Braces Update

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Yup. Got 'em. It was a horrifically traumatic experience that I'd tell you all about, but I don't think my shattered nerves could stand thinking about it :) Actually, it was okay, seeing as how I'm still alive.

This just in...

I just found this linky to an article about Wreaths Across America 2008, in NY Wing.


If you desire to read it, go HERE to read the article, and then I'll tell you the story of the whole morning. Sound cool? Good.

Okay, you back? Here we go. I got up early that morning. Early as in, before seven. AM. I ate my breakfast and grabbed a bag containing my dress blues and several layers to go underneath said dress blues (yeah, did you notice the snow on the ground? Yeah). Then I hopped in the car and Daddy drove me to the Jamestown Airport. Despite the promise of blue sky from weather.com, the sky was cloudy. Depressingly cloudy. It depressed me, but I nevertheless went in to "my" airport (you know you're in the Civil Air Patrol when you have referred to the local airport as "home" before) and had my flight simulator lesson. Flight sims are fun. You fly without getting sick, and you can wreck the plane or fly really horribly and it doesn't matter.

After my flight sim lesson, I strolled past the airport doors, glanced out and saw blue sky. Cheerful blue sky. Can I say "happy" applies here? More like "elated!" Then, while my cadet commander had her flight sim lesson, I read my history book (you know you're in the CAP if you have ever done schoolwork at your local airport) and talked with another cadet. Then, while he had his flight sim lesson, my cadet commander and I changed into our dress blues. Now, because we were on color guard, we couldn't wear our coats over the top (unless they were the specific dress blues coats, which we don't have). So we dressed in Layers. Major Layers. As in, 6 shirts-Layers (wow, say that 10 times fast...). But I was still cold.

At 1100 hours, we loaded up and drove to the Lakeview Cemetery. There, we met the rest of the cadets and senior members, practiced our color guard routine, and had BDU-clad cadets shovel a path to the Soldiers Circle. When the big clock struck 1200, we filed out. Our MC led the ceremony, which was kept short because of the cold. They laid wreaths down, had Taps, and the veterans' color guard fired their guns, three times. When it was over, we filed out. We put our color guard paraphernalia away until next time, and then went to our nice warm houses.

I have a proposition for you, reader: Next December, find out if any CAP unit near you is doing a Wreaths Across America Ceremony, and then show up for it. I know it may be inconvenient, but the veterans you will be honoring had to do much more inconvenient thing. More inconvenient than getting up at 6:51 AM, even. Who knows, you may even get your picture in the paper!

Mil Ball

So anyhow, last night was our Civil Air Patrol group's ball. (Note to those of you who don't know what a group is: Each state [called a "wing" in proper CAP terminology] is further broken down into groups, which is basically like a county. The group is comprised of several squadrons in the area.) It was my very first occasion of its type, with the prom-style dresses and the makeup and the fancy-dancy room and food and the music and dancing, etc. And I enjoyed it, which you should be able to tell by the end of this lengthy post.

I rode up there with my cadet commander, whose parents drove us up because the weather was nasty. We got there fairly early and found our room. Our squadron had 3 tables assigned to it, so we found them and picked our spots. Then we mingled until the dinner and ceremony started at 7, or in proper CAP terminology, 1900. There were some opening things (presenting the colors, an invocation, and introductions of just who in the world was sitting at the head table which I couldn't actually see) before they let us eat. It was a buffet-style meal, and it was good. After the dinner, the real stuff began: sitting through hours of endless, wandering speeches, wondering when it would end and wishing the speaker would just get to the point and quit lying about how he isn't going to take too long as he drones on and on..wait! No, actually, I was impressed (in a very good way, and I say this with all respect) with how short-winded the speakers were. It made me happy that they were able to say what needed to be said quickly and concisely. Go NYWG!

Okay, then it was time for the real, real stuff to happen: cadet awards. One sentence, folks: Jamestown Composite rocked the show. Not to sound proud or anything, but there were 4 squadrons containing cadets (i.e. not just senior member squadrons) there, 7 cadet awards, and we took 4. Our squadron commander also got an award. And a promotion. And then: Group Squadron of the Year was (drumroll, please): Jamestown Composite Squadron!! We all started clapping and screaming because we were so proud of us. I think everyone else clapped too, but I was too excited to notice.

The rest of the evening was picture-taking and dancing/mingling. I took pictures and mingled. So, of course I have to share my pictures with all of you!

This is the room we had. I would estimate there being around 150 people there.

These are the attendees, listening intently (or otherwise; I didn't actually ask them) to whatever the person at the head table is saying.

Yes, the dancing. Motion blur is cool, is it not?

And this is me with my squadron. I'm on the left, right in front of the aforementioned cadet commander, who on this evening was awarded Cadet of the Year and her Earhart Award. (I put that in there to embarrass her, because she just found my blog and I imagine she'll be back.) (But hopefully next time she comes she'll leave us a comment. (Right, Captain?)

Wow!

Did you know that December 28 was our blog's first birthday? I have been thinking that it was around here sometime, but I thought it was still coming up. Now, it has been my experience that when other blogs have birthdays, their masters/mistresses force the readers of said blog to comment, and generally the comment itself involves revealing a humiliating fact about yourself (such as shoe size, or color of toothbrush). In matters of blogging, I really must admit that I know very little about the appropriate way to celebrate a blog birthday, and so must follow the status quo. Therefore...

Whereas, I now doth announce and celebrate the one-year birthday of my blog (which was a couple days ago, but who careth?), and

Whereas, Other blogs request readers to comment on blog birthdays, and

Whereas, I would like more comments Whereas, I think it soundeth like a good idea; Therefore,

Resolved, That all who read this must comment, and also must tell me which half of the grapefruit they like the best.

So there.

Erika

Because she's always on the other side of the camera, you almost never see pictures of her! So, as her conniving loving older sister, I've decided to embarrass surprise her by posting some lovely pictures I took of her at the restaurant last Wednesday.

So, this is [drum roll, please] the many faces of Erika:

"Wait, I wasn't ready!"

"Give me back my camera!!!"

Jessica's 18 Birthday

December 28 marked that historic day in which Jessica turned 18 years of age. She was embarrassed twice: once in church where it was announced to the assembled congregation, and once at Bob Evan's where we ran into (figuratively speaking, I assure you) an elderly acquaintance who guessed Jessica's age at 16. In fact, the title of this post could also be called "Our Lunch On December 31 At Bob Evan's Celebrating Jessica's Eighteenth Birthday" but that is rather long, I think. (The elf that lives inside the computer whose sole job it is to write blog titles assured me that is was indeed rather long.)

We took Grandpa and loaded up and headed down town. We had called ahead (with a party of 11, it is a always a good idea, you know), so they were expecting us and pushed together 3 or 4 tables so we could all be cozy while we wolfed down our meal. The longest part of any going out to eat occasion is the preparation and arrival of the food, but the second longest is the choosing of said food.



My food finally came, and I alternated between taking pictures and actually eating.



Jessica: "You are not getting any pictures of me...are you?" (Said in the same tone of voice one would use to say "You're not going to walk into that rapidly revolving airplane propeller, are you?" Or to a small child "You're not going to pitch a fit here, are you?" [while brandishing a pitchfork or similar item.]

Katrina loved her food. She gets excited or upset over very small things, such as small pink plastic turtles named Harvey (different story).


We all enjoyed our food,

and the service was good. Waitresses (and I say this with all respect) have this almost-psychic ability to ask you if everything's fine when everything is and you don't want an interruption, and then to manage to vanish if, for example, your entire Smiley Sundae has just landed head-first on the carpet. Not that happened; just using that particular example as, well, an example.

After our Pecan Pie, we paid our bill, left a gigantic tip (seriously, next time we walk in, all the waitresses are going to want us) and left.

2008: A Year in Review

We’d like to give you a brief overview of what we've each been into this year:

David (Dad) has just reached the 2-year milestone of employment at Cliffstar Corporation (a juice plant). On the side, he enjoys working at home with our animals—a milk cow, heifer, and two bull calves. He also enjoys singing in the choir at our church. (Stockton Community Church)

Kay (Mom) continues to homeschool the children. She is still working with the AWANA program at our church. This year she became involved with the Literacy Volunteers of Chautauqua County. Kay is also doing some reading tutoring.

Jess is 17—almost 18—and a senior in high school. She is still interested and involved in politics, and continues to play the piano, and sings in the choir at church. Erika is 16 and a junior. She is currently a cadet master sergeant in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), and enjoys it immensely. She continues to be involved in AWANA, and also enjoys photography. Erika helps with the sound system at church as well.
Annetta is 13 and in 7th grade. She has a rabbit, named Watermelon.
Annetta likes reading, playing violin, drawing, and playing outside,
and is in AWANA. She helps run the video camera at church, too.

Lydia is 11 and in 6th grade. Her interests include AWANA,
making snow horses (not to be confused with snowmen!),
and playing outside and on the computer. Hosanna is 9 years old, and in 4th grade. She likes playing
Indian, and playing with the cats. She also plays the violin. Joanna is 7 and in 2nd grade. She wanted everyone to know
that she lost three teeth this year! She is a Sparky in AWANA,
and loves to read. Joshua is 4. He is a Cubbie in AWANA, and is a very energetic
kiddo. He likes taking Katrina outside, and “doing school.”

Katrina is 2, and very enthusiastic about life.
She likes talking and eating. Believe it or not,
she is also in AWANA as a Cubbie.
Here are some of the highlights of our year:

In January, Jessica had the opportunity to go to Washington, DC with some friends for the March for Life. It was freezing cold, but very worthwhile!

In February, David and Erika went to Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station for Cadet Leadership School (part of CAP). It was a weekend event, and a great experience.

We enjoyed a visit from Kay’s family from Florida in early April.

On April 30th, Jess passed the road test to get her driver’s license, much to her satisfaction.

In May, Jessica completed her internship by giving a presentation to the Legislature.

Also that month, the family took a 3-day camping trip to Allegany State Park.

In July, Annetta, Lydia, Hosanna, and Joanna started taking horse-riding lessons again. They continued taking lessons throughout the summer, and loved it.

From August 1-3, Erika, with her CAP squadron, helped with Jamestown Airport’s SkyFest. She enjoyed seeing all the airplanes, directing parking, and sleeping overnight there twice, despite several storms.

Jessica began interning at the Board of Elections in August as well.

In October and December, our church’s puppet ministry (which included Annetta, Lydia, Hosanna, and Joanna) put on puppet shows. The kids had a blast with it, and did a great job.

In October, Kay and Jessica flew to Tennessee to help campaign for a state senate candidate. Kay was there for a week, and Jess flew home ten days later. They had a great time!

Three of the girls participated in a recital in November; Jessica on piano, and Annetta and Hosanna on violin.

Also in November, Kay’s grandfather, Leo Olson passed away. Many friends and family attended his funeral service. He is missed.

Kay, Erika, Annetta, and Lydia flew down to Florida for Thanksgiving with the family down there. They enjoyed the warmer weather and time with family.

And that's just about it for our summary of 2008!

The soldier in the picture is my cousin, who is a medic in the Army, and is currently in Iraq.

(*Please note, photo copyright by myself. Click on the picture to enlarge it*)

Do you want to know what we did last night?

Are you sure?

Really sure?

Good. Read on...

It was our church's Christmas Talent Tea, in which various people in our church sing/play instruments/give readings in front of an audience. This unfortunately included yours truly, who had to sing a song with her sisters. But that's not all I was *supposed* to do. I was nonchalantly going about the church when Jessica found me, and shoved a program sheet under my nose, or in that general vicinity. It said, very plainly: "Ericka: Clarinet." Two things: My name is SPELLED WITH A K!!!!!! And I DO NOT PLAY CLARINET!!!! So, I am now wondering who it was who called Katie and told her that I was going to play clarinet (and that my name was spelled with a ck), why they did it, why they hate me so much, and, worse, what they are going to do next. Or, if perhaps, it was, as Katie said, a simple mistake. I prefer to think the former because it's more fun.

But that still wasn't all.

I had my camera.

Hence, pictures. But I must inform you here and now that these pictures include blur. The reason is, my subjects did not stay still for the entire time the camera shutter was open. Hence, blur. Yes, I could have used my flash and avoided some of it, but it is a common courtesy to not use flash when others are performing. I think all manner of evil towards people who use their flash while taking pictures of me while I'm performing, and try to avoid it myself. (Okay, so not all manner of evil, but you get the idea.)

This is the choir, singing merrily away. Jessica is, of course, second from the left, and Daddy is seventh from the left.

And this is Jessica, playing piano, but I'm sure you already figured that out.

Annetta and Hosanna did a violin duet.

This is a picture of us singing "Welcome to Our World."

These last two pictures are for a friend (you know who you are, and make sure you leave a comment!) Blurry, see?
Not blurry, see? (told you so)

Now...see where it says "0 comments"? Yeah...click on that and do what it says. Please?!

Puppet Show Time!

For roughly one month our church's puppet team, under the supervision of a lady in our church named Betty, has been working on a Christmas puppet show. The show was Sunday evening, the cumulation of many hours of practice. This was their second show, and they did a great job! Annetta, Lydia, Hosanna, and Joanna were all a part of it. My part was rather last-minute. I had been thinking that I would be doing the sound system, but our pastor does a better job than I do, and as it was an evening thing, he wasn't needed to speak or anything. I ended up videotaping it, while trying to also take pictures. A friend of ours, JC, went with us, so we all loaded into our van and headed down church. We had to get there early because they needed to do some last minute practicing and setting up. Plus, I needed to set up the video camera, and Annetta needed to show me how the camera worked. The attendees started arriving, and the men had to keep setting up more and more chairs. My guess would be there were about 100-ish people there (including puppeteers and so forth).

The puppet team came out, and went up to the stage. The narrator started narrating, the camera started taping, and the show was on. They had 10 different songs that they did. There was a CD with all the songs on it which the pastor played at the appropriate time. The kids would act and/or "talk" their puppets throughout it. The choir also came out and sang a couple songs. Afterwards, there were yummy refreshments and nice fellowship.

Below: the stage
The narrator is on the far left, and the puppets are going in full force!


This is the puppet team (minus the puppet director...how could I have not gotten her in?!) and the choir. Puppet people on top, choir below. Also, in a move attempting to garner comments, I am offering 10 points to anyone who can name (in the order, left to right, that they appear) the 6 members of my family who are in the below picture. Also, a bonus if you can find Josh.

And I'm back again!

As I'm sure you have surmised by now, we got back to the Igloo State from the Sunshine State on Wednesday. I think. I'm starting to feel more normal now...it's like having jet lag without the lag, I guess. Our flight came in a bit early, and Daddy had just walked around the corner when we came walking down the ramp into the main part of the airport. So it was different, waking up in Florida, getting on a plane and looking down at green grass, and then landing in a snowy environment. Highlights of my trip include (but are not limited to):

* Touching an armadillo (they live in the wild in northern FL)
*Holding and being bit by a small, harmless lizzard
*Taking bad pictures of Uncle Victor
*Being bereft of my logical thinking faculties long enough to agree to ride upon a horse, which was not equipped with standard equipment, such as a comfortable saddle, safety belts; and both Horse and Trail Guide were also (and I say this with utmost respect and sincerety) crazy
*Seeing no fewer than 7 alligators
*Thanksgiving Dinner
*Having other people do my laundry
*Wearing my manatee socks in the JFK airport terminal, in full view of any passers-by, a very fulfilling experience
*And so on.

I took a lot of pictures, and will hopefully be sharing those with you at a later date, but for now, I needed to get a FL Trip Wrap-Up Post done, so as to give me liberty to post more, exciting news (that last comma is optional).

I think we're going to make it!!

Once again, this is Jess, coming to you live (well, I'm partially alive, anyhow) from New York.

Well, seeing as the travelers will be flying home tomorrow (and it's about TIME!!!), this is my wrap-up post. Daddy will be going to pick them up at the airport, although there is some confusion as to when this will occur, due to the fact that someone gave me the numbers in military time! I mean, 14:19??

I attempted to compile a list of things I've learned while they were away. Here are a few:

-Josh does not know where his socks are. Ever.
-It is possible to eat cold cereal for breakfast every morning.
-Grape juice is attracted to clothing.
-It's not a good idea to give Katrina water before bedtime.
-Joanna does not bathe unless you tell her to. (You don't want to know how long it took me to learn that....)
-If you forget to put the kids to bed, they will still be up at 10:30, or whenever you remember them.
-Shout does not take dry erase marker out of clothing. Actually, it would appear that nothing does.
-It's virtually impossible to keep the house clean.
-And moms are pretty much amazing, especially mine. She makes it look easy!

We're all going to be really glad to see the travelers back home. But I know all the kids will be especially glad to see their mother--I know I'm a poor substitute. In fact, I feel kind of like a politician whose ratings are dropping. I think I'm down into the negative numbers with Josh right now. To give you an idea what he thinks of me, this is a picture that he drew of me:

Flattering, isn't it?! He also drew a picture of himself, and when I asked him about it, he said, "That's me, after you chopped my head off." Now WHERE did he get that idea from?? Do I seem like the type of person that would do something like that? It is obvious that he didn't draw a neck on this particular self-portrait, but--for the record--it's not my fault!!
So, here it is almost the last day, and I am still sane (as if I ever was!) and alive.

But don't start thinking there weren't some close calls! Remember, there were four little Indians running around the house (complete with bows and arrows looking suspiciously like clothes hangers and pencils). I was held at what I suppose would be called arrow-point several times, and nearly lost my life as a result. [Just kidding]

Hmm...would that be referred to as KIA?

(Picture of Indian by Hosanna)