Thursday 13....

Okay...back for another edition of Rambling Thursday 13.....

1. 3 weeks to TRACK OFF!!!!! For those of you who don't know what that is....we are year-round education here....3 months in school and 1 month off. We 'track off' for the month on Oct. 26th and don't return until the Monday after Thanksgiving!

2. That means 4 1/2 weeks until DISNEYLAND!!!! Dave's mom and I are taking the boys to Disneyland for 3 days (gone 5....a day to drive each direction!)...I can't wait!!!! LOVE Disneyland and we haven't been in about 4 years!

3. Halloween....trying to teach the boys to be creative with their costumes and not have to buy some expensive, cheaply made costume from the store that will get outgrown or destroyed! I think they want to be rockers....a drummer and a guitarist!

4. Work is keeping me busy....which is the reason I am so excited for #1 in the list! I think we are all at our 'limits' right now and need a break!

5. Countdown to my 20 year high school reunion....only 2 weeks away!!!! I'm on the committee and need to make posters and the centerpieces for the tables. I'm really looking forward to seeing those who are showing up...however, out of a class of 165 people only about 40 classmates are actually going to the reunion. Kind of sucks...although a lot of the people not going are the ones who always looked down on others.

6. In 2 weeks I'll have an 11 year old! Can you believe that he'll be 11???? I can't...where did my little boy go! This week he's off at Outdoor Ed....6th graders go to our outdoor ed campus for 3 days...I'm sure he's having a blast. Not doing much for his birthday this year...it's the same weekend as the reunion (see #5) and a scout camping trip.

7. Soccer....would it be bad for me to say I am looking forward to it ending??? Alex is having fun but 2 practices a week and Saturday games is wearing on me. And while his coach is good, he seems to put a lot of pressure on them to win. Not too thrilled with him learning the winning is everything/the only thing at age 8!

8. Wondering if this long term job I have now will last only until Feb. or all year. While the money is nice (well, it will be when I get a paycheck!), I really miss the time I had last year to relax, spend unrushed time getting things done....feeling the pressures of workign full time again!

9. Fall...LOVE IT!!!! It's cooled off....this weekend I want to take a drive into the hills to visit a state park and then a couple wineries...hoping for some good fall color. Here's it's hit and miss for fall color...and when it starts to change it doesn't last long. Maybe even get our Christmas card photo taken somewhere....

10. Have you checked out the kits that Michele has put together at the Shaker Box??? Go check them out and get your hands on one of them!!!! Think I will go pick up an October one for myself.....

11. Have been having fun scrapping lately....was in a funk for a while but seemed to have gotten the groove back. Need to get busy on Christmas gifts.....those calendars! This year my dilemma is: I used to make 3...one for Dave, his dad and my dad. With my dad passing away, I had my brother take this year's calendar I had made for our dad. Now...do I continue to make 3 and make the 3rd one for my brother? Or go back to making 2? Maybe I'll make my brother a smaller one????

12. Just finished reading a couple AWESOME books: The Choice by N. Sparks...it's his new one and definately leaves you thinking about following the wishes of a loved one and whether to follow them in time of need. The other one was The Long Walk Home (sorry forgot the author)....which was also very thought provoking. I recommend both of them!

13. Tragedy struck our little school community yesterday....a little girl was crossing the street and was struck by a car. She has multiple breaks/fractures from head to toe, brain hemorages and had to have surgery to restore circulation in her legs. Really shook up our principal who lost a student years ago (at another school, in another town) the same way. Please keep little Rachel in your prayers.

God Bless you all...and have a great week!