosaur train :)


10/2 - Knights baseball team had first game of tournament today.  We had a bad referee.  Landon got
2 outs and got 2 good hits.  Kasey might be getting sick so Grandma brought her home to get a good nights sleep.

10/1 - I started moving into my high wall office at work.  I've been in a cube since I graduated from college, so I'm pretty excited about it.

Landon's excited about having a job at school.  This week he is the lunch counter.  He counts how many of the lunch choices kids want who are buying lunch.