JA BizTown

Each year the 6th grade takes a field trip to JA BizTown.  It is the cumulation of a trimester long class.  I have been the lead teacher for it these past two years and I am ready to hand off that duty.  I really like teaching the class and the students thoroughly enjoy interviewing for their jobs, working in the businesses and doing a little shopping at BizTown.  In saying that, however, it is a lot of work.  We have to prove our students have worked twelve hours in the course.  We have to plan a schedule for lessons, set up interviewers, assign positions in businesses and coordinate the buses and lunch for the day of the event.  Our trip to BizTown is a eight hour commitment, one filled with organizational issues and more questions than answers.  Overall, today went well.  Thankfully, this is the last one for me.  Maybe it is because I know that I am leaving or maybe because this class is the largest we have taken in awhile.  Either way I was completely relieved when I walked off the bus at the end of the day.

Truly a Day of Rest

Doug and I ran to Bethany last night at 1:40 a.m.  Meg's friend Alister had an after party for their class and she had wanted to attend.  We told her that we wanted to pick her up so we didn't have to worry about anyone driving her home exhausted.  Meg talked all the way home about what a wonderful time she had.  I was so happy for her.

Doug woke Cam up at 11 a.m. and Meg at noon.  Both were thankful to sleep in.  I tried to rest as much as possible today as I was absolutely exhausted from their adventures.  Doug and I did find time to run to Kohl's.  He had $80 in Kohl's cash that expired today.  Cam went golfing with my Mom and Dad.  He was rested enough to play 27 holes this afternoon.  Meg spent most of her time working on homework and FaceTiming Jackie.  They had a lot to talk about with all of the prom activities.  We had dinner at home tonight which was nice and quiet.  Doug and I spent the rest of the night watching Shutter Island.  It was a lot better than I expected and a great way to end a wonderful weekend.

PROM 2018

Today was a long one for the Heinisch family in Syracuse.  It started for Doug at 4:30 a.m. when he got up for an inventory.  I was up next to pick up Cam at his lock-in.  It was as much fun as he had expected with only the talent show being deleted from his list of activities due to an insufficient number of participants.  He was actually relieved when he heard that.  Cam stopped at home for a short period of time to eat and shower before going to part 2 of The Theology of the Body class for religious education.  I felt bad dropping him off as he only had four hours of sleep, but the class was required and it would allow him to miss Meg getting ready for PROM and cleaning the pigs.

I headed back to Bethany after I dropped Cam off.  Meg had a match against Goshen.  Doug finished his inventory early, so he was able to join me.  It was a cold, windy morning, but Meg played extremely well.  She finished her opponent off well before 11:30 a.m.  KP came to watch her and Mariah play which Meg really appreciated.  We did too as she was an enthusiastic spectator.  Meg's tennis coach let her leave early to get ready for Prom, which made our afternoon a lot easier.

Lunch went well as did painting Meg's toenails.  We got ready to do her hair and I panicked.  Meg has a lot of hair and I had a hard time curling it.  We talked about a lot of different options, but Meg felt most comfortable running out to Izzy's to have the girls try curling it.  She was happy with the results and was back by the time Jess arrived at 3 p.m. to do her make-up.  Jess did a fantastic job with her.  She let Meg pick the colors and the amount of color she wanted.  Once she got done, Jess offered to curl her hair again.  She added in some twists and bobby pins as well and once Meg put on her Prom dress we all thought that she looked beautiful.  We were thankful to Jess and she said that she was glad to do it.

Meg had enough time to get on her jewelry and shoes before Liam and his family arrived.  He brought her a beautiful corsage that matcher her dress perfectly.  Meg learned how to put on a boutonniere and we were all then ready for pictures.  We took several at the fireplace, outside on the deck and in the lot.  The pictures looked great.  Liam's parents left after that and we followed Meg and Liam to Izzy's for group pictures.  There were four girls and three guys from the junior class at Izzy's to take pictures.  The girls looked wonderful.  I had a lot of fun taking the photos.  It was great to see Meg interact with everyone.  She has met a fantastic group of friends this year and it was one more time that I was so very thankful that she transferred to Bethany.

Doug and I left the group around 6 p.m.  They were all ready to be done with pictures and anxious for their limo to arrive.  We dropped Liam's car off for him at Bethany.  He and Meg would pick it up after Prom.  Doug made reservations at Kelly Jae's for the two of us.  I was finally able to relax.  I was so nervous about everything going well today that I was extremely anxious.  Dinner was delicious as always and as an added bonus we got to see HM get out of her limo with her friends as they had reservations at Kelly Jae's as well.  Thankfully, we couldn't embarrass her as we were in the bar seating area.  She did look very beautiful as well.

When we got home Cam was playing Fortnite.  Dad had picked him up from his church class.  He said that it went well, just long.  He fell asleep at our house for an hour, but was feeling better after that.  Doug made cookies for us which we enjoyed before heading to bed early.  It had been a long day, but a wonderful one as well.

Middle School Lock In

Tonight was the middle school lock in for Cameron.  He had been looking forward to it all year as it has always been a night of fun complete with ping pong tournaments, a dance and much more.  He didn't leave school until close to five.  They had open courts after school and Cam had fun playing against his friends.  We stopped to buy snacks for the night on the way home.  The boys were in charge of that this year.   Once we got back he had just enough time to pack what he wanted to take, play some Fortnite and eat dinner before Doug got home from Meg's match.

Doug rode with us to take Cam to Bethany.  It was fun listening to him talk about his plans for the night.  After we dropped him off Doug and I went to dinner in downtown Goshen at Constant Springs.  We hadn't been there in quite some time and it was better than I remembered.  Doug filled me in on Meg's match tonight at South Bend Clay.  Since I had to get Cam ready he went alone.  Jeannette, Mike and Joshua were able to meet him there and watch Meg play as well.  She was super excited when she heard that they would be there.  Meg won easily.  Doug said that her opponent couldn't move at all. She had some nice shots and could hit the ball hard, but Meg was able to beat her with drop shots.  When I talked to her later, she said that she was happy with the win and glad to visit with the Pancoasts.  She celebrated by going with a friends to get ice cream afterward.

It's Official

Today my position came across our corporation email asking for those interested to apply.  I was surprised to see it so quickly, as I thought the school board had to approve it first.  I was glad that I had already told my students.  I have several that have teachers for parents, and I was worried that they would find out from someone else besides me.  My students were surprised.  We had just made videos for incoming 6th grade parent night that introduced me as the math teacher.  They had a lot of questions and many were sad that I was leaving.  I reminded them that I wouldn't have been their teacher next year anyhow and as I had lots of friends still teaching at school I would visit form time to time.  That seemed to help.

After the email, I felt bad that I hadn't been able to tell everyone that I wanted to about my resignation, especially Mr Voirol.  I have enjoyed having a room next to his.  He always had a story to share, most which ended in laughter.  I regretted that I had told the team that we have to work with.  They just stared at me.  No one asked me questions or said much or anything.  It was awkward and uncomfortable.  I guess that explains our meetings over these past two years.  

The Days Are Getting Longer

What a tough day it was today.  All of the progress that we have made this year in the classroom felt for nothing today.  It was one challenge after another.  This wasn't the first time that I had felt this way this year, but I sure hoped it was the last.  I will have to start taking it one day at a time, one class as a time.  Otherwise I will struggle to make it to the end.  Twenty-six days - that's all that I have left. Knowing that I already made it 154 will help me get through.  Several teachers have talked about "finishing strong".  I have to be honest, my goal is to finish one step ahead of my students.

Pizza Duty

Tonight we were in charge of the meal for the tennis girls.  The Leiningers split the duty with us.  Valerie and I decided that the best plan of action was for us to order pizza and bring the dessert, and for her to provide a salad, chips and all of the paper products.  It worked well.  Mom made cupcakes for the team and Doug ordered Papa Johns.  Since it was for a school function, Papa John's gave Doug a fantastic deal and even delivered the pizzas for us.

The match was against Mishawaka Marian - a tougher opponent than they had last week.  Meg's girl was a hard hitter.  Meg, however, wore her down with her consistency returning everything the girl hit at her.  By the time Doug had to leave for his church meeting at 6, Meg had won her first set 6-2 and was on her way to win the second as well.  Meg was proud of how she played and thankful for the pizza.  At the beginning of the season Meg wasn't sure how she felt about playing number two singles, but now that she has multiple wins and no losses under her belt, she has enjoyed it.

Letter of Resignation

Once Doug was offered his new position we decided that it was time for me to resign.  We had talked about it all year.  We were ninety percent sure that I would not be returning for the next school year, but wanted to take time to come to an absolute decision.  I met with Cindy in March to let her know that I definitely would not be available to teach full time next year.  She and I discussed several potential part time positions, but in the end Doug and I thought that the best decision that we could make for my health and for our family was for me to resign completely.

I was relieved once I wrote the letter.  It was a big decision and one that I did not take lightly.  I know in my heart that it was the right decision.  This year had been a challenging one.  With large class sizes to go along with all of the everyday teacher workload, I had been coming home exhausted every day.  This year it had been hard to get much done around the house and on days that we had a Heinisch child commitment after school I was completely wiped out.  I am excited for our family.  With Doug's change in jobs and my ability to stay home, it should be a great year!

Fantastic News

About two months ago Doug decided that it was time to look for a new position.  He enjoyed working at Renegade and got along with well with his boss and those he worked with, but felt his chance to advance was uncertain.  He wasn't looking for a change when the company was bought a year ago, but several items had arisen that gave him good reason to test the waters in the job market.  Within a week of making this decision he heard from two different recruiters both looking for a CFO in our area.  He was more than interested.

Over the past six weeks Doug had interviewed with both companies multiple times.  The company that he was most interested in proved to be the one with the most interest in him as well.  He met with recruiters, partners of the equity firm and twice with the CEO.  On Friday morning he had his final meeting and was offered a fantastic position with a medical manufacturer as a CFO.  Not only would it be a promotion from his current position it would also mean an increase in his salary with opportunities for growth that would greatly benefit our entire family.  When he called to tell me, he was elated.  He said that it was his "dream position."  I was thrilled for him.  I cannot imagine a harder working employee than Doug.  I know that he will thrive in his new environment.

A Weekend Visit

Carl and Marina were here for the weekend to visit.  We had't seen them since October when they came out to see everyone before they left for Florida.  Doug made lunch for them and my parents.  They talked a lot about their place in Lake Placid and seemed to really enjoy their winter there. After lunch they left to go back to the hotel.  Doug and I ran into school as I needed him to help me with a couple of items.  Meg met Jackie at Bethany.  They went to Culver's before coming back to Syracuse.  Cam spent the afternoon playing golf with my Dad.  He was pleased with his round.

Tonight we went to Oakwood for dinner.  It was a good choice after we found out that Antonio's was booked and Bella Vitale was closed.  The service was slow, but the food was pretty good.  We enjoyed listening to Jackie and Meg talk about life in high school.  After dinner Meg's friend Philip came over as well.  The three of them went ding dong ditching and sang karaoke.  Carl and Marina headed back to Brook Pointe Inn around 8:30.  Doug and I watched Gladiator.  I hadn't seen it all the way through in quite some time.  It was as good as I remembered.

FryDay

Today was a busy one for the Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors of Bethany Christian High School. They spent the entire day getting ready for the fish fry.  Some had to work in the pie room while others breaded fish.  Meg and Jackie helped with the breading.  Meg took one t-shirt and they traded off when they were working.  That way only one shirt had to smell like fish.  Overall the breading part went better than I would have expected.  Meg said that the only bad part was how cold her hands became.

Because of the fish fry Cameron got out at 2:30.  He had plans to spend the night at Avery's.  He, Joey, Chip and Avery had organized a band and wanted to practice their debut song "Otherside" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Cam came home and packed for Avery's while I got ready to pick up my parents for the fish fry.  Cam needed to be there at 5:30 and pulled up just as Avery's family arrived.  Cam took off with his friends and Mom, Dad and I headed to the line to get into the gym.  We enjoyed reading the trivia questions along the way and caught up with Vicky, Jess and her children.

Dinner was delicious and we all had plenty to eat.  Both Meg and Jackie came over to say hello.  Doug was working hard to clear tables, but I did get to check in with him before I left the gym.  He and I were both impressed with how well the students worked and how organized the event was.  I had extra tickets so we picked up five orders to go on our way out.  Doug's Dad and Marina arrived after us.  That was a great idea as there was no line at that point in the evening.  He and Meg were also less busy, so they could visit with them longer.

Doug's feet were killing him when he got home, but he did enjoy helping at Bethany.  Meg went with the junior class to Culver's afterward.  I thought that was funny as she hates fish and refused to eat at the fish fry, but yet she went to a place famous for fish after it.  She was home by 11 p.m. and happy to announce that she was sleeping in tomorrow.

A Busy Day

Cam had another orthodontist appointment this afternoon.  We had to be there twenty minutes early because his spacer fell out.  That was no problem.  Instead of eating at school with the extra time Cam and I enjoyed Arby's instead.  The one part of getting braces that feels odd to me was that the parents had to sit in the room with their child while he or she was being treated along with all of the other parents and children.  It was awkward, but at least we got the information from his visit immediately.  Cam's teeth hurt today, but overall it wasn't too bad.  He goes back on the 30th of April to have his expander cemented in place.  Doug will take him to that appointment as I have a field trip that day.  Doug will also be the one who will be turning the expander, so it makes more sense for him to go.  That way they can show him the process.

After the orthodontist Cam and I stopped at Shoe Carnival.  He had texted me earlier in the day to tell me that he needed new Nikes.  He just couldn't get his Hyper Dunks to fit anymore.  I also needed a new pair of tennis shoes for walking this summer.  Thankfully, we both found something we liked and were able to use their buy one get one half off sale.  Cam was pleased to report that he had gone from an 8 and 1/2 to a 10!  From the shoe store we ran home to get his tennis racket for practice and a portable charger for Meg.  I dropped him off at school and then went grocery shopping.  I found a sheet cake for the fish fry tomorrow and several other items that we needed as well.  Meg had her make up match tonight.  She didn't have to work too hard to win, but she stayed focused and put her opponent away quickly.  Cam met us at the match.  His practice went well and he was happy to see that Meg wouldn't have one of her marathon matches insuring that we would all be home before dark.

Fish Fry Set Up

Meg did not have practice tonight as she had to set up for the junior class fish fry.  This is a huge  fundraiser for her class and a big commitment as well.  They have to sell $605 in tickets each or pay for half of the tickets that they do not sell.  We have to provide nine pies and a sheet cake for the event as well.

So far it has gone a lot better than we had first thought.  Meg has worked hard to sell tickets and it looks like we will only have to come up with $105.  Mr. Kauffman offered to order pies for parents from a local bakery at a reduced price.  We took him up on it, especially since they will even deliver the desserts on Fryday.  All we have left to do is buy one sheet cake and we will have fulfilled all of Meg's commitments.  I know that the day of the fish fry will be a lot of work, but I am confident that Meg will have fun along the way.

There's Always a Group

It is the same everywhere.  In every high school, small town, or workplace there is a group that makes it their business to know everyone else's.  It amazes me that they can find the time to even care what is going on in other's lives.  I can barely keep up with my own family let alone what is happening in anyone else's.  

In my opinion this group tends to not only be gossipy, but at times fake.  They seem to take people into their confidence only to use it against them later.  No secret is safe, and if at any time a person tries to differ from the group in action or make a new set of friends, there is no limit to their vengeance. In getting older it is a lot easier to ignore their nonsense and realize what it usually stems from - jealousy and insecurity.  I actually tend to feel sorry for those who spend their life trying to hurt others in the hope of feeling better themselves.  It never works.  The earlier they figure that out they better they will feel about their own lives.  Unfortunately, many never are able to do this and spend their entire life spouting hate on the outside while feeling miserable inside.  

A Forty Minute Match

Tonight Meg had a match at Mishawaka.  Doug and I both drove up to watch.  It was a chilly one, but they got it in without any weather changes.  Meg played very well beating her opponent in forty minutes with Meg winning at love in both sets.  Her team also did well winning each court on Varsity.  As they were down a few girls because of a choir commitment, it was a nice victory for Bethany.  Meg just keeps improving with each match.  Her consistency is impressive as is her ball placement this year.  She has started the season well.  It has been a lot of fun watching her.

A Day of Rest

Today was a great day to rest.  It had been a long week and we were all ready for a break.  Meg used the time to catch up on homework and hang out with friends.  Cam was glad to play some Fortnite.  I finished the laundry and did some schoolwork.  Doug was busy with work items as well.  Doug made a nice spaghetti dinner for everyone.  Afterward we watched "All the Money in the World" about the kidnapping of J. Paul Getty's grandson.  It was very good and a great way to end a relaxing day.

The Winter That Will Never End

Today's weather was just awful.  It rained almost all morning and the temperature never reached above 40 degrees.  Unfortunately, Meg had PROM work day and spent the majority of it outside mulching and weeding.  It was pretty cold, but she did help out and was home by 2:30 to warm up.  Cam also had an all day commitment, but at least he was inside.  His religious education group had a theology of the body class that was required for all of those being confirmed next year.  I was worried that he would find it extremely boring, but overall he felt it went pretty well.

Cal came home late last night.  He spent the morning at my parents visiting with them and the rest of the afternoon with Hannah-Marie.  We took everyone out to dinner once they got home.  The restaurant of choice was Buffalo Wild Wings.  We hadn't been there in awhile and overall everyone enjoyed their meal.  Doug made his famous cookies once we got back and we settled in for a quiet evening at home.

Tennis and More Tennis

Last night Meg had a match against West Noble.  Meg played very well at number two singles.  Her opponent stuck with her in the first set making it an interesting match to start.   I believe that Meg wore her out in the first set as Meg was the dominant winning at love in the second.  Meg's court once again gave Bethany the win at 3-2.

Tonight's match was an easy win for Meg.  I was not sure that she even broke a sweat.  She said that she was uncomfortable playing her opponent as it wasn't an even match.  Meg would just slice it over and her Prairie Heights wouldn't be able to get to the net in time to get a racquet on it.  The good news was that she won and it was over quickly.  The team also was victorious starting their season at 4-0.  Last year they only won three matches, so they were pretty excited with their new record.

Braces - Here We Come!

I took this afternoon off to take Cameron to the orthodontist.  He had been complaining that his bottom teeth were bothering him and two of them had turned.  The dentist agreed that Cam's mouth was too crowded which pushed his bottom teeth forward.  Several of them had twisted as well.  He has always had a slightly crooked front tooth since Avery knocked out his baby tooth with a wiffleball bat.

The orthodontist did a very thorough exam which included 4-D imaging and complete mouth x-rays.  It was a little creepy to see these pictures, but they definitely showed his problem areas.  My favorite image was seeing the front of his mouth from the back of the throat.  That was a view I had never seen before on anyone.  Cam liked the mouth piece that he had to use.  It made him feel as though he was playing Speak Out.

The orthodontist started work today putting spacers in between his back molars.  This will allow room for an expander on the roof of his mouth.  He said that it hurt, but not too unbearable.  He won't be able to chew gum or have sticky candy for the next twenty-two months.  Pretty soon he will have to eliminate popcorn as well.  Cam didn't seem to mind.  He was ready to get the process started.

No Evening Commitments

We did not have anything scheduled for this evening which was a nice midweek break.  Our schedule is usually packed, so it was nice to have a quiet night to do with what we pleased.  Meg and Cam decided to go to Grandma's for dinner after her practice.  Cam would have preferred to play golf, but the weather has been too cold and dreary.  Meg had practice indoors which has been the norm lately.  That was why we were so impressed with her win last night.  She really hasn't been able to get on the court since she her lessons at the Warsaw Racquet Club ended in the middle of March.  Doug and I took advantage of our free time by going out to dinner.  He has been very busy with work lately.  It was nice to catch up before our nights become crazy again.

A Great Start to the Season

Tonight was Meg's first tennis match as a Bethany Bruin.  Meg played number two singles and found a challenging opponent at Central Noble.  She started off slow, and for the first couple of games, I thought that Meg would lose big.  She got it together, however, and soon found herself on top 6-4 at the end of the first set.  Meg's opponent's frustration showed during the first set and it only increased during the second.  Her unsportsmanlike behavior was apparent as she hit balls back to Meg as hard as she could in between points.  She complained nonstop and constantly questioned the score or the calls.  Her attitude threw Meg off for awhile and ending up costing her the second set 2-6.

I was bummed for Meg that she had to play a third set.  It was extremely cold this evening dipping below 40 degrees with a constant wind.  Doug was a trouper and sat outside to watch all three sets.  Mom, Dad and I pulled up beside the basketball courts and watched the last two sets from the van.  Cam finally joined us for the third.  Thankfully, Meg held on tight for the third set and did her best to ignore her opponents behavior.  She quickly found herself up 3-0.  The girl did win a couple of games, but in the end Meg was the victor 6-2.  The match took about two hours and forty minutes.  Meg's win gave the girls their first victory of the year and Meg's first time defeating Central Noble.  What a fantastic start to her Bethany debut.

One Long Monday

Just like any Monday after a long vacation, it was challenging to go back to school.  It was made a lot harder by the fact that we had a three hour training session first thing this morning.  I know that the material was valuable for the start of next year.  I wasn't, however, prepared to sit and listen to a presenter or do team building activities on the first day back after break.

As long as the morning felt, without prep time the afternoon felt even longer.  Tomorrow was the scheduled end to the midterm and I had students who needed to complete work today.  It was hard to get everyone focused.  We did our best and by the time I got home I was ready for bed.  I was very thankful that we came home on Saturday and that I had yesterday to put all of our laundry away and pick up the house.  I know that there are only 38 more days left of the school year, but after today it feels like much more.

LAUNDRY

Last week Meg, Cam and Brett found this wall hanging while we were shopping in Nashville.  They thought it was perfect for me as they know that I spend a lot of time in our laundry room.  It made me smile when I put it up today.  It's not that I enjoy doing laundry.   It is just the one chore that I am particular enough about that I don't like anyone else doing it.  I remember Syl telling me that I would regret putting my laundry room in the closet of my bedroom.  I knew he was wrong.  It has worked out extremely well.  If we had kept the laundry room in the basement I would never see Doug, Brett, Cal, Meg and Cam.  I also like having the bed to fold and sort the clothes on.  I have watched many television series over the past few years this way and when I do not have anything new to watch, I pull out my standbys - Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, etc. 

Today was definitely one of those days that the sign above was most appropriate.  With Spring Break being split into two different vacations - first Bloomington and then Orlando - there was quite a bit of laundry to get done.  I also had to unpack the suitcases.  It took me the majority of the day and by the end I was completely exhausted.  It was satisfying to know, however, we will have clean clothes for the week!

Home

We all slept in this morning.  It felt nice to relax at Brett's and catch up on some sleep.  My left ear took longer than normal to unplug after the flight last night.  It's been awhile since flying has bothered my ears.  It did eventually clear up.  Cal came over around 11:15 a.m. to go to lunch with us.  We wanted to eat at Samira which was an Afghanistan restaurant near the courthouse that we hadn't tried before.  Unfortunately, it was closed this afternoon.  Instead we went to the Italian restaurant next door.  We were their first customers of the day.  The food was delicious and we enjoyed the conversation around the table.  Meg, Cam and I told Brett and Cal about all of our favorite parts of Universal Studios.  I would like to take them at some point as I know they would enjoy Krustyland and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  

Once lunch was over we dropped Cal off at the rec center so he could work out.  Brett wanted to go to the Union, so we left from there.  It was great that we could stay with Brett last night.  It was so much easier to drive to Bloomington in an hour than to make the three hour trek home at 1 a.m.  It was also very nice to see the boys one more time before they get busy with finals.  

The drive back was a smooth one.  We unpacked the van as soon as we got back.  Meg wanted to rest for a little bit before she met Jackie for dinner at Steak N Shake.  Cam headed straight for the PS4.  He was surprised to find several of his friends online already playing.  I put a load of laundry in as soon as we got everything in the house.  Doug wanted to go to dinner in town.  That made for a wonderful evening as we hadn't been alone together since Monday.  I was completely wiped out when we got home and headed to bed early.  It was sad to know that our trip was over, but I was happy to sleep in my own bed this evening.  

Late Night Flight

We slept in this morning as we knew that we had a late night flight out of Orlando to Indy.  We had just enough time to pack and get our luggage to the concierge before our 11 a.m. check out time.  When I printed our boarding passes I noticed that our flight had already been delayed an hour.  I was worried as we were the last flight to Indy for the day.  I knew that it would be pretty late for Doug to pick us up, but he wasn't worried about it.  If we had to be delayed I was glad that it was while we were in Florida as today was gorgeous and Indiana was still cold.

We walked to the Islands of Adventure.  The crowds seemed down from our first day at the parks.  Meg wanted another meatball sub while Cam looked for something new.  He spotted a restaurant selling gyros and waited in line there while Meg went to her new favorite lunch spot.  I hadn't had a sub yet, and definitely could see why Meg picked it two days in a row.  After we ate we walked to Hogsmeade.  We all wanted to ride the Hogwarts Express from there to Diagon Alley.  When we arrived we realized to our good fortune that the line for The Journey through the Forbidden Forest was only 45 minutes.  Meg was sure that I would be able to ride it and I really wanted to try it.  The walk through the queue was fantastic complete with talking portraits of the heads of the houses of the castle.  The cart took us on a ride through the forbidden forest on the way to a Quidditch match.  It was awesome and in my opinion the best ride of the four days.

Once we exited we headed to the train.  The line for it was short as well and we quickly found ourselves in Diagon Alley sipping Butterbeer.  While walking through the shops we once again noticed that a favorite ride had a short line.  In less than 30 minutes we were all traveling down into Gringotts Bank once again.  From Diagon Alley we stopped in Krustyland.  Cam finally decided upon trying a turkey leg.  Grandpa Cutes had been texting him all week telling him to eat one for him.  Cam said that it was delicious.  While he ate, Meg and I took another turn on ET.  We were amazed at how many people in line talked about their love for the ride.  We thought it was more psychedelic than anything else.

We stopped at a few shops on the way out of the park.  It was a hot day, but the walk to the hotel was shady and pretty.  We waited in the lounge area for our ride to the airport.  Cam wanted to watch the Masters.  Phil and Tiger have not faired as well as predicted, but it has been a great tournament to watch.  Our shuttle was ten minutes late, but since our plane was delayed we weren't worried.  Our trip was an easy one.  By the time we got to the airport the delay had been decreased and we were to fly out at 10:10 p.m. which was only 35 minutes late.  It took awhile to get our luggage checked as the Southwest lines were long.  We spent some time shopping at the Disney Store before eating dinner at the food court.  Cam ordered from Chipotle.  He had never been there and like his burrito.  Meg and I stuck to McDonalds.  The flight left promptly at 10:10.  The three of us sat together and enjoyed a quiet, smooth flight.  Doug was at the airport when we arrived which we all really appreciated.  He helped us pick up our luggage and load it into the van.  The cold was a rude awakening after our four days in the sun.  The trip to Brett's was an easy one and by 2 a.m. we were all in bed ready for some rest.

A Cool Down

Today was a nice break from the heat.  I can't really complain about the 90 degree weather these past two days as we there was snow in Indiana.  The weather change, however, must have affected Meg's allergies as she woke up feeling terrible.  She was a trooper, nonetheless, and made it to Universal well before it opened.  We really wanted to ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.  We knew that we had to be there early to have any chance of getting on it today.  It by far had the longest lines of the week. The ride was well worth the hype.  We traveled on carts down into the tunnels of the bank while avoiding Voldemort.  We all really enjoyed it, and none of use had problems with motion sickness afterward.

Cam grabbed a Butterbeer afterward while Meg got a Coke.  We ate breakfast at a bakery inside the park.  I have been impressed with the variety of food that they have.  I also noticed that it is cheaper than Disney world prices.  We bought a refillable mug that we took turns filling.  That saved us quite a bit on drinks.  Meg made a bracelet for Macinsy and did some more shopping for the rest of her friends.  Cam rode in the single rider line for The Mummy.  He enjoyed it very much and was able to save a lot of time by going by himself.  We ate lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp.  Cam had wanted to eat there ever since we saw the sign for it several days ago.  The shrimp was delicious.

After lunch Meg took our packages back to the hotel room.  She wanted to lie down for awhile.  She still didn't feel the greatest.  I went back to Islands of Adventure with Cam.  We did not know until today that they had a water raft ride much like Kali River Rapids ride at Disney.  This one featured Bluto and Popeye.  Cam came off the ride completely soaked, but with a smile on his face.  From there he and I headed back to the hotel.  I wanted to rest before going back in the evening.  Cam used the time to watch The Masters and try out the arcade.

Once we had rested we grabbed some snacks from the New Dutch Bakery and headed back to Universal Studios Island of Adventure.  Cam rode the Spiderman ride.  He hadn't been able to get on it yet.  After that he rode Kong Skull Island next.  That line was longer, so Meg and I decided to get  all of us something to eat for dinner.  Meg picked meatball subs for them and I had a fruit cup and pasta salad.  By the time we got our food and I walked back to Kong, Cam was just exiting the ride.  He liked it, but thought it'd be better if he had seen the movie first.  The food was very good, and he appreciated us getting it for him.  Once we ate we walked to Hogsmead.  We wanted to see the Hogwarts light show.  We were one of the first groups to arrive and didn't have to wait long before it started.  It was short, but I really liked it.  All four houses were showed cased during the performance.  It was crazy getting out of Hogsmead as it was packed with visitors wanting to see the next show.  We were going to take the Hogwarts Express back to Universal, but it was too crowded.  Instead we headed back to the hotel, ready for some rest and relaxation.

Universal Islands of Adventure

We all went to bed early last night.  We were wiped out from our trip and the excitement of the first day.  It felt great to start our day well rested.  Cam, Meg and I headed to Hogsmeade along with everyone else.  One of the perks of staying at our hotel was getting into Harry Potter World an hour earlier.  They first went to The Forbidden Journey which took them on an adventure through Hogwart's Castle.  While they were riding it I had a chance to walk through the shops at Hogsmeade and even listened to Moaning Myrtle in the girls' bathroom.  Cam and Meg loved the ride.  I had opted out of it as the reviews said that it caused severe motion sickness.  Meg said that it didn't bother her at all, so I might try it another time. We had already ridden The Flight of the Hippogriff, so we left Harry Potter and went straight to the Hulk ride.

The wait for the roller coaster was short.  I sat this one out as well as it had several loops and turns.  They liked it, but it bothered Meg's eyes just like the one they tried yesterday at Universal Studios.  Cam went on a couple of rides on his own.  We found that the single rider lines had the shortest wait times, so Cam was able to go on several rides without us in less than a half hour.  Before heading back to the hotel we wanted to try a couple of the water rides.  The first was in Jurassic World.  We rode on boats through Jurassic Park searching for Velociraptors. The signs said that we would get soaked, but it wasn't too bad.  Since we were already wet we decided to next try the ride that Brett made us promise to do - Rip Saw Falls starring Dudley Do Right.  It was a log flume that I thought looked pretty tame.  I was wrong and we walked off of it completely drenched, but happy that we tried it.

We headed straight to our hotel and changed to go to Volcano Bay - Universal's new water park.  We spent the rest of the afternoon there soaking up sun, riding tube slides, coasting along the lazy river and hanging out at the wave pool.  It was crowded much like the parks, but fun nonetheless.  The bus ride back to the hotel was short.  We rested in our room before going back to the parks watching one of Doug's favorites - The Andy Griffith Show.

We spent the evening at Universal.  Cam and Meg had a lot of fun hanging out in Krustyland playing the Sideshow games.  Cam completely botched the balloon game, but scored big in the basketball one.  They were both proud of their prizes.  We ended the evening waiting in line for the Despicable Me ride.  It was cute, but we were glad that we caught it when it was less than an hour wait as most of the day it was well over two.  We were hungry when we got back to the room so we grabbed ice cream at the bakery.  It made for a great treat while we watched Impractical Jokers before heading to bed.

Day 5 - On to Orlando

Doug dropped Meg, Cam and I off at the Indianapolis airport this morning well before sunrise.  It had started storming last night and I was extremely worried that our plane would not make it out.  It was delayed for about fifteen minutes because of lightening strikes.  The plane was fine, but they couldn't safely get our luggage stored underneath.  Fortunately, the lightening stopped in time for us to leave.  I noticed later in the day that many of the planes after us were well over an hour delayed.  Although we had to get up early to catch the first flight of the day it was well worth it as we were in Orlando before 8:30 a.m.  There was a lot of turbulence at the beginning, but once we made it south of Kentucky it was a smooth flight.

We checked into the Loew's Sapphire Falls resort and were impressed with the hotel from the start.  It wasn't quite the Boardwalk, but it was very nice.  We spent an hour or so getting acquainted with all of it's amenities.  We bought our endless refill mugs and breakfast at the bakery.  After we ate we caught the boat to Universal Studios.  I had not been to the park in almost 25 years and Cam and Meg had never been there.  We knew that they had a Simpson's ride and thought we would check that out first since the line for the Krusty ride was only forty minutes.  

We absolutely loved Krustyland.  The virtual roller coaster was based on The Simpson's show, and although it made Meg and I nauseous, we still enjoyed it very much.  They had a second ride that featured the aliens from the show that reminded me of the magic carpet ride at Disney World.  Besides the two rides we enjoyed the Quik-E-Mart store, Moe's Bar, the Krusty Burger and Lard Lad Donuts.  Cam and Meg even had their picture taken with the Jedidiah Springfield statue.  

After exploring the park, we started back to our hotel.  They had texted us at 2:30 to let us know that our room was ready.  On our walk we saw that Hard Rock Cafe was open for lunch, so we stopped there first.  Cam shared all of the knowledge that he gained during his History of Rock N Roll class while we waited for our sandwiches.  The food was delicious as always.  Our room was very nice with a beautiful view of the lagoon.  Cam and Meg spent the afternoon at the pool.  It was the perfect weather day to swim.  The pool was large and had a slide for them to use.  Beachballs were flying everywhere and Meg and Cam had fun batting one back and forth.  

Our last stop of the evening was The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Walking through Diagon Alley was just like stepping into one of J.K. Rowling's books.  We visited all of the stores including Fred and George's joke shop.  Cam tried his first Butter Beer.  It was very good.  I thought about buying some Gilly Water, but shared Cam's drink instead.  We rode the Hogwart's Express to the Island of Adventure before heading back to the hotel.  It was absolutely amazing, just like we were first years.   It was the perfect end to our first day at Universal.

Spring Break Day 4 - A College Visit

I was up early this morning to secure our boarding passes for our 5:35 a.m. flight tomorrow.  I felt extremely fortunate to get A 30-32.  That should ensure that not only will Meg, Cam and I sit together, but  we should also be able to get seats close to the front.  That will save us quite a bit of time when we unload.

Shortly after I got up, Doug woke up Cam and Meg.  We had a 9:30 tour of Purdue and Doug wanted to make sure that we arrived early.  We thanked Brett for letting us stay for the weekend and headed out the door at 6:30.  From that time on we gave Doug a hard time about his early morning wake up call.  We arrived 45 minutes ahead of schedule which for Meg and I meant we could have enjoyed 30 more minutes of sleep!!

Our tour was extremely informative and although it snowed last night it wasn’t quite as cold on our walking portion as I thought it would be.  We remembered quite a bit from Cal’s tour three years ago, but learned some new information as well.  Cam said that he paid a lot more attention this time as he realized that a lot of the majors that he was interested in were found at Purdue.  Meg enjoyed her day and felt that Purdue would be a great second choice if for some reason IU did not work out.

After the tour we ate lunch at an Irish pub.  It was well worth trying.  From there we drove through the Butler campus.   It was not on Meg’s list of colleges to visit, but we were glad to see it.  There were some beautiful buildings.  We next went to Circle Center Mall.  Meg and I each found something that we needed.  We walked to the Soldiers’ Monument afterward hoping to come back another time when the Civil War museum was open.  We ate dinner at Giordano’s just like our preflight trips to Midway.  We checked into the Homewood Suites outside the airport.  Cam spent the evening watching the Michigan and Villanova game.  Meg read and went to bed early, but not quite as early as Doug.  I packed and rearranged our luggage while continually checking the weather forecast.  It was supposed to storm tomorrow and I was afraid that our flight would be cancelled.  I finally gave up worrying about it around ten or so and headed to bed.

Happy Easter and April Fool's Day!

For the first time that I could remember Easter fell on April Fool's Day.  There were a lot of memes on Facebook about it.  My favorite was that Jesus played the best April Fool's joke ever when he fooled his persecutors by rising from the dead.  We had a wonderful Easter spending it together as a family.  We started with Easter baskets at Brett's.  They were filled with candy, a movie, headphones and cash.    We next had brunch at the Tudor room.  It had been four years since we had done so and it was just as  delicious as we remembered.  Parce joined us for brunch.  He had worked the last two days, so we hadn't been able to catch up with him until today.

We decided after brunch to try a miniature golf place in Elletsville.  It was chilly out, but they were still open.  The course was a challenging one, but made for an afternoon of fun.  After a lot of trash talking and multiple sixes by all of us, Cal and Cam came out on top.  Meg and I were just five back and Doug and Brett finished a stroke behind us.  Cal had to go to work after our afternoon together.  The rest of us hung out at Brett's apartment playing games, watching television and reading.  Brett was in charge of the last mass of the day, 9 p.m.  We decided to join him.  It was a nice service and we all enjoyed going very much.  It was the perfect way to end a fantastic Easter day.