August 31, 2011

Becca's new backpack came today!  Nottingham is getting closer...

August 30, 2011

Hannah is going to miss Becca when she leaves next week.  We've been watching Top Gear together--thanks, Emma!  Wish we could all watch it together.

August 29, 2011

We got Hannah's violin "tuned up" over the weekend.  She keeps one at home to practice with and one at school to play in orchestra.  That way she doesn't have to carry her violin back and forth everyday.  Her playing test for orchestra will be coming up pretty soon.

August 28, 2011

Joe and I drove around Omaha for a couple of hours today looking for "roof syles" for Hannah's project in ACE.   She needed to find quite a few examples of houses, and between school, work and cross country practice she has only been able to go out a couple of times herself.  It was kind of fun seeing some of our old neighborhoods.  This particular house probably won't go on her poster, but we agreed that it's really cool.

August 27, 2011

I picked up Hannah's letter jacket today.  She had "orchestra" added to the back, her "academic" B added to the front under her name, and three chevrons that read "state qualifier" added to the sleeve.  It looks great, but it's heavy!  Now she just has to wait for some cool weather so that she can wear it.

August 26, 2011

Becca ran some errands this morning, including getting her hair cut.  She picked me up at lunch and then we ordered her a pair of shoes and a backpack--gotta love on line shopping!

August 25, 2011

The cross country girls went to dinner at Fazoli's tonight after practice to celebrate a couple of birthdays.  Hannah took her camera and actually used it! 

August 24, 2011

Hannah needs to get pictures of different roof styles around Omaha for an assignment in her ACE class.  So tonight we took the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood and she took pictures of roofs.  I suggested that she take a picture of the four of us (me, her, Jess and Ted).  This is the self portrait that she took!  It's part of me, Hannah's shadow and Jessie's ear.  Poor Teddy got left out completely.  But it's funny, so it's today's picture.

August 23, 2011

Becca went to the doctor today then picked me up at lunch so that I could have the car for tonight.  She decided to make banana bread this afternoon. I was almost late getting back to school when I heard "cream the shortening and sugar, what does that mean?" as Becca chopped at the ingredients in the bowl!  I shouldn't have worried, the bread turned out just fine.

August 22, 2011

I can't believe that Emma is a senior in college!  Joe and Becca moved her back to Grinnell this afternoon.  Em has a nice single room--much bigger than the last two years.  She starts classes on Thursday so she'll have a couple of days to settle in.  Good luck, Emmi Lou

August 21, 2011

Just spending the evening with Joe--it's a good day.

August 20, 2011

Hannah ran in the time trials with the cross country girls today.  She ran an 18:16--finishing 2nd overall!  I was so excited for her but I didn't want to be "that mom" at the race, so I didn't even get a picture!  It's supposed to be low key and nobody brings a camera.  (I had mine, but left it in the car.)  Anyway, the first meet is the Burke Invite on September 3rd and Hannah gets to run Varsity.  I'll have my camera out then!

August 19, 2011

Texting--it's the way kids talk today.  I have to admit it's convenient when you need to send a message but can't call. 

August 18, 2011

I got caught in the rain tonight after working at Bag'n Save.  I wasn't too wet until I got home and had to go retrieve our trash cans, yard waste containers and lids from the yard, street and driveway. 

August 17, 2011

It was another long day for Hannah. After school and cross country practice, she got cold teaching swim lessons at the pool.  She came home and put on socks and wrapped up in her Burke blanket.

August 16, 2011

Hannah's a Junior!  She's up and ready to go by 7:00 to get a decent parking spot. 

August 15, 2011

It's my first day back at school for the year.  The kiddos don't start until Thursday so we have a couple days for setting up the room and meetings.  Goodbye summer!

August 14, 2011

I spent the last day of summer getting my new desk area organized.  Mom and Dad brought me this new desk to replace the card table that I had been using for my work space.  It's a little narrower than I like, but it's longer and much sturdier.  It's also junk and dust free--at least for now! 

August 13, 2011

"I need a group picture before you leave."  Oh yeah, the dreaded group shot--but everyone was agreeable (only a little grumbling) and I tried to make it quick.  The picture turned out pretty well, at little too much tree, but not bad.  We had such a nice visit with Mom, Dad and Suzi.  Time always goes too fast.

August 12, 2011

After a long day of shopping and working, we didn't feel much like making dinner.  We had an odd mixture of leftovers mostly, but Joe and Suzi went for wings at Wing Stop.  As you can see, they really enjoyed them!

August 11, 2011

The girls (Mom, Suz, Em, Bec, Hani, and I) visited the zoo today.  We saw the Butterfly House for the first time.  Mom had one butterfly friend land on her sleeve.  We all had to check for "hitchhikers" before leaving the exhibit.  We saw a lot of the zoo animals and took tons of pictures. Suz and the girls rode the skyfari across the zoo while Mom and I got our exercise and walked back to the entrance!  We all enjoyed lunch at the Farm House afterwards.

August 10, 2011

We celebrated Becca and Hannah's birthdays with Mom, Dad and Suzi tonight--and Christmas in August!
The girls shared a coke cake that Mom made for their birthdays and all the kids got lots of nice gifts.

August 9, 2011

Emma and I went to see Cowboys and Aliens at the $5.00 Tuesday movies today.  It was pretty good.  We had fun sharing starbursts and watching "James Bond and Indiana Jones!"

August 8, 2011

Hannah got home from cross country this morning and tried to relax for awhile.  Dexter, or as Hannah calls him, Chubbers, wanted some attention from her and settled in right on top of her.  Hannah wasn't too happy to have him on her, but he's pretty determined to stay!

August 7, 2011

Becca finished knitting her second sock--and she gave them to me!!  I love them--too bad it's too warm to wear them yet. 

August 6, 2011

We had a pretty violent thunderstorm tonight around 10:00.  Joe and the girls were watching it from the deck door.  The wind was blowing so hard that even the covered deck was getting soaked.  I had to quickly take this picture and turn the light back off so they could see the storm better.

August 5, 2011

I finally went and got my hair cut today.  I really like the way she cut it.  (The bangs don't look right in the picture, they are better in person.)  Maybe I shouldn't go 5 months between haircuts!

August 4, 2011

Happy 17th Birthday, Hannah!  Hannah, Becca and I went to the mall and she picked out a necklace and we ate lunch at Panera.  She had to wait until I got home from work tonight to open her gifts, then we had French Silk pie.  We also finally cut into Becca's ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

August 3, 2011

Hannah started running again this week--she needed a little help from Becca walking back into the house after practice this morning!  (Those aren't the shoes that she runs in!)

August 2, 2011

Becca and I went to see "Horrible Bosses" today.  As you can see by our reactions, it wasn't the best movie out there.  At least it was the matinee.  Even though the movie wasn't great, it's fun to spend time together.

August 1, 2011

A quick picture before going out for the birthday dinner.  Becca and Hannah decided on Olive Garden for their dinner.  It wasn't crowded on a Monday at 7:30, so we were seated right away.  We had a nice time and brought home lots of leftovers.  I do need to find a new spot for the "leaving for dinner picture" though!

July 31, 2011

Happy 20th Birthday, Becca!  Becca and Emma had to work a double shift at the pool again today so it was after 9:00 before we saw her on her birthday.  She had a cake at the pool from some co-workers and Joe brought them Chinese food for dinner.  Hannah and I got home from the swim meet in Lincoln after 10:00.  We were all so tired that Becca's celebration was pretty low key.  She talked to Grandma and Grandpa, listened to birthday greetings from Aunt Suz, opened a couple of cards and posed for this picture.  We'll have to eat her ice cream cake later this week.  Becca was too tired to even open her m&ms!