It's always fun when the brothers come home!

Anytime the boys drop by, the girls drop everything to get some brother/sister time. Today, after the girls had their riding lessons, the boys happened to drop by to return the lawn mower and clean out the fridge. The girls and their friends got all excited when they saw them and started chasing them all over the house... upstairs, downstairs, in the front door, out the back door, around the house and back in again. (Poor little Spud had to stay outside, he's battling fleas at the moment).  Anyway, my goal today was to sort through the girls clothes; put away some summer clothes and pull out some for fall, but I had to catch them first.

Holy Hospital Gowns, Batman!

Eddie, our neighbor who works at the hospital, donated some more hospital mats for us to send to Kenya. In the box were also a bunch of surgical gowns. The kids had a ball with them. Why do we waste our money on elaborate toys when kids seem to be able to make toys out of paper gowns!

Gone Fishin'

Drew took the girls fishing today. One of the neighbors came along too. I think Drew and Ellie fished and Emma and Katie played!

Ellie's 5th grade science project... 3-D Plant Cell

We just started working on the project this weekend. Keith cut the top of a styrofoam cooler to make the cell.  We carved out all the parts of the cell and then added a purple rubber ball for the nucleus.

Today after church, Laurel and Haley came over and we immediately roped them into helping with the science project. Drew also helped. Alex got out of it because he had to work. We used modeling clay to  make the mitochondria, cell wall, and chloroplast. Then we used paint to define the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Then Drew cut out part of a blue plastic raft to make the vacuole. The only part left is to wrap the outside of the plant cell with the blue plastic raft to give it a nice finishing touch!

Alex and Drew came out to play today!

Today Emma and Abby added a hospital to "Chalk City!"

The City Slickers!

The gang was out in the cul de sac again today adding to their chalk city. Emma was the traffic cop and  little Wesley was the policeman that chased down the law breakers on his tricycle. After Emma got off work from her traffic cop job, she climbed into her "ice cream truck" and delivered ice pops to all the kids. 

An update on the kids, and some other random thoughts...

Not much new is happening, except for a change in the weather. I love fall and can already see the leaves turning. The last few days have been wonderful. There has been no humidity in the air and the mornings have been quite a bit cooler. I've even had to turn on the heat in the car when I take the girls to school in the morning. Starting next week we'll be leaving for school even earlier because Ellie signed up for broadcasting at school. Since this is her last year at High Shoals, she wanted to do the announcements. They do it through video these days. There are only 5 openings for that job and she was chosen. Yay for her, boo for lazy me that has to be out the door 20 minutes earlier. She is quite the natural when it comes to public speaking/reading. Whenever she does oral reports at school, I always tell her she should be a newscaster or a reporter.

The other day, Alex and I went up to Gainesville to fill out some paperwork for him to graduate with his Associates degree in Business at the end of this semester. He's been trying to figure out where to go from here. Music is the only thing that interests him. Lately he's been considering going to Kennesaw or the Art Institute of Atlanta and getting his bachelor in Music. Since we were in Watkinsville, we decided to drop by the recording studio downtown. It may be in the middle of nowhere, but it's made a name for itself. They've been there for 15 years and have recorded for REM and other various well known artists. The boys want to record some of their songs there and are saving their pennies. Alex wanted to talk to the guy and ask him about his career path and how he got to where he is today. The guy told Alex that he went to UGA and majored in Music and did his internship there and landed the job. He told Alex that he really loves his job and asked Alex what he was interested in. Alex told him, music performance, but doesn't want to put all his eggs in that basket. He said, he'd be happy just working around music and helping produce it. While he was at the studio, a guy named Chuck Leavell was in there recording some songs. He was a member of the Allman Brothers Band and is currently the piano/keyboard player as well as the director of music for the Rolling Stones. Alex said he was amazing! After we left there, we went over to the Krimson Cafe and ate out on the patio. Alex was fired up after visiting the recording studio. He and the guy from the studio exchanged numbers.

Tyler has been busy practicing with his band. They have been getting gigs regularly. Tonight they are playing at a sorority party. He really enjoys playing music with his brothers a little better, but they lack the sound equipment. Emily and Tyler are still on their vegetarian diets. Emily loves to cook and is pretty creative. Drew and Alex spend more time with Tyler and Emily or with Laurel and Haley than they do at home. I'm having to learn how to cook for 4. It's really hard when you are used to cooking for an army. We usually eat leftovers every other night or pass a meal on to a neighbor. Ann and Gary got our leftover Jambalaya tonight. They love spicy food!

Yesterday, Georgia and I went to Madison and walked around some shops and had lunch out there. The day was gorgeous. When the girls got home from school, lots of kids came out in the cul de sac and rode bikes and played. They like to make a city with sidewalk chalk. They have stores, a bank, a gas station, even a jail. Gary, across the street, started brain radiation last week and is halfway through his treatments. It was such a nice day that he actually came outside with his walker. It was great to see him up and out! He's done with his chemo, but they are doing this brain radiation as a preventative measure. It's been pretty rough on him, but they are getting close to the end of all his treatments and are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. His walker has a seat on it so he can rest when he needs to. Gary said, he really doesn't need the walker to walk, only the chair for when he gets tired. He sat in it for a while and then got up to walk around. As soon as Gary got up, Emma decided to climb up in the cool chair with wheels. It started to roll down the driveway. Ann grabbed it and put the breaks on it. Yikes!

Buster has been enjoying the cool weather too. Often, after we clean up from dinner and the girls have had their dessert and are getting ready for bed, Keith and I will take Buster on a little walk. We have incorporated "galloping" into our nightly walks. Yes, you heard right. We got it from that hilarious British sitcom, Miranda. The woman is absolutely crazy and one of the funniest actresses I've ever seen. On her show, she decides that it's really boring to walk everywhere, why not gallop? Galloping is "such fun!" So one night, when we were walking Buster (it was pretty dark outside so we were safe) I said, "Keith, let's gallop the rest of the way home." And we did. (Actually, he did because I got so tickled, I wet my pants.) Now, whenever we get to our street after our walks with Buster, we gallop. Yes we do! Life's short, why not? You should try it. Maybe it will sweep the nation!

Emma started taking riding lessons with Ellie this year!

Emma began riding lessons today with Ellie. Since Phil, their riding instructor, is battling cancer, it's been a while since Ellie has had a lesson. Sometimes we just drop by to say, Hi! He's usually on his front porch swing. We decided to sign up Ellie for 4-H and the Environmental Club at school this year because we didn't know when she would be able to continue her riding lessons. Then Phil happened to call yesterday and said that he's done with his treatments and is full of energy and ready to begin lessons again! Emma's been begging to do lessons with Ellie for a while, so I asked Phil if Ellie could continue her one hour lessons every other week and we could add on Emma right after her for a 1/2 hour for 1/2 the price. He said he'd break his rule and add her on for a half an hour since Rosie would already be saddled up! He even gave me a break since they're siblings. He's already the least expensive around (and happens to be the closest!) He is such an amazingly patient, sweet, and funny man and so great with kids! We are thankful he's feeling better!