Family Fun

We had fun playing with the Campbells for about 36 hours earlier this week. We played outside, jumped on the trampoline, went running, talked, and took turns holding Thane and trying to find him something to chew on. We wish they lived closer!

Scottish Festival Fun

Last Saturday, many of us attended a nearby Scottish Festival for the first time. We hoped to see an Anderson Clan tent, but alas there was none. We did watch some Highland games, where strong men, many in kilts, were trying to heave a 28-pound weight over a bar 18-22 feet high. If you look closely, you can see the blue object just below and to the left of the high bar. We also saw many wares for sale--with ties to the motherland, English, Irish and Scottish. We did buy some Walker's shortbread, which Jim and I so loved when we were in Scotland two summers ago.

They had booths of activities, and we did a few, including "Fight the Knight" and face painting. We also enjoyed much of the tattoo--a formal gathering of pipe and drum bands in full regalia that played Scotland the Brave ("This sounds like Praise to the Man!" Jon said.) and other songs. (Note the tiny drummer girl--and she was good!)

And we tapped our toes and even danced to some songs by area bands that have bagpipe and fiddle. It was a fun, different evening, and we all channeled our inner Scot for at least a few moments.

This T-shirt made me giggle: "Forget Tibet. Free Scotland!" I also liked: "Many have been KILT for calling this a SKIRT." But Jim wanted a different one.

Here are a few of the photo highlights.

A Jogging We Will Go

On June 6, six of us ran the Art City 5K here in town. It was a great morning, not too hot or too cold. Alicia ran with Dad, while the rest of us were on our own. Jon came in first of our group, followed by me, Becky (I still don't owe her $10 because I can still beat her!), Jim/LL, and then Katie who drank two cups of water at the water station and then got a stitch. Oh well. We were all under 43 minutes. Not bad for a bunch of whiners...

Alicia found her motivation when at the two-mile mark she asked Jim, "Will you give me $2 if I finish this race?" He said yes and then the wheels of her mind started working overtime. "Will you give me $5 if I beat Katie?" Yes. And she did. She's a hustler. In more ways than one.

NOW a Warning...

Yes, Summer is upon us, and we survived the first week. Today was Library day again, and the kids went with Jim to pick out new books and return a few they had read/listened to.

Imagine Jim's surprise as he stood waiting for the girls to make their final selections and noticed a man sitting at the library's centrally located computers, looking at porn. Yes, in broad daylight and in front of children, adults and whoever else was there. Jim notified the staff, and they disconnected the man's computer and he left. Good grief, man. Keep your smut to yourself. I don't want my kids (or my husband) seeing that garbage.

You really can't be too careful.

Uh oh, Summer's Starting...

You know it's a bad sign when school just ended Friday, and today (three days later), Jim asks me, "How many days until school starts?!"

I think it was mostly a case of waking one girl up before she got the necessary sleep. He since called me and said they went to the park and ran laps. No, this is not a punishment for anything, it's practice for the local 5K this Saturday. Lee Lee just ran/walked the first mile of her life and is signed up to "run" Saturday. Jim has graciously volunteered to stay with her.

I know they were going to the library today too. So summer fun has just begun!