The Boys

TJ's travel baseball Coach's wife passed away suddenly the other day. The whole "Thunder" team went to the wake together ( as did much of Lombard). When you play travel baseball, you spend a lot of time together and form a tight bond. Coach Ross is possibly the best coach TJ has ever had. To pick 12 kids in May and put a team together, then go on to win 4 trophies out of 5 tournaments says something. These boys with the help of all 4 coaches, just clicked from day 1. They are a force to be reckoned with.

I can't believe how grown up TJ looks

We stopped to get TJ's costume. After trying on many funny masks, TJ saw it, Burger King. It was so worth the $60 + price tag. He wore it in the car to pick up Cal from Glenn Westlake Middle School. While waiting for Cal to come out after Cello, people walking by would do a double take.

Karrick had his 1st school field trip. They went to the Cosley Zoo in Wheaton on a big yellow school bus! Each student got to pick a pumpkin and an apple "the most delicious apple ever" "There were farm animals and duck-a-lings, mom"

I do wash the red striped shirt occasionally.

Can you guess which pumpkin TJ carved? Can you say therapy?

Just a cute picture of Cal. He came up to say good night and talk about school. Cal, for the 1st time seems interested in school. His 4th grade teacher is very Science oriented. He also is taking an interest in reading...Fiction that is. Cal only would read encyclopedia's before...no joke. Unfortunately they don't qualify for AR points. He told me that he is doing Algebra and is "kinda, being challenged... finally"

Monster Bash

Firday was Cal's schools annual "Monster Bash". I have never dressed up in years past. While at the Goodwill store getting Cal's Amish costume, I saw this giant afro. Well, it came to me in a flash...a gorgeous , sophisticated, tall , thin, black women from the 70's popped into my head. I gathered my accessories with gusto. As I was putting on the final touches, I looked in the mirror. Hmmmm, I thought. My vision of grandeur faded as the only thing staring back at me was a friggin scary transvestite. Too late now,I had to go with it. Needless to say I walked solo down the block to the school.

Karrick helps me fluff my weave

These shoes are amazing. I took them from the store mannequin

they were a pinch to small. Notice the slit across the toe, a steak knife came in handy.

Yeah, I was at least 6'5" tall

I won't lie, I was a hit with the adults. Most kids just stopped, stared and walked away speechless.

Saturday was Karricks "Spooktacular" It being a Catholic school and all, I left the Kiss shoes at home.

Nice

New Quarter...clean slate

TJ's Social Studies test score on "Article 1 of the Constitution" was just put on the website
97.50% his first grade of the 2nd qtr.


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Wednesday's

Callahan plays the Cello in beginning orchestra. On Wed afternoons all 4th grade orchestra kids, from all 6 grammar schools meet at the Middle School to practice together. It gives them a leg up when they enter middle school. They are already familiar with each other.






One of the perks of living in the Western Suburbs is the amazing parks. The middle school sits on land with a large park, about 55 acres filled with trees, ponds and wild prairie grass . While Cal practiced we enjoyed the fall weather and colors.









Some much needed fresh air for TJ and some special time for Karrick with his favorite brother.

Lucky for TJ,
this election year ties right in with Social Studies. As we all remember what comes with 7th grade, The Constitution! What a great time to learn about our Government. TJ has a 80 question test on Article 1 of the Constitution, Thursday. It's a mighty tall order for someone that was sick 24 hrs earlier and spent the last 7 days with a cold and strep. I helped him study for an hour before religion class at Sacred Heart ( Wed 6:30 -8 pm) and Tim tested him after. We can prep him, but we can't take the test for him.

TJ TJ TJ TJ

My poor TJ has had a rotten time of it. He missed the 2nd week of school due to the flu. He blew his knee out in late Sept, therefore missing 2 days. He spent the next 2 weeks on crutches and is still excused from PE. Last week he came down with a cold and sore throat. He made it through school carrying a bag of cough drops and a dose of Ibuprofen. Yesterday, he woke up unable to talk or swallow. Unable to go to school...again. A trip to the doc was in order. STREP THROAT! As we were leaving the exam room, TJ grabs a alcohol prep pad and starts wiping the door handle. I ask him what he is doing, his reply " It's the small random acts of kindness that make the world a better place" If he would have let me, I would of kissed him right then and there. Not in the cards of a 12 yo hormonal big/little boy. TJ did revel in the fact that he is now 5' 3 1/2 inches and 100 lbs!
Up 1 1/2 in and 7 lbs from his last visit 2 months ago! Puberty, what an amazing thing.

Karrick's Casting

After taking a long break from modeling, my boys really missed having a steady income. We started back with FORD MODELS. Karrick had a casting this morning for VIVA paper towels. Karrick is extremely outgoing and usually Books the job. He is called into the casting room and is very talkative with the photographer. The ad calls for a boy crying out loud. The photographer puts Karrick on a platform and asks him to make a happy face. Karricks makes a great happy face.The photographer asks him to make a mean face, then a scary face and a sad face. Karrick makes all the faces with all the personality he needs to book the job. The photographer asks Karrick to making a crying face; karrick says to him "I'm sorry I don't like that face". The photographer goes through all the other faces again taking pictures of each. He once again asks Karrick to make a real sad crying face. Karrick responds "I'm sorry, I said I can't make that face I don't like it " The photographer says "Okay, great job Karrick" and lifts him up and sets him on the floor. Karrick with a serious face says to the photographer " ummm, when do I get my money?"
We all burst out laughing... I don't think he'll be booking this job.




Karrick on his way to the casting, owning it.








I have been searching for just the right sideboard for my kitchen. After a good 6 months I found it at HOBO

BOOK FAIR

Today was the book fair at Karrick's school. Out of my 3 boys, Karrick is the book lover. It took him less than 3 seconds to chose a book. Transformers!

I even picked out a book for myself. Tim usually helps TJ with his math, but he was playing in Key West this week. I felt like the cat on the cover...I couldn't remember how to do it. I'll be ready for next time

New Basement

We again have a finished lower level! Now we need to replace all the furniture that was lost in the flood. A wonderful thing happened to the Mcginty's. Friday I applied online to FEMA for federal funds.Tuesday an inspector came to the house and Thursday morning FEMA wired money into my checking acct. That kind of stuff never happens to us...ever. I think after the New Orleans disaster, FEMA is out to up their image. I will be honest and say it feels really friggin good as a tax paying citizen to get some financial relief from Uncle Sam. FEMA you Rock!

Bristle car

Callahan's 4 th grade class just finished a unit on Magnetism and Electricity .For Callahan's final project he was required to build something using magnetsand/or electricity. Many kids did the old standby, a light bulb attached to a switch. While there were some great ideas, Callahan stole the show. On his own he took the XBOX controller apart and removed the motor. He then used a soldering iron to attach the wires to a Lithium 3 volt single cell battery which was placed on the head of a cross bristle Colgate toothbrush. The vibration cause the bristles to drive across the table. When it tipped over he added Legos to either side to act as weights to stabilize . His class was in awe and his teacher just thrilled! Click on picture to enlarge. Video clip coming soon

Private Pitching lessons...Priceless!

I always say " If you're gonna do something, do it right" TJ loved his lessons from Mark at the Dupage Training Academy. They have come to an end. I walked up with the camera and it only took
one take. We could not of asked for better instruction

The Guest That Wouldn't Leave

A month later we are still feeling the effects of Mother Natures wrath. The basement is coming along. We now have walls and a lot of dust. We were able to dry out most of the pre-digital pictures. All right we may have taken an a few pictures of TJ as a baby

there were pictures covering a large portion of our deck. Our deck being 600 sq feet !

A new built in closet to house all electronics above sea level

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home, there is nothing like it. The last 10 months went like this: Basketball followed by track. In house baseball came along and overlapped track. Travel ball came and overlapped in-house. Fallball came and stayed until the 1st week of Oct. A miracle happened this three day weekend, we had no where to go!

I met friends for breakfast Saturday, then went to my standing 10:15 am deep tissue massage.

Julie T has been working on my neck every Sat for the last year. It's something I do just for my self.

I swear to God, for the rest of the day I did not leave the couch....Okay, I got up to order dinner

How about that for a day?

Callahan's Big Day!!!!!!!!

It was playoff time for our Mighty Mighty Bulldogs. We won our first game in Lombard , so it was off to Glen Ellyn for the final 2 games. Callahan was bummed that he had not received the game ball yet. It was his turn up to bat when smack he hit that ball clear over the center fielders head.The crowd went mad. Cal, made it safely to 2 nd base. The Bulldogs went on to win the game 9- 7 .

Guess who won the game ball?

Callahan!!!!!!!!!!

WHACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Bulldogs end the season with 3rd place trophies

Of course no game is complete with out a

visit fron Optimus Prime

Hodge Podge

Final phases of demolition before contractor
puts it all back together

Pampered Pooch

Yes, even the geese are required to stand silently in line
during the middle school fire drill

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

While driving Karrick to school this morning he says

" I have the same kid twice in my class" "Huh? "

" I have the same kid twice in my class" he repeats.

After a moment of silence, it hits me

TWINS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!

Oct 2 was my very bestest friend Erin's birthday. We have been BFF for 30 years now. Even though we don't speak everyday, she is always there for me. We are meeting for our birthday lunch in Nov. in Cocoa Beach Fla.The last time we saw each other was April in the South Pacific on the Island of Kauai. The funny thing is
Erin lives in Chicago, probably 30 min away. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! See you in Florida!

Kauai April 2008




Love, Mary

Another Day Off

I had another day off and it went rather smoothly. In the summer we go to White Water Wis. Karrick aka Optimus Prime, rode on a jet ski and he has been saving his money for his own "spitting jet ski" Not just a regular one, it has to spit water out the back. Whenever he finds coins he puts them in his bank.


Here he collected a whole bowl of change from
around the house to put in his "Pepsapee"" bottle.

Coke , Pepsapee, Hey the kid can't read yet cut him some slack

In our house all the extra laundry change goes in a large cardboard Crayola bank to be spending money for the kids on vacations. Unfortunately the bank didn't survive the flood. I just poured bleach on the coins and let them dry on the laundry room floor. Well, we decided it was time to rinse them off





We visited Karricks old school to pick up some personal items left behind. Ms. K was just fabulous with the kids. . You can tell how much he loves her when he runs up with open arms for a hug. I was thrilled to hear Ms K's cancer is in remission and that she has hair again.

All the long lost kids. Karrick is hugging
his best friend J.

TJ feels he is not represented enough in the blog

Shout out to you TJ!