Candy corn princess

Here's L before school this morning as a candy corn princess. We found the outfit for $2 at the Economy Shop one day when she was helping me volunteer at a sale. She had planned on wearing the morph suit she got earlier this month, but the candy corn won out. Maybe the morph suit will make a reappearance next Halloween. L was allowed to wear a costume to school if she brought a can of food to donate. She did her own makeup. Even though temps are in the 40s, she decided to ride her bike to school so she could get home fast and trick-or-treat with her younger neighborhood friends.

And here's the whole outfit (nice leg warmers, eh?) before she left this afternoon to meet her friends, N and B, to take them around the neighborhood to beg for candy. And it's snowing. Yes, snowing. Ugh.

L came back to the house after being out in the snow for about an hour and a half. She decided it was time to change from candy corn princess to Eskimo and grabbed a heavy sweatshirt, gloves and pants. Oh, and a to-go cup of hot chocolate. She may be miserable but the quest for candy must go on!

Permitted driver

Guess what B brought home from school today? His driver's permit! Hoping to take him out driving this weekend. He looks ready to get behind the wheel.

The tassel

E's high school doesn't wear caps and gowns for graduation, but the students do buy the tassel. E got hers today when the school was taking graduation announcement orders.

On their devices

We recently had a breakfast at church during the regular Sunday School hour. Once the eating was over, the kids migrated upstairs to the lounge. Every single one of them was in their own space, poring over their electronic device whether it was a Nintendo DS, an iPhone or iPad. And the ones who didn't have their own device were huddled up to those that did. At least it wasn't just my kids.

Can't scare us

L created this bloody hand wound with makeup after watching a video on YouTube about Halloween. Nice try, but we weren't scared.

Alumni scholarship reception

Andy and I went to the high school with E this evening for the Alumni Association's Summer Enrichment Scholarship reception. E got $500 from the group to use toward her Japanese trip. All of the kids who were given scholarships stood up and gave short five-minute presentations. In addition to the students who went on the Japanese trip, there were kids who went to music camps, biology camps, art camps, Costa Rica, Spain, Fiji and Nicaragua. This picture is of all the scholarship recipients who attended the reception.

In E's other news, she posted this last night on Facebook. That means it's official in the teen world. I just can't get over how much that picture of her looks like mom. E doesn't see the resemblance.

Happiness is ...

... a husband who cleans the stove.

Leaf-blowing

B decided to take advantage of the beautiful fall day and rake our leaves this afternoon. He was thrilled when Andy pulled out the leaf-blower. Makes the job a lot easier.

Back to the '80s

E and I were trying to figure out what "senior things" to buy - her order is due next week - and though she doesn't want a senior book, it gave me a chance to pull mine out and show her how I exchanged photos and name cards with (pretty much) all of my classmates. It was a trip back in time as I looked through all the newsclips and movie tickets and I had saved. E loved the '80s hair and styles. OK, she didn't. She doesn't like it at all. I told her she's so unlucky she didn't grow up in the '80s. It was awesome. Just ask Aunt Cindy. :) Anyway, we had to laugh when we saw what I wrote about my marriage outlook. And here we sit 24 years and three kids later.

Working out

Yep. We're trying this.

Full of color

First acceptance

E got her first college acceptance letter today. She's considering it her "safe" school and if she ends up at ISU, she plans to major in business. She doesn't expect to hear from the others until late this year, early next year.

A boy and his book

Leave it to the boy to announce at 1:30 this afternoon that he needs a book from the library for his graphic design class tomorrow. He walked to our local library only to find out they don't have the book on the shelf. The computer catalog said it was available in the next town over, but he wasn't sure if they'd accept his library card there. Naturally, he didn't ask our librarian, he just left. Seeing how he has to have the book tomorrow or get a big fat zero in the class, we drove over to see if we could find it. Once we figured out that the neighboring library kept its youth books in the lower level, we found the book. B pulled out his library card and you could see the relief sweep over his face when the librarian said he could use it to check out the book. Mission successful! Now he can start writing the history and English papers that are also due tomorrow.

King of the pillows

Poor kitty

L found this devil costume last weekend and just had to get it for Muffles. He obviously doesn't like it. He looks terrified, don't you think?

Peaceful

A friend sent this picture of L exploring the beach at Tower Hill last weekend. She looks so peaceful.

That was fun

E and a few of her fellow golf teammates met up after school today to decorate their teammate M's house. M qualified on Monday to go to the state tournament as an individual tomorrow. They wanted to decorate after dark but weren't sure the balloons would stay inflated overnight so they did it while M was at practice. While E and I were waiting for the other girls to arrive we saw M's dad and mom arrive home. We don't think they saw the girls "decorating." However, M's sister went to the state tournament last year and while the girls were decorating, M's dad came out to help them so I'm pretty sure he's fine with their creativity.

In addition to the balloons and a couple of signs, the girls wrote their good-luck messages on the sidewalk with shaving cream.

And here's the final product!

'Hound approved'

If you watch "Game of Thrones" you'll be pleased to know this was marketed as "Hound approved." Neither Andy nor I liked it much. We bought it to show E the bottle. She's a big fan of the show.

So close

E's golf team went to Sectionals today and tied for third place. They had to move onto the fifth scorer for the two tied teams and OPRF ended up with fourth place, missing their chance to go to state as a team by one stroke. Ugh. Andy went along to watch them and said E was shooting great today. She ended up with an 87 and was happy with that. So heartbreaking to think that any of the top four girls could have had one less stroke and the girls would all be going to state!

Here's E and her coach, whom they lovingly call Coach Ho.

Here's the goofy girls.

And here they are, holding their heads in shame and holding up one finger for the one stroke they missed state by. Still, a great senior season for E and the closest the team had ever got to going to a state tournament.

TP'ed

Andy and E were leaving this morning for her Sectional meet today when they had me come outside. The golf girls tp'ed the house sometime overnight (we heard nothing) to wish E good luck today. E has had fun doing the tp-ing in the past, so it's only fair we get it too. I think she's been waiting for it all season long.

My favorite touch:

Tower Hill retreat

I stayed home from our Tower Hill church camp retreat this year to take E to her golf practice - Sectionals are Monday! L planned to go with a church friend, like she did last year, but we decided B shouldn't have to miss all the fun so we told him he could ask a friend to go along and Andy would spend the weekend with them. He asked everyone - B, IR and IB. Even though Andy was driving, L opted to drive over and back with her friends because they stop at the "big gas station."

Saturday morning after breakfast Andy had the boys participate in the Pilgrim Olympics that were organized. They spent the rest of time doing their own thing and climbed Mt. Baldy twice.

This was a "Minute to Win It" type game where they stacked Ding Dongs on someone's forehead.

And Andy took this gorgeous picture of Lake Michigan. He said the water was higher than he's ever seen it.

Sad mum

I like to buy mums and set them out on the front porch. Unfortunately, I'm not so good at keeping them watered. This one is just sad.

Welcome home, grandma

L made a nice sign that we left in grandma's apartment for her to see when she returns home today from rehab.

Huskies win!

They did it! The girls golf team placed first in their Regional Tournament yesterday at Cog Hill, just like they did last year. E shot a 98. Last year she had a 94. She was the 10th scorer last year for the tournament and moved up this year to eighth, but didn't earn a medal. As the senior captain, E jumped up to accept the winning plaque.

Here the girls are each holding up three fingers for the third time OPRF has won the Regional.

Coach is excited the girls won!

And then they goofed around a bit. They all went to dinner together at Panera after they got back to the school.

This is a funny photo the dads had the girls take. It's them with their game faces on - getting ready for their competition next week at the Sectional Tournament.