More Fun With the Photographer

It was a fun day when the kids and their kids were all together for the photo shoot. Six adults and six kids. We did fine while the whole group was photographed. One on one odds. Now let's try a kids only shot. True to form only Mina was looking good and paying attention to get just the right pic. The other found more interesting things to do.

Let's put them in jail and throw away the key. Addie is getting tired of the picture thing. Sawyer is being a great sport and Mina is still working to have the perfect pose for the perfect pic. Oh the wonder of grandkids. Get married early, have your kids right away and hope they get in gear and have your grandchildren before you are too old.

Where Does the Cuteness Come From?

Look at the boys from Texas - Finn, Sawyer and Jack. Pretty cute right?

Now look at the Missouri girls - Mina, Stella and Addie. Again very cute right?

Now it is your turn to vote for where they all got their cuteness. Some say Paul while others argue for Jennifer. The answer seems clear to me....

Three Billy Goats Gruff - A Modern Update

Here are a couple of billy goat being feed by granddaughter, Mina. Look out Mina!

This is good friend, Chuck, who traveled to Glacier with us. He is certainly one old goat. He also is lots of fun. Together with his wife, Jan, we tried to not act old on our vacation...

And here is the final old goat, Paul with grandson, Finn. Or is that Jack? Might take a parent to help with the id. No I think it is Jack... I think this last old goat is the gruffist of the group.

Quilting the Weekend Away - What Fun!

Jennifer left me alone all Friday night and Saturday to attend a Mystery Quilt Weekend. Apparently it involves cutting up a lot of little pieces of fabric, getting together with about 20 other women at a quilt shop and seeing who can put them together the fastest without knowing exactly what the finished product is going to look like until sometime Saturday afternoon. (They did have some direction from a teacher.)

Jennifer was invited to participate by hard core quilter Marti Price. Marti was an inspiration, racing ahead to be one of the first to get to "Step 10."

Jennifer tells me that this is the high energy teacher with her sister. Their energy was boundless, but Jennifer came home pooped. Apparently you need to be in good condition for a quilting weekend. I think she's been spending too much time in other activities to be up to her old stamina. It is such a curse not to be a woman.

Twins, Cotton Candy and the Fair

The Ozark Empire Fair is now going on in Springfield. It always is scheduled for the hottest week of the summer. This year is no disappointment. Papa and Nan went for the first time since moving here 12 years ago. They thought the twins might enjoy... We saw big cows, sheep, the biggest sow in the county and lots of hot, furry rabbits with fans blowing on them... The two above saw these fair keeper chairs in the barn and thought they would plop down. I think they were hot too.

Had a steak sandwich, some "give-away" chocolate milk from the dairy folks and then got serious about the rides. Papa got the tickets ($3.75 per child per ride) (could have got the all day $25 wristband) and we looked over the offering of rides. Some went too high ... some were too fast. In the end they rode the lady bugs and then race cars and motorcycles. Papa couldn't begin to find enough shade. Spent three hours and had all the fun a grandpa could want....

Round and round we go. Where we stop -- is when Papa stops buying those expensive ride tickets. May go back next year if I cool off.

Hiking to Grinnell Glacier

On our recent trip to Glacier National Park, celebrating its 100 year anniversary, we hiked to Grinnell Glacier. Part of the hike (6 miles up) was cold and rainy and we both wished we had gloves. Some say if you've seen one glacier, you've seen them all, but we are glad we took the hike--all 12 miles of it. There once were 150 glaciers in the park; now there are only 25.

If you read the paper today (July 29) you might have seen that naturalist Jack Hanna had to use his bear spray three times on a bear on this very path. Paul is standing at the exact spot where the bear cub of 125 lbs. or more confronted Jack (or at least it might have been close to the exact spot.) We were there two days earlier without the bear spray. Some would say "hardy;" others might say "foolhardy." In either instance, we think we'll carry bear spray next time we're hiking in the park.

Here's Jennifer above Grinnell Lake far below. Notice the beautiful color characteristic of glacial fed lakes.

Summer Time Again

Warm weather has returned the girls to the pool. The pool is a bit more crowded with three kids who are all bigger than last year.

Baby Stella is warmed up by Nan. Grandma's name has been shortened by the twins.

The happy parents who a very close to a moving to a bigger house. Watch for news on their blog.