Only 3 more DAYS!!!

My little girl comes home in just 3 days, 16 hours, and 41 minutes...but who's counting? We did find out some good news this last week. We appealed to the financial aid office for special circumstances (due to Ed's job loss) and they granted our petition by awarding Jennifer PELL Grants for each semester she's in college taking at least 12 credit hours. Yeah! I was worried that she wouldn't be able to afford winter term, but the Lord does bless us when we do all that we can do and leave the rest to Him. I'll get to have her home for a total of 10 days. Granted, not much of that time will she actually be here at the house, she has way too many people to go visit. But, I'll get to "tuck her in" each night. I love my baby girl!

Veterans Parade

This year's parade was different than any of the other ones we have participated in in the past. What made it different? It didn't rain!!! Usually we are soaked by the time we are finished and look like drowned rats. The big flag that we carry gets really heavy and the boys get tired real quick. This year the rain held off until later in the day and we finished by noon with lots of energy to spare. The last picture was one that the Columbian newspaper posted on their website of our pack. Aaron got cut out of the picture, as he was just on Kevin's right. Another Mike Wokaski moment.

Halloween

It was an eventful day, since we celebrated on Saturday, October 30th with Trunk-or-Treat at the church in the evening. In the morning we got up early to help make breakfast for the Aaronic Priesthood planning meeting. Then it was off to the county carrot patch to help dig up carrots for the local food bank. By the time we got home we were cold and very muddy. Showers were taken and then we headed down to the church for the fun and games.

On Sunday, when the rest of the world celebrated Halloween we left the house and headed over to the grandparents to visit with them.

Apple Picking

I love this time of year. When we set out for Echo and the apple orchard, it was raining, but by the time we arrived, the rain had stopped. The apples were wet and made my fingers freezing, but Sister Sears lent me a pair of gloves and I was able to harvest lots of apples. Over all I think the group did over 750 gallons of juice! It was so good to see Jacob, who made the trip over from BYU-I. It made me miss my Jennifer even more so. I can't wait to be able to give her a hug myself. Only 24 more days until she is home for the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

One of my favorite things

I think I renewed my love of football from attending the games my daughter cheered. It brought back memories of watching football on television with my dad. While I do enjoy attending a baseball game or two, there is something about watching those boys tackle each other, or make a great catch, followed by a frenzied run into the end zone. Maybe it also has to do with the chill in the air. I don't know, but football is definitely my favorite sport. I wish I could be in Idaho to actually watch Jennifer cheer the football teams in Rexburg. She has promised to send me video of their routines. Check out her blog to see more pictures.

Live and Learn

I didn't know that if I posted a picture on my blog site that it automatically became part of the world-wide-web for time and all eternity. Edward came home today and asked that I remove the pictures of him in his football uniform that we took when he first got his uniform. Evidentally the pictures come up whenever anyone googles Union Titans. How was I to know? I thought the things that I posted here were private. Even though I took the pictures off my blog, they remain out in the internet search engines for all to see. I guess I know now. Sorry Edward.

Union Beats Enumclaw and I lose out

Yesterday the Union Titans beat the football team from Enumclaw Washington 38 to 7. It was a perfect day for football, the sun was shining, but there was a crispness to the air. It would have been a perfect day, but we were missing our Jennifer. Watching a game without her cheering, or in the stands with us, or on the field with the boys just isn't the same. We tried texting her and getting her involved that way, but she is mad at Edward and me and is thus 'giving us the silent treatment.'

I did something really stupid Friday night. I told her that I had to paint her bedroom alone. Friday night was our stake's Father/Son camp out. For the first time I was alone on this occassion. Normally Jennifer and I spend the night redecorating her bedroom which usually involves painting it somehow. Well, Edward is moving into the room and wants to make it his own. Jennifer had painted it Union colors, which Edward wants to keep. She had also painted a Union 'U' on one of the walls. He wanted that also, but when she painted it it was slightly crooked. The lines were all perfectly straight, but not perpendicular to the floor. This bothered Edward so he wanted to repaint it. This simple act sent my daughter into a tail spin to which I apologize. I do hope that she will forgive me and stop giving the entire family the silent treatment. It was not our intention to "wipe away all traces of her" in our house, but to let other people do to their rooms as we have let her do to her's. I guess it is all a part of growing up, when we discover that we no longer have our childhood bedroom to return home to. Growing pains are just that, a pain and they hurt. I am sorry.