Happy Halloween!

We continued our annual Halloween traditions this year. First we decorated the house. I picked up some really cute jack-o-latern tiki string lights that are around the door and a black light in the outside light fixture next to the door. A few inside decorations too and some cute red, Pom Daisies to finish the look.

I added a "Welcome Scary Friends" sign outside and a few window decorations.







Then, we visited a pumpkin patch. And picked out costumes. Although, I have to say, that Mother Nature does not seem to be in a Halloween-type mood this year. I have never been to the pumpkin patch in 90 degree heat! For the first time, I was worried about whether or not the kids' costumes would be cool enough! It is just wrong!

We carved and painted our pumpkins, just like every year. Usually we paint slightly bigger ones, but the white babies worked just fine.

Taylor doesn't care too much for cleaning out the pumpkin's guts, but in our house everyone helps if they want to pick a face for their pumpkin.

Tacey did a little better job helping, but she wasn't into it much either.

Mommy is the "scraper." I get all the pumpkins to scrape out.

Daddy is the "carver," except for one this year. I carved one. Keep reading, you'll see it.

Taylor went for a simple look this year, with triangle eyes, circle nose and smily mouth with one, lonely ole tooth. Kudos to the "carver!" And that lovely little white pumpkin turned out beautifully with blue topped with orange topped with white paint.

Tacey got a bit more creative with star eyes, triangle nose and smily mouth with one tooth, like brother. Another great job, Daddy! Of course, her little white pumpkin had to be pink and purple, her favorite colors in case you hadn't guessed, just like her costume.





I opted to try one of the templates that came with our pumpkin carving kit last year. Did I do well enough? Can you can tell what it is?

Tuesday before Halloween, we went to an afternoon Halloween party with our play date pals. Tacey ate a chocolate bat cookie with black sprinkles that made her lips look like they were decorated with black lipstick. Then all 25 or so kids, aged 10 days to 7 years, had a costume parade around the house! They looked fabulous!

On Halloween night, after getting into our costumes, we headed downtown to the Safe and Fun Trick or Treat where hundreds of little ghosts and goblins, pirates and superheros, fairies and princesses, including my little Batman and Barbie Island Princess Rosella, gave the ultimatum "Trick or Treat" to the local businesses. Of course, none of the business owners wanted their storefronts tricked, so they all opted to give the kids treats. They filled their buckets before they even started on houses.

But, trick or treating downtown just wasn't the same as going from house to house with our friends by our sides. So we were fortunate enough to meet up with some friends. Batman and Superman hung while Princess Ro befriended a little Spider.

Aiden and Taylor met in Kindergarten. In fact, they sit next to each other and share coughs! Tacey befriended a little blond-haired, blue-eyed doll, just like her, at Taylor's school as well. Brynn happens to be Aiden's little sister, only a few months younger than Tacey! Their mom and I have enjoyed hanging out a bit a getting to know each other.

Our usual Halloween traditions were fun, as always. But I haven't had quite so much fun as this new game that I tried this year! I booed some friends! Yes, a mothers' support group that I belong to "Booed!" each other. We played the classic game from our youths, "Ding-dong ditch," but with an added twist. You left your "ditchee" a nice surpise, a "Boo" basket or Halloween bucket filled with decorations, treats, stuff for the kids, nothing extravagant, but something she and her children could enjoy! The first round, Josh helped me after a soccer game on a Saturday morning, with a new member.

The second round, he helped me just before bedtime, after dark. I was just so excited that I couldn't wait until someone did it to me first! I left two "boos" this time around! During the first, we happened to be followed home by my friend's husband, so Josh drove by her house. I told him just to pull over and wait like five minutes because we didn't know who was in the car. But he pulled too close to the house. I'm not sure if we were spotted, but I have a sneaking suspicion! I dropped the basket at the door, knocked, ran and hid around the side of the house. If you know who you are and you read this, comment and tell us your side of the story!

The next one was so funny, I laughed for about half an hour straight! Josh dropped me in front of the house and pulled forward a bit so the car was out of sight. There is a decorative window in the front door of this friend's house, so I peaked around the front of the garage and watched the shadows through the window, waiting for a safe time to knock and run. "Oh no, someone is coming, they are coming outside! The back gate is open, maybe they are going to the backyard. Oh no, where am I going to hide?" I am panicking and trying not to laugh out loud. Josh had backed up to the front of the house so that he could watch me do my thing. The door opened and out walked my friend. Well, I had no idea where she was going, around the garage to the backyard for all I knew. So out to the street I ran, to my car. She started laughing out loud. "Oh no! I've been spotted. Maybe she didn't know it was me!" I jumped in the car and Josh took off around the block. He circled and we looked for lights as we drove by. He circled again and this time she watched us drive by as she walked out to her garage! Finally, the fourth trip around, I was able to "boo" her! I was hoping that she didn't figure out it was me. But the following day, she left a message on our forum: "If it was SUNNY outside, I would have seen my Booer while I was taking the laundry to the garage!" It was pretty safe to assume that I was discovered. I know you know who you are, so if you read this, please comment with your side of the story!

And that was our Halloween season 2008! Hope you had a happy and safe Halloween too! Happy haunting!

PS I apologize for the formatting. I am still fighting with the thing to get it to look how I want. It is frustrating me and going to be flying out the second-story window any minute now. Thanks for your patience.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 5

After dropping Taylor off at his first day of school and getting him settled in, Tacey was very demanding of my attention. She, of course, was used to having someone to play with her all of the time. So, I set to work finding my little 3-year-old a school of her own. I spent the morning calling numerous preschools in town and setting up appointments to visit them over the next few days, in between games of Candyland, Sesame Street Chutes and Ladders, and Guess Who? I was bound and determined to have her in school by the end of the week.
Tuesday while Taylorcwas at school, Tacey and I spent our morning visiting the schools that I had called. Josh and I discussed what we had seen and the costs of the various schools and settled on one. It was meant to be, because they had one spot left and it was in the class and the time that I preferred. Unfortunately, after just getting back from vacation, we were a little strapped for cash, so I asked the director if they would split the enrollment fee into payments, which they gladly did. Tacey had a school! Yay!

So, Wednesday morning, I took Tacey school shopping, just as I had done with Taylor five days prior while we were on vacation. She picked out a couple of adorable long-sleeved dresses, one black with three different pink colored polka dots on a poodle skirt. So cute! And of course, she absolutely had to have a backpack, just like Brother, only Disney Princesses.

That afternoon, we ran around getting all the paperwork in order so that Tacey could start school the following day. Lo and behold, it worked.

Tacey's first day of preschool was Thursday, August 28, 2008! She opted to wear her "Shampoodle" dress that her brother picked out especially for her when I took him school shopping.


Then, Taylor insisted that we all take her to school, since we all took him to his first day. Daddy watched through the window to make sure she was okay after he, Taylor and I kissed her goodbye. I blinked back tears as I raced Taylor to school, 2 minutes late.


Now, what I am going to do with my kid-free time? On this glorious Thursday, I spent my time on the phone just catching up with my best friend in Michigan, after a quick stop at the grocery store, where I felt completely naked, like I was missing something. I guess that will happen after more than five and a half years of shopping with kids in tow.

Sidenote... How did Tacey's dress get the name "Shampoodle?" See the picture above? Notice the poodle on the front of her dress? Well, the kids have a Leapster game that they can earn jokes by completing the learning games. One of the jokes that they earned is, "What kind of dog likes to take a bath? A shampoodle." Ha, ha, ha. Thus, the dress with a poodle on the front, became a "Shampoodle dress!"

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 4

So, Monday, August 25, 2008, the first day of Kindergarten for Taylor, came at last. We all took Taylor to school. We learned that the parking lot and the front of the school is a total zoo on the first day of school. So Josh and Tacey dropped Taylor and I in front, parked about a block away and met us in the fenced Kindergarten playground. I immediately identified (took a wild, shot in the dark) Taylor's teacher. I introduced myself and as I was getting ready to introduce him, she said, "This must be Taylor."

I said, "Yes, it is."

She said, "Wonderful, we are all ready for you."

Taylor was very concerned that his backpack would be too small and wouldn't fit a regular, full-sized folder. So, he asked if it would work. His teacher was incredibly reassuring and told him, "That is perfect." He was very relieved. And so was I.

Josh and Tacey caught up to us and I introduced them. She asked us who would be picking Taylor up and I told her that one of us would be. We located the hook for Taylor's backpack. And the whistle blew, time to line up. Taylor got to be line leader! His teacher bid all the parents farewell, "Children line up, right here. Parents, thank you, we have tissues if you need them, and we will see you after school." I choked back tears as we watched our baby lead the 19 other Kindergartners into his new classroom.

In front of his new school.Line leader Taylor.

It's cold season again!

Oh boy, do I ever hate the fall, especially now that the kids are old enough to go to school/preschool. Actually, I have a love/hate relationship with Fall, and Spring for that matter. They just wreck havoc on this family. Taylor has a cold, okay, really just a cough now. When he gets a cold, all of the other symptoms run their course very quickly, typically 5 days-ish. But the cough manifests itself in his poor little chest making it difficult for him to catch his breath between coughing fits and progressing quickly from nothing to pneumonia. We have recently found out that this is a form of asthma. He gets an asthmatic wheezing in his chest when he gets sick. Thanks goodness that he has never had a "typical" wheezing, gasping asthma attack. Instead he just coughs uncontrollably. I have learned to give him a quick shot of his rescue inhaler to open his airways right up and calm the cough.

Not yesterday. We went to a Halloween party yesterday. We were having fun, playing with other kids and mommies, when Taylor started coughing, and coughing, and coughing. He couldn't stop. So, like any mom, knowing exactly how to handle her child's medical condition, I rushed to my purse for his inhaler. I gave him two quick shots. His cough calmed for all of five seconds. Okay, now panic is starting to set in a little. I began quickly gathering our stuff, while my child is coughing so hard that he is spitting up. I rush the kids out to the car, calmly, as I may feel panicky, but I definitely don't want to alert them. Into the car everyone climbs, I stomp on the peddle going as fast as the twisty, turny, windy, narrow streets will let me. Luckily we were only a short mile and a half from home. I quickly get the medicine into the nebulizer and start Taylor on a breathing treatment, hoping, praying that this will stop the attack. Otherwise, it is off to the Emergency room. As he breathes in the medications, his cough slowly subsides, indicating his airways are opening. Whew. My adrenaline finally balances out and panic slowly leaves me. I haven't had such a feeling in quite awhile.

So today, I kept Taylor home from school to give him the maximum number of breathing treatments we can today. I have got to knock this virus out of him. I just hope this will work, it has in the past. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 3

We didn't even know until 6 days before school started if this transfer was approved or for what school it was approved for. We found out that we were approved for a different school on Tuesday before school started. We were on vacation until late the Saturday before school started, which was Monday. When we got home at about 2 o'clock in the morning on Sunday, August 24, Josh immediately checked the mail to see if Taylor would be in morning or afternoon Kindergarten and who his teacher was. Since we were on vacation, we missed Friday's "Meet 'n Greet" with the Kindergarten teachers, which would have allowed us to meet his teacher and see his room.

So, Sunday we went to the school and the principal, a wonderful woman, met us right in front of the office. She took us to Taylor's room and showed us the Kindergarten play ground. Josh noticed that Taylor's name was nowhere in the classroom. So, he mentioned this to the principal. She took us to the office, where she checked the classroom lists. Sure, enough we had the right room and the right time of day and the right teacher. The teacher must not have had the "latest and greatest list," according to the principal. So, she assured us that she would talk to the teacher first thing in the morning. Can you imagine how devastating it would be to go to your first day of school and feel like you don't belong?

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 2

Since we knew that Taylor would, in fact, be attending school, we even knew the school, we were just unsure of when and who, he got to go school shopping. In fact, he got two special trips. First, Grandma took him. He got to choose the stores they went to, pick out clothes and shoes that he wanted for school and pick where they went to dinner, which was of course Taco Bell, his favorite restaurant. (The kid will put away three cheese quesadillas from there!) I know, you are thinking Grandma is one lucky grandma!

Then, he got his annual trip with Mommy. Since I was trying to be efficient, we did this on the next to last day of our vacation, along with getting haircuts. This is the shopping trip that he gets to pick out his school supplies. Since we didn't get the letter explaining what he needed yet, as we were on vacation, I just got some basic things, thinking that if he needed others we would get them Sunday, before school started. He got to pick out his "First Day of School" outfit, his backpack (Cars, of course), a lunch box and thermos and some other things. He was also sweet enough to pick out an adorable pink dress with black polka dots on a poodle skirt for his little sister.

We had such a nice afternoon together. I really do cherish those rare one-on-one times with my kids; those times when we get to do something special together.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 1

Well, if you have been keeping track, we fought with the school district to be released from our district and accepted into another. So what happened? The short version... we followed the procedure, which is to get released from your zoned district, apply for acceptance into the desired district and attend school.

Last I had told you, we were "remanded" by the County Board back to our local Board. So, we went before the local Board for a second time. It was a total waste of time, since we were denied practically as soon as we set foot in the building. We were fortunate that our landlord was gracious enough to relinquish our commitment to our lease. We searched and searched for a house but were unable to find one due to our previous life rearing its ugly head. We also found out during this time that our preferred district would not accept us into the district, since they were full. When I spoke with the County Office of Education, they indicated that if the accepting district denied acceptance, we would have to appeal that decision and the board rarely (less than 10%) overturned that decision. We figured it was an uphill, losing battle. We tried and were beat, so we gave in and simply requested an intradistrict transfer to a school with less violence in our own district.

Found

I feel reconnected now. I have a new 22" wide screen monitor, which I found for a steal of a deal at Staples.com. And a new printer, which I picked up for $10 more than it would have cost me to replace the empty ink cartridges in my old printer. It was a good printer, lasted us 8 1/2 years, not too shabby. But out with the old. So, soon you will be enjoying new posts with pictures again. And I will be enjoying printing pictures again!

Medical Benefits

Can someone please explain to me why I pay over $1200 a month for medical benefits just to pay a $500 deductible, then to pay for 20% of my bills after I've reached my deductible? Keep in mind that the deductible is for each member of my family. I'm so angry about the cost of medical benefits.

My son has illness-induced-asthma, which basically means that any time he gets a cold it quickly and easily turns into an infection in his lungs and can literally progress to pneumonia in a matter of 48 hours. It is a scary thing, especially before we knew why this occurred and how to help prevent it from progressing so quickly. So, he has a cold and a nasty sounding cough right now. Luckily he had a regular check up with his allergist on Friday, copay $20. He already takes 3 maintenance medications to keep his symptoms under control, those cost about $75 a month, just for our copay. Now since he has a cold, he is taking an additional steroid, $40 copay, and breathing treatments with two separate medications twice a day, each with a $25 copay. Thanks to one of my friends for letting me borrow her old nebulizer (I'm not sure how to spell that) to give him these treatments. But I really need to get my own machine, which can't even be billed to the insurance, so I have to pay for it out of pocket, then try to file a claim to be reimbursed for it. What is this out of pocket expense? A measly $130. So basically, I have just given almost my entire monthly grocery budget to the pharmacy ($75+$40+$50=$165). Now, we aren't including the medications that my husband needs to stay healthy or the medications that I take to stay healthy or the fluoride supplements that both of my children take for strong bones and teeth ($45+$10+$30=$85).

So, where is my $1200? I understand that these out-of-pocket expenses that I am paying are only a portion of the entire bill . However, the insurance company is contracted with providers with how much they "allow" the provider to bill them. After reducing their cost by about 40% (this is what I have observed on my bills), they pay their 80% of that, then the provider bills me the rest. I just don't get it. Now, this month I have used my insurance at least twice as much as on average. On average I only have about $150 in pharmaceuticals. But this month, I have $165, for Taylor's medicine +$55, for Josh's and my prescriptions +$30, for the kids fluoride +$60, doctor copays for this month =$310. So, say hypothetically, that $310 is 20% of this month's total bill, that means that the insurance company paid $1240 on behalf of my family. Like I said, this is about twice as much as we usually spend, due to illness. But, I have paid $1200 per month for 10 months this year, totalling $12,000 so far this year. Three times this year I have incurred approximately $1550 in bills, equalling $4650, plus $750 per month for the other 7 months (assuming 80%, insurance company's prescription costs), adding to $5250. So, the insurance company has paid, on behalf of my family, $9900 this year. But we have paid $12,000 is premiums this year, so as I see it, I still have $2100 that I haven't used of my premium. So why can't the stupid company pay for the nebulizer? I don't know.

I understand, given my logic above, that we are awfully close to meeting our premiums for this year. But consider that for many years, Josh and I have paid premiums of around $600 per month without incurring even $300 in costs in a year. It just doesn't balance out.

I really hope that should Obama win this election, he can follow through on his campaign promise to reform the health care system in this country. Especially when you consider that 75% of all bankruptcies filed in this country are middle class Americans with health insurance, like myself, buried with medical bills (prior to the economic crisis and mortgage crisis). It just doesn't seem right.

Restarts... errr

I am a member of an online forum, which I totally love. I have met some amazing people on the site and have gained some invaluable information and received priceless advice. But, tell me, why in the world do they set their restart at 3 in the afternoon? It catches me and kicks me off every single day. Which, of course, begs the question, why do I continue to get on the site every day at 3? Hmmm....

Luck, in my family?

Everyday on the way to school, we listen to a morning radio show. This particular show has a trivia question for kids 13 and under. Not one, but BOTH, of my children have answered this question correctly, winning family tickets to the local zoo. Cool huh? What kind of questions did they answer? Disney movie questions. Now really, I am a good mom and closely censor and monitor what my children watch. They haven't won by knowing the answers necessarily, but by being good at deciphering mom's clues.

Taylor won about 2 weeks ago. His question was, "In Disney's Alladdin, what character disguises himself as a flamingo to get the lamp?"

The kids did actually know this answer, but first I had to translate the question into pre-primary school language. I turned it into, "In Alladdin, who pretended to be a flamingo to get the magic lamp?" Well, right away, my bright, can-remember-everything, almost-six-year-old answered, with the correct response. (I'll let you guess the answer. It's no fun if I just give it away.) So we called and actually got through. I was stunned and told the deejay to hold on while I handed to phone to Taylor. Because he has a slight lisp, the deejays had a difficult time understanding his name, but they got a kick out of him telling them that he is five and a half! He answered the question correctly and they asked what radio station made him a winner. He answered with no hesitation!

So, last Wednesday, we are on our way to school and the question came on. It was, "What kind of animal is Figuero in Disney's Pinocchio?"

They didn't know this one. In fact, I'm not even sure if they have seen Disney's Pinocchio. But they had no problem identifying mom's "meow." Taylor asked if we could call again and I thought maybe we should give Tacey a turn. He agreed, while she himmed and hawed about whether or not she wanted a turn. She finally decided that she did. I then proceeded to dial, having absolutely no hope that we would actually get through. This time, however, I was smart and turned on the speakerphone! If you have ever talked to a 3-year-old on a phone, you will understand how difficult it is to understand them on a landline, much less a cell! Not to mention, my daughter's unconventional name. Therefore, it really goes without saying that they got her name wrong. But "Casey" answered the question correctly and won tickets to the zoo. In fact she even answered, "What radio station made you a winner?" with no hesitation!

The point of this story? Twofold: one is to make you smile. And two: whose children are these? I have absolutely no luck and don't think I have EVER won anything on the radio in my entire life. I don't know if these children were switched at birth, but I am charging admission if you would like to rub their heads before you go buy a lottery ticket!

One car

Due to the current state of the economy, our family has made the decision to live with only one car until we can purchase a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). We are currently looking into the GEM car. Did you know that they come with hard doors like a car now? It's pretty cool. The cost to have one is minimal, $60 a year for insurance, $20 a month for electricity. they plug right into any standard 110 volt outlet. I really can't wait to get one. The convenience of two cars without the expense.

How has it been to only have one car? Nice, difficult, inconvenient, environmentally responsible and financially liberating. It has been a definite transition. But I am really enjoying not having to pay an additional $1000 a year in car insurance and $300 a month in gas. That's right, my beloved Denali cost me over $300 a month, just to drive it.

SLO City to Sea

One week ago today, the San Luis Obispo City to Sea Mini-Marathon started, without me. That's right, four months of training down the drain. Why? If you read my previous posts, you'll know that I pulled my right hamstring while playing in a charity softball tournament during our vacation in August. I was so disgusted with not being able to train at my regular pace that I sat on my ass and ate for 6 straight weeks. I totally negated the 15 pound weight loss that I had worked so hard for. Actually I only gained 10 pounds, but still. I have been finding it very difficult to get back into the training mode now that I can walk without pain and I don't have an ice pack attached to the back of my leg for 6 hours a day. Well, that and the next SLO City to Sea is almost a yar away. A goal that is far out. I guess I will just have to find and set a more immediate goal. Any suggestions?

Not to mention that Septmeber 1 came and I gave up cigarettes, cold turkey. I feel like I am a hard core addict, "49 days clean and sober." But I guess in some ways, I really am. With the weight gain, it just feels like such a hollow victory.

Lost

Sometime in the last couple of weeks, the monitor on my desktop computer went out. I am really frustrated because I have no way of downloading my pictures, uploading pictures or printing anything. I guess I could go hook up my printer to this laptop, but really, that is way too much work. Not to mention, my printer is out of the $45 color ink anyway, so what can I print in black and white? Certainly nothing useful. Of course there is also the option of purchasing a new monitor, but in case you didn't notice there is a recession/depression (depending on your definition of the latter.) Anyway, I would really like to share some fun things that we have been up to lately, but alas, I am lost without my slow-processing desktop.

To my blogging friends

To all of my blogging friends and those of you that I have met through blogging. I was enjoying reading and commenting on your blogs. But my comments on your blogs, much like my own posts, have been sporadic at best. I apologize for my absence. It is nothing personal, just me being a busy mom of two kids. I doubt that I will ever have the chance to catch up on your past posts, or be able to comment on your past posts. At best, I may be lucky enough to view any fun pics you've posted. At any rate, I hope to be spending some time veiwing your blogs again soon. I hope your summers were as eventful as mine.

Hit or miss

So my blogging has been hit or miss at best for the last few months. I kinda miss having an outlet to vent what is on my mind. I'm sure you would like a run down about what has been going with us. So, here it is...

We had a very busy summer, spending time at the library story time and craft days, play dates, two sessions of swim lessons, soccer camp and vacation.

The kids participated in the local library's youth reading program. For every ten minutes that they spent reading, they colored a bug caught in a spiderweb. For every ten bugs they colored, or one hundred minutes, they got a prize. Story time was a great way to spend some time out of the heat with most of the stories revolving around the library's summertime "Catch the Reading Bug" theme. Of course the crafts following story time and for the craft days involved making something buggy, like a bug catcher box or a buggy hat.

We had many play dates, including a fair play date. It was a fun to go on all the rides with our friends. It made waiting in line much less boring. I took the kids on one of those fun houses with a slide and ended up with rug burns all down my left leg. Josh and I took advantage of seeing three major artists at the fair: Stone Temple Pilots, Alan Jackson (where I went "back to my roots" and was barely recognized by one of my friends, check out my myspace, myspace.com/slbivin, page for pictures) and Matchbox 20. They all put on amazing shows. The crowd provided us with additional priceless entertainment. Josh stepped right into the middle of a fight on his way back to his seat during the STP concert. A couple was caught having sex in a porta-potty during the Alan Jackson concert. The guy was actually trying to pull up his pants after being handcuffed, while the cops were removing him from the fairgrounds. Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 quipped about watching a couple kids try to get over the fence to the group's bus.

I sat visiting with the other parents, one of whom I knew from an online support forum, while the kids went through Level 1 swim lessons. Taylor easily moved to Level 2 after the first session. Tacey stayed in Level 1 but enjoyed a semi-private lesson, since only two children signed up for the group lessons. She was even fortunate enough to get a private lesson twice during the two-week session. She received so much individual attention that her instructor recommended her for Level "Pre-3" next summer. The little fishies could easily live in a pool.

Soccer Camp was a joy. Someday, I'll get pictures posted, maybe. Okay probably not. Anyway, the kids went to a British Soccer Camp coached by three young British soccer players. This was the only camp that actually offered a session for children under 4. While she couldn't wait to go to soccer camp, Tacey sure put up a fight about participating. Finally, I got fed up with her attitude and fits and made her play or sit in the car. It seemed to work because she went and had a good time. Taylor earned the nickname "The Weapon," because he wasn't afraid to attack the ball regardless of how big the person with the ball was. He took on anyone, including his coaches, despite being the smallest and youngest kid in his camp! The coaches were wonderful. I think that they have seen more of the US than I have! Taylor's camp was split up into European teams. Taylor was on Team England. He won extra points for his team by making the biggest English flag. Then they scrimmaged each other in a World Cup tournament. Team England won the World Cup! Go England!

After a very busy July, we had about 10 days to gear up for vacation. It was a nice vacation. We spent quite a bit of time in Maxwell, swimming and visiting with my dad and family. Again, I have some wonderful pictures of Grandpa and Grandma swimming and playing with the kids, but I will probably never find time to post my past pictures. I'll have to just post pictures going forward.

I was actually able to continue my training throughout the busy summer and vacation. All until we played in a charity softball tournament. We played three games back to back in 100 degree heat. The kicker was that we were playing on turf, which was about 15 degrees hotter than the outside temperature. So, during our third straight game, I beat out a ground ball to first. On an error by the first baseman, I turned it into a double and half-assed slid into second base. Well, on the next play, I headed to third. Four steps off of second base and my right hamstring tightened up so much that I couldn't walk, much less run. The opposing team showed a little class by letting me get to third and get a runner. That night, I could hardly move my leg. I pulled my hamstring, thus ending my quest to participate in the SLO City to Sea Mini Marathon 2008. Two days later the back of my right leg was completely black and blue from just below my butt down through the middle of my calf. If you remember what I looked like after I was hit by the car in 94, it rivaled that. I lost two weeks of training and when I was able to pick it back up, I couldn't train at the level that I had left off on. So... instead, I gave up. And ate. And ate. And, hey, I ate so more. Over the course of my training I had managed to accomplish my goal weight loss of 15 pounds, 10 of which I have since put back on. Now, I start back at square one.

The remainder of our vacation was spent in San Diego. Again, due to my pulled hamstring, we weren't able to take advantage of the incredible family activities in San Diego county. Hmm... maybe next time. But we did have a wonderful visit with Josh's side of the family.

I think that is about it for our summer. Stay tuned for "Chronicles of The First Day of School."