So much of me is made of what I learned from you...

So my weekend in Toledo was bunches of fun, I got to witness my mom win $98 on the penny slots, which was very neat!  It was a nice, relaxing visit!
Unfortunately, this past Friday, I found out that my mom had to take my grandfather to the hospital.  He had been not feeling well for a few days, and he couldn't keep anything down.  They admitted him, and it turned out that he actually had a heart attack.  It was like a silent one or something, it doesn't have the normal symptoms, but because of enzyme levels they can tell it happened.  It was really good my mom took him when she did, because a lot of times people realize too late that something bad happened.  He is doing relatively okay now, but his blood is having some trouble clotting, which may be the cause for some internal bleeding he is having.  They are doing a CT scan on Monday, and then hopefully they can figure out where the bleeding is and why, before they do a heart catherization later that day, which I guess will give the drs a look at his heart so they can see where they stand.  My grandfather had a heart attack a long, long time ago, and I think I took for granted how healthy he has been the last few years (ever since he moved to Toledo to live with us).  I mean, he is 78 years old, he has heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and he has had several strokes.  He will probably have to be in the hospital til the end of the week, but it really all depends on what they find out on Monday.  My mom isn't too worried yet, which is good, I made her promise to tell me if I should drive to Toledo to see him.  I just hope they are able to find and fix the problems, I am not ready to say good bye to Grandfather yet.   I was just telling BC's family funny stories about him on Thursday.  My grandfather used to have false teeth, but then he stopped wearing them, but he loves candy and sugar and chocolate, so I always joke to him that a sweet tooth is the only teeth he's got.
So anyway, if you could, pelase pray that he is able to bounce back from this. 

I have been busy getting organized this week.  Even though I moved to this apartment in June I never really settled in, and things were kinda just put places that didn't really make sense.  I have been trying to get things in better places, and in feels really good to be a lil more organized.  I bought a 12 x 12 scrapbook paper storage thingy and I sorted through all my paper into 7 categories and even printed off clear labels to easily identify stuff.  I also organized all my other paper crafts/stationery stuff and my desk drawers with all my school supplies.  The boxes in my closet were moved, I went through my drawers and packed away summer  clothes and stuff I wasn't sure I want to keep, as well as buying tubs to store my xmas stuff and one to hold all my teaching/school stuff.  I also bought a wrapping paper holder that holds all the rolls, as well as bows, scissors, tape, etc.  I really love being organized, but in a small space it is hard to find a place for everything, and messes build up.  I am really trying to start 2009 on a better foot, cleanliness-wise.  I am just sick of little messes everywhere, when it doesn't really take that much extra effort to clean it up.   In my room, I am going to try to keep stuff where it goes, keep my dirty laundry for piling up, and putting clean laundry away promptly.  I know the reason I get messy, it's because I get lazy.  But then, it just takes more work later to fix messes that build up, so why not be proactive and clean stuff up after you use it?  It's so much nicer to live somewhere clean and organized! :)
Speaking of Xmas stuff, I went a little crazy shopping Target's after-xmas clearance sales.  I am so pumped for Christmas in 2009! This is what I got, everything was btw. 50-75% off, as things kept getting marked down:  2 stocking holders that spell "Joy" and "Peace," 2 super cute stocking that are bright pink and bright blue, respectively, and are covered in big sequins, 7 rolls of wrapping paper, assorted bows and ribbon that match wrapping paper,  and lots and lots of ornaments (probably like 45) in an assortment of jewel tones.  Lots of bright pink, blue, orange, lime green, purple, and red.  My mom has promised me one of her extra 6' full-sized trees so I can fit all the stuff I bought.
Changing topics, the weather has been particularly crappy as of late.  We keep having winter storm warnings, and today/last night we got a lot of ice.  Ice scares me more than snow, because is a lot more dangerous, driving-wise.  Tonight I am driving my cousin and brother who both are car-less OSU students to my aunt's house in Dublin for a family movie night.  My aunt and uncle have a huge projector in their basement and they got a popcorn cart for xmas, so we are going to put them to good use.  I just hope the roads aren't too bad this evening.  They live pretty far up in Dublin, and there are lots of dark and windy roads, so I am a little nervous.  Let's all pray for this crappy weather to leave us, and for the ice to melt!
Instead of finishing this post with a complaint about the weather, I'll end with something happy.  Next weekend for MLK weekend, BC and I are going up to Toledo to visit with my family and on Saturday we are driving to the casino in Windsor! It is right across the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit, so it is like 1 1/2 hrs away from Toledo.  Penny and nickel slots, here I come! :)

Wooo Hooo! I am healthy-ish.  I still have  a runny/stuffy nose, but that is no big deal after the germy week+ I had last week.  It's sad I am so pumped about this, but man did it suck being so sick.  I have been a busy girl, I have subbed for worthington, westerville (x2) and dublin this week.  I am not sure if I sub tomorrow, but I bet if I do, there will be a holiday party to supervise! I will need to be sure to wear red or green too.  I have had a pretty busy week outside of work, too. The roommates and BC and I went over to Joe and Jessie's house for dinner on Monday.  After dinner, we played Taboo!, which is my all-time favorite board game.  I miss playing board games, and will be sure to add board games to future gift lists.  Growing up, my family played many board games, but now that I live on my own, I don't really have many so I need to start getting some.  It's funny, my family is so competitive, that a lot of our games ended due my mom walking off because everyone was fighting over some stupid rule or the score, etc. but I still have many happy memories playing outburst and pictionary and taboo and the rest of them!  I am leaving on Saturday morning to go home for Christmas, and I really hope we can play some board games. :) It's a good way to pass the time on a snowy night!   Maybe we can also have a fire in our fireplace. Apparently Toledo is getting a ton of snow tonight, so it sounds like I might have a white Christmas.  We'll see if it melts by next week.  BC and I and our friends, the Millers, are supposed to go to Zoo Lights @the Columbus Zoo tomorrow, but rain is in the forecast.  Hopefully it passes by us before we go, because walking around in the rain sucks!
I am just about done with my Christmas shopping, I just need to buy some sugar-free candy at a local store in Toledo for my diabetic grandfather with the enormous sweet-tooth.  This Sunday my mom, sister, and I are spending all day making cookies, which is very exciting, too!  My dad, brother, and sister's husband are all going to the Browns' game, so we will have free rein of the house that day.  The roommates are I are making some cookies tonight too, we were going to do it last night, but exchanging stockings and pizza and TV wore us out! So we will just extend the festivities tonight.  Plus I am super-pumped that one of my roommates washed all the dirty dishes in the sink.  I was resigned to having to do that today when I got home, even though most of the dishes weren't used by me, so I was so happy to see a ton of dishes drying on the counter.   Thanks, Brandon! Now I can reach the sink to wash all my dishes that I still have in my room from being sick last week.... oops! 
Well, I think I have sufficiently updated, I probably won't update much during Winter Break.  I will be in Toledo until the 27th, and then I hopefully will spend NYE in Cleveland visiting friends.   I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and a great start to 2009!!!!

Ugh, I have caught the dreaded germs that were plaguing BC.  I will update when I feel better.   On a good note,  I saw my mom today.  She was picking up my brother from OSU, so she took us out to lunch.  There is nothing like a mommy hug when you are feeling under the weather.

The turkey was eaten, the naps were taken, the shopping was started.... all in all, a very nice Thanksgiving long weekend.  It was very low-key and relaxing, which was exactly what I needed.  I feel very lucky to be part of a family where no matter how long you are gone, you get home and you can just be yourself. 
On Black Friday, my sister were going to go out shopping super early, but on Thanksgiving night, we decided we didn't really feel like waking up that early, so we went out later in day, and still got some door-busters, but nothing too crazy.  I also helped my mom put out some of her Christmas decorations, and we went to a craft show.  For a trip down memory lane, my mom, sister, and I went to Friendly's Restaurant, which it this chain that serves diner style food and ice cream.  Growing up, there was a Friendly's close to our house, and we would go there occasionally for their Reese's Peanut Butter Cup sundaes.  My sister would get it with chocolate ice cream, and  I would get it with vanilla.  They were very yummy, but the customer service was always horrible.  It took forever to order, and forever for your food to come, and they would never bring your refills, etc.  Consequently, many of the Toledo-area Friendly's closed down, including the one near us.  There is still one left in a southern suburb of Toledo, Maumee.  This is close to where the craft show was, so we went to it afterward.  And while the food was good, wouldn't you know, it took forever to order, and forever for our food to come.  I was almost late to my haircut/highlights appt.  I guess it is true what that they say, some things never change. :)  All in all, a fun visit, except it was dark and pouring rain the whole drive back to Columbus.  I am excited to be home for Christmas too, it is only a few weeks away! I better get shopping... :)

This was a great sports weekend for me!  The buckeyes completely crushed Michigan, the Columbus Blue Jackets won, which makes me happy because it means the boyfriend is happy, and finally, today, the Columbus Crew captured the MLS cup in soccer!! :) It is the city's first championship in a long time.  BC and I went to the Crew game that secured their place in the finals, and it was really fun.  Soccer fans are insane!   There is this huge section of crew stadium called the Nordecke, and the team's 3 spirit groups sit, or actually stand and jump, there and wave flags and play instruments, and sing chants.  They are fun to watch, especially considering there isn't a ton of scoring in soccer.
Weekends like these make me happy that I am sports fan.  It is a cool feeling to be walking around the city, and EVERYBODY has on scarlet and grey, and you can O-H and you get back an I-O,  and just the comraderie you feel is awesome.  Sports can really bring a city together, and make you feel good.  My roommates hosted a party for the buckeye game, so that was fun, especially since neither of them is really into OSU football.  Although, one of them might soon have a job at OSU, so I told him he has to  be a fan if they are writing his checks and giving him free tuiton! :)   So we'll see.
I remember growing up in Toledo as a Buckeye fan.  It is a little more dangeous to be a fan of OSU so close to MI.  I would say OSU has a slight majority with fans up there, maybe 65% - 35%.  The rivalry was almost more intense, because you just came into contact with so many fans from both sides.  Frankly, I would be scared to be a Wolverine fan in Columbus, but in Toledo you can definitely get away with it.  At the Dead Schembechlers concert on Friday, they gave a shout-out to Toledo, since the Rockets beat UM, so I was cheering super loud.  The concert was a lot of fun, and definitely got me pumped for the big game.  Even though it was a blow-out, it was still a lot of fun to watch, because of the rivalry.  I remember growing up in the 1990s and MI ,for the most part, dominating us, so when we can get a little revenge you have to savor it. 
I am excited for Thanksgiving, it's so soon!  I only have 2 possible subbing days this week.  Most schools' last day is Tuesday.  I am heading home Wed. sometime, it depends when my my OSU freshman brother who doesn't have a car, is done with class.  It will nice to be home in Toledo, I haven't seen my family since Nov. 1st for my sister's wedding.  There is nothing like coming home where your mom cooks for you, and you can just relax! 

Today was a pretty good day.  I subbed for the first time in Gahanna.  The principal peeked in several times, and at the end of the day, came and told me I did a really good job today.  So that was awesome. :)  I just wish it was a little warmer out, it is so freezing out!  The kiddies were cute in their scarlet and grey today.  The whole city is all decked out.  My crazy OSU freshman brother jumped into Mirror Lake last night.  I can't even imagine how cold he was!  Somehow I lost one of my gloves today, hopefully it is like stuck under my seat in my car or I don't know where it could be; I even went back into the school to look in my classroom.  
BC and I are probably going to the hate michigan rally with the Dead Schembechlers tonight.  It is free @ House of Crave.  That band is crazy!  Their songs are so hateful and rude, but oh-so-funny!  People don't follow normal rules of politeness when OSU/UM are concerned. :) 
Last night we went over to Joe and Jessie's for dinner.  The meal was delicious, and everything was homemade by Jessie, even the spaghetti sauce and salad dressing! If you are reading this, thanks so much!! :) It was just nice to hang out with awesome people and relax.  During the course of conversation, I discussed how I am amazed and completely confused as to how bar codes work.  Think about it - it's just black lines!  It truly boggles my mind.  Is there any invention or process that just amazes you? If you were wondering more about bar codes, this article might interest you: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/upc.htm
As most of you know, if you are reading this blog, my sister got married on Nov. 1st.  Her photographer posted some pics as a 'sneak peek' on her blog, if you are interested in seeing them: http://sarahjphoto.net/guesswhat/ It is Britton + Jim 11-1-08.
Well, dinner calls, but I will end with those famous words:

I wanna go back to Ohio State
To old Columbus town,
To the stadium to hear the band,
By far the finest in the land,
I wanna go back to Ohio State
To old Columbus town,
I wanna go back,
I gotta go back,
To Ohio
Ohio, Ohio
The hills send back the cry [O - H!]
We're here to do or die [I - O!]
Ohio, Ohio
We'll win the game or know the reason why!
And when we win the game, we'll buy a keg of booze!
And we'll drink to old Ohio,
'Til we wobble in our shoes!
Ohio, Ohio
We'll win the game or know the reason why!