Picture this...a peguin fashioned out of a lightbulb!

So, I pulled off another Smilie day. I had no idea at 6pm Monday what I was going to do with the Smilie kids. I had picked up a really cool book about penguins based on the movie "March of the Penquins." It has some really beautiful photos in it. Anyway, I decided to go with it. I found a lightbulb project online. The kids lit up when they saw the one I made. They had fun painting the little guy....and they loved cutting off the fingers of the gloves I had to make the hat and mittens for the penguin. Phew, it worked out. I really need to plan ahead. Dang!

Monday Monday

Yesturday was the Monday after a holiday. Busy, Busy.....and I still had no idea for my Smilie project so I went out on my lunch. I got back right on time and had to eat at my desk. I did realize that there are certain foods that you can (and I do) eat while actually talking to a customer. Today....it was tomato soup. Really, most soups are ok, as long as you don't slurp. I know peaches are edible during a conversation. Definately pudding. Any drink is fine...you just have to be careful not to swallow too hard. People CAN hear that. I have found that smooth chocolate is great too. You can eat cake on the phone. There are so many things that you can eat...but the customer has to be doing the talking when you take a bite. Then, you have a few seconds to say something before they say, "Are you there?"

Turkey for me, Turkey for you!

Thanksgiving was the usual yummy food at Aunt Edie's. We browsed our newspapers getting ready for shopping and played our usual games. Shelley and I are still getting accused of practicing Taboo even though we haven't played since last Thanksgiving. We are good ...what can we say.

The kids watched The Polar Express and played with the cats and dog. I was having my usual asthma attacks. Oh well. I finally recovered from it after Shelley, Mom and Roger whacked my back for an hour Saturday.

Thursday night I got to bed around 11pm and ended up waking up at 12:30am. I finally got out of bed at 1:15am to get ready to go shopping. There really isn't anything like the thrill of shopping the day after Thanksgiving. It is more exciting to me than actual Christmas day. The anticipation of what you might get and what you may not be able to get. It is very exhilerating. We got to Best Buy around 2:15 am. (The first people in line were there at 10pm the night before.) In our snowpants, several layers and wrapped in a blanket, we stood for 3 hours. About 3am, the Best Buy "Geeks" walked in...they were all together in a big group sort of in a Revenge of the Nerds style..I think they were scared. We made a new friend. A fellow hockey parent. He did give us some advice about different rinks. He asked us why we were not alternating going to the car, and we said that we wanted to be together. It was the "experience." Then, after the tickets came out and we were guaranteed our items, we each took a turn warming up in the car...which we were reminded by our friend could ruin our "experience." It didn't.

We were told that anyone purchasing a computer would have a cart and would not have to get one....so...we went around and got our items and waited in line at the cameras for an hour. Then, went to get the computers and NO CART. They were out. So, they wheeled our computers and other stuff into the line (the 2 hour line) and said..."scoot it with your foot." So, for about half hour...we pushed and scooted. Then, I went outside to try to find a cart. I found the motherload....a flatbed! Yeah! The longer we waited...the hotter it got as we were dressed in 3 layers plus a snowsuit. So, off came the layers. The workers were like, "Look at this." as they were pointing at us. But, we really didn't care. We didn't get out of Best Buy until 8:20am. Crazy.

We were way behind in shopping because we were there so long....last year we got in at 6am and were out by 6:30 and into the next store. Needless to say, we were starving, had to eat and get some serious coffee. It was also a struggle to find room in my little car to get all of our stuff in there. We had to rearrange several times.

We got home around 2:30pm and I got packed to go to NY with Justin. We rode the ferry in Grand Isle and stayed in Plattsburgh at the Holiday Inn. I joined the Rewards Club and I did get a free beer, which I never got to take advantage of. We had to leave early Saturday, so I also missed my free breakfast. Basicly, the Rewards Club was not very rewarding.

Justin had hockey in Chazy, NY at 8am....that rink puts "the ice box" in Highgate to shame. It is sooooo cold. It is cement around the edges and then some sort of plastic on the eaves to the roof. It's not officially enclosed. It was colder inside than it was outside ...and it was only in the 30's outside. I have to say, they had a "warm room" with a snack bar, but if you wanted to watch the game you had to stand on the outskirts of the rink because there were also no seats. It was just all bad.

Next, we were off to Hartford, VT. We drove across the whole state. We got to Marina's game just in time! At least there was heat at that rink...even though the rink was also very cold when you weren't directly under a heater.

What a day! Once we got to Mom's I was still asthmatic and the beatings began. I think they finally got me breathing after all that.

Sunday, was hockey in Waterbury, and relaxation. We did not do much Sunday. Thank goodness.

I am 35% sketchy....

Well, I am still addicted to the Blogthings quizzes. But, I have pretty much taken them all so I will have to wait for more to come out. They are just so fun and addictive.

It is the day before Thanksgiving. We are going to Aunt Edie's tomorrow for a great dinner. Judy is going to come up tonight. Mirabel is so excited about making the Zachary's pizza kits we got at the hockey fundraiser. I love Thanksgiving.

I can't wait to go shopping Friday. I am really excited!! I bought some foot warmers in case we end up at Best Buy again. I am going to wear long underwear and maybe snow pants this year. I will probably die waiting in that hour line at the register..but I will feel great out in the snow.

Justin is at Grandpa's again today. He has been totally spoiled. He is loving it. He has hockey practice today and then hopefully he will find himself a pair of boots. He has also been saving his money to buy this very expensive and cool hockey stick. He has just enough money now to get it and he will probably get it today.

Adventures in Babysitting

Grandpa Fleming watched Justin and Marina today because there is no school this week (and they both had hockey during the day.) He was sitting reading the newspaper and they came up to him in these get-ups. He was laughing so hard he had to take a picture of them. I don't know what is worse...the fact that they were wearing these sunglasses or that these are Mom's actual sunglasses.

I guess the kids had fun. Justin brought Star Wars Episode III for Marina to watch since she is being horribly deprived of her absolute favorite movie because her birthday is in a month! The poor kid. What kind of relatives does she have anyway! Oh well. She got to see it again anyway.

Justin had hockey practice this afternoon and the coach worked them like dogs. It is a good thing. They need it. Bonnie sent directions to the Chazy rink for this Saturday's game....Do ya think "note: the rink is not completely enclosed and gets extremely cold" in the directions is a good thing??? I am a little worried. I definately need a HOT SEAT. Maybe Roger has a camoflage one I can borrow.

They shoot ......They SCORE!!

Justin and Marina both had their first hockey goals ever....on the same day! Justin took the puck away from Chazy and headed up the middle of the ice with another player right on his tail. He was one on one with the goalie....he shot, the goalie put his arm up and it went right by him. Justin skated by the net and stood behind it with his arms straight up in the air. We all jumped up and down, screamed and practicly cried. It was a miracle. He has been waiting two years for a goal. Then, we went off to his next game in Essex and Marina had a game in Burlington. In the middle of his game, I got a phone call that Marina made a goal. I guess a player from her team took a shot and the goalie went down without the puck. The puck was sitting in back of the goalie, Marina saw the opportunity and hit it right in. Again....screaming, jumping and carrying on! Nobody could believe that after all this time waiting for either one of them to score, they both make their first goal on the same day!! It was great.

Later, we had Felix's birthday party. It was the usual. Cake, ice-cream and presents. He made out like a bandit. I got him the first season of the first Star Trek. We had to throw out all his old Star Trek tapes during the mold incident. The CDs are much more compact and light anyway. Mom got him a lantern he wanted and of course, tons of money and gift certificates. Lucky bum.

We got up early again this morning to be in St. Albans by 7am. Justin's team actually played pretty well. They were all fairly aggressive (except Justin who was still asleep.) The first goal was made by our team into our net scoring for the other team. I guess it was a mistake, but not a good one. Then the other team had some really good shots on the goal that the goalie couldn't stop. Other than that, it wasn't too bad.

We went out for breakfast in St. Albans and headed home. Now, Alex Bergeron is over playing with Justin for the afternoon.

And I got such a long way to go. To make it to the border of Mexico.

This weekend Justin has 2 home games....one home game at 8am in Highgate, which is over an hour from home (but halfway between us and another team's rink.) Then at 11:30 he has a home game at his real home rink in Essex. Sunday is St. Albans in St. Albans at 7am. We might as well get a room. AND, Justin is sick. He is not overly sick, but the school secretary/nurse/jack of all trades called and had me pick him up from school. When I got there he was laying on the bed looking pathetic....by the end of the day he was singing and dancing around to "Witch Doctor" ....Oooo eeeee ooo ahh ahh .....yeah, that's the one. So, I cleaned his room and watched "The Whole Ten Yards" the sequel to "The Whole Nine Yards"...about a mafia hitman. I don't really know how kid friendly it was, but he watched it....that is his punishment for calling me home. Then, after I picked up Mirabel I shampooed the carpet. There is no hope for that carpet. There is just too much permanent marker, nail polish and paint to get it clean. And there is some sort of mystery stain that looked like someone was killed in the room...that didn't come out either. Oh, well. I didn't even attempt to clean out Mirabel's bed....that is a days work right there. I did manage to clean the gerbil cage, which is amazing since I have only cleaned it once in like 9 months. Stinky!! So, I do feel like I got something accomplished today.

I went spinning this morning and it was freezing outside. It was like 28 degrees according to my car thermometer, which I don't always trust, but it's pretty close. The interstate was glare ice. For the first time ever, I saw a line of tractor trailer trucks sitting at the top of the hill in Richmond (there must have been at least 12.) I guess they were too afraid to go down. There was no accident or anything. I really don't blame them. If one lost it, noone would be goin' anywhere. They just waited for the sand/salt. I went through to get Justin at 10:30 and it was still icy!

I have become totally obsessed with the blogthings tests. I can't stop taking them. I found out that I am 30% weird. If I were a drink, I would be a Mai Tai. I could pass 8th grade math. I have a 100 IQ on the quick test. My Japanese name is Keiko. If I were food, I would be French-because I am snobby and people think they understand me more than they actually do. I am 75% drama queen...which did surprise me...but dang, those questions fit! (And, not to mention the fact that I am talking about these tests as if they are a real measure of personality.) There are so many that I can't remember...but they are very fun and very addictive. I highly recommend going to the blogthings test website and taking them if you have time to kill -or are busy talking to people at work that irritate you and you need to occupy your mind.

Now, before heading to bed so I can get up very, very early for hockey, I am going to finish watching, "Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star," which is actually a pretty funny movie....I wouldn't have guessed it...but then again I do like kind of stupid movies....right Roger??!

There's something wrong with the world today I don't know what it is

I missed spinning yesturday because I didn't set my alarm clock. So, I went this morning. When I got there, another guy was already in the room...and I really like spinning by myself...but that's ok. He had the lights on though, which I disagree with. I think spinning should be done in the dark. It is sacrilegious to have lights on. Thankfully, he left about 15 minutes before I did and I turned off the lights!

Justin has hockey tonight. He missed Monday because he didn't feel well. He is feeling better now, so we will be going. I guess when I was gone Saturday he had an "assist." I think he touched the puck before Hunter did and Hunter made the point. So, he got his name announced over the loudspeaker as assisting a goal. I wish I had seen it. Maybe he will score in his next game. Who knows. We have to be in Highgate for 8am on Saturday and St. Albans for 7am on Sunday. Early mornings! Dang!

I am still feeling a little sick. I am sick of being sick. It is making me feel very down in the dumps. I hope I snap out of it pretty quick!

Pilgrim pins

Today was Smilie Day. I got there and realized I had forgot the book about Thanksgiving I was going to read. Soooooo, I improvised. Not such a great idea...but all I had. I asked the students if they all knew who the Pilgrims were...."Oh yes!" Everyone knew. So, I asked, "Who are they?" "They are Indians." "They are people who went over the water and explored." "They are the first people ever to discover America." Hmmmm, time for a refresher. So, I had to give the best Pilgrim speech I could without any preparation at 7:45 AM. I wasn't much better, but at least I had them as Englishmen and not Indians.... Oh well. We used Sculpey Clay to make little Pilgrim pins. Very cute. I had very few cutters, so it went slowly. We did have fun though and they came out nicely. I stayed after and baked them and put the pins on the back. I didn't leave there until 9:30 and I had to be at work at 10:00. Oh well. We got them done, although I usually head home for coffee between school and work, so I was having a little caffeine fit. Poor Dahrian seems to get her projects screwed up every week...I picked hers up first and broke the collar off her Pilgrim, so I had to go into my car and get my E-6000 glue. I hope that will do the trick. She is the one that got her suncatcher stuck in the laminator too. Crazy.

Shop til ya drop...and we almost did!

Saturday we left early for Nashua, NH. Amazingly enough, and Melissa is lucky I can't download pictures to verify the speed we were going to get there in 2 hours and 15 minutes. We started at the two story Target. I could spend the day going up and down the escalator with the cart. We spent at least an hour in there, then brought stuff out to the car and went back into the mall. Santa was there. I thought it might have been a bit soon, but Star 92.9 has begun playing Holiday music 24/7 already, so maybe it's just me! Shelley and I tried on hundreds of clothing items and we have come to a realization that we are not made to wear this current clothing style that is the trend. I guess we will have to wait for a new older person trend.

I bought a bottle of perfume for $138 at Filene's and went to the Gap and left it in the dressing room. I didn't realize it was gone until I was paying for my nightgown at J.C. Penney and didn't have the bag. I went running back to Gap and thank goodness the manager found it and put it behind the counter. I was having a hissy fit! It would have really ruined the trip if i had lost it.

We went to check into the hotel and didn't even go in because we were so hungry. We decided on Ruby Tuesday, which we found out was in the Mall of NH. We saw it...and attempted to head that way and merged right towards what we thought was the entrance and ended up on the interstate going right by it. We did get a lovly tour of N. Londonderry, NH. We got back and there was a 35 minute wait, which we didn't think was all that bad.....until it turned into over 45 minutes or more. Our dinner was ok...the drinks were too icy to suck through a straw so I had to guzzle.

Since we were all sick, we made a stop at the Walmart and got carded for Robitussin, which is weird. Jen got thera-flu strips. Shelley got cough drops. It was a bad scene.

On Sunday, Shelley got up at the crack of dawn and we got home before 1pm thanks to Melissa Earnhardt. I went to Marina's game. They did well. It was essentially the girls against the boys (even though there are a few girls on the squirt team) and they tied 2-2. Then, we went out to see the movie Chicken Little. The movie was good and the kids laughed their heads off. Since it was Felix's birthday we had cake when we got home.

Monday, Justin wasn't feeling well. He didn't go to hockey. Poor thing. He got up and said "I feel worse!"

Pizza...Pizza

Friday night was Movie Night at Smilie. The Smilie Community Club presented the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I worked. I popped the popcorn and put it in bags, baked and cut pizza and put out brownies and cupcakes. The when people started arriving, I sold pizza, scooped ice-cream and gave out popcorn. I did not watch the movie at all. Kathy Sirois and I yakked for the full hour and a half running time. I even got to see a picture of her Dad's grave stone. It is beautiful. She coincidently had a photo on her camera.
I guess the kids had a great time because after I helped clean up a bit, we tried to leave and Justin had a hissy fit. Strangly, he would not get into the car. I am not sure why. I never did find out. Anyway, I waited for a long time and finally, left him standing in the parking lot. I felt bad, but Felix was still there and he has to learn that I am not going to fool around with that kind of behavior. Overall, it was a good night.

I wished the rest of the day had been as good. We did have Veteran's Day off. I got up for spinning and I came home. That was my first mistake. I tried to relax, but I was just in a really bad mood that I still can't shake. I watched a couple of movies and hung out with Mirabel a bit.

My camera is going to California

Well, I won't be posting pictures for awhile. My camera is on the blink. I can take pictures but I can't press any buttons to get to a menu to download the photos. The up and down arrows don't work either. So, I called tech support hoping for a quick fix and apparently the guy thinks it is a loose wire or something inside. Luckily, it is still under the one year warranty. I did buy the extended warranty also through Best Buy, but they don't handle it until after the first year. Anyway, NO PICTURES FOR YOU...COME BACK ....SIX MONTHS!

The two smarty pants

We had Justin's parent-teacher conference Thursday morning. He is doing great in school. Except for hanging out with the adults in the room in the morning, he does great. He is pretty much meeting every standard. Mrs. Cole said they don't usually give a 4 in first grade but he got all 4s in reading. Which makes sense since he has always done well with reading.

It was funny on Tuesday morning when I was volunteering, he started 'being himself' in front of the teachers, and they said "Wow Justin, I have never seen you act like this!" I said, "do you think you could keep THIS kid and I could take home the one that lives here at school??" No such luck. I get the devilish Gemini and the school gets the angel.

Mirabel did great on her report card...considering most of it just says IP...(in progress). Wait til next year....I have been very easy on Mrs. Gifford this year because it's only pre-school. She probably won't see the wrath of Mrs. Pond until next year.....then watch out! Mirabel is a smarty pants. She will be reading at the same level Justin did in kindergarten (or higher) and she is much more outgoing so, I think she will do even better.

Justin busy playing defense...he's ready for anything

Mirabel and Derek have a tea party

Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!

Today was Smilie day! We read "Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" The kids, especially Justin loves that book. It is histerical. The busdriver leaves the bus, and asks the readers not to let the pigeon drive the bus. It is very cute. We made little pigeons. I was up until 1:30am getting stuff ready. I like to have all the stuff ready. I had to paint the styrofoam balls and cut a bunch of stuff out. I had to pre-poke holes. I listened to "Delilah" on the radio until it went off, then John Tesh came on...I didn't even know he was on at night. I emailed Tina Cole to let her know what I needed for the morning at 12:59am which she thought was very amusing. She said, "isn't it worth it to see the kids faces!" Oh well, I guess I didn't learn my lesson in college to get things done before the night before. Now, I have to work until 6pm and I am sure when I get home I will have plenty to do. Now, I have to try to figure out what I am doing next week since I won't have the weekend to prepare!

The big "D"

Justin had a game on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. According to his journal entry, they lost both games 5-0. Poor kid. They are really trying, but they are all so new to the travel team that they just can't seem to get it together. I am sure they will all get better and better by the end of the year. Of course, there are a few of them that I may have to kill before the end of the season if they don't stop passing right in front of the net!!!! How many times do I have to yell "TO THE BOARDS!" I practically have a heart failure every time I see it. It really does kill me. Justin played defense this week. He is not too bad at it. He had a few saves. He doesn't like it when he isn't supposed to score. (not that he ever has, but still)

Sunday afternoon Marina had another game against Harford. They won again. And, the "Goon Squad," which is what we so affectionately call Marina's line of 9 year olds, actually scored once during the game. That was very exciting! Marina hit the puck so hard a couple times we could hear the smack! Yeah! Go Girl!

Marina's first U12 game ...Way to Go!

Saturday morning, I ran around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get Justin ready for religion. We finally got ready and were ten minutes late....again. Anyway, I met Mom, Shelley and Marina at the Park and Ride in Richmond to go to Hartford, VT for Marina's first game this season. She prepared herself by eating a huge bag of Funyuns so as to knock the other team over with her smell. I am not so sure it worked on the opponent but it did work on us! St. Albans showed up with about 22 girls and Hartford had 8. So, I guess you would say they had a bit of an advantage. Harford had a "big one," a girl that was twice the size of Marina and Eva. Their strategy could have been to cut them off at the knees....if they could keep up with her. She was good but tended to play every position out there. That has to tire ya out. Marina played her position really well and they did win something like 10-0 but stopped counting after 7. (They tried not to rub it in too much)

We went to McDonalds with the team after the game....even though the adults had their hearts set on something a bit more substantial. It was fun, and Marina got to be with the team.

We stopped in Lebanon, NH to do a little shopping in preparation for the big shopping trip next weekend. There were some really nice shops in the Powerhouse Mall. On the way home, Shelley and I found everything very, very funny ....I have a feeling we were getting tired. But, it was a blast!

Mirabel's secret life

Friday night I was sooooo pooped from being sick and working that I just fell into bed and fell asleep at like 8pm. I did wake up at like 10pm and Mirabel was sitting in her foam Barney chair next to me in bed watching (Jill will like this) Halloween. What a crazy kid. I heard someone scream, " Michael, don't hurt me" and it woke me up. Since I am so tired all the time and she is NOT I really don't know what she does in the middle of the night!! I am constantly finding her watching TV at like 2am. She is a TV-aholic! So anyway, I turned off the TV and told her that she better get to bed. She wasn't happy, but as far as I know she went to sleep...what do I know.

Duhn Duhn Duhn....Duhn Dah Duhn

I watched the Star Wars movie Episode iii for the first time last night. I didn't think it was as great as everyone hyped it up to be. It was good, but I guess I wanted more. Mirabel and I watched it to the end....Justin didn't make it. He fell asleep, but he had seen it before. "Don't underestimate the Powah of the Dark Side!" Justin has a talking Darth Vader head..and those sayings on there stick in your head after hearing them over and over!

I am having a hard time believing it is November. It is getting really dark at night. It is getting scary to walk Max after I get home with the leaves whirling and the branches creaking. I get a bit nervous and startled. Last week, I heard a snort. I swear it was a snort. I think it was a deer. I don't think it was a bear or moose...but I ran anyway. Max was going just as fast. I think I need a bigger flashlight too because the one I have is so tiny all I can get in the light is Max...and that isn't a very big area!!

CSI with six year olds....the evidence is tainted!

Well, I pulled off another Tuesday morning at the Smilie School. This week it was by the skin of my teeth. I am sick and I just could not think of anything to do with them. So....I thought back to St. Mike's classes and remembered a fun who dunnit game. I had the kids take their finger prints...or should I say, about 20 fingerprints on one peice of tape! Anyway, we made two sets of prints. We lined one set up on the table, and I took one print from the other set and that was going to be the person who stole the cookie from the cookie jar. The kids had to compare the prints and find out who it belonged to. It was fun, but sort of difficult given the quality of the prints to begin with. Lil, an aide, usually comes in half way through to help out and she said, "You always do such good projects with the kids...but I was talking to Carol Mahoney (who I do not know at all) and she said that was because you were a teacher." I guess that was a good compliment, but I did have to tell Lil that I wasn't a teacher.....maybe someday.

I am pooped from Halloween. I guess I am candy hung over. I got the kids at 5:30 and we rushed home from work and got our costumes on and went back down to Richmond for trick or treating, after a quick stop at Madeline's house. (we are their only trick or treaters and they are our only trick or treaters) Richmond was great. They had two ambulances, a firetruck and a police car at the bank parking lot handing out candy and then the road behind the bank, Pleasant St. was closed off to cars. So, the houses on Pleasant St. had great candy for the kids and coffee, cider and cider donuts for the parents. They had a bagpipe player back there that you could hear all the way to Main St., which was very eerie. The businesses all had candy and Bridge St. Cafe was handing out ice-cream cones. We took a trip up the hill to see Aunt Winnie and we headed back home. It was a real blast. It was very nice that the the police, rescue and fire departments created a safe environment for the kids to trick or treat. Of course, when we got home the candy started flowing like water. It has to be done.

I guess Mrs. Cole, Justin's teacher dressed up like a witch yesturday and said she was going to ride around and sleep on her broom last night. So, today at circle she asked if everyone was tired and of course, they were. She said, "well, I got a good night's sleep so I will help you out today if you feel tired." Colby raised his hand and said, "How can you feel rested after riding your broom all night?" I thought that was so funny. He is a cutie.