Hoops, Halloween & Hired!

We've been busy over the last few weeks at the Steffen household.  Here's a quick recap:

Hoops:
A couple of weeks ago, Will's school had an essay contest for kids in grades 1 thru 5.  Students were asked to write about the benefits of team sports.  There would be 2 winners chosen...1 boy and 1 girl.  The winners received two tickets to the Charlotte Bobcats game and the chance to be "ball kids" at the game.  After some gentle persuasion, Will decided to submit an essay.  We discussed the things he wanted to include in his essay and he ranked his ideas in order of importance.  After he wrote out his original "sloppy copy" he re-wrote it using his tidy handwriting and handed it in.  I was so proud that my little 6 year old had the patience to sit down and write his first essay!  Later that week, they announced the winners during the morning announcements.  Will and a fifth grade girl won the contest!!  He was really excited, and a little shy about being the ball kid, but ended up having a blast.  Most of their work was during the Bobcats warm-up.  They were in charge of catching the balls after the throws and tossing them back to the trainers, players, etc.  He spent the entire game on the floor, sitting next to a camera guy.  I recorded some of the game so he could watch himself on TV the next morning.  (It was by complete fluke that both kids ended up wearing tye-died t-shirts to the game!)

Halloween:
The boys were really pumped for Halloween this year.  Will put his costume order in with Grandma back in August!  He wanted to be a knight again.  This was the 3rd year in a row.  Unfortunately, there was NO way that he could still squeeze into the the knight costume Grandma made for him when 4, so he opted for a more grown-up version of his old costume.  It worked out well, since Alex wore Will's hand-me-down dragon costume.  They looked so cute together!  We trick or-treated for about an hour-and-a-half before Alex really started dragging.  We hit a few more houses and then headed home to check out the loot.  The boys stuffed as many pieces of candy into their mouths one after the other...Will says he ate 11 pieces in a row before he started feeling kind of sick.  He said next year he's going for 21.  We pulled the fire pit into the middle of the cul-de-sac and sat around chatting with the neighbors while the last few trick-or-treaters came by.  The next day the boys each picked their top 20 candies out of their bags and the rest we sold back to the dentist!

Hired!
Ever since Alex started preschool in September, I've been job hunting pretty seriously.  I decided that after 3 years at home full time and 2.5 years at home part-time before that, that I'm finally ready to return to Corporate America.  I'm ready for a mental challenge and I feel like the boys are independent enough now that I can spend a little time away.  Plus, Scott gently reminds me that he'd love for me to go back to work and help shave a few years off our retirement!!  After lots of resumes and cover letters, I've decided to go back to my old job in marketing consulting.  Since flexibility was at the top of my job criteria, I asked to work 80% hours and will be working 8-3pm each day.  We've hired a nanny and she starts on Monday and then I head back to work on Tuesday.  We've bumped Alex up to the 4-day 3-year old class at preschool and so far he's loving going that extra day (messy Monday is his favorite). My plan is to be home most days by 3:30pm so I'll still be there to get Will off the bus, help with homework and start supper.  I'm nervous and excited all at the same time.  Wish me luck!