A Day of Positives

Forty-one years today my brother died in our home.  It was such a horrible experience that I try not to think about it.  Therefore, it was really nice that my Aunt Vicky sent my Mom flowers to honor his memory.  As our family has always gotten my Mom something on Bunk's birthday in October, I was thankful that she had something beautiful to brighten her home on such a sad memory day.

Because of the date I thought that today would be the perfect one to follow Brett's lead and focus on the positives of today instead:

1)  Cam had the perfect outfit for crayon day in band (top color must match bottom color) and the opening weekend of IU football!! As Mr. Willems told Cam when I dropped him off at Bethany, “Who could have a bad day dressed like that!!”

2)  Meg had a migraine in the night and had to go in late this morning.  It sounds like a negative, but in reality it was a positive as we got to talk for quite awhile before she headed out.

3)  I am down three more pounds in my losing weight quest and am well below my October goal.

4)  Doug got out of work early and neither Cam or Meg had practice.  Thus, we were able to leave for Bloomington before 4:30.

5)  We had a fantastic dinner at Lenny's with Cal, Brett, Meg and Cam.

Two Awesome Games

Tonight both Meg and Cam had soccer games.  Thankfully, they both were at home.  We set up our chairs in-between the two and caught all of the action easily.  Even though Lakeland was late, I was glad that we arrived early.  Cam needed Ibuprofen for his thigh.  I had the medication, but unfortunately, I did not bring him anything to eat.  I just assumed he'd have the team snack after school and he thought I'd have something.  Mom had pretzels, but I wasn't sure how easy that would be to eat.  Problem solved at the concession stand, however.  A hot dog bun did the trick and Cam was back on the field quickly.

Cam's game started first and he played very well.  I wasn't sure how his leg would hold up, but he was in the entire game and only sat out with five minutes left in the second half.  He held his position at defense well and had quite a few saves.  The game was close for the first thirty minutes, but in the end Bethany had more shots on goal converting on three.  Cam was pleased with the shutout as he felt the defense played a lot better than Monday night.

Meg's team also came out on top tonight winning 6-0 over Whitko.  Meg was fantastic tonight at forward, scoring the team's first goal and earning two assists as well.  She was aggressive to the ball and passed very well.  She now has seven goals total this season almost doubling her high from last year.  After the game we found out that both coaches cancelled practice for tomorrow.  We were happy for the break as we would then be able to leave for Bloomington earlier than originally planned.  I really enjoy watching Cam and Meg play soccer, but it will be nice to have some family time this weekend.

Migraines

This week has been terrible for my head.  I started with a migraine on Sunday morning after church and have not completely shaken it since then.  Monday night was by far the worst.  Once we got home from Cam's game I had to head to bed.  I assumed that the heat and bright sunlight triggered it.  I have had migraines since I was nineteen years old, so I have gotten used to the pain.  Normally, I could take Ibuprofen and it would slow down the progression, but lately both that and Tylenol haven't helped much.  As much as I hate the pain, the loss of vision bothers me the most.  Thankfully, the high humidity left this afternoon, so I did feel better.  Hoping it stays that way for awhile.  There's not much worse than a migraine that puts one to bed.

Career High

Tonight the Bethany girls played at West Noble winning easily 5-0.  Meg had a fantastic game scoring two goals, the first of which was completely awesome.  She not only trapped a pass from her teammate, but she got around her defender and scored with her left foot.  We were impressed.  I missed the second half as I had to leave to pick up Cameron at the middle school girls' volleyball at Bethany.  I had just walked into the gym Doug called to report that she had scored again.  We were both thrilled for her as that put her tied as the leading scorer on Bethany's team and set a career high six goals for her in one season.  She said that her new goal will be ten for this year.

As proud as we were of Meg there were many frustrations to go along with the game.  As well as Meg played she was in the least of time among the starters.  That seems to be the norm this season which has been disappointing for her.  Meg and Doug had some great conversations about it on the way home from the game and have a plan for the future.  Ultimately, I don't know why Meg plays less than other starters.  It could be that her coach doesn't recognize her talent; he could also want to promote other players, or maybe he just doesn't gel with Meg.  As I cannot control any of these issues and I do not want to become upset or anxious at the games, I have decided that in the end it will be best for me to bring a book.  That way I can watch her and her group of friends when she is on the field and catch up on my reading when she is not.  I have already made a list of books that I want to finish this fall. 

One Tough Game

Tonight Cameron played at Concord.  We knew going in that it was going to be a tough game, but it ended up being even harder than we expected.  Within the first two minutes of starting Bethany was already down 2-0 and Concord didn't look as though they were going to let up.  It did get a little better as they only scored two more goals the rest of the half.  The second half, however, was just as challenging.  To make matters worse Concord played their starters until ten minutes were left in the game and the heat just wouldn't let up.  The parents in the stand were verbally upset with the Bruin players and made themselves heard.  That was disappointing as Concord was very good and our boys did the best they could with their skill level and age.  The coach was obviously upset as well as he sat on the bench for the majority of the second half and did nothing to evaluate Cam when he came off the field with an injury.

From the stands I thought that Cam was having problems with the heat and his asthma.  We found out later, however, that he had to sit out the last fourth of the game because of pulled a groin muscle.  I was proud of him for hanging in there for as long as he had.  It was definitely bothering him and made it difficult for him to run and especially kick.  On the way home we gave him something to drink and Ibuprofen.  Ice definitely helped as well as he could walk without a limp by the end of the night.  We asked him to see the trainer tomorrow after school as this was the second time that the leg has given him an issue.  Hopefully, it won't keep him out of Thursdays game.

A Typical Heinisch Family Sunday

Today was a typical Sunday in the Heinisch family.  It started at 9:30 mass with Cam as altar server, Meg participating in the readings and Doug ushering.  After mass I had several parishioners stop me to tell me how beautiful Meg looked and how much Cam had grown during the past year.  It was nice to know that others had noticed both of them.

Once we got home, Doug headed out to mow.  I helped Meg complete her requirements for IU's admissions department.  It has been a daunting process, but I feel that we have now finished everything they have asked of her.  Meg hung out with Liam afterward watching movies and going to dinner.  Cameron spent the afternoon golfing with Grandpa Cutes.  Maxwelton was closed due to the heavy rains that we have received the past two days.  They decided to try Black Squirrel.  Cam played the front nine well shooting in the low 40s.  He even saw Breece while he was there.  With everyone busy I had a chance to talk to Cal and Brett this afternoon.  They had a fantastic first week.  Both reported that this would be a busy semester, but they felt up to the task.

Tonight Doug grilled out and my parents joined us for dinner.  Afterward he started a bonfire while we played a few games of corn hole.  The highlight of the night was a rousing game of "Oh Hell!"  It was by far my favorite card game as a teenager, and it was fun to get it back out.  It was a close match, but in the end Doug was declared the winner (to a resounding round of boos!)

Soccer Commitments Are Dwindling

Doug ran Joey and Breece home this morning once the boys got up.  Cam had a lot of fun last night with them running through the woods, playing golf at Wawasee and a game of late night basketball.  Once they got back Doug, Meg and I got ready for soccer.  Doug had signed up to take tickets this afternoon so we had to be there early.  As we had already brought snack for Cam's team and put up the senior banners Doug realized that after today that our only commitment left for the season was senior night.  That was nice to hear.

The game was unlike the first three for Bethany.  Central Noble was a worthy opponent last year, but this year they only had eleven players and not much in the way of offense.  Bethany clobbered them 8-0.  The highlight for me was watching Meg score.  She screened the defender on a throw in, got the perfect pass from Emma and scored easily.  Jackie was out today with a sprained ankle.  Meg made sure to carry her across the field at the end of the game.  Thankfully, Kassy was available to carry her back.

After the game Doug and I headed to Fort Wayne.  He needed to buy jeans and I wanted to stop at Yankee Candle.  It had been several months since we ate at Chops Wine Bar so we made that the dinner place of choice tonight.  I really enjoyed going out.  It was nice to unwind after a week of soccer, school and work.  Next week will be busy as well with an activity every night.  Therefore, I am already looking forward to our annual trip to Bloomington and Garlic Fest.

Starting to Feel Like Normal

Today ended the second week of school at Wawasee and I realized that I no longer even think about teaching.  If fact I had a dream that I returned to volunteer and no one even recognized me.  When I thought of all that I had accomplished in these past two weeks I was extremely happy with my decision to quit.  I was able to clean out the file cabinet which I had put off for two years.  I finally had my yearly genealogical exam only a year and a half late.  I have also cleaned the house and kept on top of the never ending laundry pile.  Our van's seats had been recalled over a year ago and they have now been fixed.  When Meg, Doug or Cam have needed me to run an errand for them I have been available.  

In short our weekends and nights have become much more relaxed as we do not have to worry about keeping up with household tasks as I can complete the majority of them during the weekdays.  We can instead enjoy soccer games or dinners out. Cam even had friends over after school and I did not become overwhelmed by having guests here.  Without being overcommitted I have been much more social activities.  Today I even found time to help my Mom with her FitBit and set up my Dad with the ability to add photo albums to FaceBook.  My daily schedule may sound mundane to the average person, but I am definitely enjoying life as a stay at home mom once again. 

An Awesome Win!

Tonight Meg and Cam both had games.  Meg's was at Wawasee and Cam's was against Northridge at home.  Doug and my Mom were able to watch Cam's first half, but had to leave after that to make it to Meg's.  I stayed at Cam's.  He played well, but the defense in the middle struggled to clear the ball from the offense.  In the end the boys came out on the losing side of a 4-1 game.  The B team followed, but with a different outcome winning 2-1.  Cam didn't have to play in that game, but wanted to stay and watch.  That allowed me to put a good dent in the Oscar Wilde play "An Ideal Husband."

While I was reading I did check in with Doug for updates on Meg's game.  She was very anxious to play at Wawasee, but as we reminded her, Bethany had beaten them every time they had faced off.  The first half started slow for the Bruins and for awhile it looked as though Wawasee might be able to pull off the win.  They had scored early on a penalty kick.  By halftime, however, Bethany had rebounded scoring two goals close together to take the lead into the break 2-1.

Doug reported that the second half went a lot better for the girls.  They seemed to come out recharged and ready to take control.  Meg did a fantastic job getting to the ball and scored off a pass from Jackie.  Doug was impressed that she pulled off the shot as they had a girl shadowing Meg the entire game.  Emma added in another  goal late in the game to finalize the score at 4-1.   We were proud of Meg.  She had played well in a very tough game.

Fast Passes

I was up early this morning so that I could get our Fast Passes in order for our trip to Disney World in October.  It sounds crazy to be up before 6 a.m. to get this done, but I know from our past trips that if I do not do this we will be standing in long lines for our favorite rides.  A lot of Disney fans have complained about the new Fast Pass system, but I like it.  It does take the spontaneity out of the trip, but as someone who enjoys having our vacations organized ahead of time it is perfect for me.  I know that exactly sixty days before we arrive that I have to login first thing in the morning to set up our plans, but after that I do not have to worry about what we will be doing on which days.  Because I didn't have to get ready for school at the same time this year, I was also able to completely fill out an itinerary for the week including an afternoon at Disney Springs, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, evening fireworks and a morning of Fantasia mini-golf.

Even with all of the planning and the early morning wake up call, we still couldn't get Fast Passes for the new Slinky Dog roller coaster in Toy Story Land.  Those were already taken.  Doug was surprised, but from past experience with Avatar I wasn't.  It just means that we will have to be up early the day that we go to Hollywood Studios and make our way to their most popular ride first.  Waiting for one roller coast will be easier especially knowing that we have Fast Passes for the rest of our favorites that day - Star Tours, Rock N Roller Coast and Toy Story Mania.  Vacations for many are a time to take it easy without much of a schedule.  I am thankful that the Heinisch family has never operated that way.  It makes our trips to Disney World so much better as I never have to worry that we are missing out!

I Did It!!

When I started Weight Watchers on June 3rd I set a goal of losing 33.6 pounds.  I chose that amount as I wanted to weigh what I had when I began teaching six years ago.  More importantly, however, I  wanted to feel better.  I was thrilled this morning when I stepped on the scale and realized that I have met my goal.  I couldn't believe it.  I had originally hoped to make it by the time we left for Florida on October 21st.  Instead I had reached it exactly two months early.  It took a lot of dedication, planning and support from my family and parents.  Doug went the extra mile by joining my weight loss journey, cooking healthy foods and encouraging me along the way.  His goal was less as he had less to lose, but he was happy to report that he had lost the fifteen pounds that he wanted to last week.

Doug and I went to dinner tonight to celebrate our hard work.  Neither of us plan on changing our newfound eating habits.  I have even set another goal of losing ten more pounds by November 15th.  With the amount of walking that I have been doing this summer and the points program of Weight Watchers I believe that it is possible.  That would put me at my lowest weight in ten years.  I'd take that as a 50th birthday present.

Let the Classes Begin

Both Brett and Cal started their classes early this morning.  The report that we got back here was all positive.  Cal even told me that I could pencil him in for a 4.0 this semester.  That would be awesome as he has iCore this term which will be challenging.  Because of that he will take a break from working this fall.

Brett was done with classes by 10:30 this morning, but he then had quite a lot of errands to run.  He needed to set up his faculty assistant position with SPEA, pick up a parking permit for the Civic, stop at the bookstore, and sign up for a meal plan.  It wasn't all work as he also found time to check out the comic book store and eat lunch at Taste of India.  When I checked in with him late in the day, he said he was exhausted.  He had walked across campus four times today.

Four Years Goes By in a Blink of an Eye

It was four years ago today that we got the news that Grandma Heinisch had died.  Losing one of their biggest cheerleaders has been tough on the Heinisch children.  There have been so many times since her death that I have wanted to pick up the phone and fill her in on the days happenings.  I still remember the last time I called her.  I asked her how she was feeling.  She said in her ever cheerful voice, "Much better since I am talking to you."  Those conversations are now just a memory, but ever so appreciated.  We had a lot of fun with Phil and Dan's families reminiscing about her life last weekend.  Somehow for me that made today even more sad.

I remember when my grandparents died a friend of mine said her last memory of them was listening to 1940s music in their living room.  She remarked at the time that she couldn't help but think that for them the five decades since they first heard that music must have gone by like a blink of an eye.  She was right.  Life happens quickly.  Four years has flown by since Jeanette died.  I am glad that all of us have such wonderful memories of her.  We spent so much time talking to and visiting with her those last three years of her life.  We will cherish that forever.

Soccer Saturday

There was a lot of Heinisch soccer on the agenda today.  Meg had a game at Bethany against Northwood at noon and Cameron had a tournament at Lakeland Christian Academy that started at 9 a.m.  Both teams did well.  The girls trailed Northwood 1-0 for the majority of the game, but had a chance to tie it with twenty seconds left when the Panthers were called for a handball in the box.  Their goalie made a fantastic stop on the penalty kick, however, and Bethany found themselves on the losing side of a tough game.  Even with the loss there was a moral victory today as last year Northwood came out on top 4-0.

Cameron's team lost their first game to Westview's B team.  They were disappointed as they felt they should have won.  They went on to win the next two games by three goals a piece.  That coupled with a Westview loss put Bethany in the championship game.  It was the toughest one of the day, but the Bruins played hard.  Westview's A team ended up winning 3-1, but the boys were happy with their second place finish.  That equaled their results from last year.

Before I even got home from the games I decided that I was going to take a nap.  It was a busy week and I wanted to rest before we went to dinner.  Cam and Doug, however, decided to use the time left in the afternoon to play nine holes.  When the guys got back we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings.  My parents stopped by later in the night to fill us in on the Nappanee Alumni Banquet.  Meg was at a team party at Jackie's, so we did not see her once her game ended.  She did check in several times to let us know that she was thoroughly enjoying her evening.  It was a fun night for all after the first full week of soccer.

Game On

Brett was up early this morning and out the door by 9 a.m.  All we had left to pack before he headed out was his MacBook and television.  Brett was definitely ready to get back to Bloomington.  He had a to-do list that he wanted to complete before he started class on Monday.  He wasn't looking forward to the drive back, but overall it wasn't too bad.  He called several times on the way down just to check in and to let me know that traffic was a lot lighter than he expected.  He had his car unpacked and was on the way to the SPEA building before 2 p.m.

It was strangely quiet here once Brett left.  For the first time since June 3rd I was alone in the house for an extended period of time.  Without anything on the schedule until 2 this afternoon I decided to spend the time cleaning.  I did make time for a walk as well, but by the time I jumped in the shower this afternoon all bathrooms and bedrooms were in great shape.  My Mom came up at 2 so that we could pack the snack and drink for Cam's game.  I waited as long as possible to take it over.  It looked like it would rain and while I was driving to Bethany with our cooler in tow it did come down quite hard.  Thankfully, however, the weather did not cancel the game and our snack was much appreciated by the boys.

Mom and I left for Argos around 4.  It was a long drive, but we were excited to watch his first game.  Cameron spent the majority of the game at right full back.  He did a nice job.  The game was a close one tied 2-2 for most of the game.  Bethany had multiple times to take the lead, but just couldn't find the net.  The tie was disappointing for the boys, but I took it as a positive.  The Bruins looked very good considering that they had to replace four key players from last year including an outstanding goalie.

A Busy Week at Home

At the end of today Brett told me that this was by far the most relaxing day he has had since he came home last Friday.  I had to laugh as originally he told me he was going to do some campaign work yesterday and today as well.  I was glad that he cancelled that activity as he had packed in a lot of activities in a short period of time. From lunches and dinners with friends and family to shopping, game playing, packing, sorting, cleaning and organizing it was a busy week.  We even added to his plans by taking him to DeKalb, scheduling a passport photo, playing Catan, and having him attend Meg's soccer game.  I was exhausted today just thinking about his week.

Brett did have a wonderful day today.  He and I ate lunch at my parents before he gave them a pictorial tour of the US Capitol.  We also went to the winery and packed his belongings for tomorrow's trip back to Bloomington.  I was finally able to add iMessage to his MacBook, something I had been working on for several days.  We ended the evening with quality time at home ordering Pizza King and participating in a rematch of Catan.  It was a great week having Brett here.  It will be a lot easier saying goodbye tomorrow, knowing that we will see him again in three weeks.

First Day, No Way

Today Wawasee students started school and for the first time in six years I was not there to greet the students of Milford.  In fact it was the first time in eighteen years that none of the Heinisch family had connections with the opening day of Wawasee Community School Corporation.  When I quit last April I didn't know how I would react to this day.  I thought that it might be bittersweet or that I might feel sad or guilty.  I was happy to report this morning that I felt none of these.  Instead I was relieved.  We had so much going on this week in getting Cal back to IU and Brett unpacked from DC for his trip to Bloomington that I would have never been able to pull off setting up a classroom and starting the school year.

Brett and I talked a lot today about my teaching experience as we headed to Mishawaka for some shopping.  I was glad that I was able to teach for the past six years.  It was a huge help financially to our family as the boys started college.  In saying that it took quite a toll on me physically and mentally.  It was nice that I was able to finish last year, but by May my body was a wreck and in need of serious attention.  I had gained quite a bit of weight and my left leg was in constant pain.  Doug had strongly encouraged me to quit the year before, but I decided to try one more year.  It was the wrong decision, but we made it through to the end.

The response I have gotten when people find out that I will not be returning to teaching has been interesting.  The first question has been "What are you going to do now?"  I have been quick to assure everyone who asks that I have plenty to keep me busy, but many then start giving me a list of all of the places that I can apply or volunteer.  The second questions has consistently been, "Why?"  I have been vague with that one.  My health and commitment to family have always been the top reason.  I could not be the mother or wife that I wanted to be when I was teaching.  In my first year full-time teaching 6th grade math I was equaling the amount of hours that Doug put in as a CFO of two companies and making 75% less.  Doug has always said that there are three important reasons for staying at a job:  1) You have to enjoy what you do. 2) You have to like the people you work with and 3) You have to feel compensated for the work you do.  Even though I could check off #1 and #2, I never felt good about #3.  It's great that everyone on Facebook posts how valued teachers are, but I could not get past the lack of pay with little room to advance that comes along with all of the hard work and commitment.

Even with the lack of compensation and minimal appreciation for all of the hours that I put in, I do believe that the school could have done a lot to encourage me to stay.  If they would have agreed to realistic class sizes and a consistent discipline plan for the biggest behavior issues, I would have considered continuing my career.  I had asked administration and even the union for help with those areas, but after six years of trying I realized that this would never become a reality and returning to life as the matriarch of the Heinisch home was the best option for the six of us.  I have thanked Doug daily since we made that decision last April.  Our quality of life as a family has increased and my health has already improved greatly.  I couldn't be happier.

She Shoots, She Scores (Times Two)

Tonight Meg had her first soccer game of the season and it was absolutely fantastic.  They played Lakeland Christian Academy which Meg was excited about as one of her good friends from middle school, Lauren, was on their team.  In fact they were both captains.  Meg knew that the game would be tough as LCA had played well in their first two games.  Bethany scored first when Meg got a foot on the ball on a pass in front of the goal.  She had actually almost scored right before that on an awesome turn from behind, but the ball just missed.  LCA scored the next two goals and with fifteen minutes left in the game, it looked as though the game would end that way.  Meg, however, made an awesome trap that turned into a left foot goal in the back of the net.  The game ended in a 2-2 tie with both teams hoping for a rematch at sectionals.

I was so happy for Meg.  She worked hard this summer to prove that she was a deserving member of the Bethany team.  She showed everyone that tonight.  Even if the season ended tomorrow, no one could take tonight away from her.  It was a lot of fun to watch.

There He Goes

Cal had planned on leaving this morning for Bloomington, but had a slight delay.  On Friday Brett had driven the truck and said that the brakes were not working correctly.  Yesterday both Doug and Cal drove it and agreed that they had to push the pedal all the way to the floor to get it to stop.  Doug dropped it off at Monteith last night hoping they would have time to look at it.  First thing this morning he called and they weren't sure that they would get it in before Thursday.

After hearing that I called several other places and found a brake shop in Warsaw that could have it fixed today.  Cal and I ran down to get it and Monteith had already diagnosed the issue - a rusty brake line. By 1:30 they had it repaired and Cal, my Mom and I were busy getting his truck loaded for the trip.  As we had to reload the fridge it took a little longer than normal, but by 2:30 he was ready to go.

I don't normally get sad when the boys leave for IU as I know that they are happy getting back to Bloomington.  Today, however, I did tear up when Cal got in the truck.  He has been home for two months and we have all gotten to spend a lot of time with him.  He's been helpful around the house and has been fun to hang out with this summer.  It will be strangely quiet with Cal gone.  Thankfully, Brett will be here the rest of the week.

Tigger & Tiger

Doug, Cam and Cal met Dan and Cole early in the morning for nine holes at Buena Vista.  They were tired, but had a lot of fun.  On the way back to the hotel they stopped at Carl's to see his townhome.  By the time they got back Meg, Brett and I had eaten breakfast, had everything packed and were ready to start for home.

Traffic was light on the way home, so we made it back in plenty of time to watch the PGA.  Cal was thrilled that Tiger was playing well.  For awhile it even looked like he was going to win.  In the end he couldn't catch the leader and finished second.  Cal was happy with that as the return of Tiger Woods has made golf a lot more exciting.

My parents came up for dinner and to watch the last few holes.  As soon as golf was over they left with Brett, Cal, Cam and I for the Christopher Robin movie.  As Winnie the Pooh fans we had talked about seeing it all summer, but wanted to wait until Brett got back.  It was well worth the wait.  We all enjoyed the characters, especially Ewan McGregor as Christopher Robin and Brad Garrett as Eeyore.  Cal did say that he could have used some more Tigger in it, but overall it was the perfect way to end his summer break.  

Visiting the Heinisch Family

We left after Meg's scrimmage this morning for a family get together in DeKalb.  We had had it planned for several months and were thankful that it worked out for everyone.  The trip out was quicker than normal since we left from Concord High School.  Meg probably would have appreciated changing before we headed out and Cam and Brett had to deal with the real life game of Jam Pack Van, but otherwise all went well.

Once we checked into the Hampton we took everyone to the cemetery to visit Jeanette's grave.  We hadn't been there since January.  While we were there we were also able to visit the graves of Kathy and John Yaeger and Linda Heinisch as they were close to hers.  It was a solemn event, but important to all of us.

After our visit to the cemetery we went straight to Dan's.  We had not been to their new home in Sycamore yet.  It was very nice and had plenty of room for a family event.  Phil was already there as he got to Illinois Thursday night.  He spent the day taking care of business in DeKalb on Friday.  We were all glad that he made the trip as we hadn't seen him since December of 2016.  Maury and Emie came up from Peoria today.  They had plenty of beautiful pictures to show us of their wildflower gardens at the old farmhouse.  The Heinisch grandchildren spent the afternoon playing corn hole, ladder golf and several rounds of King in the Corner with Grandpa Heinisch.  Kim's Dad, Dewey, stopped by for dinner.  It was nice to catch up with him as well.

Dinner was catered by Portillo's.  Their Italian beef and mostaccioli were delicious.  After dinner we gathered everyone together for pictures.  We made sure to take one of Phil with his nieces and nephews as that was always Grandma Heinisch's favorite picture.  The rest of the evening was spent playing horse on the basketball court, a trip to Ollie's for frozen custard and sharing our favorite Heinisch family memories around the bonfire.  Phil was able to add in some stories about Dan in high school that we had never heard before tonight.  It was an awesome way to end a fun day.  Although Jeanette could not be there in person, I know she was in spirit.  She definitely would have been proud of her family.

A Quiet Day at Home

After 8:30 this morning our day was pretty quiet compared to the rest of the week.  Our commitments were minimal and I was able to spend a lot of time catching up and getting ready for the weekend.  Before 8:30 I spent an hour looking for Cal's social security card.  I had it after we got back from the post office on Wednesday, but couldn't find it anywhere.  I did a thorough search of the house and even went through the garbage.  I went back through the files one last time and I finally spotted it.  I had put it away, but in the wrong slot.  I was relieved.

Even though I spent the majority of the day working on projects I did get to spend time with Cal and Brett.  First, Cal and I went to Vicky's to load up all of the wood left at her house from the garage sales.  We also picked up sticks in the yard and after he got back from golfing, we watched Tiger at the PGA.  Brett had breakfast with Curt Nisley this morning and met another friend for dinner this evening.  In between he and I worked on organizing his possessions and went to lunch at Shopoff's.  I enjoyed the conversation while we ate, but not sure I would go back after watching the clientele and the wait staff.

Tonight Doug and I met Cam and Meg at Bethany for their open house.  They ate pizza from Little Caesar's and spent time with their friends.  The highlight for them was the dunk tank.  Cam just missed dousing Mr. Kauffman, but Meg made sure to soak Biz multiple times.  We attended the senior parent meeting before heading home.  I was impressed with how involved Mr. Buller planned to be with the seniors as they fill out college applications and get ready for graduation.  The end of our evening revolved around packing for our trip to DeKalb tomorrow.

Home Sweet Home

Brett left his apartment at 4 a.m. this morning to catch an Uber to the train station.  They made a short stop along the way to drop off his key at the WISH housing office.  By 7 a.m. he had said goodbye to DC and was checked into the Baltimore airport.   He had taken less with him this summer than last, so his luggage was lighter and he did not have to wear a suit jacket on the plane ride as they both actually fit this time.  Brett and I had debated all week about whether he would be able to get two bags of rice in his carry-on through security, but he did it without incident.   

Cal and I started for Indy as soon as Meg and Cam headed to school at 7:20 a.m.  On the way down Brett let us know that his plane was delayed which didn't bother us as we had time to stop at Target and Barnes and Noble that way.  Cal bought Pet Sematary as he had already finished the new Stephen King novel I bought him the last weekend in July.  He and I spent our time together listening to Spotify, checking Tiger's round at the PGA and debating whether or not the police were following us from store to store this morning.  

Brett texted that he had landed just as we pulled into the parking garage.  By the time he got to the baggage claim area, we had already picked up his luggage and were waiting by the escalator.  Brett was happy to see us and ready to start his week of vacation at home before returning to Bloomington.  We stopped at Bazbeau's Pizza in Broad Ripple for lunch.  Both boys remembered eating there when they were younger.  Brett felt he ordered a rare pizza - feta and goat cheese, but I was pretty sure that Cal won that contest with pepperoni, anchovies and pine nuts as his toppings.  I had a wonderful time listening to the boys' conversation.  The drive home was a quick one filled with more talking and some unique song choices.  I was so glad that Cal went with me today.  It is a rare occasion that I get to spend so much time with both of them together. 

Heinisch Passport #2

For two decades Doug was the only one in our family that had a passport.  He first needed one when he worked at Group Dekko as he frequently had to cross the border from their plant in El Paso to Juarez, Mexico.  Grabill and Renegade did not require Doug to travel much, but he still kept it renewed just in case.  When he was hired by Champion this spring he found out that the board of directors were situated in Toronto and had frequent board meetings there.  He hadn't used his passport in such a long time, he wasn't quite sure where he placed.  Thankfully, he found it just before it expired in May and once again he headed to the post office to renew it.

Before Jeanette died she had recommended that we get passports for all of our family.  She said that we would never know when we would need them, so why not have them.  We looked into it at the time, but the cost of six passports made me shy away from following up on her suggestion.  Once Doug got his renewed and I saw how easy it really was, however, I decided that it was time.  Cal had mentioned to me this summer that during the 4th year of his 3/2 MBA program that he would have to spend eight weeks in Romania.  Although not overly enthusiastic about it,  he did seem more interested in the trip once Hannah-Marie showed him the pictures of the top ten sites to visit in Romania, especially since all of them were outdoors.

Thus, this afternoon Cal and I made a trip to the post office to apply for the first ever Heinisch child passport.  It was a lot easier than I thought it would be and within twenty minutes we were finished  with a complete application on the way to the Department of State.  There were no bells or whistles when we walked out the door, but I was excited for him considering of all of the places that he could now visit.  I also knew that Jeanette would be proud of me.  I talked the most reluctant traveler in the Heinisch family to dream about adventure.

Last of the First Days

Today was Meg's last time of being in a first day picture.  It was sad when I thought of it that way, but it was time to get her senior year started.  She left early to participate in crazy park Tuesday.  I was thankful that she let me take a picture before she pulled out of the driveway.  Since she was had to be at school early I took Cameron.  I was glad to do it.  This morning his picture showed up on my Facebook page from his first day of 5th grade at Bethany.  I couldn't believe the change in him over the past three years.  I realized when I saw it that there have definitely been times this summer that I have still thought of him as that ten year old.  Cal said he agreed with that.  We also decided that Meg hadn't changed that much over the years as evident in her kindergarten picture.

After I dropped Cam off I walked on the path at Bethany.  From start to finish I got in over 6500 steps.  That felt great.  I stopped at home to shower before my haircut.  I talked Amanda into cutting it shorter than she had the past few times.  I really liked it.  The rest of the day was spent hanging out with Cal and cleaning Meg and Cam's rooms.  They both had practice tonight and although tired when they got home they had plenty of positives to share about their day.  I was glad to hear that it went well.  Doug pulled in right behind them and almost immediately he, Cal and Cam headed to the golf course.  I was happy that the rain held off for them.

End of Summer Blues

Cam was up early to play golf with my Dad.  It wasn't his best round ever, but the worst part was realizing that summer was over.  We talked about it and decided that the best solution was to eat lunch at Petterson's.  We talked a lot about the positives of school starting especially his friendships with Joey and Breece.  We then stopped by Grandma and Grandpa's afterward to wish them a good trip to Las Vegas.  We even had time for a round of Ladder Golf before it rained.

Meg wasn't able to join us on our afternoon adventures.  She met the senior class at noon to decorate the school for tomorrow.  She finally finished Devil in the White City and in the end liked the book quite a bit.  She still has some work to do on her college applications but it's getting closer to being completed.  After practice tonight we were able to take both Cam and Meg to Oakwood for dinner.  It was a nice way to end the last day of summer.

Family Get Together

Doug had to usher today at the 9:30 a.m. mass.  The Knights were in charge of everything including being altar servers.  Cal said he'd help if needed except for that position.  He hadn't served in over four years.  Once mass was over, Doug, Cal and I headed to Mom's to pick up the tables from the garage sale.  Cal was pleased with the outcome of his portion.  He sold his Nintendo DS Lite, Air Jordans and a few other items to make $88.

This afternoon we spent a few hours at Jeannette's.  She hosted a family get together so that everyone could see Mary and her baby Jack.  They came up from Florida on Friday.  Jack spend quite a bit of time hanging around Cameron.  That was an interesting experience for Cam as he hasn't really been around toddlers much.  It was fun to see them and to meet Benjamin as well.  I also got a chance to catch up with Anna before she starts school.

On the way home we stopped at Putt Putt.  It was hot, but we still enjoyed it.  Cal and I were tied going into the last hole.  He ran in a long putt for a hole in one and I hit the worst putt ever to three putt.  Cam and I ended up tied for second.  Guess my reign of Putt Putt Queen had to come to an end sometime.  We ate dinner at Evil Cheque afterward which everyone enjoyed.

24+ Hours of Fun

Yesterday while Meg and I were shopping, Cam spent the day with Evan.  They hadn't seen each other at all this summer and had a great time together.  Mary texted me in the middle of the day to let me know that it was just like old times - they were already arguing about whether drinks were better with ice or without.  Mary took them to Pierceton Days in the evening to watch the parade.  Cam was impressed with the amount of chili cheese spiral spuds that he ate.

I picked Cameron up from the Brower's at noon so that he had time to eat and relax before heading to Kayden Mayer's birthday party at Shanklin Park at 2 p.m.  Cam was excited to go to that as most of his friends were going as well and he hadn't seen Kayden since school got out.  He had fun swimming and hanging out with everyone.  Doug went to work while he was there and was able to get a lot done before he picked him up at 5.  They found out that Kayden will not be returning to Bethany next year.  That will change Cam's chess team dynamics quite a bit.

Meg and Cal also spent time with friends tonight.  Cal headed to Jeremy's for the afternoon with Cameron.  Meg had Preston over for awhile as he leaves for Muncie tomorrow.  The rest of us hung out at home.  My parents came up once Dad finished his golf tournament.  A game of Euchre and Croquet was the perfect way to unwind after a tough day at the golf course.

Back to School Shopping Part 2

I picked Meg up at 10 a.m. this morning at Ana King's house.  She was wiped out, but ready for our annual back to school shopping trip.  She had a lot of stories to share with me on the way to South Bend.  The dunes and the game were a lot of fun and she had a great time with her team, especially Emma, Jackie and Kassy.  I'm glad that she has found a group of teammates to hang out with that are also supportive of her.  The best part is that they will all be together at basketball as well.

Our first stop of the day was Kohl's.  I had decided this trip to work on budget shopping with Meg.  Although Doug's increase in pay has made up for my lack of salary this coming school year we have decided to still watch our spending.  This year will be the most expensive one for us as a family with Brett in grad school and Meg at Bethany.  Thankfully, those payments should end in May.

Meg found some great buys at Kohl's and with a 30% off coupon and a $10 reward we saved a lot.  We next stopped at Shoe Carnival.  Meg bought a pair of Crocs and a pair of Converse shoes once again following the sales that they had advertised and using a reward coupon.  Normally, she chooses Noodles & Company for lunch, but this time she was in the mood for Chick-Fil-A.  I was happy with either as they both have great chicken noodle soup.

After lunch we stopped in Hollister, Forever 21, American Eagle, Journeys and a new store called Lunchbox which had the perfect BB-8 Hawaiian shirt for Cal.  Meg ran into her friend Emma at American Eagle and had time to review purchases with her before she left.  Our last stop in South Bend was Target where Meg found all of the school supplies that she needed.   Both she and I were happy with the purchases that she made today.  Meg will be outfitted with new clothes, shoes and school supplies for the start of the school year and we spent a lot less money than we had in the past.

A Day with Cameron

Meg was busy today with her soccer team.  They first went to the Indiana Dunes for a team workout that included sprints and a two mile run.  Afterward they were given time to hang out on the beach together.  From there they drove to Chicago to watch the USA women's soccer team play Brazil.  From the pictures that they took, Meg had a great time.  The Kings offered to keep the girls when they got back to Elkhart, so once I dropped Meg off in the morning I didn't see her again except on Instagram.  Although it was an exhausting trip, Meg did really enjoy the team bonding part of the day.

With Meg busy and Cal with his friends Cam and I found it the perfect day to go back to school shopping and finally see the movie Skyscraper.  Our time at Target was short.  Cam's only real need was a backpack.  He was happy with an orange and gray one.  I liked it too!  I let him pick the lunch spot.  He chose a Whopper, and I stuck with my tuna and applesauce.  Our next stop was the carwash.    Just like Meg he felt that I was crazy for vacuuming a clean car.

Skyscraper came out in June.  Cam and I really wanted to see it, but hadn't found the time.  Cal talked about going with us, but after the reviews, he opted out.  I was glad that we didn't read Rotten Tomatoes  before we left because Cam and I absolutely loved the movie.  Of course I had my eyes closed on all of the elevated parts.  My favorite moment was when both Cam and I thought a dinosaur was breaking through a wall.  Guess Jurassic World was still on our minds.  Either way it was a lot of fun and as we were the only two in the theater, we got a private showing.

I dropped Cam off at the golf course after the movie.  He wanted to see if he could better his 81 from yesterday.  I went to Mom's to help at the garage sale so that she could play with him.  Although he didn't beat his best score of the season he was able to finish eighteen before soccer practice.  It was a busy day for him, but a lot of fun trying to stretch our summer days out as much as possible.

Garage Sale & Mini Golf

Cal helped my Mom all last weekend on her garage sale.  I opted out of joining in this year as they have been a lot of work in the past especially taking everything to Mom's.  We did put three items out - the freezer, fish tank and a small cabinet.  Cal was able to fill a table with items that he cleaned out.  A couple of the items were his siblings, which I marked for him.  Mom found some of mine from last year.  I told her to give Cal the money as he had put the time and effort into helping her and Vicky.

Yesterday he took a break from helping at the garage sale to go to Columbia City with Cam, HM and I to play mini-golf at Paige's Crossing.  He had never been there before.  It did rain, but not enough to stop the fun.  The first round was close with Cam pulling ahead by a stroke to win.  I was on fire the second round and finally beat everyone shooting a 38 with three holes in one!!  We stopped at Walmart on the way home to pick up groceries and Ben's Pretzels for everyone.

Jayce came over once we got home.  He and Cal worked out and then hung out in our basement with Weideman.  Cameron Adams left Colorado this morning at 5 a.m. and pulled into our house at 11 p.m.  He was happy to be there and the boys were glad to see him.  He's been gone for three months.  It was great to hear everyone together again.