Colbert Style

The most important mission in the history of the Shuttle program took place at 11:59 Friday night. The Colbert Treadmill is now on it's way to the ISS, so you can all rest easier.

There were more clouds than I anticipated between us and the launch.


But that made for some interesting reflections on the river.


This one is like a launch tornado. But Melissa wanted me to say that you better be wearing your 2 million sunblock. Whatever!

Sophi's Big Day!

Today was Soph's First Day of School. This is a pic from our drive. There was a rainbow hidden in those clouds but it was too faint to capture on digital camera! I thought it was a good sign so I took a pic. The days here are hot and hotter. I can't wait til December so we can open our windows and feel the breeze!



Soph has one of her BFFs in her class, Alyssa. Alyssa is actually the granddaughter of my friend Connie who is a third grade teacher at the school. Mrs. Walton was nice enough to put them together. If my mom had told the teacher in my elementary school that I knew a particular person and it would be nice if we sat together, then my mean old teachers would have put us on separate sides of the room!


Alyssa and Soph pose for all the moms and grandmas!


Mrs. Walton and Soph. They will get along wonderfully since Mrs. Walton rewards with candy!



After school we took a swim since it was so disgusting outside. Mom yelled at me for being mean to Emma but later on I caught this succession of disturbing photos......

Paige, clearly gasping for air, Grandma laughing in her face.


Paige, almost submerged, Grandma now mocking photographer.


And she is gone, down to two grandchildren. I guess that's funny to some people....


Before that cruel display of grandmotherly love, we went to lunch sans kids. We ate at Aunt Catfishes. Delish. Here, we pose with the lucky catfish. Only one rub per customer.


I LOVE love LOVE ketchup on my fish!


There was a lovely view of the river but I could not capture it using my minimal photog skillz.


The following is a montage of Sophia's. It is her first day of school work. As you can see she got a smiley face!





She colored this bear.


She is showing the bear.


And closer up of the smiley face!

Read all about it

Today was the first day of school for Paige and Em. I was pretty sad, seeing all my kids from last year going into the big fifth grade class rooms. They couldn't understand why I didn't work there anymore and it was hard for me to keep explaining it! However, I did have my two girls to think about, so I walked Em to her group of third graders and left her in good hands after snapping some embarrassing pics of her! I then walked Paige to her class and got her situated before leaving. After that I stayed at the school for a few more hours helping my friend Sam who has a non-english speaking student this year. I went over some basics with him and I think we were both pretty nervous. I slipped into a steady stream of spanish and he loosened up and started talking pretty fast to me (too fast!) and soon we were best friends. Ok, maybe not best friends but, buds! After my morning at school I drove to Katie's house (were Soph had been waiting) and hung with them and baby Layne for a bit. She is a really good baby, unlike Dara who never let me hold her. The dogs also had a good time playing together. Unfortunately they played right at my feet, under a table!




After school, the girls rushed over to watch the new Doofus Montana movie with the boys. Tried as much as I could, but those toons just stuck in my head....Polk a Dot it!!


We wrapped up our day the best way I knew how, with ice cream of course! We recently discovered that DQ has something on sale each day of the week and Monday just happens to be LARGE sundaes. Whoooppppeeeee. Don't worry, in order for our butts to be allowed ice cream we rode our bikes to DQ and back, yep, making that about 15 miles of biking! The dads and kids played soccer while we rode and then met us there.


Happy and not grumpy after the first day of school.


Wow, talk about happy.


This is the after shot and below is the before shot. She made a hilarious face when I asked her about first grade.


AAAHHHGGGGG!


Paige was put into the same class as BFF Georgia!


We dropped Em off with the other third graders. Em hit the jackpot. Shelby, Sammy and Hanah are all in her class.


Em with her teacher, Mrs. DeGroff.


Paige with her teacher, Mrs. Nelson.


Don't worry, I'm topping you off with a Finley pic! Stayed tuned for Soph's first day on Wednesday!

Blue Springs Sunday

We went to Blue Springs again on Sunday and spent a few hours snorkeling and floating down the springs. After we left there we jumped in Bobbie's pool to warm back up. The Springs stay at 73 degrees and the pool was 96 when we got in.

Here's some pool posing from Paige.


One of the billion fish we saw at the springs.


This is Soph testing the new mask we got for the girls. She's in the spring in this pic, which kind of shows how clear the water is before the crowds churn up the sandy bottom.


Mo, Ethan and Em taking a short break on this log in the sun.


Some big fish in the spring.


Here's a vid of the same fish.


Melissa got in the swimming area and Em did a flip into the springs.