Fall fun

All the leaves are gone! (This is the same tree from Tuesday's post)

Well, today was a nice end to a very busy week. The weather was WARM. Now, I thought I would NEVER say that 68-70 degrees was warm, but since most of our week was in the 40's (mornings in the 20s!) 70 degrees seems like a summer day! It was sunny until this evening (when now we are having a much needed rain storm). We had a very busy day - and I will get to that later. Let me back up a little.

Wednesday night I met with the other mom that is from the PTO to get our shirt orders together so that we can start our sales in November. We came up with some good choices. She was here for about 1 1/2 hours - mostly which we just chatted and got to know each other. It was a lot of fun and she is a really great person. She has a Kindergartener, but also has a 2 year old! So we made plans to have a playdate with all of the kids - I think it would be fun.

Thursday after school I had a nursing conference. I didn't even come home. The other nurses met me at my school and we went straight there. We had a blast. I love being with these ladies - they are hilarious, and since we are in the same field, they GET my day! We always have great stories to share. We had dinner, and then listened to a good conference. The conference was titled "School phobia and school refusal". I actually have two students that fall into this category, so it came in handy to get some information, and the guest speaker was really great. It was from 4:30-8:30, and I was home around 10pm (by the time we got back - it was kind of far away). These conferences are just for school nurses. We have our own association. There is even a national conference each year. This years is in Boston! We are so excited! It isn't until next June, but we are all going. It is two nights and three days - I little vacation for me. I can't wait to go.

Also on Thursday, I got a call from the daycare at 3pm that the babies had woken up from their naps with eye drainage. The daycare thought pink eye. I was pretty sure it wasn't - especially in Cainan. With his cleft, when he gets a cold, his eyes always get a little drainage that appears after he sleeps. But we took them to the doctor and the doctor decided to treat it like pink eye and give both of them medication. Great. So no school for them on Friday. Mat was my hero today. He was in charge of the kids because I was going to the conference. He picked them all up from school and had to take them all the the doctor, wait forever, feed them dinner and get them to bed! And he did it all without complaint. By the way - after that first drainage they had a school, it never returned. It was not true pink eye and Mat lost a work day on Friday. Oh well. He didn't mind.

Friday - babies home from daycare, so I only had to take Arlington to school. I can't say I was sad to only have to drop off and pick up one kid - so easy! Mat stayed with the babies all day. In the evening Arlington and I went to the Salem used book sale. The library apparently does this every year. These are library books (and maybe some others) and they are in really good shape. Very good, in fact. There were at least 20,000 books! They held it at the school gym. It was really cool. Because we are "Friends" of the library (we donate money to the library) we got to go in at 6pm with the other "Friends". It was packed. Arlington and I had one mission - to get her some children's books. ALL of the children's books were 25 cents! Adult books were 50 cents - $1.00 depending. I got Arlington 7 books and only spent $1.75! It was great. I wish we could have stayed longer, but it is hard to shop for long with a 5 year old in tow. Next year we will know more, and will stay longer. It was Friday night and all day today.

Today - today was a busy fun day. We got up this morning and headed to the Salem Apple festival. Now, as most of you know, my town is only 3000 people. But between the book fair and today's apple festival, you would have thought it was so much bigger! This festival was REALLY well attended. It is, as I understand, one of the most popular things that Salem does. It is held at our local church. There is a giant field behind the church where they parked all the cars. There were so many people there! The lines were long for all of the apple things, but we were determined to get something. The kids were really well behaved and waited patiently. Finley and I stood in line for a wonderful apple crumb pie that I can't WAIT to eat. Homemade, of course! Apparently this is all one family recipe, and with help they do this every year. They had so many choices, pies, crisps, brownies, bread, cider, fritters, etc. Everything was made of apples. We did get some apple fritters (on the recommendation of our neighbor, Michelle) and they were SO GOOD. Warm, soft, and apple filled. Yum!! So that was fun.

After the festival, we went on the a local cornmaze/pumpkin farm. We wanted to try the cornmaze with the kids and get another pumpkin or two to have for Halloween. The cornmaze was alot of fun and the kids loved it. We did get a few pumpkins to bring home as well. Pictures are all below. Only Arlington is in her Halloween shirt - the babies got their dirty. But I will take them in their shirts on Halloween. After that we got some lunch and came home for the babies naps. Arlington and I hit the library for some new books to read this week (even I got one - you should be proud). Mat and I watched a movie this afternoon and Arlington watched her own movie. When the babies woke up, we all went outside to enjoy the warm weather. I rakes more of the millions of leaves that have fallen (and took a picture of the tree that just last post was still full of leaves - and now is bare!) and the kids jumped in them.

So that was our week! I have one work story to share that you will love. Names have been CHANGED - but the details are true. By the way - the student is a Kindergartener.
Teacher comes to my office with "Johnny"
Teacher: "Johnny" has been grabbing at his swimsuit area. I think he has a bladder infection. Also, it seems that he has a diaper on - he makes a lot of noise when he walks.
Me: "Johnny" come here and tell me what is going on.
Johnny: nothing Mrs. Pletcher- I am fine.
Me: well I need to check you out.

I proceed to feel his pocket (where he has his hand stuffed). I feel a few things in there.
Me: Hmmmm. "Johnny" do you have something in your pocket?
Johnny: no
Me; (to the teacher): I am going to take Johnny into the bathroom and check him out. We will be right back.
Me (to Johnny): okay - lets see what is going on. No, you don't have a diaper on. Hmmmm - hey what is this????

I proceed to put our 6 (yes 6) MARKERS from his underwear!!! He had them hiding in there.
Me: "Johnny" why do you have these markers in your underwear?
Johnny: I don't know.
Me: Can you tell me how they got there?
Johnny: I don't know how they got there. A friend of mine gave them to me on the bus and I put them in my bookbag. I don't know how they got into my underwear.

I emerge from the bathroom with the markers and "Johnny" and the teacher was trying her best to keep her giggles in. She also questioned him and got the same answer - "I don't know how they got there".

So there you have it folks! One very creative little 5 year old! Made my day.

Enjoy the pictures! I will see you on Tuesday!

New quote: "The world is full of stories. But the stories are all one."