Patty Johnson's Blog

This year they actually had Trick-or-Treating on Halloween and at night. She got ready at 3pm and we took some photos of her. Then we went to Walgreens where they were taking photos of kids and you'd get a free 4x6 and you could get it on a cd for only 31 cents. Then, we picked up Gwyn from her house and went to my parents house so we could all get ready. Once Adam got to my parents house from work we went out trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Lily was so cute and this year would say "trick-or-treat" and "thank you" every time. After a while she was tired so we went back to my parents house and checked out her candy. She got a lot of candy this year! Then, Lily helped my dad hand out candy for the rest of the time which she really liked doing. Videos: Trick-or-Treating 1, Trick-or-Treating 2
More Photos: At Dotphoto

Starting on Tuesday we started having power surges in the house where the lights would flicker and my bedroom tv would actually turn on. One of the times I actually heard a pop near my computer and smelled something so I called Public Service. They said they'd have someone check it out within the next three business days. The next day while I was out there was another power surge because when I came home my bedroom tv was on again and the clocks were all blinking. My computer was also off so I tried to hit the on button. That's when I realized that it wasn't working. I called public service again and told them that my computer was now fried. The next day another power surge fried my charter dvr so I again called public service. This time they had a technician call me. He said that he had put a recording device on my house for 24 hours and everything looked fine so I should call my landlord and have them get an electrician. So, I did that and they came over to check things out. They thought it was one of my floor lamps that was the problem because where the bulb is put it was kinda loose. So they told me not to use it, get some new surge protectors and basically hope it doesn't happen again. That night at like 10pm the lights got really bright and then there was a huge pop and the living room breaker turned off. Adam tried to turn it back on and it didn't work. We ended up going to my parents house because we didn't want to stay here. The next day, which is Friday now, we went to my house and the maintenance people had come here and left a note telling us to not plug in so much stuff in the living room. We had also discovered that one of the two top of the line surge protectors that we had bought the night before wasn't working. It would turn on but wouldn't let anything that was plugged into it turn on because it now wasn't grounded or protected. So, I once again called maintenance. They called and told me they'd come over again so we went back to my house to meet them there. When we were pulling in the driveway the neighbor's son was walking down the street so we asked him to see if everything was working in his dads house (the other half of our duplex) So the maintenance guys come and they bring this other guy who was a total jerk. They basically said it was my fault because I have too much stuff plugged into our living room. Then, my dad talks to the kid from next door and he says that he also doesn't have power in his living room! So, now is when they start to finally believe me that something else is going on. They go over there to check out his living room and while they are there they get to experience the power surge, lights flickering and hear a pop at his place. They decide to call public service to have them come out again. When they came over to my place to tell me that, they notice that the light by my front door is flickering and smoking. They tell us to turn off our breaker til we figure out what is going on. So, public service comes and they first don't think anything is wrong either. Then, the people who live next to our duplex come out and tell them that they have been having surges too and that their tv was actually smoking. Then, they decide to go up on the pole and do a final test. Then, they find that something is wrong with the box on the pole. So, they finally figured it out and replaced the box. We are still moving our computers out of the living room and maintenance is going to replace all my outlets (because they are loose and upside down) So, now I have to file a claim for my computer with public service and hope that they give me money for it. I'm glad it's all figured out.

Lily wore her good witch costume today for her school Halloween party. The parents were invited to come to the party at 11am. Before that the kids did a costume parade through the YMCA. Then once they got back from that they all sat in the circle and sang a few Halloween songs for us. Then it was snack time and there were alot of different things to choose from. Lily had a cupcake, grapes, jello and pink milk. All the kids looked so cute and had a variety of different costumes.

MORE PHOTOS: At Dotphoto

VIDEO: The kids do a costume parade
VIDEO: The kids sing: "Days of the Week", "5 Little Pumpkins", "I'm a little pumpkin"
VIDEO: The kids sing: "Here we come to trick-or-treat", "The Snack Song"

Today we went to the costume carnival at Celebration Church. Lily wore her first Halloween costume of the year, which was a 50's outfit with poodleskirt. We got there and first Lily wanted to play all the games. She loves plinko and is good at anything that requires her to throw something. They also had this cool fishing game where you'd take a fishing pole and they'd put it behind a curtain and when you'd reel it in there was a piece of candy at the end of it. They had door prizes and I won a book, pens and coupons for Culvers and Point Bowl. Then we had cotton candy, hot dogs and chips. Next was the costume parade and contest. A few people that we know did win that so it was cool.

More photos: At Dotphoto

Today we went to Down on the Farm with Playgroup. We carpooled with Audrey, the playgroup director, and Lily was a big hit because she brought her mp3 shaker full of kid songs. When we got there we first checked out all the animals. Then we took a nice hayride with everyone. After that we had snacktime and each kid got to pick out a pumpkin. Lily picked a really kooky shaped one. It was a little cold out but still alot of fun.


More Photos: At Dotphoto

This weekend we did more puppysitting at Mom & Dad's house while they traveled around Wisconsin. Adam spent most of the primetime hours at home because he was watching the Redsox games and he has a superstition that if he doesn't watch from home they'll lost. He's pretty crazy. Lily and I kept busy by watching movies and playing games on the computer. Lily also swept up some leave in the driveway while I cleaned out our car.

Today was Danny's birthday! We had a yummy ice cream cake from Dairy Queen that was all decorated in Star Wars stuff. It was cool. After cake Steve and the boys put on a little fireworks show for the rest of the family. It was really cool, even though the flying fireworks almost landed on a few of us. There were some fireworks that even had parachutes fall from them which was neat. Lily didn't like the loud fireworks to she spent most of the time in the doorway watching with her hands over her ears. After the big fireworks all the kids played with those snap-it's things that you throw on the ground and they pop. Everyone had a great time with those! MORE PHOTOS: On Dotphoto
Firework Videos: Flying Spinner 1, Flying Spinner 2
Firework Videos: Instant Migrane 1, Instant Migrane 2
Firework Videos: Spinner, Shooting Fountain
Firework Videos: Fountain, Popping Fountain

We went to Altenburg's for the big candy drop. A bunch of us took a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch and all the kids picked out a pumpkin. Then, it was time for the candy drop. They gave the little kids a head start but since they dropped the candy on the other side of the place it didn't really matter. The bigger kids could run much faster and of course they were taking much more than only 1 per kid. We were trying to run so fast that Lily lost a shoe. Luckily my sister found it right away while we were still running. Steve found a parachute for Lily so she did end up getting one. MORE PHOTOS: Candy Drop pictures at dotphoto

Today they had another puppetshow at playgroup. Lily really loves the puppetshow and it's also cool because the puppeteer is a mom of a friend of mine. The show was all about washing your hands to keep healthy staring June the dragon, a wizard named Uncle August, and his nephew. After that Lily had fun playing with all the kids until it was time to go. MORE PHOTOS: At Dotphoto

Every Tuesday Lily and her class get to go to the pool for 30 minutes of swimming lessons. A few of the parents, including me, stay and help the kids get dressed. Lily loves all parts of swimming except when they want her to float on her back. She hates that for some reason. Otherwise the kids do really well and learn new stuff every time. For the last 5 minutes they have free time which I'm sure all the kids like that the best. They can play with noodles or toys or just splash around.

(Lily waiting on the side of the pool,       Lily swimming with a teacher)

Today Lily and I went to see "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" with my parents. Lily has been so excited to see it that every morning this week she asked if we were going that day. The movie was actually pretty cute and there were so many Chihuahuas including one that kinda looked like Poquita.

PHOTOS: See full size photo HERE

Today I did some volunteering at the Dozynki harvest fest. I helped out with the pumpkin pie eating contest. Basically I helped set up, tried to recruit people to enter the contest and then helped clean up. It was pretty funny watching them eat the pies. Next year I might enter...I do love pumpkin pie! After that my parents picked up Lily from my house and brought her downtown to meet me. They had lots of things to do there including making a family tree at the FRC booth, a petting zoo, and a little train that rode around downtown. It was good time. More photos: At Dotphoto

Today we went to the Stevens Point Fire Station with Playgroup. There were lots of kids and parents there today. We first watched a Donald Duck film about fire safety. Then all the kids each got a junior firefighter badge sticker. Next, we went to the garage to look at the ambulance, fire truck, rescue truck and rescue boat. While we were in the garage, one of the ambulances actually had to leave with it's lights going. Then, the fireman gave each child a bag of goodies including a coloring book, crayons, tattoo, balloon, keychain, magnet, etc.

More photos: At Dotphoto