Graduation

Since I am writing this in July, I guess by now you have figured out that I have been incredibly busy.  So in this blog post, I am going to attempt to catch up so I can talk about the great vacation I just took.  So here goes...

Erin Graduated from 8th grade on May 27, 2011.  She was Valdictorian of her class and I couldn't have been prouder.  She gave a remarkable speech, and my hope is that she remembers what she spoke about her whole life.  Anyway,  here are the pictures.  Enjoy!!

Opening her gift  -- a heart necklace

Giving her speech

Getting her Diploma

Proud moment

Yummy Cake

The whole gang

Erin and Mr. M

Chicago -- Last and Final Fun Day

Today I am writing about the last day of the Chicago trip.  It was a very long and busy day, but we left there with a lot of memories. 

After getting up and getting a decent breakfast, our first stop was to The Museum of Science and Industry.  There are a lot of really cool things to see.  We went on a "Coal Mine" trip with the whole class, and then everyone split up into groups and saw what they wanted.  We saw some of the human body stuff, although I didn't want to see everything they had to offer.  Spent some time looking at tornados, just a really neat place to visit.  Here are some pictures to show you:

Space Man Erin

Tornado

Erin in "The Big Green Tractor" tire

Climbing the Wall of Success

Wall of Jelly Beans

After that it was lunch time and off to Ed Debevicks.  Ed's is quite a different place.  The waiters and waitresses dress up in costume, and love to hurl insults at you.  The food was good, and everyone had a great time.  The inside also looked like a fifties diner...

Our Waiter

How the tables were set up

Crazy Girl

After that the last thing we did was go to the Willis Tower.  Willis Tower used to be called Sears Tower, but some person bought it and renamed it.  Now being a person who hates heights, I really can live my life and never go to this, but since I didn't want to be the odd man out, I went.  It really is neat, but all I could think of was what if there is an earthquake or some other natural disaster.  I know,  I'm a worrier.  Anyway, here are some pictures.  The one thing they did to the top was build a clear walk out.  It really creeped me out, but I got my picture taken anyway.  I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN  I promise :)

The city of Chicago

Skyline

This makes me shudder

Mr. Marolf  A really great teacher

Anyway...  that was our trip.  A lot of fun, a lot of memories, and a lot of really good times.  I will always remember my last 8th grade trip.  Thanks for the memories.

Chicago Day 2

Okay well the next morning we all got up (way to early), and went to have breakfast.  The poor guy at the cafeteria we went to wasn't aware that we, or another school, were coming and he had absolutely nothing ready.  The guy finally was able to rustle us up some food, and off we went.  (I left my bag of food at the dorm meeting area, and when I came back it was gone. So no snacks for the rest of the trip).  Anyway, we started the day by going to the Shedd Aquarium.  It is a really neat place to visit and I highly recommend it the next time you are in Chicago.  Anyway, during part of the visit, the class got to dissect a squid.  It was really interesting and Erin really liked doing it.  She wasn't skiddish AT ALL!!!  I was very proud of my up and coming scientist.  Take a look :)

A Baluga Whale  -- Very cute!!!

Emily and Erin sliding down "ice"

 

Erin and her Squid

After the aquarium, we went shopping along Michigan Avenue. It was a very beautiful day and everyone had a good time.
 

There was a lot of construction and this sign fascinated me.  Why not just have a straight up arrow

Bloomingdales.  We didn't go here, but I thought the sign was neat

Emily underneath "her"sign

Proof I really was on Michigan Avenue

We then met up with everyone at Millenium Park home of the world famous Bean sculpture.  It is really neat as it is like a mirror and you can get some really cool reflections...

Facing the Bean...

...Away from the bean

Odd Reflections

Erin and me

After that, we went back to the University, had an hour or two rest, and then got ready to go to Medieval Times in Schaumberg.  They have this dinner theatre that have kings, queens, knights and real horses.  You get a meal -- we had dead bird (chicken), spine of rat (bbq ribs) and vegetables.  Everything was eaten without utensils and then they put on a show about someone taking over a kingdom.  The horses were beautiful and some of the knights weren't too shabby either ;)  Each section had a color and ours was blue.  Erin was chosen Queen of Love and Beauty for our section.  We had a lot of fun, as you can see ...

All of the Knights and pretty horses

The Queen of Love and Beauty

Then it was off to a very peaceful night's sleep ... shh tomorrow comes with a vengance !!!!

The Windy City

Since Erin is in 8th grade, the tradition at her school is that the 8th grade class take a class trip.  All three girls went to Chicago for it's sights, sounds, and education.  So this time I was picked to be a chaperone.  What a great time we had.  We started off at 5:30 a.m. (yikes) and met at school.  During the school year, there were a lot of opportunities for fund raising, which we did a lot of.  There were train shows, soup suppers, trivia night, etc.  We earned enough money to pay for the entire trip plus a chartered bus.

We started our trip off by packing 18 sleepy kids and adults on this bus, only to be lectured by the driver about not destroying "his" bus.  Really?  He obviously didn't know he was driving the best bunch of kids you could ever meet.  They all behaved really great, and never did any of us have to discipline them. 

After riding/sleeping/talking/listening to music/watching movies etc. for 6 long hours, we arrived at our first destination -- Wrigley Field.  Since all of us were Cardinal fans, we couldn't help but "rub it in" when the opportunity presented itself.  The tour of Wrigley was really interesting and we learned alot about it's origin, owners, players, etc.  Here are some pictures of what we saw:

In front of "our" bus at Wrigley

Picture of the field

Erin in front of the sign

Erin, her classmates and chaperone posing on a really cold day

Erin -- You can see the score board that is kept by men.  No electronic scorekeeping

After we left Wrigley, we visited Navy Pier and went on a speed boat ride/tour on Lake Michigan.  It was so cold and windy, (they don't call it the Windy City for nothing), but we had a great time.  We also got a chance to look at the shops and Erin bought Cody a camo bear from Build A Bear.  It was a lot of fun.  Just take a look:

The Navy Pier Entrance

Our Speed boat.  The tour guide was really a lot of fun.  He had fun picking on us

The "gang" with the skyline in back. We also met a really nice dog

Mr. M and the kids

Chicago Skyline

Then we finally left and headed back to dinner at Genos'.  Usually I don't care for this pizza, but since no one had eaten anything since early in the morning, and we had been running all day, I think we all could have eaten anything that was put in front of us.  I have never experienced a bunch of kids eat so much food so fast in a long time.  This may just rival our family the time we went to Disney and ate at Perkins, but that is another story.  At Geno's you get to write on anything that you can.  Everyone had fun doing this and leaving their memory:   

Erin leaving her legacy at Geno's

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We then travelled to Oak Park Illinois and stayed at Concordia University.  We stayed in the dorm call Martha/Mary.  May of the kids thought is was fun, but we had to share a bathroom, and actually it gave them a little dose of college life.  I have no pictures of the campus, because I was too tired to take them.  We had about an hour of rest and then off to the Blue Man Group show.  It was really really good, and would warrant a trip to Chicago just to see them.  Here is the only picture we were allowed to take:  

 After this we went back to the University and off to bed.  It was a very long and exciting day, but stay tuned for day 2...

Erin's Confirmation

Erin before the service

Today is Erin's confirmation.  This day has been a long time in the making.  Erin spent three years preparing for this day.  Sermon reports, class study, Camp Trinity, small and large group activities.  It all culminates today.  (Actually I am writing this several weeks later, but still).  Anyway, she was so excited.  This is a special day for her. 

Confirmation day is special for all of us.  It is the day we are given a special Bible verse to carry us through life.  I often wonder how mine was picked for me, but I have gone to is a few times.  It is Hold fast to what you have that no one takes your crown.  Nope I'm not going to let anyone take that from me.  It's mine.  Erins' verse fit her perfectly.  She likes to sing and her verse was Psalm 28:7

Anyway, Erin looked beautiful.  Last Friday night she had to read an essay she wrote on "Confession".  She did a really good job and made a lot of good points.

Today, she will get to take communion for the first time.  I know it makes her nervous, since she is the type of person that needs to know how everything is going to work before she tries something.  I know she will do fine. 

After the service, we went home and shared the day with cousins, grandparents, sisters, and everyone who loves her.  My mom even came, and she never thought she would live long enough to see this.  I only wish my dad could have been there.  He was in my thoughts all day.  I really miss him.  Because of him I got to church every Sunday, and he was the one that taught me how important it is to make the time to worship the one and only Person who loves me more than anyone.  I find that incredible.

Anyway.  Congratulations Erin.  Always remain God's child!!!

Posing with the banner she made of her special verse

Erin and her sisters

With her Godmothers

With the cousins and Nana