It's Wednesday

Hi- Well, it's that time of the week where I need to post. The problem is...that I really can't think of anything that's been going on or that would be exciting to talk about. I'm on a play practice break due to set construction. Aaron's been constructing the set for the past 2 evenings, which means I've been on my own. It's very tempting to just play on the computer, when I should be cleaning/organizing my house. On Monday night, I had an instructor meeting at the BG Community Center. This session, I didn't get anyone in my classes, so we're hoping for people to sign up for the January session. I'm even going to start offering a ballet/creative movement class for 3-4 year olds. The little ones are always so much fun! Today is Halloween, but the school I'm at is not celebrating. We had a "Pumpkin Run" which is a 1 mile race that everyone in the school does, and a "Fall Festival" with fall crafts, snacks, and dancing last Friday. Tonight, I'm not passing out candy, but probably going to the grocery store instead. Coupons expire today, so I'm taking my $1.00 coupons to Giant Eagle to see if I can get stuff for free or for less than $1 since $1 coupons are doubled to $2. We're playing euchre on Friday night with friends and I have to make a snack. I'm not sure what I'll make yet. I'll have to consult my huge stash of recipes/cookbooks. Well, I guess that's about all. Have a good day! Missy :)

We're home!!

Well...I know you've been anxiously wondering if we got home from our trip. Well...we're home! To conclude the rest of the story...

On Sunday, we got up and went to Megan and Joel's church. The church is actually bigger than ours. Kayden and Corbin both got dedicated. They put their baby pictures up on the screen in the sanctuary and showed a little graphic of what their names meant and why they were named that. It was quite cute. For lunch on Sunday, Kelli made borscht, which is a Russian soup that everyone in Trail, B.C. knows how to make. It's made with cabbage, tomaotes, potatoes, carrots, and cream. I didn't try any. I'll maybe be adventurous someday. Then, we watched Megan and Joel open presents. We spent the rest of the day playing/babysitting the kids while Lani and Dan went back home to Calgary. It was a nice relaxing day. We had a late dinner of chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy and greek salad which was good. Aaron and I were in bed by around 10 (I think), so we could get up early the next day and go home.

On Monday, we got up, packed the car and were on our merry way by around 9:20...I think. We stopped at Canadian McDonald's where 2 hashbrowns and large coffee came to $4 and something. We started driving back the same way we came, when we came to a fork in the road. I was looking at the map and discovered that it might be fun to drive home through "the States" instead of driving through Canada. This would mean we could use American money all the way home (for gas and food) and could avoid Toronto and it's horrible traffic and construction. So, we went on an adventure. We drove straight south from Ottawa and ended up in Thousand Lakes...or maybe it was Thousand Islands, New York which is where we crossed the border. It was the nicest border guard ever and it was a gorgeous town. A beautiful bridge with lots of little islands under it with one house on each little island. We stopped at the Welcome to New York center and downloaded more New York/Pennsylvania maps for our journey. We drove through upstate New York which included Syracuse and Buffalo. We stopped for lunch at McDonald's in Pulaski, New York (a cute little town), and then continued on our journey. We drove through Erie, Pennsylvania and Cleveland and then we were on our way home. We ended up getting home around 8:30. It was so nice to sleep in our nice hard bed that night. The air mattress was just so soft and squishy and small and slippery and ahhh!

So, now we're back to work and the usual. I have play practice tonight and CARE group tomorrow night. I should get back to work now. Thanks for reading! Missy :)

The trip so far...

Hi all- I'm reporting live from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. We've just concluded the much anticipated wedding reception for Megan and Joel. Everyone has gone out to do karaoke and I'm babysitting Kayden and Corbin. I've decided to debrief through this blog so I won't forget everything that has happened so far.

On Thursday, we left Toledo at 12:30 on the dot. We had okay travels. The border crossing at Windsor into Canada was so easy. They didn't even look at any of our documentation. That was a first. I'm sure coming back into the U.S. won't be so easy. We arrived in Toronto in time for horrible rush hour/construction traffic. It put us behind by at least an hour. We took plenty of restroom breaks and gas station fill ups on the way as well. Did you know that Tim Horton's/Wendy's is at pretty much every rest area in Canada? We arrived at Megan's house around 10:30/10:45 on Thursday night. We blew up our incredibly uncomfortable and squishy air mattress and I was in bed by around midnight. Aaron (and everyone else) stayed up much later.

On Friday, all of the girls and Joel and Joel's family arrived at the church to set up for the reception. It was quite a complicated affair but it looked very nice when it was done. On Friday afternoon we got to go to Canadian Walmart to buy Aaron some dress pants, a belt, Smarties (Canadian M&M's), and Coffee Crisp candy bars. Aaron's mom made a yummy dinner for us and then we all went back to the church for a "rehearsal." Aaron and I sang together in the mikes for the first time. After that, we came home and all the guys went out for guys night. I got to sleep at 10. Wahoo. I love sleep.

On Saturday, we all got up to began taking turn taking showers. To get a better idea of everyone who is staying at Megan's...it's Aaron and I, Megan and Joel (and the kids), Mom and Robb, Lani and Dan, Kelli and Chopper (and Lexi). That's all....I think. I got to run to the Canadian grocery store by myself this morning because Aaron's Mom needed ingredients to make creme puffs for breakfast (which is what Megan requested). I wish I would've had more time to look around. Something memorable is that a block of cheese costs $8 in Canada. These poor Canadian people can't truly enjoy cheese if it's too expensive to buy!! Anyway, after we were ALL ready, we headed to the church by 1:30 for the "family pictures" experience. I, of course, was hungry by then, so Aaron and I stopped at Subway for lunch and ate it while the pictures started. By 4:00, the reception started. It started with a little wedding ceremony (though they actually got married at the end of May.) Then Aaron and I sang at the end of the ceremony. I think it went well. People cried so that must've meant it was good...I hope! Then we had dinner (lasagna, chicken fettucine alfredo, caesar salad, rolls, etc..). Then there were the toasts and more special music. After we got to eat wedding pie (instead of cake), we all came home. Megan and Joel got the kids ready for bed, and everyone left in their fancy clothes to do karaoke....even Mom and Robb which I think is hilarious. I've never done karaoke but I'm too much of a perfectionist to probably enjoy it. I wouldn't be able to sing along in a silly way. So, I'm content to sit in a NICE QUIET house and check my e-mail. I'll probably even go to sleep at a normal time. We'll see. Tomorrow, Kayden is getting dedicated at church and I believe Megan and Joel will be opening presents. We head back home to Toledo on Monday morning. Time sure has flown by. I think Aaron is really enjoying the time with his family which makes the whole trip worthwhile!! Thanks for listening! Missy :)

Ottawa weekend

Hi all- Time is fast approaching for our family reunion weekend in Ottawa. We leave tomorrow at 12:30 to drive our 9 hours to Ottawa, Ontario. Aaron's littlest sister (Megan) got married at the beginning of June but is having a wedding reception now in Ottawa. It'll be the first time we get to see Corbin (2 years old) and Kayden (almost 3 months old) which are Megan's kids. The wedding reception will be on Saturday. Almost the whole family will be there...and staying at Megan's house. Aaron's mom and step-dad will be there with their camper/trailer. His younger sister and older sister will both be there with their husbands. We'll just be missing Daniel (Aaron's brother) and his wife, and Aaron's Dad. Aaron and I are singing the duet of "Unforgettable" at the reception. We haven't practiced too much. Aaron prefers to practice alone...which is hard when you're singing a duet. I bet we'll be a big hit and someone will want to give us a record label and we'll become millionaires. :) So...I'm busy preparing (emotionally) and packing for our adventure. We'll drive back on Monday all day and I'll be back to work on Tuesday. It's hard trying to anticipate all of the things that I'm going to miss at work and letting all the kids know that I won't be there for all those days. Well...on that note, I'm back to work. Please pray that we have a safe trip and that our adventure is filled with peace and joy! Thanks, Missy :)

Isn't it ironic

Hi...I know...it's been awhile since I posted. The funny thing is...I really enjoy reading other people's blogs. When I have a free moment, I check to see if they're updated. My sister has a blog which I enjoy reading because it includes silly stories of my nieces, Chloe and Maya. My friend Wendy has a blog where she posts adorable pictures of her adorable 1 1/2 year old little girl. I enjoy reading Craig's blog because it usually involves deep insight into an issue. Heidi's blog has adorable pictures of little Skylar who turned 1 in August. So....I appreciate those of you who update on a regular basis. It's fun for me!!!

Regarding my life, I've been busy with the usual. I didn't have play practice last Saturday?!! so I got to baby sit Maya who is a big 7 months old today. She fell asleep in my arms for her nap so I held her for 40 minutes while I played with her adorable little self. I was stroking her head/the side of her face to help her fall/stay asleep. I was playing with her little chubby legs...her super dark brown hair. She was just precious to hold. Just wait till' I have a baby to hold and cuddle!!

On another note and completely off the subject....
I hate cleaning my house and especially doing dishes. So, I've found something that seems to work for me. Every night at 6:30, Nancy Leigh DeMoss (an awesome Christian speaker/writer) is on WPOS (102.3 FM) for her "Revive our Hearts" radio program. I really love listening to her and I never really get to listen unless I'm in the car on the way to play practice at 6:30, and happen to find it. So, I discovered....if I'm home at 6:30, I drop everything I'm doing, turn the radio on in the kitchen and listen to Nancy Leigh DeMoss from 6:30-7:00. It helps me to not think about what I'm doing (doing the dishes), and be encouraged as well. What's funny is....if it's 6:50 and the dishes are done, I still hang around the kitchen cleaning up so I can listen to the rest of it. The bummer is...if I'm not home at 6:30, then it's likely that the dishes will NOT get done that day, because I don't have my inspiration to do them.

Aaron and I celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday. It was a small little feast (just him and I) because we couldn't afford to invite a lot of people this year. I just bought turkey tenderloins and put them in the slow cooker. I made mashed potatoes (where you literally mash the real potatoes with a potato masher), homemade gravy (made with cornstarch....Aaron likes it made with flour the way his Mom always made them. This Monday though he said that the gravy looked good...wahoo!), corn, stovetop stuffing, and canned cranberry sauce. I volunteered to make an apple or pumpkin pie, but Aaron said he didn't want either. I had made banana chocolate chip bread the night before, so that could serve as a nice dessert. I still have a slew of apples though that I need to use for something.

I taught my last adult ballet class last night. The next session starts in a few weeks. It was enjoyable and a good workout for me as well!

Well...I guess that's all. Thanks for listening and forgive me for not writing sooner! Missy :)