Patrick Henry Harvest Festival (week 409)

Over the past few weeks, the Keisler household has been ground zero for the Patrick Henry Harvest Festival.  This year, there was talk at school that the annual PTA carnival might not happen. And then, super mommy (and PTA Secretary) Laura Keisler stepped into the leadership vacuum and volunteered to be the 2014 Harvest Festival Chair.

Harvest Festival Chair is definitely a marathon and not a sprint.  While Mommy was teaching classes at Fullerton, attending PTA and YMCA Board Meetings, and taking care of us; she was also managing a bunch of volunteers, vendors, and gadflies to coordinate one of the b take biggest events of the school year.  In the end, it all came together on a Friday night the week before Halloween.  It was a long, long day for everyone.  We had school, babysitters, tennis practice, a soccer game, and the Harvest Festival all on the same night.  Luckily, we also had Stacy and Commander LeBaron as a judges of the Trunk-or-Treat. Aunt Kelly to watch Chris for an hour, Jeff to pick me up from my game, and a host of other friends and family to pull it all off.  Mommy did an amazing job, with all 2,000 tickets sold out, hundreds of people showing-up to the Festival, and we even got the school cleaned-up by 930 pm.

It was just a crazy week overall and really bad luck for scheduling.  For example, the first and only Friday night soccer game this season was the same night as the Festival.  We ended-up tying 1-1 but none of my parents got to see the game!  I scored the tying goal on a penalty kick--bending it like Beckham and hitting the crossbar.  After the long night of candy and staying-up late we then had the early morning game for Christopher's team.  They were terrible, losing 3-1 after 6 straight games unbeaten.  And of course we have to be at Bayshore Church by 845 am for our first singing performance of the year Sunday morning.

But we are pretty excited for Halloween and also got to carve our pumpkins Saturday afternoon.   Chris was pretty hardcore and carved two pumpkins--one with the smallest face that you have ever seen.  It was a big mess but they are now on the front porch and ready to go.  Only 6 days left to Trick or Treating!