Teachers!

Today I took the kids over to their school to see who their teachers were for this year. Ethan and Ashton are both happy with what they got. Ethan will have Mrs. Moore for 3rd Grade and Ashton will have Mrs. Murray for 1st Grade. We are hopeful that this school year will be as great as all the others we've had at Eastern Elementary.

Happy 60th Grandpa!

Today is Matt's dads birthday. We hope you have a wonderful day! We love you and miss you.

Dennis with Matthew (1.5 years old) and April (2+ months old) 1975

Dennis speaking at Matthew's Eagle Court of Honor (1990)

Matthew and Dennis in Salt Lake City, UT right before Matt left on LDS mission (1992)


Ashton and Grandpa - Gatlinburg, TN (July 2008)

Grandpa with Ryan - Cocoa Beach, FL (June 2005)

Off to the Pool

This evening we decided to head over to the Chesterfield Pool. We waited to go until after 5pm because the admission is cut in half. Yay! My brother and his family as well as my Mom joined us. It was a little bit chillier than a normal July day in St. Louis, but the kids enjoyed themselves anyway.

Ryan hanging on!

Brinley

Ashton


Ethan

Brinley

Leena

Matt with Brinley and Ethan

Ashton

Brinley and Ryan

It's a Tradition!

After we put the kids to bed tonight Matt and I headed to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. This is a place where many memories have been made. We had a lot of fun being ALL BY OURSELVES (along with a million strangers). I've included a video of the production.

My favorite treat at Ted Drewes!

Lunch with Friends

Today we made our normal trek to Troy, MO to meet up with Matt's former co-workers for lunch. Lucky for me they always accomodate our request to eat at Krumbly Burger. My family has been going to Krumbly Burger for the past 20 years. I have so many memories associated with this fast food restaurant. The first time we ate there was when we moved from Minneapolis to St. Louis back in 1989. This is the fast food joint we picked while traveling thru. Other memories include eating there on the way to Nauvoo, IL with my family as well as my church single adult group. But the best memories were when my friend JoLynn and I would eat there on our way to clogging!! Good times!!

Ryan with Greg

Bertha, Ryan and Leanna

Ethan with the gang


Ashton with Leanna



Thanks friends for the great time!

Where it all Began!

Many of you may not know that Matt proposed to me at the top of the St. Louis Arch. Needless to say the Arch is a special place to us. Here are some pictures I took today of our beloved St. Louis Arch.

Get Your Game On!

Since this year's MLB All Star Game was in St. Louis this week we decided to go take a peek at all the All-Star Game "stuff" that was downtown. There were signs and banners all over along with MILLIONS of people and CARS!! They had fun events for kids which were all free. They also had lots of freebie goodies to take home. We even spent a few minutes standing with a bunch of other freaks outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel and saw up close some of the All-Stars walking out of the hotel and into a private bus. We also saw some of the players who participated in the Home Run Derby, including the WINNER, Prince Fielder. Here are some pictures from the afternoon.

Cool All-Star Banners were all over



The Old Courthouse

This picture is specifically for one of my blog friends. Now there is proof you will enjoy a visit to St. Louis one day!

Ryan

Ethan

Heath Bell (closer for the San Diego Padres) is the dude in the black sunglasses. He ended up being the losing pitcher in this year's All Star Game.

Matt standing in front of the new Busch Stadium

Johnny Bench, Hall of Fame catcher who was signing autographs

The America's Center which was hosting Fan Fest

Inside Busch Stadium

Grant's Farm

Today we made our way to Grant's Farm. It is usually closed on Mondays but today it was open because it was All Star week in St. Louis. Another great thing about it today was the admittance was reduced from $11/car to $8/car. Yipee!! The kids enjoyed (if that's what you want to call it) feeding the goats, riding a carousel, the tram ride and mostly they enjoyed eating snowcones. It was perfect weather and because it isn't normally open on Mondays it was almost EMPTY! It was a fun time we got to spend with Grandma!

Ethan about to start the feeding frenzy

Goofy Kids!

This camel was very funny!

Ethan and Ashton brushing the goats



Ashton feeding the goats

Brinley cautiously feeding the goats

Ryan petting the goats!

The cute bunch!

Never Thought!

Tonight we ventured up to my younger brother's house to visit he and his cute family. One of the members of this "cute" family is a Pit Bull dog named Diesel. My kids (and secretly ME) are scared to death of dogs. I knew this would be an interesting visit.



It started out slow, but quickly the kids became IN LOVE with Diesel. I could not believe my eyes!



Here is a picture of my brother Matty playing catch while mowing his yard.

Ethan with Diesel

Ryan with Diesel

Brinley with Leena

Ashton with Leena

Matty with Leena