Back to Springfield

Last Monday we spent a day back in Springfield.  The kids have been wanting to play tennis at Highland all summer and this was the last week of lessons.  So Monday morning we got up nice and early and headed south.  They loved seeing their tennis instructors and a few of their friends.  The tennis instructors there are absolutely the best and make my kids feel so special.  That is definitely one of the places we miss the most.  

After a morning of tennis we headed to pick up Sam's friend Lucas so they could spend some time together.  We took Lucas bowling and the kids all had a good time.  Sam was happy to spend some time with his best buddy. It was a good day of catching up with friends. 


Excuse the fuzzy picture.  John took my camera on his float trip and my cell phone pictures don't turn out to well.  

Our First Visitors!

Dawn and Ellie were our first official visitors to CoMo!  They came up to see the new house and visit campus.  It is hard to believe but Ellie will be heading to college soon and has some decisions to make about where to attend.  Of course in my opinion, MU is the best but we will leave that decision up to her.  We visited our three favorite local restaurants; Shakespeare's, CJ's and Flat Branch.  Plan on going to at least one of these places if you come to see us because they are so delicious!  One alone is worth the trip.  

Other than eating, we toured campus and hung out at our neighborhood pool.  Dawn enjoyed seeing some old places from when she went to college and finding out just how much Columbia has changed.  Not sure we have Ellie convinced to come to MU (at least to start) but we would love to have her close by us again soon.  


The photo is of Sam and Ellie with Beetle Bailey inside of Brady Commons.  Mort Walker who created Beetle Bailey is a Mizzou Alum. 

Win the World for Jesus!

Ella and Sam enjoyed a week of vacation bible school at our new church.  It was a great way to meet some of the families at the Newman Center.  They both really enjoyed going each day!  I worked in the craft room and it was fun for me to be teaching kids again and I enjoyed seeing Ella and Sam interact with their teachers and classmates as they would come and make their craft.  

The theme of the week was "Win the World for Jesus!"  They learned about saints who were missionaries and how to be more like them spreading the word of Jesus.  They also learned a few songs and dances which I still have stuck in my head.  It was a fun week! 

Celebrating Independence!

Luckily, John was off of work and we were able to head to Kansas City for a good time with family on the Fourth.  We started off with Aiden's birthday.  He was excited about all of his gifts and enjoyed blowing out his candles (many times since Becky "accidentally" bought the trick kind).  
It was a hot day so there was a little more time spent inside this year watching the Royals and Sporting KC.  There were still plenty of fourth festivities though.  Bobby blew up buckets, boxes, balls, etc. and the kids, big and little, lit all kinds of daytime fireworks.  Ella and Aiden really got into the fireworks this year and had a great time.  It is amazing what a difference a year makes.  Ella was even lighting some herself.  She wanted to light more but I was very picky about what I let her do. 

 The birthday boy

 All the kids were excited to chase after parachutes.  Ella shows off one of her catches.

 Sam and Bobby holding up the bucket Sam got him for his wedding

Once it started to get dark we broke out the bigger fireworks and enjoyed the fireworks set off by different groups of neighbors.  One hundred and tenth Terrace has definitely become a place to hang out on the Fourth!  It was a late night and the kids were excited to see fireworks still going off on the way home.  They just couldn't get enough.  

Birthday Party Time

Last Friday and Saturday we headed down to Springfield.  I was in desperate need of a hair appointment and Ella was invited to two birthday parties on Saturday.  Luckily, Dawn watched the kids for me and I got to get my hair done.  They enjoyed the time with their Aunt and swimming at Highland.  We spent the night with Dawn and Ellie then headed to Ella's parties on Saturday.  The first party was at Firehouse Pottery.  The kids and I love to go there, I just wish it wasn't so expensive.  We all made something and I will have to post pictures when we get the pottery.  

Saturday afternoon we ran errands, ate lunch at Cheddars (how I wish there was one here in Columbia), then headed to Katie's party.  It was at her house.  They had a water slide and water balloons which was great for the hot day.  Katie's dad even made shields for each of the kids at the party to use during their water balloon fight.  They had a great time.   

Front Porch View

I have never really had a large front porch that I can just sit on and enjoy.  That has to be my favorite thing about our new house.  With the weather as hot as it is though we have had to wait until late in the evening to enjoy our porch.  Luckily, the view of the sunset is amazing! 

Let's Build!

 Lowe's has workshops once a month on Saturdays where you can build things for free with your kids.  They provide the materials and you just come and enjoy.  I've always been a little intimidated to try one of these because I am not much of a builder myself, but I thought we would give it a try.  It really was pretty easy.  The kids made cars that are in the movie Madagascar 3 and had a good time.  They might not roll perfectly or be built the most sturdily built but we enjoyed ourselves.  

Tiger Camp

Sam was able to attend the Youth Tiger Football Camp.  He was so excited to get to play on the field where his beloved Tigers play.  As a special bonus, they just got new field turf about two weeks before the camp.  We had seen pictures on line but at the camp we got to see the new field in person and Sam got to play on it before the actual Mizzou players! 

 Action shot from the MU practice field

 Pizza from a "suite location"

 Ella and the field ready to join the SEC

 Sam on the new field

Running drills on the new turf

The camp was two days of drills with some fun thrown in between.  They got to eat pizza in the luxury boxes, tour the athletic facility, meet some of the players, visit the locker room and run out of the tunnel with their video on the jumbotron.  It was a fun experience and Ella and I also got to join in on some of the tours which was pretty cool for us too.