Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! (Cubs 101)

While Paul was in Chicago he managed to squeeze in a Cubs/Cardinals game. As I share these pictures, I have decided to educate those(including myself) with the Cubs essentials.















1. Wrigley Field

It is one of the oldest ballparks. The outfield wall is covered with ivy. They say that on some parts of the wall the ivy is up to 2 ft. thick. Paul tells me some balls gets lost in the ivy and aren't discovered until winter when the ivy dies. There is this whole story about a billy goat and curse... and they haven't won a World Series since then(supposedly) because of it. It is actually in the middle of a neighborhood and there are bleachers on the top of surrounding apartment buildings.





2. Wrigley
Field
Score
board


What's so special about this? That is exactly what I was asking. Well, this thing is manually operated. Paul tells me there is a man inside that physically changes the numbers. (Look real close under the second "A" in "NATIONAL" 4 squares down--there is the man!). When the Cubs win, they display the "W" flags on the lower electronic part of the board as seen the picture.



3. Jim Edmonds #15
This guy used to play for the Cardinals (the Cubs/Cardinals are one of the biggest rivalries in MLB) and now he plays for the Cubs. Evidentally, this is a big deal with Cub fans.




4. Harry Caray
This beloved Cubs announcer, with his trademark black frames is famous for his slightly lispy "Cubs win, Cubs win, Cubs win!" . Will Farrell did a great impression of him on SNL (back when he was part of the cast).

Paul also got a chance to eat lunch at The Billygoat restaurant. Believe it or not, he really did go to Chicago to work. You know what they say..."all work and no play..."

Another one of Juliana's Pets

Here are pictures of the (transformed) caterpillar Juliana found. Of course she wanted to keep it "as a pet", and I let her keep it in a jar for a couple of days. I did not take any pictures of the caterpillar stage, mostly because I did not intend on keeping it, so I am not sure what type of moth this is. Little did I know it was about to enter the chrysalis stage. Then I wanted to keep it. A few years ago, I found a chrysalis of a Viceroy butterfly (they are Monarch mimics) and I missed it's coming out by 10 minutes. I was hoping for a second chance to witness the emergence with this caterpillar. Well, I missed this one too. It happened during the night after about a week. The kids were pretty excited to find a moth that morning. Juliana reluctantly let it go after breakfast. She is currently looking for new pets.

We Have Assimilated

In case you see someone riding about Olive Branch in a blue minivan that looks exactly like me, do not be alarmed...no, it is not my nice twin...we have succumb to the demands of suburban living and bought a (used) minivan. It needed some minor repairs, but it was a great deal! Thanks to Vickie for finding it for us. The kids love it and we are enjoying the extra room. It is also the same color as the Taurus, so don't think I am in possession of a vehicle transforming ray gun. Trust me, I would have used it years ago. As for the Nissan, well, we are keeping it with hopes to surprise Andrew with a car on his 16th birthday. What 16 year old boy wouldn't love an antique Nissan Sentra?

The First Day of School

Both the kids started school today. Andrew is now in 2nd grade and Juliana is starting kindergarten. She was very comfortable and had no problems with going to school. We walked Andrew to his class first and Juliana then informed me that she "did not need me to walk her to her class"...I quickly responded with, "yes I do, I need to take your picture!" *FYI: Second grade boys DO NOT get their pictures taken by the classroom*

Juliana's first day of kindergarten

It Was Bound to Happen

Considering that both his parents are visually challenged, it is no wonder Andrew would need glasses. It really became apparent when we where at Disney pointing out things in the distance and Andrew told us he couldn't see them. Andrew got them on Tuesday, just in time for Meet the Teacher night at school. He currently sports the Sponge Bob Waterlogged frames with the glow-in-the-dark feature. Where were the cool frames when I was young?

Andrew with his new glasses

Who Needs Jellyfishing When You Have Dragonflying?

Every year, about this time, dragonfly mating season begins. In the years past, we have only noticed them swarming on the soccer fields. This year, they were in abundance---EVERYWHERE! Even in the new Target parking lot. We have never had them in our backyard before and the kids wanted to catch them (of course). They used genuine Ohrberg Dragonfly Catchers. Here's how to make one:

Supplies:

• 3 foot piece of scrap wood/moulding (Have you seen our garage?)
• wire hanger
• kitchen garbage bag
• duct tape (a must for all good inventions)

Take the hanger and straighten out the hook. Then bend the triangular section into a circle. Using duct tape, attach the straightened section onto the end of the scrap wood. Place the open trash bag around the circular section of the hanger. Position the open bag so that it can be folded over the hanger and back into the bag. Secure the bag by taping on the inside. You are ready to go. Don't forget your jar!

The kids "dragonflying"

Steady...steady...

Got one!

The victim, I mean specimen

*As for the reference to jellyfishing, if you are not aware of this term, ask any grade school child who watches Sponge Bob.

Time for a Round of..."Guess What This Is..."

If you said: a first molar of a 7 year old on a black binder, you are correct! While flossing, Andrew pulled one of his fillings out. It was refilled, but ended up abscessing about a week later. Apparently, abscesses can be very painful and life threatening (the infection can spread to your bloodstream), but we did not experience either. Pulling the tooth is standard procedure...good thing he has another one that will come in behind it (in about 2 years). Oddly, I also had a tooth pulled due to an abscess when I was young, but I wasn't so lucky. It was a permanent one and I have the gap in my teeth to prove it. Here is a picture of the tooth in its correct position...check out those roots!

Visiting Harmony

For those of you who don't know, Harmony is not some tranquil spa offering massages and yoga (although it would be a good name for one). "Harmony" is the closest english pronunciation for grandmother in Korean, therefore that is what my kids call my mom. Btw, my mom is Korean (just in case you did not know that either).

Harmony lives in Clarksville, Tn. and we try to visit her a couple of times a year. The kids love to eat Korean food with chopsticks on her little table (you sit on the floor to eat) and catch lightening bugs in her yard. A little FYI: the tree in the picture is a chestnut tree that she grew from an actual chestnut! She can grow anything!

The kids looking for lightening bugs in Harmony's backyard.

Cow Appreciation Day

After watching our friend Jamie perform in her drama camp play Sleeping Beauty (visit Packs blog for more pics), we headed to Chick-fil-A for some lunch. Since it was Cow Appreciation Day, anyone dressed like a cow from head to toe received a free meal. Any partial likenesses would receive a free entree. As you can see, only Juliana was in the full garb but they kindly gave all of us free meals. It was fun (and very busy) and provided another photo op to embarrass the kids later on in life.

The cows, I mean kids

Kelly (and gang) with us earning our free meals. Notice how Andrew is strategically behind Juliana?

Until Next Time

On Saturday, July 5th, the Choate family was able to spend a little more time with us. We started the day with some blueberry picking. Kelly and her kids joined us for a lunchtime cookout and for dessert the kids got to make their own sundaes (fresh blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream for the adults). We concluded the day with one of our traditional get together activities...a game of Hand and Foot.

We wish the Choate family well on their new exciting and adventurous endeavour.

Blueberry picking with the Choates. Truth be known, it was originally

Joanna's idea to pick blueberries (maybe 4 ?) years ago. Thanks for introducing this (now annual) tradition to our family!

The kids making their own sundaes

Until next time, my dear friend ...

In a Pinch, Lowe's Will Do...

...just fine. Due to a misleading weather forecast, plans to go to the park to watch fireworks were scrapped. Instead, our good family friends, the Choates, joined us at our house for the traditional 4th of July meal, pizza. She-She and Hailey were able to join us too. In a last minute decision at 8:50 (since the thunderstorms never appeared), the Choate kids (minus Katherine) and the Ohrbergs headed to the Lowe's parking lot (insert music here) "to see what we could see" .

The view of the fireworks from the Lowe's parking lot

The Choate and Ohrberg kids watching the fireworks

The Dessert Social

We invited some family, friends and neighbors over for a "dessert" social. After sharing vacation pictures and enjoying ice cream sundaes, blueberry cobbler and other goodies, some of our guests went fishing and took quick canoe rides in the lake.

Some fishing...

Juliana taking the hook off a fish

Hailey with her catch

Enjoying Canoe Rides...

The Guffin family (minus Susan)

The Halford family (minus Ashley)

Uncle Tim, Faith and Aunt Carolee

10 Years...Already?

Paul and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary last weekend. Mary Jo watched the kids for us while we enjoyed a great dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

Blueberry picking

Leave it to Juliana to go blueberry picking and...
find a frog!

Well, let's see how often I can maintain this...

I suppose it is time to go public with this thing. I LOVE checking out my friend's blogs and somehow it seems unfair to keep this thing to myself trying to get it caught up, uh, I mean underway.

Contrary to my phone conversations, I am short with written words. So, expect more pictures. Besides, they are WORTH a thousand words...so why bother to key them in? We all know the pictures are what everyone REALLY wants to see anyway! Unless you have been to Hawai'i...(love ya, Ash!)

Everybody is doing it...

but where do they find the TIME? I can barely get my pictures downloaded in a timely fashion!