Friday Five!

Now that school is in full swing, I'm super excited for Fridays!!

1)  Tonight was supposed to be our monthly girls night.  I was supposed to host and because we aren't ready to have people at our house, we were going to switch it up and go out on the town for dinner.  Well everyone bailed, I wasn't going to go myself so I'm still having a girls night but with other girls at a different location.  Should be fun!

2)  Saturday my nephew turns 2 and they are having a train themed party for him.  This will be his last birthday as an only child as his sister is due to arrive April 2017.  That makes our nieces/nephew count at 11.  My stepsister told us to come hungry and bring our suits so hopefully no rain!

3)  I am not a fan of cleaning but I think Sunday will have to be the day for that as we haven't really deep cleaned since we moved in.  My goal is to make one day a month designated for that so that will be ours for August.  Anyone want to come do it for me?

4)  Last Friday I had the VVA do a donation pick up at our house.  I love that it was so simple, easy and I finally got rid of a bunch of clothes that had just piled up.  I'm not a fan of donating to Goodwill and I know the Veterans are in need more so I'm hoping to get some more and call them out again.

5)  I am in desperate need of new sandals so I may go shopping for some with end of summer sales happening.  Anyone recommend any cute ones?

Things that make me go "hmmm"

A bit of a blogging absence makes the blog heart grow fonder!  Have lots to share, just need to find the time to do so.  Until then, enjoy the things that make me go hmmm:

• Many (many) STL people loves to show case bumper stickers.  Well a popular one seems to be the "Joy 99.1" pink &white sticker.  Well the other day I saw a car with 3 of them on it.  Really, how many of one do you need?
• My power point for the class I'm teaching talks about an intruder drill.  It went fine until one boy decided to tell the other kids that an intruder could kick in the window on the door and get in that way.  Thanks buddy!
• We have a friend who feels the need to share every little detail on facebook.  Lately its been about him running and he'll like his own statuses because no one else will.  His sisters posted this article that fits him to a T.  Gave Keith & I a great laugh!
• The same said friend deserves a post of his own, with all the stuff going on and rightfully so I will be writing that soon to get some advice on this "friend" of ours.  A preview: said friend comes to our new house, breaks up with his wife via text in our living room because he's been cheating on her with a girl from 5 years ago who coincidentally cheated on this friend back then and her husband now to be with this friend.  She's pretty much cheated with every guy she's been with, and then some.  This girl is supposedly getting a divorce so she and friend can be together but friend has been told they can't tag each other on facebook so the truth doesn't come out.  Makes you wonder what she said up in the town she was living in - I'm betting she blamed it all on the hubby to make her look super!
• Treating others the way you want to be treated is how people were raised "back then" I guess because the people I work with at the PT job don't care if they do their job to get my night ready but they'll leave me mean notes if I don't do it for them.
• The date on the milk means EXPIRED, not PUT IT OUT TO DRINK!
• The room being used as the new tech room that I'm in, is so sticky and humid its unreal.  I cough all the time, papers are blech.  We had a dehumidifer in here but the principal said to take it out and I haven't seen it back.  I documented that for when the CPUs short out, and I am not the one to be blamed.
• I dislike chromebooks.  That is all!

Time to get the CPU's ready to test more students on this new reading baseline (Ready Gen for those readers who are teachers).  Its a fun test (I'm being sarcastic).

Have a great Thursday!

Friday Five - Road trip edition!

Today's Friday Five is dedicated to the road trip we are leaving on after work:

1)  This weekend is our yearly family trip to Branson.

2)  The amount of family attending this year grew from 7 people, 2 dogs to 16 people, no dogs.  Quite the bunch!

3)  Saturday will be on the pontoon...makin' waves and catchin' rays up on the roof...jumpin' out the back don't act like you don't want to...party in slow motion, mmm motorboatin'

4)  Sunday brunch will be at the wonderful College of the Ozarks - yummm!

5)  Before we head back to the 'lou, we will visit an attraction down there we haven't been to - can't wait!

Have a great weekend ~ stop by next week to read about all the fun!

First Day of School 2016

Happy 1st day of school!

I can't believe this year is flying by and its already time to go back.

Unfortunately my goal of my own classroom wasn't met, but I am doing a long term leave that started last week and goes until November sometime.  So that's great and its a new position for the district of technology teacher so I'll be setting up and implementing the curriculum that they haven't had yet.  It is a lot of work but it will be fun and interesting

Hope you, and your littles, had a great first day as well!

El Monstero 2016

Any Pink Floyd fans in the house?

I wouldn't say I'm in love (in like is a better word) with their music but Keith is and a yearly tradition is going to see the tribute band El Monstero, which is one of the best tributes to Pink Floyd.

They put on a winter show and a summer show.  We usually have gone to both but the past few years its only been summer, which I feel is one of the best ones.  Keith's coworker Colin always goes with us and its been a tradition for awhile now:

Their set list usually is the same and they make sure they play all the favorites.  The weather was perfect for an outside show and it was a great night of music:

 

The very last song is always "Wish you were here" and they always have a slide show of people who have past this previous years and people who are attending the concert are encouraged to send in pictures that will be displayed.  Its quite a moving site:

Until next summer, shine on!

Club Fitness 5k Run/Walk

We joined Club Fitness back in January when our other gym membership ended and we decided we didn't want to renew with them.  We joined Club Fitness, where majority of our friends go and we love it!

This past weekend they held their 3rd annual 5k Run/Walk.  Kim and I decided to do the walk while Nate and Keith did the run.

The weather was perfect and it was a great morning:

Keith finished the run in 25 min, go buddy!

Kim and I did the walk part in 20 minutes - yay!

It was fun, and maybe next year I'll work up to the actual 5k.  That is a good goal! :)

Meet Us at the Muny: Fiddler on the Roof

The 2nd to last show of the Muny summer season was Fiddler on the Roof:

We went into the show with thunder and lightning in the background, and fully thought that it would be delayed but it wasn't and it was a good show.

The final show of the season is Aida, which I have mixed feelings about but have heard several good things from different people about it.

Meet us next week for Aida!

Echo Bluff State Park Grand Opening

This past Saturday we were a part of history as Missouri's 88th State Park, Echo Bluff, was dedicated by the park system and Gov. Jay Nixon.  The park is outside of Eminence, in Shannon County, deep in the Ozark National Scenic Riverway.  This park is rich in history, it use to be Camp Zoe which started out as an all girls camp.  Through the years it came and went as different stuff until the state took it over and decided to make it Echo Bluff:

My Dad was the head honcho on this project that took about 30 months to complete.  It was hard not to cheer like at a graduation when each person who talked, talked about him.  Our family grew up going to the state parks, spending time outside so developing this park was right up Dad's alley.

There were activities all day to commemorate the day from wildlife, food, crafts, games, a splash pad, playground, picnics, etc.  It was gorgeous weather for a celebration:

If you're ever in Missouri, you must visit one of our parks, especially this new one close to my heart, Echo Bluff!

Crown Valley Winery anniversary day

Back in 2010, we had gone to Ste Genevieve for a little getaway at the Vineyard House at Crown Valley Winery where Keith proposed:

We hadn't had a chance to get back there since then so we were determined to do so for our 5 year this past Friday.  For years I had heard about the Anvil Saloon in the small town of Ste. Gen so we stopped there for lunch:

We were told they were known for their onion rings, chili, burgers and homemade pies.  We tried all that but the pie as we just weren't hungry after that small (yes that's the small) pile of rings.  We walked around a bit, stopped at the Felix Valle House Historic Site then headed to vines!

Crown Valley will forever be a favorite and can you blame us, the view is gorgeous:

We picked up a bottle of our favorite wine and settled in on the porch:

Happy 5 years - cheers to many more!