Day by Day

Rain-no skate-second tow in a thunderstorm at night....waiting now to hear the diagnosis of the old van.....

Chicago -the bean Chicago - when the Black Hawks won the big hockey game against the Bruins-chaos in the streets, celebrating Chicago at Night (before the victory) Leaving Chicago Sears Tower

Southerward bound they go by tomorrow.  Wow-what a haul!!!

So....Sunday night they were treated to dinner by Uncle Jim and Aunt Robin, then breakfast by Aunt Robin and off they went to Chicago.....however; Ohio was not done with them yet.  Brendan was driving and the van started to "not accelerate".....thank goodness he sensed something was wrong and was able to pull over to the side of the road; hence, the picture below.  There was a clamp that came loose on the gas line.  They were towed via AAA to a garage in Akron, Ohio.  The tow truck driver told them they shouldn't really leave the garage because it was not a good part of Akron.  They listened (thank goodness).  At first the garage didn't think they would get to look at the van for another day and next thing you know they fixed it for free and off went the "corefourtour", as they call themselves.  They slid on through Indianapolis and then struck an incredible storm as they arrived in Chicago.  Brendan was driving again.  They saw an 18 wheeler...

Lake Erie at the top and at the bottom is 2400 feet above see level-Pennsylvania...stay tuned for Kentucky and Mississippi oh and Chicago of course

Last Saturday we had the family here...fun times....so good to see everyone.  Saturday morning we had the core four (see previous post) and their families for goodbye breakfast and then Keera's softball team for swimming/cookout in the afternoon (very small team that Bob coached).  Thank goodness for the pool and the house....love it!!!!

The corefour (as they call themselves - Brendan, Donny, Pat and Julie) are off on their two week adventure.  We had a little kickoff breakfast yesterday for them with parents, at our house.  They took off in their retro-1980's van with the wheels ridin low from all of the "stuff" in the van.  Last night we received pictures of them sleeping out at Cherry Springs State Park.  Today they were off to Ohio.  Brendan sent a picture of Lake Erie. We received out first phone call from them because a car tried to pass them and hit the curb, which popped the other car's tire.  They stopped because they thought they hit the guy, but it turns out the guy swirved and hit the curb.  He tried to blame them for him swirving, but then changed his tire and said it was his fault and went on his way...we hope.  They were stopping right there anyway for a skate park. Funny guy Brendan texted me after we talked saying that the guy tried to get 1,000 dollars from t...

Fourth class tomorrow night....can't wait...is that crazy or what?  Four hours after working full time all day and going home to a full family?  That is crazy.  Tomorrow we will do an activity that makes them feel the frustration their students feel when they cannot accomplish a task.  How else can we develop empathy and understanding for students who do not succeed?  I have also been invited by the university to score these exams for additional money (a few hours work for good money)....opportunity, opportunity......love saying yes!!!!

Keera has friends at school and they have come over at times.  Today she was the victim of a comment that could happen to anyone.  A girl, who she doesn't get along with, said to the lunch table "who do you like better, Keera or (another girl's name)".  According to Keera they all said the other girl.  One girl said that they were making Keera feel bad and should stop and one girl said that both girls were a 10 on a scale from 1-10.  In Keera's eyes, it was a very hurtful thing that was said about her.  At times like this, I wish I could take a magic wand and wave it all away. I can't wave it away, but when she told me, Katie, Connor and Brendan all said things to defend her (usually they all are fighting about anything and everything).  Connor immediately said he would have voted for Keera and Brendan said she should beat the girl up (yikes-no).  Even Katie said something (not as violent as that, but something to support Keera.  I gue...

So sometimes my house is crazy....okay, most of the time it is just crazy.....and sometimes that drives me crazy....how many of me do they think there are?  only one. But...yesterday, I ran into someone who I knew a few years back (a parent of one of Brendan's friends) and we were catching up on family, etc.  She said she remember with the fourth that I had said I never wanted to have a quiet house. To me, maybe it was a coincidence that we ran into each other and maybe it was a coincidence that we discussed family and ended up talking for about 15 minutes, but it was definitely not a coincidence that she made that comment.  It was a deliberate reminder to me that I love the craziness of my house, even though sometimes I don't like it, at a particular moment in time.

Kelly turned 20 a few days ago and I still have to get her yearly money gift.  I was thinking about that today and I started to think about Kelly in general.  She is a lot like her mother (not sure she recognizes that yet).  She is quiet, giving, nice, perceptive and yet full of a little big of shenanigan.  She is beautiful too.  When she and Brendan were little, she would laugh at his behaviors, as if she were an adult, appreciating him, even back then. She has a way of appreciating and enjoying people for where they are at.  She seems to be a great sister; I think her sister adores her.  I know Katie looks up to her as her cousin.  Keera wants to be with her all of the time.  I am not sure Kelly has a game plan yet, but that will come.  She seems to enjoy where she is at right now, a lot like Brendan.  It must be hard to be the oldest and figure out where you are supposed to be in life.  I am so proud that she is trying to ru...