October was a busy month as a family – we started the month in Ohio and then Traveled To PA, back to TN, visited a friend in NC and then finished out with trick-or-treat with our neighbors. In between all of this, I spent a couple days in Columbus with my brother and of course, the month ended with Trick-Or-Treat.
OCTOBER VIDEO
CINCINNATI – KINGS ISLAND
We started the month already in Cincinnati for fall break and spent the weekend at Kings Island. The weather was perfect and the lines were short.
PENNSYLVANIA CABIN
We drove over to PA for our usual stay at Pymatuning Cabins. Dustin stopped by to visit and we spent the week with Family.
The kids have been loving “Monopoly Deal“, a fairly simple card game that two or more people can play.
VISITING GG
our trips back over the years have been to see GG and papa – this year was a little bittersweet with Papa gone and GG now in the nursing home recovering from a stroke. Definitely a different trip experience, but we all had fun.
COLUMBUS – CLIMBING WITH UNCLE BRAD
We stayed at Uncle Brad’s house in Columbus. He took us out to breakfast and then treated everyone to a session at his local climbing gym.
COLUMBUS – PLAYING BANJO WITH IVAN
While we have remained in close contact, I haven’t seen or played with Ivan since he came out to Carson City Nevada in 2007 to make the Lanxe album below. We played together at Dempsey’s downtown Columbus – I played the banjo to some of his songs and we had a blast, though incredibly un-prepared on my end.
We had two separate trips to Columbus this month. The first staying with Brad and playing Dempsey’s with Ivan and the second a less fun trip to the Ohio State University Medical Center – an incredible place that has really grown up since I lived there over 20 years ago.
A view from the James Cancer Center looking towards the stadium and my old Dorm Morrill Tower.
The area surrounding the campus has dramatically changed in the last 20 years – small/old buildings were removed to make way for towering new businesses all up and down high street. I didnt get to walk all of campus, but I did see the food delivery robots, highlighting yet another significant difference since our time there, 7-2 PIP (pre-Iphone).
We also drove by the old house I lived in with friends for a couple years. It used to be a wreck, but doesn’t look terrible today. My room was the attic.
TENNESSEE – BACK HOME
Guinea Pigs – because we need more responsibility and our home petting zoo was missing a rodent exhibit.
Soccer Is Over for the Season and the kids had a blast.
Christian loves STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Even at home he is tinkering and building. Every month he gets a new kit to build – this one is a drawing machine.
Both Christian and Josslyn have straight A’s this year and are on the honor roll – we are proud of them. Christian even received a “Pride in Excellence” award from his Science teacher.
My name is Mr. Wise, and I am the Ready Graduate Advisor at MJHS. This email is to inform you that your student has received a Pride In Excellence award from one of his/her teachers. This is a prestigious and highly selective award. Each teacher at MJHS only selects ONE student to be their award winner. Your student is one of this very selective group. We are extremely proud of them, and we hope that you are too.
Mr. Wise
NORTH CAROLINA – JIMMY’S PICK N GRIN
We tested the performance of the minivan on the Tail of the Dragon on our way to Jimmy’s Pick N Grin in Andrews North Carolina. Our friend plays in the house band there and it was a costume party – The kids were dancing animals.
While we were driving the Dragon, we noticed several photographers that we assumed were pointing the camera at us to get focused and set for the action shots behind us – but it turns out they take pictures of every passing vehicle and have been doing so for years. Glad they captured this moment of us testing out the Big Brown Boogers capabilities.
TRICK-OR-TREAT
Our neighbors invited us along for a hay ride style trick-or-treat. The parents walked along and when the trailer stopped, the kids got off and stormed the hill, collecting enough candy to last at least until the next stop. We ended up with 20 lbs of candy that we confiscated, creating a pure meltdown in our home. Next year we are going to try “Switch Witch”, a technique we have heard helps avoid the candy wars between kids and parents.
