Lessons in Fly Hunting

While in Lebo, Miles fine-tuned his fly hunting skills.  Take notes...

1.  Spot the prey.

2.  Stalk the prey until it lands in favorable area.

3.  Go in for the kill.

4.  Verify.

Country Living

We visited my parents for one last summer weekend.  It is nice to be able to travel light--the kids have their own drawer of "Grandma's House" clothes, toothbrushes, diapers, etc. They always change into these Wal-Mart treasures as soon as they get in the house.

Baseball game--cut off tree stump is home base.   

My parents put in a pool :)

Newman's BFF, Barney.

Sharla and Amy, guess where they are!

Two in School

It's official, we've got two kids in "real" school.  They were excited to check out their classrooms last night and return for their first day today.  I guess it was a good day since they were both grouchy with me when I picked them up "too early" from childcare.  I'm anxious to learn more about their classrooms, classmates (they each have at least one buddy in class with them), and teachers!

Where's the paper? 

Not looking real excited about place value :)

"3" for 3rd grade and "K" for Kindergarten!

Kindergarten Rocks

Miles attended a "Kindergarten Rocks" themed party this past weekend.  He had a fabulous time!  Thank you Kelsie for taking him, and thank you Tindall's for inviting us.  And thank you, Grant Snowden for making Miles laugh so hard by saying "butt" that he "peed in his pants a little."

Tatum (hostess), Logan (transportation for Miles), and Miles... sweating??

Class of 2024.  I think four of them will go to the same school as Miles.

I'm sure he helped himself to a few extra treats since I wasn't there to police him.

Lego Love

Since Owen's return from Chicago, he's been a Lego-building machine.  He and Adam put together two sets this weekend assembly line style.  Grandma Rosie, this is where your money went...

Owen, Miles, and Graham

Not sure what this set is called, water rescue station?

Alien Conquest.  The truck was pretty elaborate!

Architectural series.  He already had the White House, but it belonged in this "grouping" 

The Lego Master

Miles was a little harder on his set, and these dead droids?? are about all that remain

Look, I pooped a pile of Legos!

Halfway

I'm halfway through the training program for my second marathon!  Nine more weeks--and lots of miles left.  Definitely ready for some cooler runs.  This was a recovery week and I was supposed to run a real half marathon today (not just 13 miles on my own) but there were none that I knew of in the area, so I signed up for Brew to Shoe here in Manhattan and made it into 13 miles by running TO the race.  They had a great turnout and lots of fun things going on afterwards.  The boys liked the bounce house, but I had to pass on the post-race beer.

Next up?  Waddell and Reed marathon in October (Kansas City).  I didn't make up my mind in time to go to a place that might be a bit more of a vacation (Chicago, Minneapolis...)  Oh well, I've heard good things about this race.  And they also have a kids' marathon where the participants log 25 miles on their own and get to run the last 1.2 miles on race day in front of the crowd.  Owen is planning to run.  Miles...maybe???

Chicago Trip

Owen returned on Monday (seven boxes of Legos heavier) from his trip to Chicago.  Definitely sad that it was over.  They all had a fabulous time.  Owen told us he'd like to live in Chicago when he's older.  Thank you Mike and Rosie for taking them on this FUN excursion.  We appreciate everything (even the million Lego-men arms, legs, helmets, swords, etc. that I have to keep away from Graham :)  The following are a few (of the 200) pictures that Owen took with the camera we sent.

Bridge over an interstate.  Hoping for truckers to honk. 

Mighty Mississippi River. 

Group picture--not sure where they are.  Iowa?

Great grandparents??  Just kidding.  This couple offered to take their pic,
so Owen and Raly took their pic (on their own cameras) too.  Funny.

White Sox game, driven to game in a town car.  Fancy.

View from Hancock Tower.

Also at the Hancock Tower.

Stocking up in case the Lego corporation goes under.

Navy Pier--no he didn't ride it :(

Dinner cruise aboard the Mystic Blue with Mike's cousin, Mary Pat.

Lego Land.  I think he photographed everything there.  This was my favorite.

Holy Batman!

Fun Weekend

While Owen was galavanting through Chicago, Miles and Graham packed up and headed to Lebo to hang with the other grandparents while Adam and I went to Kansas City for the Kenny Chesney concert.  Miles was very proud of this surf board he bought (I figured it was worth it since he'd been using everyone else's at the pool) and ready to use it at "Grandma's Pool."  

The concert (and time with friends) was a lot of fun, and Adam survived the heat :)  We had good seats on the floor at Arrowhead.  My favorite part was the Kenny Chesney/Zac Brown hoedown at the end. We ended the night with a strange bus ride through Overland Park--very random.  

I have only bad pictures to share, as Owen had the small camera and I certainly wasn't taking the good one in.  Phone cam it is.