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Sign of Confussion

Kelby didn't think this was very funny!

Fall Soccer

Fall Soccer is back in play. That means 2-3 practices a week and games on Saturday. Kelby is on the same team, but with a new coach, and many new players. They have played two games so far and Kelby scored goals in both games. He seems to have a natural ability. (from what I've heard, he gets it from his uncle -his Dad's brother- that lives in Oregon :-)

The most important thing about kids soccer .... learn the game....have fun....and display good sportsmanship!!

Pie Chart

A friend sent this to me today. This is what happens when you turn "old". I thought that I'd better share it with you before I forget where I put it :-)

Reflection

I have read and seen many comments about the events that occurred on 9-11-01. I wasn't going post anything about it, but when my husband e-mailed me with his thoughts, I figured that I could share what I thought as well.

I remember that it was a clear, crisp, Tuesday morning and my friend Jennifer called me on the phone as I was getting ready to leave for allergy shots. She told me to turn on the TV. I watched for a minute, but it wasn't clear what was really happening. As I drove to the Navy Hospital, I listened to the radio and things began to unfold. They announced that all civilian air traffic was being grounded and an uneasy feeling came over me as I saw airplanes circling to land at our local airport. What if they are part of the plan of attack?

When I arrived at the hospital, it was unusually quiet as people gathered around the TV in each clinic waiting area. I remember the shock I felt as the 2nd tower collapsed live on the television. I don't even remember if I got my shot, I just wanted to get back home and gather my kids and husband and be safe. On the way home, my cell phone started ringing off the hook by military officials asking me to call different commands and give information to their ombudsmen. I was a force ombudsman for the Navy Air Force Atlantic Fleet and had helped families of the USS Cole bombing just 11 months prior. All of our local military bases went into lockdown. Kirk was stationed aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, which was still being built. He was involved in the lockdown and couldn't come home. I don't even think that he could call until late in the day. It was a very tearful and uneasy week.
I didn't personally know anybody who perished in the events of that day, but as a military spouse, I feel like it effects our family since our life revolves around the defense of our nation. I am grateful to the first responders, the military, and my heart goes out to the families of 9-11 victims. I hope we never take for granted the freedom that we have and the price we have paid for that freedom.

Sad News

Very sad news. Our hatchling, "Ernesto", didn't make it. I read that when they hatch late in the year, they usually stay in the nest (which is underground) and hibernate through the winter without ever seeing daylight. I think he was forced out of the nest early because of the storm and was just too young to make it. Unfortunate.

How True!

On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a Note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents."

The rain came down and the flood came up..

This is what the canal in our neighborhood looks like on a normal day.

This is the view from the other side of the same canal during "Ernesto"

Just thought you would be interested in seeing the difference

First Day of School

Kelby

First year in Middle School

I can't believe that my "baby" is in 6th grade. Kelby seems to like middle school. I think he actually looks forward to school each day.

Nellysa Nellysa is a Freshman in High School. I think she probably likes it, but she will never admit that. She tells me how boring school is every day. Nellysa is taking "American Sign Language" class this year. She has the same teacher that taught Levi (could be interesting).
Just a quick note about school supplies.... I AM OVER IT!! Every store in this city is out of 2" binders and every teacher that my kids have require 2" binders. I tried to buy ahead of time, but there was no way to know that we needed so many.

Moved

I moved most of Kirk's pictures to www.papaspud.blogspot.com
You can also just click on the "Kirk" link under "Daily Reads". Check it out!

Amazing Picture

Kirk sent me this picture that was taken on the ship a few weeks ago .

New Baby

Our New Baby

After the storm "Ernesto", the kids went out to check the yard and when they checked on our turtles, there were two hatchlings. One got smashed (probably by one of the big turtles), and this is the other one. We think that the flooding forced them out of their nest. There could be others, but this is all we saw.

We think this is a very young hatchling because the shell is so delicate. Levi made a terrarium for the baby and we are keeping it warm and humid with a spray bottle and small lamp. We read online that they eat soaked cat kibbles and tomatoes. There we other diet suggestions, but since we had the kibbles and a tomato readily available, that's what it gets. I think it's name should be Ernesto. What do you think?

Ernesto

Neither rain, sleet,......or tropical storm will keep BINGO from happening. We have lived here through many bad storms and a few bad hurricanes. I think "Bonnie" was our first hurricane after moving here. I don't remember if it fell on a Tuesday or Thursday (those are BINGO days), but while we were going over to a friend's house to "ride out the storm", everybody else went to play BINGO. Over the years, I have even seen them chain the signs down, but they never cancel BINGO. I guess it gives people something to do during the storm.

These pictures were taken in our area before the worst of the storm hit. This is mild flooding compared to the rest of the area. The first picture is a canal in our neighborhood that is badly overflowing.

Across this road is supposed to be a parking lot and a big lawn.

This is on part of a main road near our house. Back about 1/2 mile, this main road was closed because of flooding.

The ducks were in heaven.

The canal on the other side of the neighborhood.

One side of the road by my kids' bus stop.

The other side -- pretty close to going over the road.

We were very fortunate in that we only lost power for a very brief time and we did not have any property damage from the storm. The ground is just very mushy in throughout our yard and neighborhood. Lucky!