32 Years

Today is my 32nd birthday. Yikes! I was going to write about all the fun things I did today but working out at the Y and picking up books at the library just didnt sound interesting. So I decided to post my "bucket list". I've had one stored in my computer for about ten years now but today I decided to update it and post for all to see. Hopefully, that will push me to complete all the unfinished ones.

1. Skydive a
2. Dive the Great Barrier Reef
3. Visit a nude beach a
4. Take a helicopter ride a
5. See Mt Everest
6. Ride the subway a
7. Attend the Iditarod
8. Swim with dolphins a
9. Take an African Safari a
10. Attend the Olympic Games
11. Take a swamp tour or wrangle an gator
12. Swim with sharks a
13. Ride a bull
14. Go whale watching a
15. Run with the bulls in Pamplona
16. View polar bears in the wild
17. Go dog sledding a
18. See a shooting star a
19. Ride in a submarine or aircraft carrier
20. Volunteer for a needy cause a
21. Attend the Rose Bowl Parade
22. Ride in a tank a
23. Watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace
24. Visit the Eiffel Tower
25. Learn to ballroom dance
26. Shop an Asian Market a
27. Visit NYC at Christmas Time a
28. Go to a drive in movie a
29. Shake the hand of a US President
30. Walk the Great Wall of China
31. Be part of a TV show or commercial a
32. Sit on a jury
33. Visit Pearl Harbor
34. Kiss the Blarney Stone a
35. Camp outdoors a
36. See the Acropolis
37. Stand on the equator a
38. See the Great Pyramids
39. Visit Washington DC a
40. Adopt a child a
41. Give back to our Armed Forces a
42. Visit Machu Picchu
43. Play the slots in Vegas a
44. Write & publish a book
45. Tour a concentration camp a
46. Make snow angels in Antarctica
47. Donate blood
48. Visit the Holocaust Museum
49. Visit a rainforest a
50. Witness a birth (animal or human) a
51. Ride in the blimp a
52. Visit the Galapagos
53. See the Northern Lights
54. Go to the Kentucky Derby
55. Ride a train a
56. Drive a Hummer
57. Take a gondola ride in Venice
58. Speak in front over 100 people a
59. Visit Alaska a
60. Learn to decorate cakes
61. Ski the Rocky Mountains a
62. Ride on a Harley Davidson
63. Watch a sumo wrestling match
64. See a NASCAR Race a
65. Work for Disney
66. See a Broadway Show a
67. Ride one of the worlds largest or fastest roller coasters a
68. Go bungee jumping
69. Visit a prison
70. Cross the international date line a
71. Climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge
72. Shoot a gun a
73. Go white water rafting a
74. Take a hot air balloon ride a
75. See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade a
76. Visit a Buddhist temple a
77. Find a four leaf clover a
78. Ride in a combat fighter plane
79. Meet a king or queen
80. Eat something exotic a
81. Visit Red Square
82. Plant a garden
83. Fly a plane
84. Visit the Smithsonian a
85. Get a professional massage a
86. Visit Pompeii
87. Learn another language
88. Visit NASA a
89. See a drag show
90. Own my own business a
91. Ride the Autobahn a
92. Learn a martial art
93. Fly first class a
94. Experience weightlessness
95. Visit Normandy Beach
96. Be part of Oprah’s audience
97. Live outside Ohio
98. Set foot on all seven continents
99. Meet my grandchildren
100. Meet Andrew’s Birthmother
101. Save A Life




a Denotes completed items

Dental Drama

A few months ago I took Sydney to our family dentist to get her first filling. Everything went smoothly even the Novocain. But, when the doctor returned to finish the procedure refused to cooperate. So we paid for our dose of Novocain and left with a referral to pediatric dentist who could sedate her for the procedure.

We arrived at Dr Su's office this morning about 8:00 AM. The nurse took her BP which was really high, likely due to her anxiety about the dentist. They had her drink some medicine to make her really woozy. Even with the sedative the dentist said she continued to put up a fight but he managed to fill 7 cavities and place a crown on one of her molars. AHHHH!! Lots of money for teeth that fall out. You would think we never brush her teeth.

Happy Valentines Day

My camera is only working occasionally now but I was able to snap this picture of the kids and their valentines day gifts from Matt. Sydney and I got flowers and Andrew got some of his favorite snacks from the Korean market; shrimp sticks & chocolate dippers.

Kalahari Weekend

Sydney had a competition scheduled at the Kalahari Indoor Waterpark so we decided to make it into a mini vacation. Angie & David and my parents joined us and we got one of the two room suites.

Columbus Competition

A two day competition took us to Columbus for the weekend. Sydney did a super job and pulled off a nice back walkover. The Cheetah team brought home third place in the mini level 1 division. Great job Syd, Mommy & Daddy are very proud of you.

Happy New Year

We rang in the new year with friends & co workers of Matt's, the Pester's and Eshler's. Good food, fun and a few too many drinks for Matt.

Happy Holidays

Even though I woke Christmas morning in a different place than years past, it still had a familiar feel. I awoke to the sound of my dad chopping wood and got myself ready as the smell of wood burning filled the air. Ahhh! Oh how I have missed having a wood burning fireplace on Christmas. And, probably one of the big reasons I wanted this house. As a child I dreaded hauling wheelbarrows full of logs up to the house. But, its been over 10 years since we had a wood burning fireplace and even longer since I hauled those logs so in a way I miss it. And miss seeing my dad hunched over the embers.

Soon enough the kids were up and scurrying about the house checking to see if Santa ate their cookies. Despite efforts to camouflage the violin Grandma Pam got Sydney that was the first thing she noticed. I think its safe to say everyone got everything they wanted(needed). Santa brought Sydney an IPod Shuffle and the reindeer pictures she requested and Andrew got his dinosaur.

Christmas Eve

Happy Holidays! Hope everyone has their holiday shopping finished & planning to spend the holiday with friends & family. Our family will be hosting Christmas for the very first time. With the exception of the one year when we went to the Florida Keys and surprised my grandparents on Christmas this will be the first time I have not awoke Christmas morning at my parents house. This year, Mom, Dad, Angie & David will be coming to our house. We will have our traditional appetizer dinner and then likely watch a movie. We had hoped to see the new film, "Marley and Me" but after learning the ending decided that might not be the best choice for Sydney.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I wot you to tac a pichr of rodorf.
PS I Lov You. I wot you to bring a horse to.

Love, Sydney Lavelle

Erie PA Competition

Creeping our way through the snow belt during a blizzard we made our way to Erie, Pennsylvania for our first cheer competition of the season. Unfortunately, the weather kept away most of the teams but Sydney & the NEO Cheetahs did a fantastic job & walked away with second place.



Sydney & her Big, Chloe. NEO has a mentor program where younger members are matched up with veterans.

Central Park

Andrew has fallen in love with the touch screen televisions in the back of the cabs.



Central Park Carousal

More NYC

We hit several more big city sights yesterday. Toys R Us Time Square where Sydney & I rode the the indoor farris wheel while Andrew checked out the life size dinosaurs.




The Winter Wonderland at Macy's Harold Square was a very impressive operation. There were at least 100 people in line but we moved through in about 30 minutes. They line winds through an aray of holiday displays, and the staff take on a characters to entertain adults & children alike. When you reach the end each family is guided into one of six Santas workshop's where you have some one on one time with Santa.



Sera treated Sydney to her first pedicure.

NYC Part 2

In leiu of turkey we had Korean for our Thanksgiving dinner this year, bulkogi, kyogi and yakudori. Yummo! As usual Andrew was spoiled by the waitresses. He pouted when we didnt order any noodles; a few moments later our waitress arrived with a noodle dinner on the house!


This morning we took a the kids down to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty. Sydney's only comment; "This is not a park and theres no batteries". Priceless! We tried to explain that in New York places with grass are considered parks. To our little Ohio girl, parks have playgrounds.

Big Apple Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are spending the holiday at Matt's sister, Sera's in the lower east side of Manhattan. We drove in last night through the Holland Tunnel after an unscheduled tour of the New Jersey ghetto. The kids were wide eyed at the sight of all tall building in all their night time glory. Andrew was bewildered by all the traffic and asked if it was a parade.



But, the parade had to wait till this morning. About 4:00 AM Andrew popped up from bed and asked if it was parade time yet. Maybe we should have followed his lead but instead we got up at 5:30 AM and took the subway over to 75th & Central Park West. We arrived about 7:00 AM and were about 20 yards back from the sidewalk in a sea of humans from everywalk of life. We spent the next two hours elbow to elbow with new friends from the Bronx and Sydney, Australia. Just like clockwork at 9:00 AM the grand daddy of all them all; the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade kicked off with a crowd countdown. Although we could only see the floats & balloons it was still spectacular. Several seasoned watchers brought along buckets, ladders and scaffolding to see above the crowds. We ended up with the kids on our shoulders.

Sydney was thrilled to see the real life; Hannah Montana. While Andrew squealed with excitement over a Buzz Lightyear & the cast of Sesame Street. So, despite the long wait, insane crowds and holding the kids up for 2 1/2 hours I am glad we went. Thats one more crossed of my "bucket list".

Competition Season Begins

Back in my cheerleading days you practiced once maybe twice a week and cheered school football & basketball games. Boy, the world of cheerleading has changed. Tumbling is no longer a plus, its a must and you now find many girls giving up representing their own schools for the challenge of all star competition level cheerleading.

Sydney choose cheerleading as her sport of choice again this year. Since June she has been practicing three days a week. Yesterday the NEO Gym held a "dress rehearsal" for the parents & family. Sydney was so excited to dress in full uniform and makeup. She & her team did a nice job & I was so proud to see her throw a beautiful back walkover.

Happy Halloween

Andrew's First Field Trip

Andrew along with his preschool class took their first field trip to Kingsway Pumpkin Farm. We took a hayride, picked gourds and pumpkins, played in the corn box, visited the farm animals and painted faces.

Evening at the Races

The kids were thrilled to hear Grandma Pam was flying into town on Friday to watch them during Mommy's fundraiser. Thanks Pam for all your help!

After months of hard work my Evening at the Races fundraiser went off without a hitch. A big thank you to my chairpersons & committee members for all your hard work & dedication.



Also a big thank you to my family & friends who attend, I appreciate your support. You always lighten the stress level by giving me a good laugh. This year that was mom & Terri doing jello shots, Bob winning butt paste and Angie & David running in the scavenger hunt.



In the end we raised lots of money for orphaned children around the world. www.FriendsOfAdoptiveFamilies.com

Sheriff Open House

My parents & I took the kids over to the Summit County Sheriff Open House this weekend. The training center is just down the road from us by the airport. What fun we had! We watched K9 & SWAT Team demonstrations, shook hands with the bomb squad robot, and got the kids fingerprinted. Even took a ride in a tank. I give much credit to all our serviceman who spend their days in one of those. Its basically a metal box so not comfortable when your bouncing around inside and we were traveling through fairly level terrain. It's also extremely loud; you could barely hear the person next to you. Despite all that we thoroughly enjoyed our ride and can mark that down as a once in a lifetime experience.



Most of our visit was spent with the mounted patrol. Sydney's love for horses was very apparent to everyone. She went down the row giving special attention to each horse. I want to especially thank Deputy Black. His quarter horse, Brooks was so sweet and sucked up all of Syd's attention. We hope to take him up on his offer to visit the Sheriff Stables very soon.

Got Crabs

Sydney has been begging us for another pet. She would prefer a horse or rabbit but we settled on hermit crabs. I had them as a kid and they are fairly low maintenance; which is perfect since no matter how much she says she will handle their care we all know that most of the work falls on Mom. So five crabbies joined our family about one month ago. Thankfully, they are all still alive and well despite Sydney's constant handling. After some online researching I found a gentleman in the Florida Keys who creates hermit cages just like the one my grandpa built for me. The crabs were happy to leave behind their makeshift house; the top to my Tupperware cake taker and climb the walls of their new breezy Florida style home. To spoil them even more, Grandma Pam shipped several pounds of beach sand up to us. These crabs are living the good life. Well, as good as it can get for a Caribbean Crab in Canton, Ohio.