We went to a wonderful Oktoberfest party with Nana and Papa a few weeks back. Nana made Signa a Dirndl and bought a beautiful shirt for William from Germany. She then borrowed Lederhosen in a beautiful red leather from a friend for him.

William, always the ham, couldn't just do the chicken dance; he had to add in the Curly Shuffle (which he calls the Rock and Roll move).

You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_UdE9E96bU

We also took a trip to Oregon to see Grampa and Grandma Molly. Just William and me. We had a great time and now he wants to go there every week. He loved the built in playground, but also all the food and special juice that was just for him! We can't wait for Thanksgiving, hoping they will be joining us again.

And if you are a genealogy friend, I've created a genealogy blog at: http://mmgenealogy.blogspot.com/

I figured I needed an outlook for all my recent genealoging before I start writing it here and boring you all!

I’m doing a fundraiser for CORA through the month of October. There are some GREAT new books (including a new series that I’m coveting for William). All my commissions from your orders (and your friends’ orders – pass it on!!!) will be sent to CORA. Last year when I did this, we raised $50. This year, I want to send them a lot more.

My Usborne Website: www.ubah.com/j2614

“CORA provides free and confidential services to victims and survivors of domestic/dating violence and abuse, including child and teen witnesses, in San Mateo County. Our services include a 24-hour hotline, support groups, legal services, emergency and transitional housing, and more, in English and Spanish. http://www.corasupport.org/ ”

CORA is a wonderful organization and performs so many valuable and needed services. For each of us, this fundraiser is a win-win. You get great books for the children in your lives AND part of your money goes to a wonderful organization.

I love to suggest books for you, or you can see our new titles here:
http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/results.asp?sid=J2614&gid=101462745&newtitles=on&submit=new

Personally, I’m ordering this for William, as it looks just about perfect for my anxious-to-read 4-year-old:
Very First Reading Set
http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/VeryFirstReading.asp?sid=J2614&emkt=203

Thank you and please let me know if you have questions!
-Debbie (debbie (at) mascotmanor (dot) org)

Dear Mrs. Magilicutty,

Today you are eight years old. You are my big 8-year-old. And this is my eighth birthday letter to you. Eight. You’d think that I’d run out of things to say to you on your birthday, but I don’t. I just say the same things every year- that you are the coolest, most wonderful kid and I love you so much.

This is the first year that you will read your own birthday letter. All the other years, I just wrote it and tucked it away in your journal, but this year, I am emailing it to you. This week is the week you got your own email address and you are so excited and funny about it. I got 5 emails just this morning, all saying something to the effect of, “Send me an email.” And when you send one to me, I always know it even before I hit Send/Receive, as you are laughing and looking at me and grinning.

You got your retainer this year and it makes you look older and I can’t believe how responsible you are with it. I never have to remind you to put it back in after you eat or to put it in your “retainer container” before you do eat. You just know and you do it without question.

You and I had some special times together this year, with trips to Oregon and to Ohio. I was so worried that after being together non-stop, we’d be on each other’s nerves, but you were the perfect travel companion and I loved having you with me and showing you off to our family. You make me very proud.

You love Build-A-Bear and playing games on your computer. And email, as I’ve mentioned. You also love to play with Will even though he doesn’t play the way you like to. It’s still really nice and big sisterly of you to be so good to him. I know it feels like he doesn’t deserve it sometimes, but trust me, he does and you and he will always have a very special relationship because you are each other’s first friends. Just ask Unkee!

I love that you are mature for your age, but still a kid. We get complemented on how great you are all the time and while we love that, we really love you. I don’t think that either Daddy or I could think of one thing about you that we’d like to change. You are just perfect how you are and you are our treasure and our joy and our hearts.

You are the best daughter in the whole wide world and I am so happy to be your momma.

Love,
Momma

Signa is at Gramma's this weekend and so we needed to do something special with William. Marc was in a sculpting mood, so I coerced William into taking me on a date. We went to the bank and I let him take out the cash. Then he took me miniature golfing, to lunch and to the bumper boats. And skee ball, where he scored a tiny back-scratcher and soccer ball eraser. He graciously paid for everything and proudly told the people, "This is for my momma and me."

I will never ever forget Will's first date. I even got a big hug and a kiss at the end.

Tonight he is taking his Momma AND Daddy on a dinner date. He wants to have shrimp (and white wine, although, we veto that).

I think this phone conversation wins:

Me: Why are there two hotel charges on my bank statement?
Hotel Woman: You need shuttle? I get shuttle. What room?
Me: No, I had two charges for your hotel. I stayed last Friday.
Hotel Woman: Two charges for shuttle last Friday? I check...

me on hold

Hotel Woman: What time you take shuttle?
Me: I did not take a shuttle and I do not want to take a shuttle. I want my money back.
Hotel Woman: You want money back from shuttle?
Me: May I please speak to the manager?
Hotel Woman: The shuttle manager? No manager for shuttle. You want lost and found?

After getting through to her that it was a billing issue, she transfered me to a man.

Hotel Man: Let me just pull up your account. Sarah McDonald, right?
Me: No. (Gave my name again)
Hotel Man: Yes, unfortunately we do have a missed reservation policy and because you missed the reservation without cancelling 24 hours before your check in date, we did need to charge you for that.
Me: (in that super calm before the storm voice) Then would you mind just explaining, you know, um what the other charge was for?
Hotel Man: Yes, that was for the room and room service last Friday.
Me: (paused to let it sink in... pause... pause... THERE it is. You could HEAR the light bulb flash on)
Hotel Man: OH, how can we charge you for a missed reservation and then also charge you for a room?

Me: Exactly.

Credit supposedly coming and we already had a free night for the other crappy customer service I wrote to them about. But do I really want to go through this again?

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I put makeup on women. They would come into the spa and I would make them look good. I remember learning to put eye shadow on older women. You would have to stretch the skin out with your thumb while applying it or the brush would just move on the same piece of old woman skin and not spread nicely.

This morning, I realized I have that old woman skin. I had to stretch my eye skin.

This marks the official end of an era. Can I wear knee high nylons with my sandals now and polyester pants with a stupid hat?

Last weekend, Signa and I went to Oregon. We drove up on Friday and back on Monday, but had 2 full days with Grampa and Grandma Molly. It was wonderful and Signa wants to go back with us next time, even though it's supposed to be just me and Will next time... I think Daddy would explode with NO KIDS for a full weekend, so we will see...

While there, we attended Battle of the Bones (http://www.battleofthebones.com). We tasted 12 or so different pulled pork and voted for our favorite (the apricot one was our family's favorite!). We walked around and got ice cream and cotton candy and giant lemonades with flavoring in them and balloon animals. It was a great day and I LOVE PULLED PORK!

Sunday we went up to the mountain for a picnic. It was a lovely day and the whole weekend was very relaxing and comforting. I love spending time with my parents as you get to be a kid again and they sort of step into the adult role as your backup. I hope my kids feel that way when they are older, too.

Yesterday I took a surprise day off work and we had Momma Camp. The kids got tickets for Momma Camp from 9am to 9pm. The day started with name tags and leis. We then went to get supplies for Momma Camp and then home for the Momma Camp Sing-a-long*. After the sing-a-long, we painted figurines as our craft and then had a water fight with water baloons and Super Soakers in the front yard. Then lunch at McDonalds and playtime in the Playland. Then Will's nap, during which Signa tried to learn how to ride her bike. Then another craft (library bags) and then off to the water structure activity pool at the community center. Then swim lessons, hot dogs for dinner, and smores by the campfire in the backyard. Then bed.

We all loved our Momma Camp.

* Our official Momma Camp song is sung to the tune of "Lollipop" and played on the guitar in the A CHORD until the POP (where you knock on the guitar) and then the ba bom bom part is in the E7 on the guitar (note that those are the only things we have learned on the guitar in guitar class, so it's a bit limiting.