This is Sarah writing. Today we read "On the Banks of Plum Creek" (It is one of the Little House on the Prairie Books). Mom bought me markers for learning to read. I have been very busy making Halloween decorations which I taped to the front window. I also wrote a book called "Ma and the Cats".

The two cats jump on Ma. Ma is hurt. The two cats run. Ma yells. (The end)

Tonight we are going out trick or treating for Halloween. We are going to be pirates. As soon as we woke up we got on our costumes. I am in charge of everyone's makeup. I am using my new markers to put stitches & tattoos on all the kids. Matt has a tattoo of a big heart with 'Mom' inside, and then it is crossed out. On the other arm he has a heart with Dad in the middle, crossed out. For swords we are using butter knives & pencils. All my brothers got the their hair cut very short so they would look like scary pirates. We made a sign for the front door that said 'open' so kids in the neighborhood would know we have candy to give them. We couldn't find any tape to stick the sign on with so we used a band-aid to stick it to the door.

Hey this Dan. I was just looking back at the time when I threw my shoes off the balcony at a church. I was a little kid and always went into the nursery at an old church in Waterloo. I saw that the door was open and I decided to go out. I got out and I looked down over the balcony. I took my shoes off and I threw with all my might. It landed right near a handicapped man and the whole service just stopped and everybody looked at me.

As you can tell I am not censoring this blog TOO MUCH. One thing to clarify though. Marsha and I figured out that the kids hate it when we kiss - all the more if they think we are french-kissing (which by-the-way we actually cannot do because Marsha suffers from a rare condition known as "stubby tongue disease" - she could never stick her tongue out at people when she was a kid). Anyway, this kissing thing has given us a quick way of getting rid of the kids when we want to.

Here is another picture of Sam ... he decided he wanted to go to school and dressed himself.

The only thing that happened today is that mom and dad are french-kissing upstairs even despite efforts to stop them involving me and danny attemting seperate them one way or the other. Unfortunately dad had hurt his shoulder and so we had to stop and so now they are kissing. So I escaped down here so I could walk around without my eyes closed.

Hello this is Dan. I finished my math in section II. I have to go through units now and right now it is pretty easy. Sammy is browsing through the under the stairs looking for 2 apples. Shoot he just found them. We played a game of Bibleopoly (It is a game like Monopoly except you buy Bible cities instead of properties and the first one to build a full church wins) last night and I won. We had to stop in the middle of the game because Dad had to leave. It turned out that i won because I won the jackpot. Everybody had to put half their money towards the jackpot and i got it all because I was in meditation and i rolled a double five and that is the square where you get all the money in the jackpot. If we went on playing I would get a cornerstone and I would pay for the three bricks and the steeple and I would of won.

Hey this is Dan. I recently figured out that Sammy shoplifted a toy that makes christmas lights flicker. Katelyn and Sarah went to a friend's house and we got to see a retired hockey player. His name was Mike Reynolds. He left with Dad and I only got to see him for a short time.

The Wrath of the Soya Sauce

I was curious. It was one of those times when I thought I could do something cool and nothing too serious would happen. I was sitting at the table and I saw the Soya sauce. I picked it up. I thought if I squirted it up it would make a nice soya sauce fountain, but not go too high. I thought nothing really bad would happen. But then I looked up and the soya sauce was on the ceiling and dripping a little bit. And so I got a rag and first cleaned up the table and everything went perfect (because it was varnished the soya sauce didn't sink in). Then I tried to clean up the ceiling and everything went horrible. I tried to clean up the little drops on ceiling but it made a big smudge. I knew I would get in trouble, so I just said to myself: Tell the truth if they find out and in 60 years it won't matter.

A few days ago we (the kid boys) decided that we could start a club (the crazy hair club). Sammy was the first to go. Sarah was following us everywhere so we had to cancel the situation. Now today we resumed and we made Sammy a huge Spinosaurus spike hair do. Dad will probably put it in our blog. If not, I'm a monkey's uncle.
Well I have to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I arrived home tonight and noticed a substancial splotch on our kitchen ceiling - very central, very noticeable - very much a painting job to be added to my already lengthy "Needs Repair" list. Marsha didn't know where it came from, but suspected that it was from a hot chocolate fight. Apparently Dan had been making hot chocolate earlier in the day. I called Dan to ask him what it was. We were right that he was the culprit, but we were wrong about the weapon. He was sitting at the table and squeezed a Soya Sauce bottle so that it shot up and hit the ceiling. I asked whether he knew that it would shoot up in the air and hit the ceiling. "I knew that it would shoot up in the air, but I didn't expect it to go that high."

What do you do?

Sammy came up the stairs today yelling at us "My penis is broken, my penis is broken!" At first we didn't believe that was what he was saying but we soon realized that that was what he was saying, although fortunately it was not what he meant. He walked up beside mum and that's when everyone saw that his diaper was half fallen off (the word you used was close enough sammy!)
Everyone laughed and we fixed his diaper.

Dan is truly in love with his new (bright purple) library card. He went into the bathroom today and starting singing in a false opera voice "MY LLIIIIIIIIIIIBRARY CARD" over and over and over again. I hope he doesn't read this.

I was away in PEI for a few days with work. It is good to be home. I like the feeling of walking through the door and Marsha and all the kids clamour to see me and hug me and kiss me. Being loved is a metamorphic experience.

Hey this is Dan. I just got a new library card that is bright purple and I can't wait to use it tomorrow. Sammy is still acting like the incredible hulk running around the house making messes and destroying things saying "I am angry"
Katelyn got a scratch from Sammy and I have minor eczema. I woke up itching like crazy. I made some hot chocolate and it went away soon after that. I still have a little tinge though. Now that I know how to make hot chocolate I can make some and have a nice refreshing drink and read a book called Harry the poisonous centipede.

Bye!!!

Okay so Sammy is a knight, Matthew is a mess, Sarah is crazy, I am a janitor and same with Katelyn. Sammy is usually running around the house half naked destroying everything in his path like the Incredible Hulk. Matthew is like Dennis the menace. And Sarah is like just Sarah. CRAZY!!!!!!! And I am just cleaning up everything that is in my path like a janitor in a litter room (I mean a lot of litter more than you see near Captain William Spry Public Library).

Our house is a litter room.

See ya!!!!!

It has turned out that our family is very destructive. Sammy was playing In the bathtub. I don't know what he as playing but something like, "torture the rubber ducky". When I went inside the washroom I noticed that the ducky's beak had been ripped right off and Sammy stood in the bathtub looking triumphantly at me looking like he just beat up fifteen knights with one spear and one throw like Sir Lancelot. We have just gone apple-picking and so we won't need storebrought apples for a couple of years. Sammy is depressed with all the apples and every time we open the under the stairs(that is where the apples are)Sammy whines and screams and fights for two apples. One in each hand.

We have a new game which is called Cheeky-butt where somebody pinches somebody's cheek and twists it around until they can't take it anymore. Then somebody ends up with a black eye.
Sammy usually does the pinching but he never gets a black eye because of his incredible blocking power. If somebody tries to punch him he simply puts his arm out and the puncher's puncher backfires and they get a black eye.

Well I have to go!

Friday nights are often late and I don't eat until I get home. When I did get home last night I asked one of the kids what they had for supper. I quote the response, "I had this pasta thing but I wish I didn't because it made me go number three."

This morning I woke up to Matt and Sam fighting. I wasn't sure if it was real or not. Matt kept saying to Sam, "I'm going to wreck you!" Matt is about twice Sam's height and in a very wired stage. Sam had finally had enough and replied, "NO! I'm going to wreck you!!" Sam, who is twice Matt's width attacked him like a bulldog. Fortunately it turned out they were only goofing around so I didn't have to break them up (get up that is).

A little later Sam came upstairs complaining that his blanket was broken. In one hand he was holding his blanked which had a rather large morsel dangling by a few threads but still precariously attached. In his other hand he sported a bread knife. It was time to get up.

We had an exciting (kind of) day today. I had a band lesson at 9:10. At around 8:30 the power went out at our house. Ok i thought, maybe the power is still on at the school. So i walked all the twenty minute walk to the school and was just gonna look inside to see if the power was on but unfortunately that wasn't possible because the windows on the doors were all covered with hot pink posters that were proclaiming that everyone had to vote for Jaqui for president (whatever that means). So I walked into the school and what do you know, i had walked all the twenty minute there all for nothing. So i walked the twenty minutes back and twenty minutes after I got back the power came back on, just in time for the sceduled end of the lesson. There is another practice at twelve o'clock which i plan to go to if the power doesn't go off again.
Sam is standing in a pillow case and jumping all around the basement and when he falls down he looks at me and says Wooow. It is very cute but also kind of distracting.

I had a very busy day yesterday so i didn't write in the blog.
Last night we had some guest called Tim and Deanna Underwood and they stayed overnight. They gave us a game called Bibleopoly, kind of like monopoly only it is all bible related. So instead of jail you have to go to meditation, instead of houses you build churches, and all the properties are biblical cities. They also gave us some toy airplanes and gave me a book which was good because i love reading.

Mum also cooked lots of good breakfast food because they were coming so i was really happy about that because of course they couldn't eat it all and so i got to eat some of it.

Hey this is Dan. I am a little sleepy taking the fact that i stayed up till 11:17 last night. I am still a little sleepy but not to much. Sammy is really growing up. I saw him knokong on Ron's bedroom. He opened the door and said "Ki come in?" I have this game on my computer and whenever it says a stupid saying he will always reapet it. "Skateboard Power"!!!!

Yesterday was my birthday. I passed through most of the day feeling really tired and spacey, until I attempted making a pumpkin pie from scratch. Miraculously it worked out. At night i ate schnitzel and loads of salad and some potatos and peas and bread. Then I got my presents. I got a CD that i wanted and also a computer game that i wanted from my parents. I also got a homemade coupon for lunch at ZEN with dad. I got a lot of funky jewlery, a necklace, bracelet and earrings all made out of clothespin hinges from dan and Sarah and i also got a bracelet made out of clothes pins. I got a bathroom set which consisted of a brush, a toothbrush holder, and a soap holder. I also got a funky calculator which is good because i will need one for my next math book. I got a rock that is supposed to be a geode inside but i havn't broken it open yet so i don't know.
Oh! I found a penny in one of the gift bags so i guess i got that too.
I also got some money from my relatives that live in ontario and quebec.
I'm pretty satisfied with all the stuff i got and i am really, really happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey this is Matthew. People have to be nice. People are sometimes nice but not all the time. Yesterday we had some guests over for dinner because it was Katelyn's birthday. I sat down with Wolf, one of our guests. I watched him play on his electric guitar. I thought it was cool. Hello this is Dan. It was really fun on Katelyn's birthday. We went apple picking and it was fun. We also went on a hayride and it was really cool also. Matthew saw a pear orchard. I don't know where the apples went after we got home but they were really ripe and crispy and also very good. I am starving for one now. I can't wait till Halloween because i am also starving for candy(and mashed turnip my favorite mashed vegetable).

This is Sarah writing. Mommy and I are reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I like it because it is interesting and also because when we read I get to snuggle with mom. We went apple picking on Saturday. We had lots of fun. We picked apples, we went on a hayride around the apple orchard. While we were on the hayride mom picked apples. Then we were all yelling at her to climb on the haywagon which she did. Sammy played on a toy tractor but then when we had to leave he cried and cried. We went to the petting zoo and the animals escaped from the pen. I was scared because I was right by the Billygoat & I was getting squished by the sheep. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. We had turkey, stuffing, turnip, scalloped potatoes, cranberries and salad. Then we watched "Daddy Daycare" Our friend Glen came to Thanksgiving. After the movie we got apple pie for dessert. We went to bed very late. Today is Katelyn's birthday & our friends Anna (Katelyn's friend)& Randy (our family's friend) are coming for dinner. We are going to give Katelyn a choice between a birthday bath (cold water with all her clothes on) OR 12 birthday spankings as she is 12 (this is what they did in Little House in the Big Woods). We made a necklace and earrings for Katelyn out of clothes pin hinges.

I woke up this morning to two interesting sights (see photos below). Katelyn woke up early and began working on cutting up turnip for Thanksgiving. Sarah, who makes costumes out of anything, siezed the opportunity to become a Turnip Princess while Sam, left to his own devices, put on all his new socks.

Yesterday we went apple picking. I marvel at how the child's mind works. We had not been on the road for more than a few minutes before sighting a dead raccoon. Dan yelled, "Hey look, a dead raccon!" To which Matt replied, "Hey! Dan! Let's make up and play a roadkill game!"

Sam in Socks

Sarah the Turnip Princess

I need to make a correction in mom's blog entry. I did in no way suggest that the kids should elevate Matthew in the garbage can with the pulley. If anything I suggested that they not do it because it was too dangerous. Maybe mom misunderstood.

Also Mom and Dan were not my poorly paid lab assistants, because they weren't payed at all!!

I saw a girl that used to go to Kids Club before they didn't have it anymore named Stephanie. I last saw her in May at her church near my house. Now she is taking violin lessons with a lady in our neigbourhood. Maybe i will see her more when she is getting dropped off.

Today I went to my band practice. It was at lunch so it didn't start till about quarter after 12 because everyone was eating lunch except me because I ate at home. There were some guys in eighth and ninth grade who were already finished and every single one of them played either electric guitar or drums. I was trying to practice but they were so loud i couldn't hear myself. So i didn't practice and just sat there until the music teacher told everyone to sit down and play the right way with very little electric guitar. Ahh.

I have to clean the kitchen after supper so i will write more some other time.

While at the library yesterday Danny was working on a geography question "What is a vizier?" He looked up the definition & then had to answer the question "What Biblical figure was a vizier?" He drew a blank on this so thought he would get help from a reference librarian. Her first question was, "are you sure you are supposed to be asking me for help?" Her second thought was, "I'll see if I can find a Bible around here". She had to look up what a vizier was. Don't tell me, readers, that you don't know what this is either? Well, neither did I! It means "a high official of a muslim state". The librarian started looking up books on famous Viziers and Dan waited patiently for her to pull the books from the shelves. After about 20 minutes the answer popped into Dan's head "Oh Cindy, I just figured it out! It is Joseph! Thanks I don't need your help anymore."

Today Katelyn was learning about simple machines & had Dan & I acting as her humble and poorly paid lab assistants by holding brooms which she wrapped nylon rope around. She explained to us dimwits how pulleys work. (I'm not sure if I quite got it so if you want more details you'll have to e-mail her). But Dan & the younger kids certainly understood. This afternoon they are using this same nylon rope in an elaborate pulley system that involves elevating a garbage can into a tree so they could use it as a basketball hoop. (This involved Sarah's death-defying one-handed manoevering of the pulley system in and out of the branches of the tree). Katelyn thought this was brilliant & suggested they try to elevate Matthy IN the garbage can. YES this is somewhat dangerous & perhaps I should be supervising them, but I fear my presense may stifle their creativity & scientific discovery.

We read our friend Wally's BLOG yesterday. He is working in Uganda with people who have AIDS. We found out that of the 2000 children in one hospital only 200 of them could afford the drugs that would make them feel better. The drugs cost only $25 per month. I felt very sad that they were dieing. It would be good if ALL of them had the chance to recover. Mom, Katelyn & I prayed and asked God to heal the children. It would be a miracle and God is the performer of miracles. We were thinking that we could buy a goat for one family. It could have babies that they could sell. The goat would produce milk that could be sold. The money the family gets could be used to send the kids to school (since they can't afford to do it) or pay for the drugs for the kids that have AIDS. The goat would cost $120.00. We are praying that God will show us how to get the money.

Hi I'm Sarah. Me and Sammy were taking a bath and I don't ususally do this but I washed Sammy's hair and got him ready for bed. And Sammy today was stomping on the floor all the time. He made so much noise that it hurt my ears. Dad whistled really loud and it hurt my ears. We made up poems around the supper table. Dad said - Matti Matti with a big stench, please get your bum off the bench.

I flew so high that I could not see our house but everyone else was pointing to it. This happened a few weeks ago when I went for a plane ride in Wally's airplane.

Hi, I'm Katelyn and I am Dan's sister. My dad remarked over the supper table that dan had already made two posts and I hadn't so I guess I better start writing. The only reason I am the janitor of the house is because Dan is too thick-headed to think that maybe he could be a janitor too. I love it when I am in my room with a friend because that means Dan has to do my "janitor" work.

I love to read and unlike Dan about 80% of the books I get are ok for me.

Today i went over to Wally and Marys house because the tree that they had in their front yard fell on top of their house because of Hurricane Juan. We got there a little late and they had already got the top of the tree off the roof of the house and from the talk of the neigbours apparently quite skillfully had manuevered it through the powerlines. The tree crew was all the way from New Hampshire in the states. Their house had no damage at all which was kind of a miracle.

Its 7:30 pm not the time that it says i posted it.

So it is now official that me Sarah and Katelyn are the new janitors of the house, while dad sits on the sofa doing bills (Stressful work). Matthew and Sam usually just play on the computer. I hate it when Katelyn is not there or if her friend is over because then she doesn't work and just is in her room talking or doing something fun. My 2 best friends, Dean and Tate are moved out so I only have a semi-friend and another friend that I am not comfortable. Sammy is learning new words every day. Today I was playing in the basement and he called me a "Cheeky-butt", and I was extremely surprised

Hey, I am Dan, I am also in the Abarbanel family and I will be posting Blogs as well as my dad. sister and Mom. I am nine years old and I love to play soccer,(of course I am in a league) and play any kind of computer game exept for the boring ones and the baby ones like Elections or Chutes and Ladders. I have another hobby which is reading but when I call for a book in the library, only about ten percent of those books is even okay for me. One of my top favorite series is, The Chet Gecko mysteries. Well I hope you liked my intro on myself. Goodbye!!!!

We continue to recover from Hurricane Juan. We lost power for a week and the kids are tired of peanut butter and Jelly for breakfast, lunch and supper. I'm tired of cold showers. Our Deck has been reassembled. In some ways the hurricane was a pleasant diversion. We got to cut trees, play with chainsaws and walk around looking at the destructive power of wind.

Welcome to the Abarbanel Blog. We can't promise much, but what we can is that this BLOG will blow your mind. We have 5 kids with either creative imaginations or incredible destructive capabilities. Our entries will be interesting. I can almost guarantee it!