Monday

Today is the day the boys have been waiting for....traveling tacos for lunch. They both were happy.
No complaints on 2nd grade so far. Gym class is 3 times a week this year, so they are happy about that. Mrs. Schweitzer gets a thumbs up so far.

2nd Grade

Today was the big day. Second Grade. The boys were ready to leave the house by 7:45 (we don't need to leave until 8:15 or so). They both said they had a good day, but did not disclose much information beyond that. They say Mrs. Schweitzer is nice. They are excited for next Monday, as traveling tacos will be served for lunch. You just can't beat traveling taco day.

The End is Nearer

The boys had their open house tonight at school. They are in the same classroom again. They were excited seeing which of their friends will be in their class with them. We had to visit their first grade, kindergarten, and PE teachers as well. Megan was quite chatty with anyone who would listen to her. She wants to start school, too.
After the open house, we played on the record breaking 24th playground of the summer. It was such a monumental moment of our Summer. I had the Nikon D4o on my shoulder, yet I somehow neglected to snap a photo of such a great event. Darn.
Soccer practice starts tomorrow night.

The End is Near

I have 6 days left of summer vacation. The kids have 8. We are all ready for school, but it is still so sad to have summer wrapping up.
Prior to today, we had visited 19 different playgrounds this summer. We have visited playgrounds in 5 different states. Sadly, we did not get to one while we were in Iowa, or we could have had 6 states. I told the kids it is no big deal if we don't break last summer's record of 23-that it is more important to have fun and do things we want to do instead of doing things just to break the record. They ( ie...Jonathan) have other plans. He wants the record, even if it is at the expense of fun. Today we visited the Borden Harbor playground in the south side of Mandan (amongst all of the mansions, in Eric's mind). This is one of our favorites, and I can't believe we did not get to it until August. Four more to go!

Pictures from Iowa

This picture is way out of focus...I was not prepared with my camera when Eric put his hand on Grandpa's back and walked with him down the hall. Eric told me he was going to help Grandpa get to his room safe.

Flying kites at the farm.

Self explanatory

We had to recreate this pose to compare Megan's growth from last summer
Click Here to see

Look how much fun Megan is having on the carousel! She named her horse Pink Lightening

Look how much fun Jonathan and Eric are having on the carousel!

Don was the driest after the bumper boats. The boys were soaked

Visit with Great Grandpa

We arrived in Cherokee yesterday afternoon. We had to drag Grandpa away from his bingo game. He gave us a tour of his new home at the assisted living center. He showed us where he exercises twice daily for 40 minutes. We met the activity director, who gave the kids popcorn and told them to help themselves to the juice bar. Across the hall from Grandpa's room is a living room area with a huge flat screen. Eric did ask if we could move in..... We went out to the farm with Grandpa to fly kites, then went to Pizza Hut for supper.
Today we went to Sioux City to celebrate Becca's birthday. It was fun watching the young cousins play....and fight....and then play again.
When we were saying our goodbyes to Grandpa, Eric said to him "Well, I hope you survive another year so we can come visit next Summer".
After we left Grandpa's, we went back out to the farm and I took some pictures of the kids by the barn. One did not cooperate. We then went to visit Great Grandma's gravesite. The boys always enjoy exploring cemetaries, and counting all the military markers. We are now in Sioux Falls....tired...ready to be home again. In a 27 day span, I have slept in a hotel 12 nights....

Aberdeen

I did not take a picture of my knee...these antibiotics are working so well it wasn't nearly as funky looking this am.
We left this am for Aberdeen to have some fun at StoryBook Land. The kids and Don played in the bumper boats, we took a train ride around the zoo and park, rode the carousel, and meandered around the park. We hit our 17th playground of the summer, too. After all of that fun, we ate at IHOP.
I am too tired to post pictures tonight, but here is what StoryBook Land looked like last summer when we visited....

Tomorrow we head on to Cherokee to visit Farm Grandpa. We will pick him up at his new home at the assisted living center and take him out to the farm for the evening. We are looking forward to seeing him again.

Differential Diagnosis

I knew it wasn't bursitis.....
The inflammation, heat, redness, and pain spread, the fever persisted....I saw my PT yesterday who also thought my issue was more of a systemic problem than orthopedic. Today I went in to my regular Dr's office. My new diagnosis is cellulitis. I got a shot in the @ss of Rocephin, and a mega dose of super duper antibiotics. I get to wear a pretty compressive brace, and need to ice frequently.
My half marathon is in 6.5 weeks......
Maybe I will take a picture of my knee tomorrow....

Swagger Wagon

Can you relate?
http://toyotaswaggerwagon.com/

Copy and paste if you can't open the video by clicking on the link...

Stuff

I had some fun pictures of Eric and Megan playing in the sandbox. Sadly, the Nikon D40 does not warn me when I am shooting w/o my memory card, so I have nothing to show for it. Both kids were very, very, messy, but having so much fun.

The garbage disposal died last night. I heard a "thunk" while cooking supper, looked into the sink and saw a big space where it used to be. It came unattached from the ring that connected it to the sink. So.....quick trip to Lowe's, early am phone call to the plumber, and we now have a new, more effiicient, 5/8 HP garbage disposal. What the heck, we had the plumber put in our new faucet, too. I am happy.

Seven weeks until my half marathon. My left ischial bursitis is healed. I love my PT. Today, my left knee is hot and swollen and very painful. I did 8 miles on Saturday and felt great-what the heck! Soft tissue injury? Not likely. Infection? Possible. Meniscal injury? Possible. I have an e-mail in to my PT.

I go back to work in 3 weeks. Sad. Not ready.