BW-3's and Back to School!

For those of you that know Tom well, you know he likes his "hot stuff". Well on Saturday August 9, 2008, he took the Blazin Challenge at BW-3's. We had gone earlier when school was first out and he saw that you could do the "Blazin Challenge". You ask "what is the blazin challenge"? Well you have 12 of BW-3's Blazin Wings and you have to eat them within 6 minutes. If you can do that (without getting sick) then you have the privilege of having your picture taken and put on a wall with other people who have also abused their stomachs. Also, you can purchase a shirt for just 5.00 that says "Blazin Challenge" on it. That's what Tom is holding up here in the picture. I didn't take any pictures of him eating. The whole restaurant was watching and waiting and cheered when he finished. They bring a stopwatch and everything to the table. Tom finished with 52 seconds to spare. He ate 12 of their spiciest wings in 5 minutes 8 seconds. Our waiter said he looked a lot better than most people after they finished the challenge. He didn't see him around 3:00 in the morning after. Our friends, Gabe and Randi, went for moral support. Gabe was going to try it, but he got smart and decided not to. He felt much better about his decision after knowing how Tom felt the next day. ;-)

The title says BW-3's and Back to School! Well, this was also the first week back to school for the whole family. Here is Hannah in one of her typical first day of school poses. She is starting 6th Grade at Edgewood Intermediate. It is hard to believe that next year she will be in "middle school". How old do they have to be before you stop taking their picture on the first day of school? The last picture I remember my mom taking was my first day of high school.

You might notice her big bag. That was my idea. She really liked her "imitation" Vera Bradley bag that we got at Walgreens last year, so I thought "oh I could make one of those". Well, it might not have been so bad, but we couldn't find any quilted material that was girly looking. We ended up picking out fabric and I quilted it on the machine. Actually, it didn't turn out half bad. It was just more of a chore than I thought it was going to be. Hannah said she got compliments on it and one kid on the bus said "why do you have such an 80's bag", 80's, what did the 80's look like? I hardly remember the 80's.

It is hard to believe that Tom started his 25th year of teaching (back in the 80's). He received a pin this year. Below is Hannah and Lucy. They tried to get Cooper to be in the picture, but he wasn't very cooperative this year. He didn't have mom at home telling him to "sit up Cooper". I missed her first day of school pictures after taking them for seven years (if you include preschool). Mom was already at work (school) by the time these pictures were taken. Yes, I was out the door before 6:45. Most of you know that at the end of the school year I was told that I wouldn't be able to stay at Adams because they could only have one Special Ed IA and I was the low man on the totem pole. The principal at Adams had talked to the principal at the middle school to make sure I had a job when the new school year started. I knew all summer that I was going to the middle school, but when it got closer I was a little leary. I applied for a couple other jobs in the township, a data entry(attendance/report cards) and the media clerk at Adams. I could have had the job at Adams, but Tom and I can't work in the same building. So, I started at the middle school on Monday as a Special Ed IA. I was really dreading it and a little disappointed about the other position, but after two days, I think I am going to like it. All of the kids are bigger than me and I am definately going to have to study my algebra skills, but it isn't as bad as I thought. I guess the biggest downfall is that mine and Tom's roles have been reversed in the morning. Since I have to be at school by 7:00 that means he gets the privilege of waking up the monster, oh, I mean Hannah ;-) every morning and getting her ready for school. Since he has to be at school before Hannah would get on the bus, our friends Gabe and Randi have graciously let Tom bring Hannah to their house and have her get on the bus with Madison. God really has a way of working things out doesn't He? This was the first year since moving here that the Raffa children have gone to a public school. It was a little different for all of them. Gabriel had some friends from the neighborhood and Dominic and Luciano had each other to ride the bus with. It was neat that Hannah and Madison could be together on that first day. They get to see each other at school too. This has been an exciting first few days. It will be interesting to see how the year unfolds.

Hannah & Lucy

A rare picture of Hannah and Daddy on the first day of school. Usually she

is barely out of bed when her dad leaves.

Luciano, Dominic, Hannah, and Madison on their first day of school, August 11, 2008.

Same kids acting goofy. Nice faces guys!