Stadium Saturdays

Football season is back and we have had two home games already this year.  Mizzou looks to be off to a slow start, especially the offense, but they have managed to win their first three games.  Our first home game was extremely hot!  We decided to skip the tailgate and only made it to halftime of the game.  We weren't playing well and were all sweating so we decided we could watch the second half from the comfort of our couches.  
The second game was a morning game and there was no motivation for getting up early to tailgate so we arrived at game time.  The weather was much better.  It was still warm but definitely tolerable and we stayed for the whole game.  They did a special tribute to the Golden Girls for their fifty year anniversary at halftime that Ella was more excited about that than the game.  Many of the old Golden Girls returned and Ella's tap teacher and her Golden Girl leader from Jr. Golden Girls returned for the event.  We all had a good day we just hope the Tigers can mount more offense before we get to the tougher games on our schedule.  

Makerspace

Ella is helping her kindergarten buddy make a
duct tape book mark. 

The media specialist at Ella's school got a grant this year to start a makerspace.  It is a space where kids can build, invent, create and tinker.  Sometimes the lessons are guided and sometimes they get to explore.  The first week they made projects with duct tape and the second week they got circuit boards and could explore conducting electricity through a variety of objects like celery, themselves and play dough.  They kids have all really loved having this opportunity every other week! 

Last Days of Summer

We squeezed in a few last days at the pool before it closed for the summer.  Good bye to the relaxing afternoons and hello to the busy schedules.

 

It Actually is Grandpa's Birthday!

My dad has a running joke with my kids that every time he sees them he claims it is his birthday.  While they may not know the birthday of a lot of people in our larger family, they know Grandpa's.  We headed to Kansas City this last weekend to celebrate his actual birthday with him. He had told Ella a few months back that for his birthday he would like either a stale graham cracker or a Lamborghini.  So Ella has been saving a graham cracker the last few months to give to him.  She wrapped it up with a few pictures that she made for him.  She was so proud of her present! 
Christy and Dale offered to have the party at their house so we could swim in the pool.  Despite it being a warm day the cooler weather from the week before kept the water pretty chilly.  The kids and my dad got in the water though and had a fun time.  We then went inside for presents.  My mom made a shadow box for my dad with medals from his service in Vietnam.  It was a great gift.  We looked for a photo the night before to put in the box but we had trouble finding the one that she and I both seem to think exists.  While we were working on the shadow box Sam got the idea to take pictures of all the medals and some old pictures of my dad and make a slide show on his iPad.  I thought it 
was a great heartfelt present and was proud that he wanted to do that.  We ended the day with some delicious desserts that Christy made.  It was a great family day! 

Chilling in the cool water! 

Ella jumping in the pool.  

Hey you guys! 

Kylie trying to make a big splash. 

Watching Sam's video for Grandpa. 

Take Time to Enjoy the Simple Things

This is a picture of what has been bringing me joy the last few weeks.  I have had multiple hummingbirds at my feeder.  We had a lot of hummingbirds in Springfield but not many since we moved to Columbia.  The last few weeks though, the hummingbirds have found my feeder and are visiting often.  I have the feeder positioned so I can see it from my bedroom, kitchen and living room.  I enjoy watching the hummingbirds feed all day.  I read that they will be leaving soon to migrate south but I have certainly enjoyed my little visitors and am hopeful they will return next year.  

A Chamber of Commerce Day!

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day, especially for the second to last weekend in August.  The sun was shining and the high was eighty degrees.  After church and lunch I decided it was too nice of a day for us to all sit inside.  We loaded up the car and headed to Cosmo Park.  They redid the playground last year and Ella had been there but Sam and I had not.  They did a great job.  There is a lot of new equipment that the kids really enjoyed.  It was nice to be able to stay outside for hours without getting too hot.  It was a great afternoon!