I Never Believed It Would Happen

The impossible has indeed happened...I now have a Gamer Tag on X Box Live! For many years, I've despised our X Box 360. I've always seen it as a waste of time. Everyone in my house seems to always end up in an argument when involved in the game of their choosing and they'll play it for hours on end.
Boyd subscribed to a new game called "1 vs. 100". It's a trivia game, and if there's one thing I love, it's useless trivia!!! I started out helping Boyd with the questions and quickly became enthralled with the game. He bought me my own X Box Live membership, so now I have my own Avatar. Look for me, MissTriviaous, the next time you play!

The Most Exciting Thing to Happen to Me in a While!

The Bedford Heights PTA organized a Penny Drive for Santa USA. Students brought in their pennies and silver coins and participated in a grade level contest to keep Santa flying. Our school raised over $2,500! I walked outside to wait for Santa's arrival via helicopter. Right after he arrived, the organizers asked me if I wanted to take a ride to the next two schools!

Have I mentioned that I don't like to fly??? The mere thought of it makes me want to barf. But how could I say no? I looked at it as a once in a life time opportunity, put on my big girl panties and did it. I will say that it was a totally cool experience! My cheeks hurt because I couldn't stop smiling. Pretty sure I prefer it to flying in an airplane. Thanks Santa USA!

It's All Down Hill from Here or so it Seems

Yesterday was our school carnival. By the time it had ended and everyone had gone home, I was exhausted. I worked 23 out of 48 hours. I wasn't in charge of the carnival but I needed to be in several places at the same time. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to be outside. So many parents, especially parents of 5th graders, helped to make it a success. Dylan had a blast helping to scare people who entered our Fun House.

My greatest accomplishment, outside helping run a successful event, was my giant cupcake cake. I'd been shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond and came across a box with the prettiest cupcake pictured on the outside, and I thought "I have to have this pan". I even decorated it by using a plastic bag and a decorator tip. I was told it sold quickly at the Sweet Shop.

Dad's Birthday

We took my dad out for his birthday dinner last night to a place my parents have never eaten. That's a risky move, especially for a celebration dinner. Buca de Beppo was the restaurant, and it was delicious! Boyd and I have always enjoyed eating there. If you've never been, well, it's kind of an eclectic place (the decor is, anyway). Italian food served family style. My dad will be 68 on the 20th of the month.

To top off this beautiful weekend (translation: no rain), I partially cleaned out the garage this afternoon. I could have been more thorough but after church, lunch, a Sunday afternoon nap and reading the newspaper - I didn't have a whole lot of time. The kids were able to spend some time outside on their scooter. Only minor injuries ensued so it was nice all the way around.

What A Week!

My week began with the anticipation of seeing one of my all time favorite bands, U2. My daughter had been feeling bad the day before and woke up with a 100 degree fever the morning of the concert. I got her into the doctor...swine flu. Having experienced this over the summer with my son, I wasn't too concerned except that she'd been around both my parents and Boyd's the day before. And then there's the concert. We'd had these tickets for 6 months and one of us was going to have to stay home with a sick child. My sweet husband stepped up and said he'd stay home and I could go with a friend! What a guy! U2 was pure GREATNESS!!

Now that it's officially Fall...

Is it too early to decorate for Halloween? I'm pretty sure Halloween is my favorite "holiday" of the year. You get to dress up and eat candy. That's fun! I have a mental inventory of all of the decorations I have, and I think I'm ready to get in the swing of things. If only the weather would cooperate...96 degrees here today and my decorations are in the attic. Maybe it could wait until another (cooler) day.

I do have a hankering for decorating one of those fake pumpkins you get at Michael's. I bought all the supplies last year to make the butterfly pumpkin but I never got around to creating it. Unfortunately, I think my supplies are also up in the oven -- I mean attic -- and I'm not feeling like venturing up there. I'll be thrilled when my sinus infection goes away but it continues to linger on.

Is Fred Astaire in the house?

When the last school year ended, Dylan began to complain about having to participate in "Dancing Classrooms", a semester-long class (only 2 days a week) required for all 5th graders in the district. He whined about it all summer, cringing at the thought of having to dance with "all the girls in 5th grade". Well, Dancing Classrooms started two weeks ago, and he loves it! According to his P.E. teacher and dance instructor, he has the "best hips" in 5th grade. He's learned "the Merengue" and I think one other dance. Next week they learn a new dance. Toward the end of the semester, the best dancers move on to district competition.

The PTA picnic is over!!! We had a great turn out and a perfect evening to sit outside. It's the third year we've held a membership picnic. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We even had food left over. Now it's time to get ready for next month's carnival.

Today I discovered a new scrapbook store will be opening just a few miles from my house! We haven't had a real scrapbook store around here since Recollections and the Scrapbook Pad closed over a year ago. Not that I have time to work on scrapbooks these days but I can still collect supplies.

This week I completed a "How to Make a Fleece Vest" sewing class. Renee and I took it together. No one in the class had time to finish a vest before class ended but I'm hoping to try to finish mine over the weekend...with some help from Renee.

A Different Kind of Saturday

Today is a different kind of Saturday. It's the first Saturday of soccer season and, for the first time in four years, Emma isn't playing. No real reason; she simply didn't want to play. It was a strange feeling, knowing that her soccer buddies were out there running the field while she was doing her own thing. We're hopeful that her interest in basketball hasn't faded when the season begins in December.

We headed out to a movie earlier today. The kids and a friend saw "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". It was funny and more entertaining than the two movies I saw yesterday, "The Informant!" (Quirky but good...I will say that I prefer Matt Damon in action movies over these kinds of dramas) and "My One and Only" (Renee Zellweger - don't know what to say about this one other than it was "different").

I should have mowed the grass today and put out pre-emergent (late, I know, thanks to all the rain we've had). I will probably start my homework from a sewing class I started last week. Me and my friend, Renee, are taking a "How to make a fleece vest" class, and I sure hope I haven't forgotten exactly what I'm supposed to do. I may be calling her soon!

Hard to Get Started

Many of my friends have blogs, and I created this one over the summer but haven't started using it until today. It seems that my friends have profound things to say and talk about but that isn't what this is. I'm not a profound kind of person. I just try to live my life every day and do the best that I can. I guess today I was inspired by my friends Kathy and Jerri who are active bloggers. Even though I don't know Kathy very well and haven't seen Jerri in eons, I enjoy reading what they each have to say about their kids and life in general.

Why call it "Rooster's Realm"? Well, I like roosters/chickens and cows and couldn't think of a good title with "cow" in it, so there you go. Keeping it simple. I'm still trying to figure out all of this blog stuff...I'll learn how to post pictures and interesting things as this adventure continues.