It’s hard to believe here we are at the end of October already, and the last two months of the year are a hop and a skip away.
Another month has passed and it can be summed up in field trips and no illnesses. Okay, so Oliver did have a runny nose and his first absence due to a mild fever coming off of a four-day weekend, but no visits to the doctor and only missed one day of school.
The boys both had field trip this month as Jonathan’s third grade class went to Lansing visiting the Michigan State Capitol and a museum. It was part of their learning about Michigan unit. Looking back, my third grade class went to the North Oakland Historical Museum and it was the same school.
Oliver’s Kindergarten class went to the orchard to pick out a pumpkin for a project the students will be working on this week. They also had a doughnut and cider and played until it was time to get on the bus to make it to school in time for dismissal.
A lot of parents volunteered for the orchard field trip. I chaperoned two kids, Oliver and George. I hope George’s parents wanted photos because I emailed the teacher probably one-third of what I actually took. I try to stop it but I am a shutterbug.

I will say, it was neat to see the Oliver personality that comes out when he is with his classmates. It’s a different side than the side that likes to bug big brother – all the time.
When it came to Halloween for this year, Oliver was set on being Bumblebee from Transformers…again. Honestly, I couldn’t tell him no. His heart was set on it. Plus, he had worn his Ironman costume for two consecutive years. A family tradition as I had worn the same costume a few different years in elementary. I can remember being a pumpkin, a classic elementary school costume, a 1950s look complete with poodle skirt, hula girl and a watermelon slice. The watermelon slice was my go-to.
Oliver did stick with Transformers but he saw MegaTron in the store and that was the one. Plus, he was with Grammi, he knew she wouldn’t say no.
Jonathan bounced back and forth. I should point out the boys talk about what they want to dress as for Halloween (and themes they want for their birthdays) all year long. But when JD stepped into his third grade classroom for the first time he said he wanted to be Harry Potter again. His teacher is a fan of the Wizarding World and the students even earn house points. He felt at home and it brought out the aspiration to be Harry Potter again. I just had to find a new shirt and pants due to the growth over the last year and find the eye liner pencil to make the lightning scar.
They tried out their costumes last Friday night at their elementary school’s Trunk or Treat event. For the third consecutive year we had a trunk decorated. Mike went with a scene from “E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial.” I would say with the boys costumes and the trunk theme we were representing Universal Studios really well. Except me with my light-up Haunted Mansion Mickey ears and Mickey Mouse Pumpkin backpack – I was representing Disneyland.
Adults and kids voted for their favorite trunks and though about 90% of the adults and maybe five kids knew the movie, we were not one of the three winners. It was Detroit Lions Sports Center play by play, Bluey and Charlie Brown.
It was a busy October, but I did take time to reflect for a moment or two as midway through the mark marked my 17-year anniversary with The Clarkston News (sister paper to the Oxford Leader), beating out my 16 wild years in retail. Where did the time go?
Seventeen years a lot of stories on wins, losses, championships. The excitement of a Friday night when it looks like most of the community is in the stands for not only football but the for cheerleadeing, dance and the marching band. Seventeen years of excitement and heartbreak on the field or court and in the classroom. Students running in their first or final fun run. Then, in a blink of an eye they are taking their final steps as a high schooler and heading off to their next journey.