A new ride...

Look what Rik went and picked up at the bike shop today. Actually, they even let him be there while they put it together! He's pretty excited about it - this new one has all the bells and whistles he could ever want in a bike and more. Isn't it pretty?

And, just in case you are wondering, the black eye is almost healed, he's still a bit sore, but getting better everyday. Just don't ask him to take his shirt off over his head, it just about kills him. I did make him buy a new helmet for his new bike as well.

Leave me a comment letting me know what a nice wife I am for letting his get this great new bike! He's one lucky guy! I need all the praise I can get - who knows when I'll feel like being this nice again? Of course, he deserves it - surviving a death defying crash and all!

100%

Philip and Rik have been taking the hunter safety course required by the Game and Fish Dept in order for Philip to take part in his deer hunt that is coming up in October. It has been every Tuesday and Thursday since the first day of school - way back on August 9th! Going to all of these classes has not been easy - it's been a pain for everyone involved - mostly because it's been such a long period of time and the comittment in the middle of a school and work week has been enormous - but we have carried on! Tuesday was the test - and BOTH Philip and Rik got 100% on theirs! Philip was really happy since there were only 5 people in the class that got 100% - and he was the only kid. He doesn't look that happy to be posing for my picture - but he really is pretty excited over this!

The Crash...

Yesterday about 2:30, I got a call from Rik, who wanted to tell me that he had finally gotten his new bike shoes so that he could ride his new pedals that he had gotten for his birthday. But, he also wanted to tell me that his bike had gone from this.... (as pictured in El Tour last year)...

To this....

The good news? He was wearing his helmet and only has scrapes and bruises. He's really sore, but it appears nothing is broken. His helmet is cracked - so we know these things work! He looks pretty bad in this picture, but it's really the black eye where his sunglasses hit his face that looks the worst...

I wish I had a totally exciting story to tell you how this happened - but - I don't. He was riding on the riverwalk and felt something change in his bike, and the next thing he knew he was on the ground. We think he might have gotten a flat or something that caused this. I am thankful this happened on the riverwalk and not out with traffic.

Philip kept saying on the way over to pick him up... Poor Dad, he really liked that bike! I (jokingly) told him... I buy you something nice and this is how you treat it???!!

I know we were blessed by him not having a bigger injury - the fact that he got up and went to work today is amazing if you look at his bike! The guys at the bike shop could just stand there and stare at it - it was like they didn't even know what to say. One of them said he had been to the Cannondale factory and saw where they test frames and the force it would take to make this happen was just unbelievable.

I'll leave you with one last photo.... (there used to be a fork and handlebars attached to those 2 pieces....)

Labor Day Run

I ran the 8 mile Labor Day run out at Sagauro Nat Park. It was hilly - but fun! I was sore for a couple days afterward, but it was worth it! I ran it in 1:12:07. I was excited just over that number because with all the hills, it was only 2 min slower than my poor little flat neighborhood I run in all the time. Caitlin and Joan came along for support, but I won't bore you with all the pictures Caitlin took while I was running (everything in Joan's purse and then some!!!). I wish she had taken some of the beautiful scenery, but, no, we have pictures of Grandma's makeup!

Violins...

How many of you know anything about a violin except how it sounds? That's what I thought. Me too, up until a couple of weeks ago. Since Philip has started 5th grade, he got to pick an instrument to play and he picked violin - which I thought was really cool - not only can he someday play classical, he might be Alan Jackson's backup as well! :) He was quite excited to go rent the instrument and get started - he figured out Twinkle Twinkle before class even began. I love hearing him practice!

School Started...

On August 9th acutally! So, I'm still a bit behind. Better late than never right???

Here is our 7th grader on her first day of jr high...

It's actually been going quite well - she's in student council, English, band, social studies, PE, Adv science, and algebra 1-2. Friday was the 1st dance of the year and student council had to host it and work at it. She worked the snack bar and guarded the door. I got to be a chaperone (imagine me in a hot, stuffy gym with loud music and teenagers running all over!). I wonder why they call them dances when they are more socials than anything? I never really saw anyone actually *dancing*!








And, here is Philip on the first day of 5th grade. He didn't want to act excited about it, but I think he is. He has the same teacher that Caitlin had for the past two years - we love her - though I had to apologize for cursing her for yet another year of Brentons! Philip also has gotten to start with the CATS program this year (the school's gifted program) and gets to travel to another school every Tuesday and do lots of fun things he wouldn't normally get to do. This past Tuesday they did chemistry and made some sort of goo. They also have pen pals in Australia.

Oh - almost forgot - the part of starting school Philip was really excited about...















His new shoes! It's because they are a *men's* size 8. Pretty impressive for a 10 yr old - huh?

It happened over a month ago...

That's how *lazy* I've been about getting pictures off of the cameras around here but...

The kids and I went for a couple of days to visit my parents. We had a fund time - first at the science center there were LOTS of exhibits that we could have stayed and played around with all day long - but we only had the afternoon. This picture was a fun thing to do - you pushed on the pads and big poofs of "smoke" came out. If you played with it just right, you could make smoke rings and all sorts of fun shapes.


The next day, we went and painted at a paint-it-yourself ceramics store. I painted a bowl, Caitlin made a tricket jar, and Philip painted a puppy. I haven't seen the finished fired projects yet since we had to go home - but the kids are already making spaces on their dressers for them!


And, we also got to decorate cupcakes. The kids had a blast! I wonder if Grandmommy did after all those sprinkles were all over her pretty wood floor?