Things That Go Bump in the Night

By request from Yaya, and in Spirit of Halloween, I'm going to give you a tale of a Haunted House...mine.

Disclaimer:  You may believe or not, as for me, well; I believe it.

I live in an old Victorian House built in 1874, in the small village of Hayesville.  The house we bought belonged to the town doctor: Dr. Kendig.  It was a jem of the day, it has it's own servent quarters, two front doors; one for the parlor and the fancy guests featuring the walnut spiral staircase.  The other for the everyday folks and patients to enter. 

After living here for awhile and doing a lot of remodeling we settled into our lovely large house.  We heard rumors from people that a person hung themself from hooks in the servant quarters, but dismissed it because we had the town historian in our family...and well, she said it was the grocery store not our house that had happend.

We spent many months in our house enjoying our preschool and toddler-aged children at that time.  One morning, I was on my way down the spiral staircase and headed to the lone bathroom to shower for work.  As I rounded the spiral and was looking out into the kitchen I encountered a man standing by basement door.  This is a bit scary, I turned to yell at my husband that someone was in our (unlocked) house and in those few seconds, he disappeared.  No doors were opened and no one was in our house upon thorough inspection by my husband.  (Specter or morning hallucinations?  You decide.)

One more (cause Kayla thinks this is creepier than the above story)

One night while sleeping in my bed I awoke to a noise in my room.  Im used to this because Kyle is a loud snorer and often it is him who awakens me.  This night, Kyle was still sawing logs when I glanced around the room.  At the foot of my bed was leaning a little boy, under aged 5/6 just watching me.  Well, I don't know about you, but it startled me and when I wimpered he disappeared.  Needless to say, I awoke the buzz saw to inspect the room to make sure no one was in our house... Upon inspection only sleeping kids, the one's who should be there.

That is a couple of many of my spooky stories for this house.  We (my kids and I) have learned to live with these sightings and feelings that we encounter often.  But, never have we felt threatened or abused by our spiritual guests.  (Who knows, maybe we're the guests.)

Whether you believe or not, is up to you. 

Happy Halloween!

Time for Reflection

Where to begin, what a blur of a week.  We had Kyle's family in town all last week.  It is always fun catching up. 

Friday night we watched the football game.  Kota got to start playing in the 3rd quarter of the varsity game.  The team was winning 30+ points by then.  He played a series and then was out for a series.  He ended up going back in.  We beat Ritman 47-0 that night.  At the end of the game were were taking our tarps off the bleachers and over the loud speakers I hear: Dakota Crawford's mother please come to the side-lines.  I look down there and Kota is sitting with the team trainer.  You know how hard it is to get from the top of the bleachers to the side lines at the end of a game.  Less than a minute felt like a long time...I get down there and the trainer said, I think he might have a concussion.  You can take him to the hospital yourself or we can have the squad take him.  Kyle thought that we should take him.  Kyle got the car as I walked the kid up to the school to get his things.  On the way up, he says, did we win?  Me: yes, 47-0.  He kept stumbling on his left side.  Another football player noticed that he was having trouble walking and took over taking him up to the school for me.  Kota went into the locker room and didn't walk back out on his own.  I waited for eternity (less than 15 minutes) for someone to let me know he was in the trainers room instead of the locker room and I needed to go in there.  Concussion was getting worse.  Mom, did we win, yes, 47-0.

I watched as my kid couldn't remember what happened less than 20 minutes ago.  With all the football players hooting and hollering next door in the locker room.  (amazing what they shout about while in there.)

I watched him not be able to hold up his left arm while he could his right arm.  The trainer suggested we have him go by squad to the ER instead of just taking him.  He might have spinal damage.  (I just walked my kid who might have spinal damage from the field to the school?  I'm almost in shock myself trying to absorb everything that is going on.  Mom, did we win?  Yes 47-0.

You know, it took awhile for the squad who was just at the football field 30 minutes ago to get back.  Then it took awhile to load up the kid in the squad, get an IV going and get to the hospital.  We got their 1 hour and 6 minutes after the end of the game.  (double eternity, to a nervous mother who knew when the trainer suggested squad and not driving on our own, meant it was a bit more serious than she originally thought.)

Mom, did we win?  Yes, 47-0.

One catscan and a lifetime 1.5 hours later we find out he has a concussion and not to play football for the next day and tylenol would be okay to take when we get home.  (did not say don't use anything, but tylenol)

Thank goodness for RN grandma who told me the next day after giving Advil, that he can only have tylenol.  Monday, family Dr. said he had one of the more serious kind of concussions and that he would probably have a headache for about a week.  (he still has that headache today)  Thank goodness, no spinal injury.  Now that the stress if over it was funny having to answer every 2 minutes, Mom, did we win?  Yes, 47-0.  I actually told him no once, because I knew he wouldn't remember.  Mean I know.

 Saturday, since we didn't have a football game to go to, we carved our pumpkins, which was going to be our afternoon project for the branch social.  The youth were in charge of bringing jack-o-lanterns.

 (moush-head, just like kota)

 Kota's a good sport even though he had a pounding headache, he still wanted to make his pumpkin.  I had to go to school to take my shift in the 6th grade table selling caramel apples for outdoor school.  Then get picked up to go to the social.

 Kayla went as a fairy.  She had a fund time.

 Crazy young women.

 Kayla got the prettiest costume, but was laughing because her YW leaders gave her a medalion that said (sexiest costume)  they were prepackaged awards, oops!  They made me laugh becasue Kayla can't stand that word!  It makes her face turn red, can you tell?

 Kota still being a good sport with a headache passed out candy with his friend Kenzie to the primary kids.

 Sunday: last day with Minnesota family.  We spent time at Grandma's with Robin, Toby and Kyle's sister Kim and her kids.

 We enjoyed the beautiful autumn day and took a family walk on the property.  It is such a peaceful place to be.

After seeing off family it was back to the work world.  Getting ready for parent teacher conferences next week.  Trying to get the students all up-to-date on grades.  Have work samples for parents to look at.  I had a grade-level training day.  Our students have had a challenging behavior week.  Did I mention tomorrow is Fall Harvest Party Day?  Oh, and they all will come in after having had Milky Ways for breakfast, yeah me!
On a positive note, tomorrow is the last scheduled football game.  Although Kota won't get to play, we are playing for the right to be WCAL champs again tomorrow night.  If we win, the title is ours only.  If not, we will share the title with Norwayne school (who we are playing tomorrow).  If we win we go into play offs, that brings on stupid hair week.  We shall see.  Go Falcons!

Ahhh, Visitors

My in-laws are in for the week.  It has been fun having them around.  Kyle and Kayla took the day off Monday to spend with them.  (I didn't have enough notice at work to do so. Sigh!)  They went to Granville, Ohio to see the town.  It has neat old mansions, at least Victorian-style mansions.

Tomorrow is my day with Kyle to spend some quality time with Robin.  We are going to break out the raclete machine again and wait on the Direct TV man to show up.  Our satelite box keeps shutting itself off.  Upside is now we get DVR....whohoo!

I love long visits with Robin.  She has a way of bring about wonderful, thought provoking conversations.  It is nice having a good relationship with her.  I can't claim the evil in-law that some people talk about.  Robin is truly like a second mom.  She just has a way of putting oil in my lamp.  Maybe its the wisdom of having 8 adult children....

No More Brace Face part II

Before

2 years and 8 months worth of adjustments (several thousand dollars out of our wallet)

After

Just 2 days after homecoming pictures.  You know, if he wore his rubber bands they'd of been off before school started. Choice and accountability is a tough lesson learned. 

Moose remind you of any one?  Just sayin......

For part one.
I missed a picture because he didn't need us to take him to the appointment.  Darn.

Photo Review

What a busy week.  Here is seminary class Friday morning.  We had our "fun" Friday where the girls were trying to use there scripture mastery cards to help them identify the pictures representing the 10 commandments.  They had fun or at least as much fun as you can at 6 am on a Friday.  We usually have breakfast on Fridays.  Meghan brought maple bacon muffins.  They were really good.  These girls play on different soccer teams and they go up against each other for a second time this coming Wednesday.

The corn is getting ready to be picked.  It was such a gorgeous day on Saturday.  Windy, but gorgeous.




Homecoming part II for Dakota.  He went with Meghan as friends to her schools dance.

I taught two lessons in Relief Society this week at church.  One for the weekly meeting on how to be organized and this Sunday on the Signs of the Second Coming of Christ.  It was a fun week.  We also went to Kyle's sister and nephew's baptism on Saturday.  They were baptized into the church this weekend.  I am so happy for them.  It's been a long road for Kim and she made it!  I feel so blessed to be able to witness such greatness when it seems the world is in such chaos.  I like it when we get a stolen moment to remember what we are here for.  To be Happy!

Exciting News!

We had a surprise assembly for our school Friday.  Late in the day assemblies on Fridays are always a welcome surprise.  The principal told us she wanted to recognize our students of the month in assembly.  So we hiked down to the gym and awaited the assembly and welcomed break from hittin' the books.

After the presentation of the awards our principal said her friends from Wal-mart made a $1000 donation to our school.  They divided that up into 10 $100 gift cards for the classrooms.  She did a drawing of the hat of teacher names.  As we all stood there with our fingers crossed, and clapped for the teachers as their names got called...I heard....Mrs. Crawford....

Whohoo!  My kids were jumping up and down for me as I walked my surprised self up to the front of the gym to collect my gift card and white rose they gave all the winners.

Payday and surprise all in one day...it was a fabulous Friday.  Now to decide how to spend the money.  The students want a party and a hamster.  I think we can come up with some great ideas.  All suggestions will be considered.

Happy Fall Y'all

Cool, crisp days

Beautiful Earthy colors

 Pumpkins, goards, apples, candy

 Ghosts, ghouls, stories, sweatshirts

October love story

Happy Fall y'all

A Silver Tie Affair

As our long day is coming to a close, it has been fun watching the kids get ready for their Homecoming dance tonight.  You can't have homecoming without football.

 Our varsity won last night 34-14 against Smithville.  JV got the short end of the stick today weatherwise, not a loss, but freezing, blustering rain, sort of a morning.  The above picture showed my view from under an umbrella, I had a tarp over my blanket so it would not be soaked.  The rain was actually blowing into our faces the way we faced the field.

 Kyle bought us all rain suits for the weekend.  I was grateful for the wind and water breaker!

 Crazy parents will follow their children any where.

It was worth watching, JV won, 36-0.  Kota had an awesome sack on the quarterback, right into a mud puddle.

 His clothes were so wet and muddy that you couldn't even smell the sweat when I put them in the washing machine this afternoon.
I had a lot of dirt and grass left in the washing machine after this load.  I ran a cycle with just soap and hot water.  I hope it works.

Then we came home and cleaned the house and got Kayla ready for her first formal dance with a "friend" date.  It took 1 1/2 hours to go from this to....

(She owes free babysitting for this)

...this.

 She cleans up nice.  Tristan's tie is a perfect match.  (He reminds me of  a guy I dated in high school that looks very similar to this.  Crazy!)

 Kota's date Meghan and Kayla are friends from YW (youth group).

 I love the silver tie.

There were three schools having homecoming this weekend in our county.  Our local Applebees was packed with fancy dressed teens.  I think we had the finest four.  I hope they have a good time...I know they will.

As Meghan's mom said, "Oh to be 14 (or 15 or 16) again...Nah!"  It felt good walking away with my husband, knowing that those awkward years are over, and I'm happily married with no pressure to find the right person, because I already have.  We just need to grow old gracefully together.  The older part is coming, not sure we're to graceful yet.  Hmm, well, maybe I am....