Red, White and Blue?

We took a hike to lake Macbride today. At the end of the trail it was all about taking a break. Red, White and Blue.

Fooling Around at the Art Festival

Beaner and Big Dawg were messing around with one of the displays at the Iowa City Art Festival.

You Know It's Summer When...

Beaner gets a little sun;

Sidetrack can hang out with a clean Big Dawg Bean on the porch;

Summer storms roll in and roll out. This over the flooded

(last summer), and now useless Clapp Auditorium.

Beaner, Chalupa, Peanut and Tootsie can hang out in the basement to ride out a summer storm.

And at the end of the day, crash hard like the Big Dawg.

I don't know about you, but...

If you saw THIS in your kitchen, wouldn't you be a bit nervous about what you were about to eat. So far, no trips to the emergency room.

Live, from Iowa City!

Nic Arp (the bald guy in the middle) is cranking out the tunes at the Java House in down town Iowa City.   Every weekend there is live entertainment and plenty to do.   Side Track and I joined Crazy Pete for a set or two.  It was terrific!  

Goofin' around

Chalupa and Side Track hanging out at Country Kitchen.

Big Dawg and Buzz Dad... doing the hangin' aout thing too. 

Sloppy Mess

Here is what the Chalupa endured when the game started at 11:30 p.m. last night.  

It will not go down as a game, but a really bad dream. 

It was soggy, foggy and schloggy.  Below you see Chalupa in the net, and can see her defensive help (white) was one step behind the opponents.  This was the story for the entire first half.  She suffered her worst drubbing as a goal keeper... EVER.  Thankfully, the second half saw better help for the other goal tender, but that was five goals too late.  Like I said, a bad dream.  

The the last of the birthday celebrations

Once a blow hard... always a blow hard.  Fifteen years have come and gone.  Who knows what will happen the next time we blink?

And here is the lovely and talented Beaner at her piano recital... "Lean on Me".   Nice.

Birthday Beaner - now Fifteener!

Under the watchful eye of Big Dawg, Beaner opens a birthday present.    They sure do grow up fast.  

 A special shout out to Caroline Merten... recent HS Grad in Ohio.   I remember when her father and I graduated...  She should ask him about the breakfast her grandmother served the following morning... and her father's very conspicuous arrival.  Whew....   I am quite certain she was not so cavalier.   

Weekend Chaos

Big Dawg, Chalupa and Uncle Pfffft!   

The night before Uncle Pffft arrived, Chalupa had a sleep over.  Four screaming mimis!  YOWIE!

Artwork

This picture of a vase is folded nicely on our mantle.  From one angle, it's black and white, and from another, it's color.  Pretty cool, huh?

Rain in the morning and the sun at night!

Rain on the way to work.  

And the sunset (same day) our our back porch.

Enough Birthday stuff already

Chalupa catching an egg.

From the left, Peanut, Charlotte, Chalupa, Nope, Side Track, Beaner, Riley, Abinormal 1, Molly.  This was before the egg fest. 

BEFORE (note the evil on her face)

DURING

AFTER!

One of the better egg breaks I've ever endured.  Congrats Chalupa!