Tuesday, July 31, 2018

....and summer sweetens all to me." - James Russell Lowell

July 20 * Granddaughter Shelby celebrated 17 with cheesecake 
July 21 * All mine. Chocolate shake at Steak n Shake with Shelby and Elijah and Neil. Can't believe they didn't want one.
July 21 * West side of town
July 21 * And on the east side of town, the sky painted a different picture
July 23 * Destruction of living room floor still in progress
July 23
July 23 * Retired, when he's not destroying the living room floor
July 25
July 27
July 27 * Knox red-faced from some backyard baseball practice
July 27 * He's done
July 28 * Lunch at Zaxby's with Grandsons Elijah and Knox and daughter Kelly
July 28 * Cousins. Knox is the little brother Elijah never had (picture by Kelly)
July 28 * After lunch, these two amused themselves dancing to Just Dance 3 on the Wii. I think the Just Dance videos are up to number 50 these days, or some such. But they had a great time.
July 28 * That thing I look forward to every summer. Finally got one. Large. Second shake in a week. Worth every big fat calorie.
July 30 * Elijah. First day of school. But not really. It was a two hour day for him. 7th grade already.
July 30 * Knox went to school for about an hour to find his classroom and meet his teacher. 1st grade this year.
July 30 * Shelby is a senior this year. Still can't wrap my little brain around that one.
July 30 * My grandpeeps. How they've grown! I need a pause button.
July 30 * Ice cream treats at the Lazy Cow Creamery. First day of school, and all. But not really. Good excuse to get ice cream, not that we need any excuse, mind you
July 31 * Making progress. Honest.
July 31 * Knox's first (real) day of 1st grade
July 31 * Shelby's first full day as a senior. Chaotic she said.
July 31 * Elijah's first full day of 7th grade. He refused to let me take his picture again since we did all that yesterday. So this will have to be his official first day of school picture. 

"That beautiful season the Summer! 
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; 
And the landscape 
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."
-  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"People take pictures of the Summer, just in case someone thought they had missed it, and to prove that it really existed."
-  Ray Davies

Thursday, July 19, 2018

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter

July 7 ~ such a nice gift
July 7 ~ Knox practicing his catching. And pitching.
July 7 ~ Grandpa=practice coach
July 7 ~ daughter Kelly, lady in waiting
July 8 ~ heading to Bible class
July 8 ~ Sunday morning happy feet
July 10 ~ catch of the day
July 10 ~ our favorite Thai food restaurant, Ocha, reopened after a three month hiatus
July 10 ~ assembling a Lego Star Wars star fighter 
July 10 ~ finished product ~ he's a pro
July 11  ~ Knox, Elijah, Shelby at the pool ~ Knox prepares to be launched
July 11 ~ splash
July 12 ~ Elijah, bff Anthony, and Knox doing their gaming thing
July 12 ~ Elijah and Anthony have been buddies since almost forever ~ they were next door neighbors until Anthony moved far away several years ago ~ he visits when he can ~ this year he came all the way from Alaska
July 12 ~ their friendship has endured the test of time and distance
July 13 ~ my sweet niece Sarah celebrated her 23rd birthday
July 15 ~ Sunday evening
July 15 ~ the 3 amigos ~ we were saying our goodbyes to Anthony that night before he left to head back to Alaska the next morning ~ however, he ended up missing his flight and couldn't get another one until the 20th
July 16 ~ land of the free ...
July 17 ~ 
July 18 ~ granddaughter Shelby celebrated her 17th birthday ...
.... with a birthday lunch at Ocha ....
.... and ice cream at Cream City
July 18 ~ you can't go to Cream City without crossing the street afterwards to climb on the train cars at the depot
Elijah ~ photo by Shelby ~ she was having fun trying out the camera on her new phone
July 18 ~ checking out the depot museum

July 18 ~ photo by Shelby on her iPhone X
July 18 ~ photo by Shelby ~ (I think I have iPhone camera envy)
July 18 ~ Shelby and her mom Holly ~ birthday hug
July 19 ~ upheaval in the living room ~ Neil is busy pulling our ancient carpet back and tearing out the particle board which is nailed (oh so many nails!) to the original wood floor so he can repair some floor joists and level the floor ~ after all that we hope to lay a hardwood floor. In the meantime ....
.... demolition ....
.... and upheaval. It'll be worth it. 
July 19
Hey! It’s summer! Be free and happy and danceful and uninhibited and now-y! 
~Terri Guillemets