Monday, July 30, 2007

Everyone Loves A Parade




Tonight was the annual Lincoln County Fair Parade. They close down a major highway for about 3 blocks so people on fire engines, horses, various ATVs and ambulances can throw candy at you. It is the highlight of the kids summer time vists to Grandma and Grandpa's house.


On a slightly sadder note. The Homemade Ice Cream Contest was cancelled this year. I am very disapointed. Mostly because we bought all of the stuff not only to make the ice cream for the contest but to do a trial run today. Good thing there is about 100 people running around that all like ice cream because we have a lot.

Fun or Device of Death?

Today I was driving down the highway with my sisters and nephews when my sister Erin yelled at the top of her lungs. What exactly she said I don't know. I thought that I was going to hit something because so far on our trip I almost hit a dog and a big blue truck. Well it turned out she was screaming with glee because she saw a Giant Stride at the Grover Community Park. For those of you not familiar with a Giant Stride I will try to explain it to you. Basically it is a giant metal post set in cement. At the top of the pole is a gear of some sort. Attached to the gear are several chains with handles at the bottom. You hold on to the handles, making "giant strides" and you fly in the air. It is the most awesome playground toy ever invented. It is also one of the most dangerous. When I was in 4th grade, Barbara Carter, our neighbor, broke her leg on the one we had a school. The next year when we came back to school it was gone. Goldy ( the best flyer) was missed and has been the topic of many a conversation since. So we go back to my mom's and load up the kids to go to the park for Taco Time and Giant Stride. Rule One on the Giant Stride: DO NOT LET GO OF THE HANDLE UNTIL EVERYONE HAS STOPPED. The handle will knock one of the other riders in the head and it hurts very very badly.

Rule Two: DO NOT HOLD ON TO JUST THE TOP HANDLE. As my sister Jennie can tell you from experience the bottom of the handle will fly up and hit you in the head. That's all there is to it. Hold on and have the time of your life!

the aftermath of Rule One being broken

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Howdy From Wyoming


Today Thomas and the rest of the boy cousins went with Uncle Jake to find Bullheads and Crawdads. They came back with "about 50" according to Thomas. The big ones count as way more. I was surprised that Thomas wasn't afraid to hold these things. The claws are huge.

Sunday, July 8, 2007

David and Allie throwing rocks at Mt. Vernon right before they got in trouble.
Hershey Chocolate Factory Tour
Thomas, cannon and Emily at Gettysburg
Thomas and Smithsonian Air and Space Worker after
Thomas won the paper airplane contest.
The Agony of Defeat

4th of July Bike Ride. This was the first time that any of the kids had ridden on the front handlebars. They were all very hesitant to ride up there at first.

Glad to be home

We are back from a trip to Virginia to visit all (well most) of our East Coast Family. We had a fabulous time seeing the sights (what a lot of sights to see) and playing with cousins.



I'm just going to post a few highlights of our trip.
Allie's 1st plane trip
Baby Isabella
Kendig Family at Jefferson Memorial