Hello--

Isaac got a chance to watch the JV and Varsity Boys soccer games from the sidelines as a ball boy. 

Hot dog break!



Hanging with his teammates before the game.

Basically, they put kids from the travel team all around the perimeter of the soccer field, with soccer balls. When the ball goes out of bounds, the ball boy tosses his ball to the player to keep the game going and then runs off to chase it down.  Isaac started out being unhappy I had volunteered him and by the end of the night he was begging me to see if he could do it again. 

 

Before our Saturday soccer game, we decided to get some breakfast at Friendly's.  We had to pick up a few small things before the game started and since we were right by Walmart (where Ryan works right now).  It's cheesey but I made him stand in front of the new sign, advertising the new fresh foods department, which he will manage.  Seriously, how cute does he look in this picture?

 

 

Of course, we while we were there we ran into Ryan's boss.  I was so embarassed.  I looked a MESS and after I spoke to him for a few minutes, I discovered I had something huge stuck in my teeth.  #Embarassing.

 

 

Friday night we were looking for something lowkey to do.  We got an e-mail that a new soccer store had opened right by our house, so we ventured out to check it out.  It was supposed to be a trip for practical reasons: Isaac has been playing goalie once in a while, and he has to borrow equipment from his teammates.  We wanted to buy him his own shirt and gloves.  He also had some money from grandma burning a hole in his pocket.  He bought himself this Philadelphia Union Jersey.

 

Ryan and I had a nice date night Saturday when Isaac was with his dad.  We had an early dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. 

 

 

and then saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  It was a really well done film, and both Ryan and I enjoyed it a lot.  The story is set in Pittsburgh, a city I lived in for 4 years, and the movie is rife with references to the city.  Even things like the blurry outline of the Cathedral in from the view of his hospital window, or references to Schenley Park.  Anwyays, I have never read the book the movie was based on, but it is supposed to be very true to the book.  I highly recommend it.

Weekend Update

 Isaac rediscovered our karoake game on the Wii and has been singing Rick Astley's Never Going to Give You Up over and over and over.  He seriously knows every word.  It's sort of cute...

 

 and sort of disturbing...  I put my foot down with the video games and have relegated them to weekends only.  I expected it to be a much bigger problem than it has been.  Not worrying about video games leaves times during our crammed weeknights for a little bit of reading or family togetherness.  I figured Fridays and Saturdays he would revert to zombie status in front of the screen, but he has been actually using it in moderation.  I am so happy.  I hate video games, so this feels like a compromise we all can live with.

 

 

Saturday had us trekking down to Delaware for a soccer game.  Isaac played goalie again and did a great job.  The team had their third win in a row.  It is nice to see all of the hours and hours of practice paying off.  From there we  decided to check out Dorney Park's Halloween Festivities.  I loved these chairs spotted at a rest stop along the way.  I want some keystone chairs for my house.

 

Whenever we decide to go to Dorney Park on a whim, it always seems to pour on us.  Saturday was no exception.   We did get a few rides in before the deluge though.  This was my favorite shot of the weekend taken on Isaac's favorite ride, the Tilt-A-Whirl.

 

I'm not sure what is going on with me this weekend, but I broke three things.  A candle holder in my house, an outrageously expensive Yankee Candle at Target, and (worst of all), Ryan's favorite Phillies glass.  He was so sad.  This comes about a week after I washed (and ruined) his wallet and cracked the corner of his iPad.  I will never be domestic.

 

 

We have been having Ryan's girls over on Fridays.  The past few weeks we have taken them swimming at the YMCA, but this Friday we decided to change it up.  We took the kids to a little petting zoo.  It actually was pretty underwhelming as far as petting zoos go, but it was free and entertained the kids for an hour or so, so it still counts as a success in my book.

 

 

We finished up the night at Friendly's with some icecream. These two are buddies.  They worked together so nicely on the puzzle. 

 

 

Our weekend was fast but fun.  How was yours?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few quick things

Another week rolled by...

Whew.

As usual, we have been doing a lot of this...

 





So far his team has a had a couple of ties and a few losses.  Hopefully we get a win under our belt sooner or later.  Isaac has been rotating through positions including quite a bit of time as goalie.  I was concerned because he is the shortest on the team, but he gets better every time he goes in.  He has had a few excellent saves. 

 

I am really enjoying my new job.  It still feels like there are a million new things to learn and adjust to, but everyone is very nice and I think I feel like I am starting to get the hang of things more.  We had an inservice day to review all of the beginning of the year data which was information overload.  Preparing my third graders for mandatory state testing is a huge part of my job now, which is uncharted territory.

 

Ryan has been working on his training at Walmart.  Pottstown Walmart is finally becoming a SUPERWalmart with a Subway, nail salon, full blown grocery store, etc.  He is in charge of the whole new grocery side-- deli, bakery, frozen, produce, etc., etc,.  The best part is his shifts are either 8-5 or 11-8 and the store is only 10 minutes away.  Blissful after his long string of overnight shifts at a store an hour away.    Both of us feel a bit overwhelmed with our new jobs, but we are both really excited and happy. 

 

With Ryan's help I have been making headway on organizing all of my crafting supplies in the office, so that I actually use it as such.  Right now it is kind of a storage, catchall space with random piles of stuff.  Some of it is in boxes that I haven't opened since I moved in (over three years ago!).  When I want to work on cardmaking or crafting, I usually take all of my stuff downstairs in a big laundry basket and spread it out all over the living room or kitchen for several weeks days, which drives everyone except me crazy.  Anyways, with switching grade levels I brought home a ton of school stuff that now has to be stored in there too, so it was time to finally tackle it.  I have gotten rid of a lot of stuff, found new homes for a lot of stuff in other places, and started to organize what is left.   Ryan surprised me by cashing in some Best Buy points he had and getting me a small flat screen TV for that room, so I can still watch TV when I am working on cards.  When I finally finish in there I will post some pics.

 

Not too much to report on the wedding planning front.  Invitations should be coming out shortly, once we take the time to finalize the menu.  I swear, I am the most apathetic bride on the planet.

 

Happy Friday!  We will be spending our weekend taking Ryan's girls swimming, watching two soccer games, catching up on things around the house, and having dinner with my mom and dad.  What will you be up to?

 

 

P.S. I know the blog looks all kinds of messed up right now.  I am trying to change a few things up so hopefully it looks new and improved before too long. 

Just seems fitting somehow

Trying to remember...

 

 

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down.

Without the rain, there would be no rainbow....

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Weekend Report

My weekend started a day early. Isaac had a morning appointment at the pediatric cardiologist at Dupont.  His pediatrician was concerned that Isaac's has a heart murmur and that his heartbeat is irregular so he referred us.  We were very impressed with Dupont.  They were very friendly, they put Isaac right at ease.  Isaac did a great job for his EKG and ultrasound.  I was so proud of him.  They decided that he has an innocent heart murmur but he does NOT have an arthymia.  So that was great news.

 

 

After we finished up at the doctor's office, we *probably* had enough time to go back to school, but seeing as it was Friday, we decided to play a little hooky.  We got some lunch and did a little shopping.  We checked out a fun new bookstore we had never been in before and (of course) I couldn't walk out empty handed.   

 

 

It is soooooo good.  I've already torn through about half of it.  We rounded out our fun day by picking up Ryan's girls and going swimming.  It was a great day of family fun. 

 

The next day Isaac had a soccer game and I headed into the city to the Paper Source to try to tackle my wedding invites. 

 

 

 

Isaac and Ryan took a train into the city and met up with me afterwards.  I had bought a Groupon for a reduced admission price to the Acadamy of Natural Sciences.   

 

They had an amazing butterfly garden...

 

 

 

 

We loved the dinosaur bones...

 

 

It was hot as blazes that day.  I was a sweaty mess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope your weekend was as fun as ours was!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking up with Molly for YOLOMonday

This is my life...