Lots of updates...

School has started here in oz, Danny is officially a jr. high kiddo. Riles is a first grader, complete with no front teeth!

We took a trip to Boone a couple weeks ago. It was bittersweet for me, because I remember going there every summer while I was growing up. Mom and Dad always took us camping at the waterworks park with Uncle Bob and Aunt Peg. Now, it is an overgrown timber, the horse riding lesson academy isn't there anymore either. We then went down to see the Kate Shelley High Bridge. They are in the process of building a new one in front of the old bridge. :( One thing that hasn't changed was the shale pile. Kristi and I used to call it the meatloaf! lol.. We still do. On the way home, Chris and I had the boys in our van and we took a little side trip down the greenfield exit to go see the rock in rural iowa. Otherwise known as the freedom rock. Every year a local man paints the rock on Memorial Day to honor our countries veterans. Check out the website. It is really a very beautiful tribute.

Well, here are the pictures from our adventures, plus first day of school photos.

whimp

How very thoughtful...
So, I was talking to my sister yesterday to wish them a happy belated 16th wedding anniversary (which was thursday) and she told me her children (ages 15, 13, 13) bought them a $50 gift certificate to Applebee's. HOW VERY THOUGHTFUL of her children. Sometimes after working with students (when I worked at a high school in CB), I am a bit jaded that there are still thoughtful teenagers out there. I was so proud of them, I told everyone at my meeting Friday what they did for their parents. Then I told them how very wonderful Brandy is to help out with the plans. ON her own birthday, she took the kids to the city to get the GC. HOW VERY thoughtful IS SHE? Brandy is absolutely one of the most amazing and unselfish people I have met. She will do anything for you if she can. The kids LOVE going to her house, because she lets them be KIDS. If you have a sick kiddo, she will take them so you can go to work. Thursday her REALLLLYYYY good friends RJ and Shawna surprised her with a present left on her doorstep. How cool are they?
So, happy belated birthday Brandy and Megan, and Happy belated anniversary Shell and Jason.
Job well done
whimp

So busy...
Went back to work on Tuesday..ya..i know you all feel really sorry for me. I can just feel it. I can. trust.me. Anyway, i have been in meetings all week. I spent half a day Tuesday in my classroom..the furniture is where it needs to be, I have my calendar up, and will get more up on the walls next week. Anyway, I spent 3/4 (look mindy, i did math) of today in an inservice. It was one of the MOST inspiring speakers I have been too. The woman's name was Peggy Cambell Rush. She was there to talk to us today about writing in early childhood classrooms. It is hard to describe how elated and inspired I feel about using the simple everyday household items she described to help my students develop the fine motor skills needed to become successful writers. Once they have the process down, they can go anywhere. I will keep you updated! (and probably bore you too)
whimp