End of September

Can you believe it's almost the end of September? Now that school is in session, time is really flying by. The boys are still loving school. I'm really happy with both their teachers. They really keep the kids engaged in learning. I love hearing about what they learn. Alexander has really begun to enjoy coloring, which was always a battle. His art teacher showed him how to color more controlled and he was showing me his new technique. He was so proud of himself. Glenn is rocking his math tests! He enjoys math, just not when there are word problems (I don't think anyone ever enjoyed word problems in math). One Friday, at dinner, Alexander did this at the table. I asked him if he was tired, and of course he said yes. He wasn't sleeping, just resting.

Bob and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We are still so in love! I won't get all mushy with you. I'll save that for home. We went out last night to celebrate. We went to a local Italian restaurant that we wanted to try, but couldn't bring the boys (it's a fine dining restaurant). It was really nice and dinner was delicious. You forget how nice it is to just talk and enjoy each other and our meal going out with kids all the time. After dinner, we went to a movie: The Family. It's with Robert DeNiro- Italian dinner and Italian family. The boys had our pastor's daughter babysitting them. They really love her and so they had a great night, too. They had to show her the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Glenn new favorite movie.

We don't have a picture of Bob and me, but I wish we did, because he looked great (even got a haircut for the occasion). But I had asked Bob to take a picture of me for my new website, since I was all dressed up. My jewelry company, Premier Designs, just release new websites that each jeweler can have. So, I wanted a more recent picture for my site. If you want to check it out, it's at http://lauriedechello.mypremierdesigns.com. You will need to email me for the code to view the online catalog (lauriedechello@gmail.com). Here's the picture I will use that is from last night. 

In other work news, I will begin teaching two sections of the same course next month for Kaplan. It will be nice to have the extra money for bills. Also, my department chair was able to get two sections with the same live seminar time. So, I won't have to teach the same seminar twice a week, just once. I was very excited about that. Now that the boys are in school, I have more time to grade papers. 

We are going camping in Key Largo next weekend. The campground is a state park and has a couple of good snorkeling beaches. There are 70 nautical miles that are part of the under water state park because of a huge coral reef. So, we're very excited about snorkeling. We're going with some friends who have never camped before. So, it will definitely be an adventure for us all.

Labor Day Weekend

We went camping Labor Day Weekend. We went toward the FL panhandle on a peninsula called St Joseph Peninsula State Park. We have come to really enjoy the state parks. Their bathrooms are always nice and kept clean. Here's a picture of Bob and Alexander fishing. They didn't catch anything but didn't fish long, either.

We had this pretty pathway from our campsite to the bathrooms. Alexander enjoyed riding his scooter and bike back and forth through here, and it was nice we didn't have to worry about cars on this path. Glenn is in the picture.

Our neighbors had a visitor while they were gone. The raccoon stole something off the table and then scampered away.

We spent pretty much two solid days at the beach. The water was warm, but there was a strong current. So, we couldn't go out far.

 

 

 

The boys spent hours playing in the sand and took turns boogie boarding.

We had a view of the sand dune and the bridge across it from our campsite. So, the beach was just a quick walk from our site. We couldn't be any closer. 

Don't worry, the boys filled in their holes they dug at the site. That's a plus camping at the beach; you can dig right at the campsite!

Cubby is such a cute little camper. He's so good and other campers enjoy him, too. He doesn't bark at all, which is a pleasant surprise. He squeaks a lot when he can't get where he wants to go.

 

 

 

 

End of the Summer

It is the end of a fun summer. We kept busy pretty much the whole time. After we got back from our trip visiting family, we had a week to decompress. Then we had VBS (vacation bible school) at our church. I lead a group of kids around to the various activities. Alexander was in my group, so of course he was the one most difficult to keep under control. But we had a lot of fun. We followed Paul's 2nd missionary trip and wore togas on the last day.

I have some sad news. London, who had just turned 13 years old (91 in dog years), passed away earlier this month. He had not been doing well since the spring, but really declined fast the last week. The vet thinks he had cancer, so there was nothing we could do. The boys took his passing pretty well. They shed some tears, and then were happy that he was in heaven where he didn't have trouble walking or breathing anymore. Alexander even pictured Jesus bringing him up to heaven on a cloud. Here is the last picture I took of him, laying on Bob's back pillow in our room. He was such a handsome puppy!

Thankfully, we had already planned to go see the new Planes movie that same day. So, that kept all our minds occupied. After the movie, there was supposed to be a street party outside the theater (it's a really old theater downtown, my favorite place to see movies). But then it began to rain. We thought it would pass and hung out while a couple of guys played guitar and sang. But then it really rained. Alexander, and his friends began dancing and splashing in the rain. They were soaked, but had a good time.

Our church had a rally day festival (beginning of Sunday School) a couple of weeks ago. The major attraction was a whole hallway filled with refrigerator boxes made into a tunnel maze. The boys must have done it 20 times. They could go in the dark or with little lights. Bob even tried it once. The other big attraction was the ball toss to get a goldfish. Wouldn't you know it, Glenn won a fish. I didn't think I should put it in with our other fish, so I put him in this decanter than I never use anyway. I think he's my fish, now. Glenn named him Goldie, and says he's a boy. He sits on the counter in the kitchen.

We are back to school! They started the 19th. Alexander is in kindergarten and they had staggered start. So, he didn't go on Tuesday or Wednesday and was so excited to go back on Thursday. He has two friends from his old school where he went to preschool in his class. So, that made the transition even easier. Glenn is in 3rd grade! He also has some previous classmates in his class. We are thrilled with their teachers and they are loving it. Also, our school is part of a pilot program where all the students in the school get free breakfast and lunch (since over 40% would qualify for free lunch). This is a pilot to see if they will save money just letting everyone eat for free rather than having to process all the paper work to determine if families qualify. I am thrilled! That saves us 10 meals a week. They love it, too. We talk about what is being served and what choices they are going to make. So far, so good! I drop them off when they are first allowed to go into the cafeteria (7:15) and they get to eat breakfast together. I wish I could go in there and be a fly on the wall. :) Here's a picture of them on their first day.

Glenn's favorite animal is the zebra. He has slowly accumulated thing to decorate his room with the zebra motif. We finally got his zebra poster on his wall and since I just clean his sheets, his bed is made. So, I thought today was a good day to take pictures of his room. 

In the first picture we have his big zebra poster, zebra bedding (including sheets), zebra back pillow, blue and zebra print pillow with his name (I didn't make it, a friend had it made for him), and of course, zebras. Oh yes, and a zebra rug.

I had made him a chalk board last year, but it was falling apart, so I fortified it with zebra duct tape. Notice also the zebra throw blanket (soooo soft).

And lastly, we have his desk. He has a zebra box, white organizer with zebra crates, zebra lamp, zebra slippers, and zebra trash can. You can't see the zebra pen and zebra light switch plate. :) He wanted me to take the duct tape and put the zebra print all around the top of his walls. Um, no. I don't think it would ever come off the wall.

I have gone back to teaching for Kaplan University online. I enjoy it more since I had a break. I just told my department chair that I'd like to teach two sections at a time. She was happy to hear and is going to try to get two sections with the same seminar time so I can teach both sections at the same time. Otherwise, I have to teach the same thing twice a week. 

Bob has been working from home more since his new warehouse doesn't have air conditioning. So, we get to see more of him and he gets to pick up the boys with me. That's about it. 

Nebraska

Our last destination on our trip was North Platte, Nebraska. This is where I was born and my Grandmother (the boys call her Grammy), Aunt and Uncle live there. My grandmother turned 90 in April and is still living on her own. We love to hear her stories and spend time with her. We had not been there for three years, so we were due!

While in North Platte, we of course had to go to the Fort Cody Trading Post. It has a bunch of Western types of things and a bunch of junk, as well. Glenn got a necklace with a shark tooth (not Western at all) and Alexander bought some Civil War action figures (not Western, either). They enjoyed going in the back where they had a jail, covered wagons and a tee pee. But we didn't stay out there long as it was almost 100 degrees (later it broke 100 degrees).

I had planned on bringing them to A&W for root beer floats in a frosty mug (somewhere we went when I was younger), but was dismayed to find out it had been demolished for a large bank. Boo! So, we went to Cold Stone Creamery, which was not the same!

We went to Cody Go Karts with my parents. They came out a day after we made it there. The boys went on a little train that I thought went rather fast for something without seat belts, especially around the corners. We also went on bumper boats. Glenn went in his own and did extremely well; they are not easy to maneuver. Then we went on go karts. Glenn was with me and Alexander went with Nana. The first time Glenn and I passed them, Alexander said, "Hey, I knew we should have gone in a different kart." Then we passed them two more times. I told him later that I think it was the driver, not the kart. ;)

My uncle has a "monster truck." He brought it over for the boys to see. They were in awe and not only wanted to go in it but asked to go for a ride, which he happily obliged. 

 

Three years ago, I took a picture of the boys on these steps in front of a shack. So, I had to do it again. The lighting wasn't exactly good since it kept getting in Alexander's eyes, but Glenn really took great pictures. It's usually difficult to get a true smile from him. But today, he was all smiles!

We convince my grandmother to take some pictures. Here is my mom, grandmother and myself: three generations.

The Boys with Grammy

 

Grammy enjoyed Cubby!

Glenn has been writing a journal this summer. It's difficult for him to figure out what to write, but I wanted to share what he wrote about our trip to Nebraska:

My uncle brought over a monster truck. It looked like it was big and red. I had a ride on it. I went on a train, bumper boat, and go kart. I went on a bumper boat by myself. Mom and I go on the same go kart. We passed Nana a lot of times. Nana chose a slower one. Also, we came to Nebraska to see Grammy. We had breakfast with her. We played there a lot of times. We give her hugs to her. We love her every single day and night!

I love my sweet boy! 

Last of CT Pics and Niagara Falls

One of the days in Mystic, we stopped right next to the drawbridge for ice cream. Here's Alexander with Nana.

Daddy and Glenn

Alexander and I with ice cream on our noses

On the day we left Mystic, the boys and their cousin were watching tv together. Apparently they were comfortable because they stayed this way for a while. 

Alexander trying to take a nap while Cubby slept in his lap

Cubby found a cozy spot in the bag on top of our cooler.

Niagara Falls

We drove up to Niagara Falls on Alexander's birthday. We stayed on the American side. We walked all around Goat Island. It is an island in the middle of the Niagara River just before the falls. We found out that it was called Goat Island because a lone goat was found on the island. We thought it might have fallen into the river and came upon the island, getting out of the river. Then it lived there alone.

When we got to the falls, the mist was thick and we couldn't see much of the Horseshoe Falls. Here in the foreground is the edge closest to Goat Island and through the mist you can make out the other side of the horseshoe. Later, after our walk, we could see more of the horseshoe, but still not all of it.

This is a view from on top of the hill from where I was standing in the previous picture.

We ate at a grill that overlooked the falls. Here's the birthday boy!!!

The humidity and wind in the air messed with Glenn's hair. :)

Here's a smaller island right next to Goat Island. They are in the middle of a project to add landscaping and slate walkways. It looks really nice.

The American Falls with Rainbow Bridge in the Distance
Rainbow Bridge takes you between the Canadian and US.

 

 

 

 

We camped on a larger island up river called Grand Island. The next day, we went to Indianapolis. We camped there two nights. During the day, Bob went to an office to train on some equipment that he had purchased (something to do with liquid oxygen tanks). The boys and I spent the day at the campground. In the morning, we took a ride on some fun bikes. We rented one with two seats side-by-side and two steering wheels. Then we got another bike that was even lower to the ground and had a steering wheel. Unfortunately, I did not think to get a picture of this. They also had a nice playground and dog park. Then we went swimming and pet a horse. After that, the thunder rolled in and we were stuck most of the afternoon in the camper. But we did get another swim in before supper (while I did laundry).