400th Commencement at THE Ohio State University!

Proud to announce my sister graduated today from The Ohio State University!!!

I took video too, but can't seem to get them off the phone yet! 

Grads waiting to enter. College of Education and Human Ecology enters on the right.

Congratulations on the digital thing..

Where the grads will sit

Live music under the tent. The alumni band?

PhD  candidates on the screen. The college of Nursing has the white balloons.

Entering the stadium

more graduates!

10,600+ graduates today!

Speaker was

Susan E. Rice U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations

PhD Candidates getting diplomas. Jennifer is somewhere right below that railing smack in the middle of the photo. =)

Last, I couldn't tell exactly which graduate she is, so I just kept taking pictures hoping to catch her in one as she got her diploma. If you are so inclined, see if you can find her HERE beginning with picture 15.

Adventure!

The adventure begins!

Matthew is on spring break this week. I stayed home today to hang out and since it was so lovely we decided to go on an adventure. We have a nature preserve within very short walking distance, but in almost 5 years of living here, we've never explored it. Until today..

And there's a creek! We had to cross it several times and it was big fun. 

The girl scouts placed a few benches

Bridge. Matthew believes it must have been the Girl Scouts' bridge. 

Eli was leader for part of the trip

Matthew and Eli found walking sticks

There were many fallen trees

I thought these plants were neat

 I thought these plants were neat too

and I liked the bark on this tree

Halloween 2009 Beggars Night(s)

So, we trick-or-treated twice.. Matthew got to go three times technically since they did T or T at his preschool building. If I can manage I'm going to include a photo of the kids in their costumes...

The weather was great for our first trick-or-treat in Jen's neighborhood (when the pics were taken), and the plan was to go again on Saturday in Granville even though it was VERY cold. But because NBC4i.com posted the wrong night for trick-or-treat in our neighborhood and/or we're incompetent at looking up such information we missed our own trick-or-treat (it was Thursday) and went to Westerville instead. It was nice! Grandma Carol came along and I think she had a good time too. It was COLD on Saturday but the kids were layered in clothes and enjoyed themselves for the most part. Eli especially loves candy corn.

Matthew is GREAT at saying Trick-or-Treat and had the nicest manners, making sure he said Thank You loud enough for grownups to hear and making sure he looked at them when he said it.

We were so proud. I told him how happy it makes Mommy to hear him use such nice words and that I was proud of him, and he says, "Thanks! Were you impressed??" LOL uh yes I was. Nice words Matthew.

...and can I tell you how long I've messed with this post and these pics and still just can't get it right...